Thanksgiving in New York & Aunt Mary's 60th Birthday

Luke, Andrew, Deborah, James, Rachael & Anna
This year Anna and family made the trip to New York to celebrate a Fagella family Thanksgiving dinner.  There were lots of things to be thankful for this year!

First, we were thankful just to be able to make the trip.  After Joe's hospital stay and various other family members with assorted colds and the flu, we were not sure if we would make it.  Make it we did!

Second, we were thankful to Uncle John, Aunt Yvonne, and Deborah for hosting the festivities.  They even had The Godfather, Part II playing when we arrived.  John and Yvonne were also celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.  Aunt Yvonne fondly recalled the first time John brought her home to meet his family.....and proceeded to tell them she didn't speak any English (she of course did).  One can imagine how that family dinner went as they tried to communicate with her.

Third, were were thankful that most of Anna's cousins were there, including Luke who made the trip from his new home in Wyoming.  Anna had a great time hanging out with them.  She also perfected her Long Island accent thanks to James.

Fourth, we were thankful for the chance to help Aunt Mary celebrate her 60th birthday.  James made an awesome video with hundreds of people saying happy birthday to Mary (check it out here) .  We watched the video as a family, although some parts of the video bordered on PG-13 (when you have one man in his birthday suit and another one in his underwear....well Anna has something to tell her friends at school this week).  The video also featured a guest appearance by Whoopi Goldberg.  How much better can a birthday get?

Fifth, we were thankful to Aunt Mary for hosting us for the rest of the weekend, along with Aunt Lucy and Aunt Terri.  She had a second Thanksgiving meal prepared.  Anna got to enjoy a post-dinner late night snack with James, Luke, and Andrew on Thanksgiving night, where she ate roughly 10 more desserts.  In addition, James took us on a tour of one of the nearby Vanderbilt summer houses (always a treat).  Theresa got to visit her favorite local bookstore.  It was a relaxing weekend!

Finally, we are thankful for a very smooth trip home, complete with a delicious breakfast at a New Jersey diner.  Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday to Aunt Mary, Aunt Lucy & Aunt Loren!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Swimming with the Lakevale Dolphins

Image
The Swim Gang - Leo, Aidan, Megan & Anna Tonight Anna completed her third season with the Division II Lakevale Dolphins.  It was a great season for Anna as she improved her strokes and her times and made it to the "A"team to compete at Saturday meets.  It was an educational season for Joe and Theresa, who learned the ins and outs of life as swim team parents. The neighborhood swim team is the hub of neighborhood social activity in the summer.  There are events throughout the season, including Friday night pep rallies, and Sunday night fund events that include such things as the neighborhood scavenger hunt, laser tag night, bingo night, and even a team night at the Washington Nationals game.  In between the fun is the seriousness of the swimming, and there are definitely some top notch swimmers on the team. Anna with her lollipop for getting a "personal best" time Kids are motivated by different things. Some kids love to race.  Other kids try to b...
Read more

Camp Coles Trip & June Birthdays

Image
Anna at Girl Scout Camp Anna just returned from a fun-filled week at Girl Scout camp.  This year she was old enough to go to Camp Coles Trip, which is on a bay area off of the Potomac River.  This is a water camp, so she spent her days on the bay learning to paddle board and sail along with kayaking. Girl Scout Camp is definitely roughing it.  The camp is in the woods and girls stay in platform cabins with screens.  Anna shared a cabin with 4 other girls.  Mosquito netting is very important at night.  The only electricity is at the dining hall, health center, and activity building.  The girls are also responsible each day for doing "kapers" or chores.  They take turns helping serve meals, cleaning the bathrooms, and general clean-up.  They are also responsible for keeping track of their own things and carrying their bags. Anna had a fantastic time, despite the lack of modern conveniences, and is already planning her return next year....
Read more

The End of 1st Grade

Image
Last Day of 1st Grade Pool Party Anna is officially a "rising 2nd grader."  She was quite excited to celebrate her last day of 1st grade on June 14. She learned a lot this year, including great strides on reading, addition, subtraction, and writing. Anna kept a writing journal during the school year.  Below are some excerpts: If I had a pet I would choose a dog.  I would feed him, walk him, play with him, and a dog would keep me company.  PS, i atcally want one these are the things i would do One day while I was driveing on the road a deer was in the way.  My dad honked the horn.   self-control is keping your self in control.   Peace is when you are quiet.   I can respect others by bringing over plates afer diner.    The last week of school included a field trip to Frying Pan Park, a working farm in Fairfax County.  Anna, upon recounting the details of her trip, stated that they learned how to do farm chores from...
Read more