Happee Birthdae Harry!!! 🎂

Hello Muggles!  I just wanted to pop in quickly because it's Harry Potter's birthday!!! 🎂 

If you're following me on social media, then you already know that Eliot and I were able to visit the Warner Brothers London Studio Tour of The Making of Harry Potter while we were overseas.  I have SO much to share with you about that experience, but it'll have to wait for another time because I need to actually do it justice.  

So today I just wanted to stop by to share a quick photo of Eliot and I standing in the Great Hall... which was absolutely incredible.  This was the very beginning of the tour and we both had no idea about the magic was to follow it.  I still can’t quite believe that I actually walked through the soundstage where they filmed the movies!!! ⚡️❤️💙💛💚⚡️

Anyways... more to come at some point in the future!  But for today... 

Happee Birthdae Harry!!! ⚡️

#tbt Springtime Surprise 2026 🏃🏻🌐🏃🏼‍♀️

I haven't had a chance to talk much about our RunDisney Springtime Surprise weekend back in April, so I thought I'd pop in to do a Throwback Thursday for it!  

It was actually a year ago yesterday that I came out of RunDisney race retirement when I was able to register for both the 2026 RunDisney Springtime Surprise 5K and 10K because Eliot and I couldn’t resist the Winnie the Pooh and Zootopia themes of the races.  The original plan was for him to sign up for the challenge, but I decided that if I could get into the 5K or 10K I would join him.  (Little did I know that would be the race weekend where we could actually get me into both races...) 

After my endometriosis surgery last September, I haven't exactly been super active.  And I definitely wasn't very active before surgery due to the baseball sized cyst inside my belly.  So even signing up to attempt something like this was a pretty big mental hurdle for me.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… doing events at the Disney parks is basically the only place you’d ever catch me even remotely attempting a race. 🏰 But the character meet & greets, entertainment and seeing the World Showcase and Spaceship Earth lit up always makes it worth it. ✨🌐✨ 

This year, we actually committed to costumes.  Eliot's sister Sara and his parents also signed up for races that weekend- so we coordinated costumes with them.  We bought character shirts and tried to find shorts/skirts that would match.  I even found these ridiculous character headbands online and they really sold it.

For the 5K, Eliot and I dressed up as Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. 🐰🦊 Thankfully, Eliot and I were in the C corral, so we had a great head start on the other corrals.  I felt pretty good while waiting in the starting corrals.  I made sure to stretch out my muscles, I took some calming deep breaths and I felt very centered.  This was the first ever RunDisney event where I wasn't nervous... and dare I say that I felt confident?

Looking back now, I probably felt great because I knew that I had nothing to lose.  For me, just getting back to the start line was probably the biggest battle I faced.  No matter how these races went for me, I had dared to try to attempt them again... after being in incredible pain and having surgery.  So when our group's fireworks shot into the sky, I started my speed walk with a confidence that I haven't had in other races.

The 5K was a great way to get back in the game because it's a fun run and not timed.  Still, Eliot and I tried to stick to the 16 minute a mile pace as much as we could since we knew it would be a good practice for the 10K race the next day.  I really pushed myself during those three miles, and Eliot encouraged me the entire way, often reminding me that we were fine and doing great.  He and I basically speed walked through the World Showcase- only stopping to take a few quick photos and for one longer stop in the America Pavilion to use the restroom and take photos with Duffy!!!  

I was pretty emotional at the end of the race when the finish line was in view.  Eliot video taped me crossing the finish line and I got a little misty eyed.  I was so proud of myself after everything I've been through this past year.  Still, the 5K was a lot of strain and effort on my body.  And if there was ever a medal that I've earned, it was this one.

The rest of that day, I walked more steps... in fact I ended up clocking in at 22,000 steps according to my FitBit.  This past year, 10,000-12,000 steps is usually when my body hits a wall and it's had enough.  Then I walked another 10,000 steps past that point... so I knew that the 10K the following day was going to be an extra hard challenge.

Naturally, Eliot and I dressed up as Tigger and Eeyore for the 10K. 🐯🧡💙🎀  This time, we were in the D corral, so we didn't have as much of a head start.  Eliot tried to get us as close to the front of the corral as possible... and the nerves were starting to set in the closer we got to the start line.  I just had this bad feeling that I couldn't shake.

The 10K was a really rough one for me.  I had massive cramps less than a mile in and some really nice lady stopped to give me a salt tablet to suck on.  It was so hot out.  It might have been stupid early in the morning, but the humidity didn't get that memo because it felt like I was trying to speed walk in a hot sauna... and I was dying.

Eliot was doing the Springtime Surprise challenge (5K, 10K & 10 Miler), so he had to finish.  I didn't want to hold him back, and I couldn't shake that bad feeling no matter how hard I tried to.  Plus, my body was already at it's limit from the previous day.  But Eliot was right there next to me cheering me on until I couldn’t go any further. 

I didn’t quite make it into Epcot before my body had enough of the intense Florida humidity & heat.  It was only about 1.75 miles in, but it was longer than I thought I'd make it after crossing the start line.  I pulled myself at the medical tent right at the entrance to Epcot's World Showcase, and I felt really confident in that decision.  Eliot stopped to make sure that I was ok, then he kept going to finish the rest of the race.

I patiently waited for everyone else in the other corrals to finish running by me.  Then I hopped in a van with the other people who pulled themselves or those who got pulled because they got behind pace.  They drove us directly to the finish line and once there, they gave us our medals, food boxes, bananas, water, Powerade, and some medical attention if necessary.  By the time we got there, my legs had tightened up and it was all I could do to get myself back out of the van.  I ended up getting ice for my shin splints and I talked with some wonderful volunteers while I tried to stretch my legs back out. 

Eventually, Eliot was close to the finish line and I made my way over to the meeting area.  After talking with Eliot, Sara, Rick and Nori, we discovered that they had cut the course in multiple locations because Nori finished before anyone else, yet she started in the last corral.  If I had known that they were going to cut the course in multiple spots due to the extreme weather, I would have told Eliot to leave me and I would have kept slowly moving forward- but I’m happy with my decision to listen to my body.

The following day, Eliot and Sara were both doing the 10 Miler.  The theme for that race was Aladdin, so Eliot dressed up as Genie and Sara was Aladdin.  

I said goodbye and good luck to both of them at the car, and then I ended up staying there to get some more rest.  (Three early mornings and very little sleep had taken a massive toll on me.)  However, there was still quite a bit of excitement as I could hear them setting up a Muppets entertainment video loop nearby.  When the race started, I heard all of the fireworks signaling the release of each corral group.  Then the DJ set up not too far from my parking lot row and there was no more sleeping to be had.

This race course went through Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and there wasn't really a good place to see the runners.  I ended up meeting up with Nori over by the entrance back into Epcot.  There, we tracked Eliot and Sara through text messages.  Eliot came first and he stopped to take a photo with me.  (He was pretty emotional at this point since there was only a mile or so left for him to go.)  Then we waited for Sara to pass us before heading over to the finish line where Rick was standing.

Eliot and Sara collected their 10 Miler and challenge medals.  Then we all met back up in the meeting area and celebrated the end of another RunDisney weekend.

After these past two races, I think I’m headed back into RunDisney retirement.  I had a great time, but I'm definitely not signing up for another Springtime Surprise event ever again... because they always seem to be hot.  But I might be persuaded to do another 5K event if I can get into it... especially if it's Princess weekend.

Still, I'm really glad that I did this.  I’m so proud of myself for completing the Springtime Surprise 5K and attempting the 10K after everything I’ve been through this past year. 🙂

Back From London 🇬🇧

Eliot and I are back home in Maine after an incredible trip to London!!! 🇬🇧 We've been back for 10 days, and I've spent a lot of those resting and recuperating from our trip.

It was such a whirlwind eight days... but we had an amazing time and got to do most of the things we had hoped to!  Of course, there's never enough time.  We were also there during another massive heat wave, with temperatures regularly between 90° and 95°.  I don't usually leave the house when it's that hot unless I have to... so walking around the city of London wasn't something my body was totally equipped for... especially with my endo.  But I somehow managed- even if I hit the brick wall a few times during the trip. 

Eliot and I are absolutely certain that we'd like to go back to London... sooner than later if possible.  We only scratched the surface of things we wanted to do and see, so a return trip is definitely on our radar!  I'm hoping to go into more detail about our trip at some point, but I'll leave you with a few quick morsels today!  

We were able to see many famous landmarks.  We explored the Tower of London and Kensington Palace, took a Thames River Cruise, rode on the London Eye, took (most of) a bus tour and rode over the Tower Bridge.  We also drove by Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, and many other landmarks on our bus tour.  

Unfortunately, a few of the famous landmarks were undergoing massive construction, so they were a bit lackluster.  We did get to see Kensington Palace, but the famous gates were not there.  And I saw Westminster Abbey, but we couldn't go anywhere near the front of it due to construction.  (But there's always next time!)

The thing I was most looking forward to was seeing Big Ben (aka the Elizabeth Tower).  That's the first thing I think of when someone says London- and it did not disappoint.  It was spectacular and it took my breath away.  And I'm so thankful that Eliot and I saw Big Ben on foot, from our river cruise and rode by it one last time on our bus tour.

We also got to see some shows during our trip.  Our first night out, we went to see Six- which was absolutely incredible.  (I had never seen it, but I loved it!)  We also went to The Globe Theater to watch Much Ado About Nothing.  Then on our last night, Eliot, Sara and I went to see Hercules (his parents and Elissa had already seen it). 

One of the things I was most looking forward to was our Disney Princess tea at the London Hilton.  This afternoon tea was the only one I knew that was officially partnered with Disney.  We had a wonderful time with Eliot's family, although some of the food was really weird!  (I'm looking at you cheese thing!)  The desserts were all mostly amazing.  And I really enjoyed dressing up in a pretty poofy dress for it.

The other thing I was really excited about were the Harry Potter things on our list.  While we drove by King's Cross Station, we never did get inside to see Platform 9 3/4.  We also didn't make it over to Soho to visit the House of MinaLima store.  However, none of that mattered to me after we spent Sunday afternoon and evening exploring the Warner Brothers Studio Tour of the Making of Harry Potter.  Oh my gosh... I can't say enough things about this wonderful experience.  I was completely in heaven- seeing the props and costumes up close and wandering around the actual sets from the movies!!!  Eliot and I both want to go back to this and spend an entire day there.

We also went to the Mundo Pixar Exhibit... which wasn't something we had planned on doing, but we ended up having the best time!  I saw an advertisement for it on the subway and once Eliot and I found out that it was an immersive exhibit of Pixar sets, we knew we had to see it!  Eliot's mom Nori went with us our last day in London, and we had so much fun taking photos!  (Our little donkeys also got in on the photo fun!)

Eliot and I also got to do a bit of shopping in London.  We hit up some of our favorites... Disney Store, Lego Store, M&M Store, Build-A Bear Store and an unplanned trip to Selfridges.  We had a blast taking photos of all the London themed decor in the stores, we got a few London souvenirs and the donkeys all got London t-shirts and outfits.

The unplanned trip to Selfridges ended up being the MVP store of the trip though... because they had a Disney section that included a few souvenirs from Disneyland Paris that I have been stalking on eBay for months.  (Let's just say it was the most expensive bathroom trip ever.)  But I'm incredibly happy that the clock and mirror I had been planning to buy if we had made it over to Disneyland Paris are now sitting in my living room after being shipped here from the London Selfridges store in the UK.

All in all, we fit in a bunch of stuff and had an incredible trip.  (This is only a very quick overview, but I'll try to share more when I can!)  Eliot and I have got plenty of places we'd like to explore more next time- Covent Garden, The Borough, Buckingham Palace, King's Cross & Platform 9 3/4, House of MinaLima, Anchor Pub, the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Tour and more.  I also never got fish & chips or bangers & mash because both felt like too much for my stomach between my endo and the summer heat.  So I'll have to work on trying some English cuisine next time.  Plus, Eliot and I would like to explore more of England and the UK beyond London... like Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford and other Harry Potter filming locations.

Thanks for the adventure London!!!  We hope to see you again soon!!!  🇬🇧

Happy 71st Disneyland ✨🎂✨

Happy 71st Birthday to the Happiest Place on Earth!!! ✨🏰🎂✨ 

Hi friends!  We're back from London and I'm just popping in quickly to celebrate the seventy first anniversary of Disneyland's opening!!!  Which unfortunately also means that there are only a few more days to experience the magic of Disneyland's 70th Anniversary Celebration before it ends on August 9th. 

I'm so glad Eliot and I were able to go out to celebrate back in January!  We weren't sure if it was going to work out when the celebration started last year in May... but I'm so grateful that it did!  We loved seeing Wondrous Journeys on Sleeping Beauty Castle and World of Color- Happiness over at California Adventure.  And it was a real treat to see the Paint the Night parade on it's re-opening night! ✨🐭💕🏰✨ 

Disneyland's 70th Anniversary Celebration was just as magical as it's 60th- when I originally fell in love with it.  The 70th decorations were fun and bright!  The character calvacade absolutely had my heart... especially with Duffy and ShellieMae!  The music was perfect and I still can't stop singing "Celebrate Happy" by the Jonas Brothers.  The characters' costumes were so much fun- and I even dressed up like Minnie! ✨💖🐭✨

It's certainly been a magical year of celebrating.  I'm sad to see the party end, but I'm so thankful to have experienced it in person.  (And year 75 is right around the corner...)

Happy 71st Birthday Disneyland!!! ✨🏰🎂  Keep shining bright beautiful. ✨ 

Hallmark + Christmas + Disney = Magic ✨❤️🎅🏻🏰🎄🐭💚✨

If you're reading this, then it's no surprise to you that I'm a big fan of Disney.  But if you've hung around here for any amount of time at all... you know that Eliot and I are also huge fans of Hallmark Channel movies, especially the Christmas ones.  Hallmark's annual 'Countdown to Christmas' is something we look forward to every year.  And I'm sad that we gave up both our cable and Fubo package so we can't watch the movies live in the background.  (Don't worry, we still have access to Hallmark+ because you'd have to pry my full access to my romantic, sappy movies out of my cold dead hands.) 

Photo Source

Anyways... it should come as no shock to you that Eliot and I were both over the moon excited when we found out that Hallmark was filming a Christmas movie at Walt Disney World last holiday season.  (It's been all over the Disney chats, vlogs, blogs and social media.)  And as if that wasn't magical enough, it stars Lacey Chabert (who we both love) and Christy Carlson Romano (aka Kim Possible & Wren Stevens) is also in it!

The first preview for the movie popped up online just before the July 4th weekend... and it's making me so excited to see it this holiday season!  I'm going to be a sucker for all of the magical Disney references in this film.  I'm already giddy with anticipation! 

And as if that wasn't not all enchanting enough for me... Hallmark and Disney are making a ton of new merchandise specifically themed around the movie.  We're talking Loungefly bags, mouse ears, Vera Bradley bags, coffee mugs and matching holiday pajamas.  I've seen the pictures and it's ALL calling my name... so now I'll also be counting down to the merchandise release- which is supposedly sometime in October.

Thus begins one of the most beautiful partnerships I've ever experienced.  I'm hoping this means Hallmark and Disney will partner together to bring us more movies from Disneyland, Aulani, Disney Cruise Line and maybe even some destinations overseas!

Hallmark + Christmas + Disney = A Magical Match Made in Heaven!!! ✨🎅🏻🏰🎄🐭✨ 

Chronic Disease Awareness Day 2026 🎗

Today is Chronic Disease Awareness Day. 🎗

This is the second year that I've known about this day... after discovering it while struggling to come to terms with my new reality since my endometriosis diagnosis.  A year ago, I was still in the deep depths of discovery and pain- and hoping that my upcoming excision surgery would be the answer to my prayers.  And it was... to a point.

This Chronic Disease Awareness Day, I'm acknowledging that I didn't know what the hell I was even talking about a year ago.  A chronic disease is just that... chronic.  There isn't a magic surgery that will take it all away.  And while I feel loads better now that my insides aren't all attached to each other, the endometriosis still exists.

Sure, my symptoms are much better.  But unfortunately, a few of the most annoying ones that I was looking forward to getting rid of, are the ones I still have.  Exhaustion and being nauseous seem to be my new MO.  And to be frank, it's annoying as hell.  

I'm so tired of being tired.  I never used to be someone who could simply fall asleep anytime and anywhere.  Now, that's all that I seem to want to do.  No matter how much I sleep, I'm still tired.  And not "I didn't get enough sleep" tired... more like "I feel like I've been run over by a bus and sick for a week" tired.  People don't really 'get' that part.  It doesn't ever go away... it's just... there.  Always.

And the nausea... it's still plaguing me.  Thankfully it's mostly just when I'm hungry now.  But it's still really annoying.  I thought it would go away after surgery- but apparently not.

My life looks different now.  I'm still me and I still do the things I want to do.  I just have a lot more of an internal dialog and planning phases than I did before.  And I have to pace myself more... I can't do all the things in one day.  Or I'll pay for it severely the next day.

Endometriosis has made planning things like Disneyland and Walt Disney World hit a bit differently too.  Thankfully I have still fully enjoyed my trips to both parks this year.  But what you don't see in the perfect Instagram photos is that I was in a wheelchair for a good portion of it.  I walked a 5K RunDisney race, and spent a good part of the rest of the trip in a wheelchair.  It's a major paradox, but I'm learning to go with the flow.

Which brings me to our current adventure... London.  I have to admit, I've had a lot of anxiety leading up to this trip.  Sure, I've mostly had excitement, but the dread has been there too.  Europe has a lot of walking and it's not wheelchair friendly.  It might have been almost 20 years since I went, but I remember that.  I can't just fall back on Plan B and ride around in a wheelchair here... so Eliot's family has had to go out of the way to not overbook any one day.  Eliot and I are planning to be happy with whatever it is that we're able to do.  And if I need a break, then we'll take it in our hotel room.  

Still, it kills me to feel so needy... but I keep telling myself that this is just what my life looks like right now.  The people who really love me and care for me will want to make sure that I'm ok.  They wouldn't want me to drive myself into the ground in exhaustion.  And they wouldn't want me to be silently suffering in pain.

Today, I now fully understand why someone created Chronic Disease Awareness Day... because if you've never experienced a chronic disease, you probably won't get it.

Others don't understand what I'm going through.  I try to explain things, but I'm afraid that people will think that I'm just complaining, or that I'm weak, or that I want attention.  All the things you read in people's careless comments to strangers on the internet.  It would kill me to think that people I care about might think those sorts of things about me... so I've withdrawn a lot socially.  I'm not the social butterfly, group outing organizer anymore.  Nowadays, I mostly just stay home and keep to myself.  And it's lonely.

But in this phase, I've also learned a lot about myself.  I'm stronger than I thought I was.  I have more willpower than I thought.  I can do hard things.  I've learned to listen to my body more.  And most importantly, I've learned that my 40+ years of living in my own body far outweighs any medical professionals dismissals towards my experience.

Endometriosis is not something that I would wish on anyone.  But it's now a part of my story and it's a part of who I am.  So today, I'm sending love to all of the other chronic disease fighters with a shout out to my fellow Endometriosis Warriors. 💖 

There are still some days when I have to remind myself that "you are stronger than your pain," but then I remember how far I've already come.  We’ve got this. 💛🎗🌻

We're Off to England!!! 🇬🇧✈️

We're so excited because Eliot and I are officially on our adventure to England!!! 🇬🇧

I'm looking forward to the fun... but first, it's time to buckle up for a long day packed full of travel.  This afternoon, we're taking the bus from Portland down to Boston- giving ourselves lots of extra time since we're traveling internationally.  We leave Logan tonight at 11 PM and fly overnight to London.  Eliot and I land in London tomorrow at 10:40 AM (or 5:40 AM Eastern) after *hopefully* getting some sleep.  His parents and sister Sara also arrive tomorrow, and we all land at Heathrow within an hour of each other.  Then, we'll probably drop our stuff off at our hotel before we jump right into sightseeing! 

Fortunately, I will have cell service during our trip!  I wasn't sure if I would be able to... but it worked out!  I just switched my cell phone over to Spectrum about two weeks ago and they were able to upgrade my plan to international for only $10 for the next month!  So if I have a chance, I'll try to post something on social media live from our trip!  (You can follow along on Facebook or on over on Instagram!)

Things online should look pretty normal in our absence.  I've already scheduled my daily social media posts for the week we'll be gone.  I also have a few blog posts that will be going live during our time away.  I'm glad that I was able to find time to write, because Eliot and I have been so busy the past few weeks that I was afraid I wouldn't have anything!  But thankfully I haven't been stressing myself out about it- focusing on getting ready for our trip abroad has been my top priority!

I can't believe this day is finally here- but I'm super excited that it is!  I hope we have a wonderful time and that this is just the first of many adventures with our new passports.

And so our journey begins!!!  London... here we come!!! 🇬🇧

Happy 250th Birthday USA ❤️🎂💙

Happy 250th Birthday United States of America!!! 🇺🇸✨❤️🎂💙✨🇺🇸

Today, our nation reaches another milestone in our history... and one that I'm excited to experience in person.  But first I have to admit, leading up to this, I haven't been all that pumped for today.  Thankfully, that's changed over the past few weeks.  It's hard when we're at a moment in our history where we probably look like buffoons to most of the world.  Our country feels painfully divided, and hatred and hostility have run rampant.

Then, the world came here.  I am not into soccer... but seeing how the rest of the world now sees us after visiting for the World Cup has sparked something inside of me.  For the first time in a while, I truly feel pride instead of shame.  Seeing all of their videos online and their reactions to how friendly and welcoming we are, it brought something that America really needed leading into our big 250th birthday.

We are a wonderful country... filled with lots of people who are friendly and welcoming.  It might not look that way at the glance, but the background of our country was built on all of us normal, hard-working, regular Joe Americans- not the politicians that have sometimes made a mockery of everything our founding fathers worked for.

The United States is one of the (if not the) top countries in the world.  We've created so many inventions that the entire world uses.  We invented airplanes.  We went to the moon.  And we continue to be a leader in development of technology and innovation.

The other day, I watched the 20/20 special "Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness" on Disney+.  It was really interesting, and I was proud to be an American and a Disney fan.  Disney was built in America... and while there are now theme parks all over the world, it was definitely built here.  (And as a Mainer it was also very exciting to see Portland Headlight featured in the footage for Soarin' Across America!)

If you're interested in staying inside and cool today, Disney is doing a 24 hour takeover broadcast across it's platforms- ABC, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, Freeform, ABC News Live and more.  It will include coverage from all 50 states.  It looks really interesting... so I hope it will be available to watch after today. 🦅🇺🇸🗽🎆

Speaking of today... Eliot and I are celebrating this Independence Day with my Mom and my brother Jeremy.  We're planning to go see Toy Story 5 earlier in the day.  Then, we'll spend the evening with Slugger and the Portland Sea Dogs!!! ✨🇺🇸❤️⚾️💙🇺🇸✨

American friends, no matter how you celebrate, I hope that you have a wonderful and safe celebration of our nation's 250th birthday.  

Happy 4th of July Everyone!!! ✨❤️🎂💙✨

#tbt 4th of July 2023 ❤️⚾️💙

Today I'm sharing a deeply personal Throwback Thursday... to the 4th of July 2023. 

I've debated with myself on if I ever even wanted to share this with anyone... because I cling to it so tightly as if the memory of it might slip away.  Because 4th of July 2023 was the last time my nuclear family was, and will ever be, whole.

This particular 4th of July, my family didn't want to do the Bar Harbor thing.  We had just lost Nana a few months earlier, and we were ready for something new.  It felt like it was a time for some new traditions now that Grammie & Grampie and Nana & Papa were all gone.  I suggested going to see a Portland Sea Dogs game, and that was that.

Mom and Dad came down to Southern Maine, Jeremy drove up from NH, and Eliot flew out west to spend a few days with his family... skiing.  (Yes, that's right- skiing on the 4th of July... because Tahoe had gotten so much snow over the winter.)  He was really excited, and I knew he would enjoy it.  So on the 4th of July, Mom, Dad, Jeremy and I went to Hadlock Field for their first ever Sea Dogs game.

We all wore the matching Mickey baseball shirts that I'd found online and insisted that we wear.  It was really hot and my body (and endometriosis that I didn't know I had at the time) didn't enjoy the heat, but we had a wonderful time.  They laughed at Slugger the mascot's antics.  Dad finally got his Sea Dogs biscuit after waiting very patiently.  (The concessions kids in the stands never got over to us before running out... so Jeremy went downstairs to the concourse to get him one.)  I don't even remember if we won or lost... because in the end it didn't matter.  I was with my family sharing a place that Eliot and I love... and we had a great time together.  The 4th of July fireworks at the end of the night were the icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, that ended up being Daddy's only Sea Dogs game before we suddenly lost him just over a month later.  But I'm so glad he was able to go to at least one game with me though... because I know how much he enjoyed it.

This year, Eliot and I will be going to the Sea Dogs for the 4th again... this time with Mom and Jeremy for their 2nd Portland Sea Dogs game.  It hurts to know that Dad won't be there with us.  But I know that he, Grammie & Grampie and Nana & Papa will always be with us in spirit... especially on the 4th of July. ✨🇺🇸❤️⚾️💙🇺🇸✨

Happy Canada Day 🇨🇦

Happy Canada Day to our neighbors up north!!! 🇨🇦

I don't usually write a post for today, but this particular Canada Day is very special to me.  I won't go into the specifics why right now, but I will mention that I did tell you my Mom was actually born in Canada... ✨ Although I haven't been to Canada recently, it was a part of my childhood.  (You can read about my other memories here.)

Canada has always held a special place in my heart.  While I haven't been there very much, growing up in Maine has meant that I have always been neighbors with it.  My Mom grew up on the border and literally went back and forth between our two countries as if she was popping over the river to another city- not an entire separate country.

And speaking of just popping over the border, I don't think I ever told you about the time when my aunt, my cousin Kaitlin and I literally walked over the border when we were visiting my Mom's hometown of Calais during one of the International Festivals years ago.  Kaitlin and I were paranoid just walking over the bridge to another country with all of the security, but Aunt Sherrie didn't seem phased by it at all.  

Nowadays, the borderline feels a bit more secure and I don't see myself walking up to border patrol to walk across the river.  And since Eliot and I haven't even had our passports until recently, we haven't ever visited Canada during the 18 years that we have been together- but hopefully that will change soon!  We would love to see some Sharks games in Canada, and there are a few places I would like visit.

So I see a bright future that will have us visiting soon.  To all of our neighbors up north, I hope you have a wonderful day of celebration!  Happy Birthday Canada!!! 🇨🇦