Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Meeting the Saints in New Orleans!


Who doesn't like a spring break?
That's right – so we took to the sky and flew south to New Orleans – we've never been so it was quite the adventure.
Here's some pictures from the things we did!

We went to a jazz show at Preservation Hall - the home of old school New Orleans jazz right on Bourbon Street

The line into the joint

Ruby and I got to sit right next to the players - and you can see this place is ooooold

The view out of the hotel room on our first night

Ruby plays in front of the view out of the hotel room in the morning
Chillin' on the roof next to the pool

The Pool on the Roof

More Pool on the Roof

We visited a plantation that functions as a historical museum - a trip that  functioned as fun and educational!

Here is a sculpture that memorializes the struggle and migration of slaves at the plantation museum
Back in New Orleans, Ethan and Tricia take a swing!

Here Ruby celebrates our gator lunch!

Yes - that's gator fried up for us!

They also have ridiculous donuts here!

Ruby taking me for a ride!

At the well-known "French Market" with Budsy in tow ;)

At the window to order some famous French Quartier beignets, yum!

A happy family with their beignets at the Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter

Tricia takes a rest next to a fun sculpture on a fountain in the French Quarter

Thats a LOT of hot sauce

This sculpture is "Second Line Sashay" by Madeline Faust

Ruby found this happy guy on the street



Whew, that was quite a trip!
Can't wait til our next one!


Tuesday, March 13, 2018

RUBY'S 7th Birthday!


 Ruby invited her 1st grade classmates over for her 7th Birthday Party.  The theme was the 'Land of Sweets' and there was enough candy to keep these little ones up for days. We hosted this party as a 'sleep-under'.  Guests arrived in their sleepwear for activities including a screening of 'Snow Buddies' in the attic!  Then everyone went home, well past their bedtimes.

Everybody gathers for a necklace candy-making activity

Ruby with her invited friends!

Ruby with her special cake (check out the ballerina topper!)

With Marshmellow Sweet Treats

Papa enjoys some cake too

Ethan gets in on some action before we have to go down for the night

Ruby with her friends during present opening time!

Here we pose with our cake, nutcrackers (Land of Sweets party theme)
 and our big present,
the American Girl of the Year,
Luciana (on the right)

And a collection of fashionable puppies too!



Monday, March 12, 2018

Snowy Times


Mommy and Daughter on the lift chair on the way to skiing adventure...

Buds on the sled - hows that little guy?

Snow angles appear

All together now at the woods house - smile!

Still enjoying the sled times - in a fantastically knitted hat by Grandma Susie


Hot Coca anyone?  Ruby likes hers.

And we use ski pole for the very first time!

Yes, that's right, poles!  Ruby showing off her schussing position.






Andrej Šporn at the 2010 Winter Olympic downhill




Monday, March 5, 2018

Tubby Time - In Black and White (1 year old)


A happy place

Leave the water behind

To dry off...


To have some rowdy fun

Bye Bye





Monday, January 1, 2018

Ruby is a Mouse in the Nutcracker!


Ruby joined the he Jose Mateo Dance Troupe production of the Nutcracker this fall! 
As mouse #12 she had two scenes, and she performed at the Cutler Majestic and the Strand theaters.

The red curtain at the Cutler Majestic just before the show :0

Meanwhile backstage the dancer gets her 'face' ready

Ruby in full costume - eek eek eek!

Ruby and mommy outside the Cutler Majestic after the performance, she was lucky to have sooooo may people she knew come see her perform.  Well done Ruby!





Christmas 2017


Ice Skating downtown

Su and Cathy came for a visit

A family Pic with all the Ridge's

Business-Casual for Christmas Eve for this little guy

Ohh - Music!

We woke 

We woke up to Christmas and Santa left us what we want - A Hatcnhimal

And Santa left us a Toothbrush! Oh, to have teeth!







Christmas Treeing 2017


Off into the forrest we go in search of the perfect tree, in Western Massachusetts


Hello there!





What about this one?  It's my size?

The kids with the perfect tree


Watcha doin' there Dada?  Ohh, cutting the tree...

Our proud (semi) Tree Cutter