Cornell Graduation; Class of 2014

I will never be caught up on posts from New York, but this was a significant event that needed to be documented…the reason for it all, the day when we say, "We survived PA school!" Graduation time! We aren't the only ones that thought it was a pretty big deal. Cornell held 3 different graduations on 3 different days, so Brandon and I labeled it "vacation," left the kids with Grandma Sessions, and spent a week in New York celebrating his achievement. 

The first of the graduations was exclusively for Brandon's class and was held at the Griffith Club in Cornell's Medical College. 

Accepting his PA certificate

We enjoyed a fancy catered lunch after the ceremony. 

Brandon wreaks of success

I loved this photo of his class. They all look so happy and relieved. 

I am wife of the year, and did not attend the second graduation ceremony for the graduate school. 

So skip to the following day to the final commencement held at Carnegie Hall. I'm telling you, these guys are a big deal. Literal life savers! 

Carnegie Hall was okay...

I mean if you like this sort of thing.

This was a great moment for me. I was so proud hearing Brandon's name called and watching him accept his diploma on the stage of Carnegie Hall. 

Following commencement we were treated to yet another amazing catered meal at The Hilton in Midtown. Again, it was a little bit of a dump but they tried ; ) 

So fancy, complete with live music. I could get used to this.

It was amazing to celebrate with Brandon. I'm truly so proud of the man he is. He has always been so ambitious and dedicated. His curriculum pushed single people to the breaking point but he performed his duties as a student along with being a full-time dad and husband and often in his spare time serving in church callings. He did it with very little complaining (come on he's human) and consistently sought to fulfill the needs of his family over his own. We just love our Brandon and are excited to see where his accomplishments will take our family next!!

Rye Beach

Brandon had to work night shifts the last week of his rotation for internal medicine, poor guy! It was only 3 days, but after the first day I was out of ideas for day trips to keep me and the kids away while Brandon slept. Enter friends with cars!! Bless their souls! We got a generous invitation to venture out of the city to Rye Beach in Mamaroneck, where a mutual friend recently moved. It was heaven on earth (i.e. totally looked like California), complete with the carnival where the movie "Big" was filmed in the distance. It was a private beach so you had to pay to get on. Worth. Every. Penny.

Gosh, it was so great!! Hands down, probably one of my favorite days here in New York.

Brighton hasn't actually ever rode in a car seat since he's become more aware. He was pretty nervous at first and confused why Mom wasn't holding him or even sitting by him. He fussed for a little bit and then settled down after realizing what a primo view to the outside he had! Admittedly, I could have just rode in the front seat for a couple blocks and the day would have been a total success : )

My hot mama friends Julie and Kassie. And look at this background!! Those red tile rooftops....sigh. 

A view down the beach. Tori said she wants to be a beach bum...I don't even know where she heard that term, but I was like, "Me too!"

All the kids testing the water

The "Big" carnival....you can see the ferris wheel to the left.

This might be why most kids don't enjoy playing with Brighton. Ben puts up with a lot.

Playing football with Evan. 

Catching some rays...not that she needed any more, this girl got fried! 

There were a ton of live starfish (I say "live" because apparently it's rare to see a live one) and crabs. It was so cool! Tori didn't love the idea at first, but on her own later, she found the courage to hold one.

Salad and starfish

A little party never killed nobody...

Unless, of course, your kids get up at 6:30 am and your feet haven't experienced a night of dancing in heels since high school....then it might get close. Brandon's program holds the occasional cocktail party or fancy dinner with all the various Cornell programs. It's got a fancy abbreviation...the GSEC.  And so the GSEC and my husband would join forces in making some major dreams come true for this lucky gal! We ate, socialized, ate some more, cashed in on free soda, and above all else....we DANCED! 

Brandon's a total closet hipster!! 

And a closet dancer....seriously, this boy has moves and it's the cutest thing I've ever witnessed. He's so much fun!

The "anti-dancer" and the gay guy pretending to be gangsta.  

This is me sober.....can you even imagine if I drank??? That guy behind us can...and he is not amused.

Dan, B, Jerrad, and Matt...we love these guys!

It was so fun, albeit, a moderate step back in maturity, but I'm proud that Brandon and I can still cut loose! I couldn't straighten my toes after removing my shoes, but it was so worth it to dance with my hubby, after years and years of resenting his refusal to dance with me at a college block party. Relationships were mended, dance moves mastered, and lots of memories made!!

I'm 30!!

I struggle with birthdays. I don't enjoy birthday traditions...who does?? No one can honestly say they like a room full of people singing "Happy Birthday" to them, right? So uncomfortable. While I may have spent some time feeling sorry for myself (I am 30 now after all), in retrospect this was such a great birthday with so many firsts for me and none of the awkward traditions I dread. Festivities started the night before my birthday. My friend Kristi-Lynn had invited me out for dinner, and I was so excited for a night out with one of my favorite women. We made our way downtown, where she had picked out one of the two restaurants on my bucket list: Bubby's down in TriBeca...

Where to my surprise, one by one three of my other good friends arrived. It was so fun being surprised each time one showed up. They totally blind-sided me. Earlier I had asked one if she wouldn't mind babysitting for me so I could go out with Kris. I really had no idea they were being so sneaky. From left: Allie Boothe, Julie Pearson, Tyra Beard, and Kristi-Lynn Gibson

I felt so humbled by this as most of these women are moving soon, and really don't have to invest the time in making friends at this point. So very thoughtful!

First time in TriBeca

Inside Bubby's

Flowers and cake

Brandon got us a babysitter that weekend so we could go out. He tried hard to get tickets to one of the two shows I want to see: Once and Peter and the Starcatcher, but it was not to be. We at least wanted to go out to eat at my favorite place, P.J. Clarke's.

Our walk to the subway.

I officially ate my way through 30. It was so fun trying new things too, which I've been wanting to do since we got here, but we've been too cheap to buy food we might not like. I had my first Indian dish, as well as my first taste of lamb. Yum! I, also, tried lobster macaroni, which was incredible!! I had free-range fried chicken, and Junior's cheesecake. And at the end of the week, I had a hard time bidding my birthday farewell and having to go back to my cooking.

Birthday Dinner

Amazing photos from my birthday, courtesy of the talented Kristi-Lynn. I wish I could hire someone to document my life in this way. 

Oscar Party

I have long dreamed of hosting an Oscar Party! A full on red carpet event. I love being able to check off things on my bucket list that require other people's participation. Those tend to be harder accomplishments for me because it requires stepping out of my comfort zone. I'm not a party planner. It produces a sort of anxiety and creative melt down that is irreversible and tends to linger after the party is over. Luckily, I had a partner in crime that is both uber mellow and creative to boot, which countered my perpetually frazzled nature. And then there was Brandon who, as always, was a good sport and participant even out numbered by women.

In lieu of a red carpet, I thought a red curtain would be a stronger statement piece than a red table cloth taped to the floor. 

Fine dining.

Snack bar and our digital Oscar statue.

My co-host Julie had the funny idea to crop our heads on to last year's red carpet stand outs, and as is everything she does, it was a hit! 

My pre-child bearing leg...with a little Emily Blunt and bob all over!

It was awesome, due in great part to Julie and Brandon -- if we're being honest. I could get used to nights filled with lots of sweets, sparkly gold nail polish, star gazing and chatting about LITERALLY whatever pops in our heads. And I was glad we did it, as most of these women are moving soon, tear!

This was my 1 creative contribution...the Oscar envelope ballots.  Yeah, I was proud, so what?

The winner would receive 2 movie tickets, and most of us dropped out of the running quickly. It came down to Brandon and our neighbor Deborah. I don't know how he does it, but Brandon won.

Friends Visiting = Breakfast at Rockefeller, MoMA, and Carmine's

We LOVE familiar faces, especially ones from college days and even more so, from my dance team days (bonus! roomie for a semester). Which is why we were thrilled to catch up with Jenny and Erik Nyholm visiting from Virginia.  

The Jen's at the MoMA. 

Breakfast at the Rock Cafe overlooking the rink.

Walk to Rockefeller....always something fun to see.

Target sponsors free admission to the MoMA every Friday night. We had been planning on doing this all week, and jumped at the chance to make it a double date with the Nyholm's.

Wolfgang Laib's Pollen from Hazelnut. I was glad we saw this exhibit as it will be gone in 3 days. 

Architecture floor

And some of my favorite or at least memorable pieces.

Honestly, I was mostly interested in visiting the museum because it was free and it's a landmark, so two birds with one stone. I actually really loved it! I have been experiencing a bit of museum fatigue as of late, so part of me was going out of obligation...we had to see it at one point right? We will be seeing a lot more of it thanks to Target and my new found conversion. 

Afterwards, Jenny and Erik were kind enough to let us crash yet another meal with them at Carmine's down in Time Square, a new found gem that the Nyholm's introduced to us. HUGE portions and amazing Italian goodness.

Such a fun weekend! Makes me EXCITED for more visitors to come!!