With 2016 coming to a close, it’s safe to say this year has been filled with lots of change.  We moved, we added an adorable little guy to our family, and Alex got a new job in Newport, RI.  Wait, did I say I moved?  Silly me, Alex, Leo, Nico and I are still in our same little condo, but when your friends are like family and THEY move, it feels like we were transported along with them.  Luckily my friend, sister-from-another-mister, Melissa and her family, said goodbye to her adorable little split level and totally moved on up into a gigantic mansion a few streets away.  This house is gorgeous. And MASSIVE and I’m so glad that it’s ours…I mean theirs.  But in a way, it is sort of mine because my amazing girl here lets me work out of her home while our kids are together at daycare–which, I should add, she totally found for me and got my kids signed up because she knew I was too overwhelmed with work and Alex’s transfer to do research.    (Pausing for an emotional interlude: I need a few minutes to talk about Melissa, here, and to tell you why she is the best.  Remember how I told you Alex got a new job in RI?  Remember how I’m happy for him but it leaves me to be home alone alllllllllll day leaving me to battle double duty bedtime with the boys every night?  It ain’t easy.  But honestly, the only thing that gets me through is knowing that Melissa here has fought the same fight, except she went through this when she had friends like me who were still childless and sleeping in and complaining that they were tired from staying out too late the night before.  If it weren’t for her, I don’t think I could survive this madness.  She is like a (only slightly) big (but super, super young looking) sister and one of the very best friends.)  

And you know what else?  The girl gets me.  Completely.  I told her I wanted to do a little lifestyle sesh and BOOM she whipped this right up in the midst of the crazy busy holiday season.  I walked in early on a Saturday mornign to all three of Melissa’s little angels sitting sweetly around their kitchen island with all the ingredients to make some breakfast laid perfectly out.  And Melissa? Oh she was just looking like the Mom Goddess that she is with an adorable outfit and her hair perfectly done that I’m sure had her up at 4 in the morning but she never complained about being tired because she never does.  And then…the madness started! Whip cream, candy canes and sugar rushes.  We got some awesome shots of the Doody’s spending a blustery winter morning together and I think it really captured the spirit of each one of Melissa’s little cherubs.  I cannot thank Clare, Owen, and Aiden for always being photogenic little angels and Pat for always being a good sport and playing out whatever crazy idea Melissa and I present to him.  I also love that it happened to snow on the Saturday we picked to do these pictures.  Thank you, Mother Nature!

My fam. Aren’t they the cutest?

I just can’t…you guys are the best.  Merry Christmas Doody’s!