Life Lately. Oct 2014.

Totally forgot to post this update from October. :) 

I really enjoyed our last Life Lately post, so thought I'd write another one to recap things that have been keeping us busy.

We wrapped up summer with a trip to Cabo, Mexico and welcomed fall with a trip to Deckerville, Michigan - both with some of our favorite people by our side! Richard also had a quick trip to Boston, so we made it a family trip with a stop at Bear Mountain on the way. Pickle and Sundae were such fun travel companions.

This season has also started to keep us extra busy with additional support to our Family and Kids Ministry at church {something we are very excited to help out with!}, the kick-off for year two of leading a community group and the celebration of not one but two babies in our circle of friends here {Baby Payne and Hickson!}. We also attended our very first NYC wedding at Housing Works, pretty darn cool.

Work has been busy, busy, busy for me {and I love it!} with things like Volunteer Ice Cream Socials in New Jersey, College Room Make-Overs in Brooklyn, Pro-Bono Tech Projects in Manhattan and Sandy Recovery projects on Long Island. NYC has taught me quite a bit about corporate philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. The resources and opportunities available in this city {like meetings at the UN, working groups with like-minded corporations and high-dollar investments for good} are truly like none other. I continue to be heartbroken by how much need exists in our world, but also amazed each day at just how much people care and are willing to donate their time, money and talents to strive for sustainable change while working together.

Richard and I have been going strong on our Thursday Date Nights, and trying to make sure they stay fresh, fun and unique. My favorite date night this month was watching the documentary Spent: Looking for Change {follows the economic hardship of four families and need for financial literacy} at The New School in Manhattan and a visit to Chelsea for dinner, a walk one the High Line and art show viewings.

Other things... my little sister came to visit, Richard celebrated his 10 year High School reunion, we saw our first Mets game at CitiField, experienced 5 Boroughs in 1 Day, participated in an Apple Dessert Contest, we finished decorating our apartment, enjoyed lots of dinners with friends, wrapped up a 10-week summer bible study, I finally moved into a new lovely office building on Park Ave. (no more rodents :), celebrated 6 years of marriage and our very first date… 10 years ago at the State Fair of Texas!