Belardo - Burton Christmas

A Huge Thank You to Marc for taking holiday photos of the family.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Love,

TheChristyBel

2016 Belardo-Burton Holiday

The Family

Oh, Brother!

My Number One Man!

Phyllis and the Fabulous Five Grand Babies!

Thanksgiving 2016

Thanksgiving 2016, I went home down to Delaware to celebrate the holidays. Since Marc and I have been a duo, it has usually been celebrating with his family on Thanksgiving and with mine in December. But with losing my grandfather earlier this spring, I felt the need to be home in Delaware. This will mark the first huge family holiday where Ray will not be with us. I have been all sorts of emotions and anxiety lately and even this whole holiday weekend. I really hope my grandmother is okay with the holidays coming through and him not being with her (and us). But being back in the 302 was all good sorts of feels. I was able to see the Foxfire family (loads of laughs and drinking), Ted got to come down (which was a rollercoaster of a ride for both of us), and then being with the Burton juniors (I have not been with them on a big holiday since Thanksgiving 2014. Wah. So it was good being home to see loads of family and a few friends along the way. I am super thankful for this never ending feeling of love and 'home' when I return back to the DE roots. There has been a lot of change happening recently and this year; this 'home' helps anchor some of that chaos spiraling around you. I hope everyone else feels that too and feels thankful for it.

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!

TheChristyBel

Foxfire Family Reunion - Thanksgiving Eve

Shenanigans

Tedders, Drugged Up and Headed Down to Delaware

Bonding with the Brother

I think they like each other

Feels Good to Be Home With Family

Delaware for Christmas

For the wintery holidays, Marc and I spent a few days down in Delaware. It was super nice to spend time back at home, relax, and not worry or think about work! We spent the week touring around Delaware (we saw a Longwood Gardens Christmas, Baldwin's Book Barn, HomeGrown, Ashland Nature Center, Newark's Main Street, and old friends), working on homemade gifts, and watching the Star Wars films (yes, that is right, watching all 6 films and the new one)! It was a long, lovely week of being home. Here are some highlights of the Christmas holiday!

Happy Christmas, Everyone! I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday!

TheChristyBel

Merry Christmas from Marc the Christmas Jew!

Marc and I at Longwood Gardens

Beautiful Decorations at Longwood

A Succulent Christmas Tree
I want this for next year!

The Foxfire Crew - Christmas 2015
From Left to Right: Zach F., Sean B (Brother), Marc, theChristyBel, Michael, Megan, Shawn, and Zach

Before Heading Back to New Paltz, We Stopped in AP!
My Asbury Park Ladies
From Left to Right: Krista, theChristyBel, and Kelsey

Thanksgiving 2015

2015 has given me an endless list of things to be thankful for: earning a Masters, leading wildlife tours, getting a big girl job, teaching programs, becoming a better scientist, the new friendships, reuniting with old friends, coming back east, gaining more self-confidence, Ted the cat, my family, Marc, and so much more. I will not go and describe the many blessings that this year has given me, but I am incredibly thankful for what has been placed in my hand.

This year for the holidays, we travelled to Long Island to spend Thanksgiving with his cousins, Barry, Liz, Beth, Jen, and Lynn. It was super nice to have a relaxing holiday with his family! We also tried out a new cookie recipe that everyone seemed to enjoy!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving and holiday!

TheChristybel

Harvest Moon Festival

Getting her face painted!

Amy and Mark's Wedding happened at the most perfect time, I was able to stop at the Delaware Nature Society's Harvest Moon Festival. I did not really get to take many photos since I was catching up with most of my former co-workers. But we did get our faces painted with some snapshots!

Really missed this event! So glad I was able to catch up with everyone and have some time with Lana.

theChristyBel

So Pretty!

Mr. & Mrs. Osman

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Osman! I am so happy I was able to watch a friend since middle-school get married to the love of her life! I wish you both the utmost happiest of best wishes on your wedding and future lives together!

Xoxo,

TheChristyBel

Walking in as Mr. & Mrs. Mark Osman

First Dance - Daughter and Father

Of course, there is a Disney Cake!

Souvenir from the Wedding!

Brought a Date - Lana!!!

Amy & I - She Looks Beautiful!

Visit Down to Delaware

Had to Buy Some Waders for Pond Keepers

This weekend, I drove Marc and I down to Delaware to visit with my family and to catch up with some friends to celebrate my birthday (a little early). While back in the First State, I showed Marc around DE, introduced him to my brother and friends, took him to Longwood Gardens, and of course...went to Home Grown!!!!! It was a nice weekend back in Delaware. I also said goodbye to brother before he moved to San Francisco to work for a drone company called Airware! Super proud of him! Here are some highlights from the Delaware Trip!

TheChristyBel

A Home Grown Grilled Cheese!

Marc Nerding Out at Longwood Gardens!

The Longwood Ponds - Beautiful!

I've Missed the Longwood Bonsai Trees!

Longwood Gardens Christmas

Christmas Trees in the Main Observatory Room

A Peacock Masquerade Themed Tree!

Since I have been home, it has been non-stop making rounds to visiting some of my favorite people and places. But, I was able to get a visit that I did not expect: a visit from Whitney! She was willing to travel all the way down from Connecticut just so we could hang out. I have not seen this girl since we both stopped marching and dancing with Alter Ego in April of 2012.

After almost two and a half years of being separated, we were finally able to be reunited! Whitney arrived in Delaware around 11:00pm EST and we literally talked and caught up until 3am! It was awesome! We can literally pick up right where we left off, even after 2-years - from reminiscing about dance and guard to art to eduction and teaching to everything in between.

It was such a treat getting back together with Whit! The next day, I took her to Longwood Gardens. She has a degree and love for plants/botany, so I thought that it would be a great idea for her to visit Longwood, especially in the winter time with all the Christmas decor up! She absolutely loved it!

It was great to walk around the Longwood Grounds, catch up, see the beautiful decorations, and also nerd out over plants! It was so awesome! I definitely learned a lot from Whitney about the plants that Longwood used in many of their gardens, decorations, and in their exotic botany research. She will definitely make a wonderful teacher!

Even though less than 24-hours with Whitney was such a wonderful treat to come back to the East Coast to, it was definitely not enough. But, I'll be seeing her again soon when we head to New Mexico for Aud's wedding next fall. So we will soon be reunited again! Thanks for a wonderful visit, Whit! Xo

Enjoy the rest of the photos from our adventures at Longwood!

TheChristyBel

Cardinals Cover the Pierre House Tree!

Cardinals in Flight

Thomas the Tank Engine!

Being a Penguin in the Desert Room?! What?

Oh My Gosh....How Freaking Precious?!?!
Totally Making These Ornaments One Day!

Birds of Paradise in the Rainforest!

Two of Our Three Panty Party AE Girls!
Audrey, We Wish You Were Here!

Stay Beautiful, Philly!

My Thanksgiving Break was too short, literally, too short. I was only able to indulge in a fraction of its beauty for about 36-hours. But it was worth it. Being able to spend time with my family, my home, my wonderful little state, and of course, my bed, was incredibly worth the short time I was able to get a taste of home. As I sit here in the airport waiting for my flight back to Denver, I was able to gaze at a wonderful sunrise. Philly, you are incredibly beautiful. Sure, the Tetons and the Wyoming landscape brings wonderful sunrises, but there will always be something more about Philly's sunrise that just makes me so incredibly happy! I cannot wait to see you again, Philly, in 19-days! Stay beautiful!

TheChristyBel

A Philly Sunrise Waiting for My Flight Back to the Forever West!

Delays, Delays, Delays

Oh, you know...just stuck in Denver right now, waiting for my flight to stop being delayed.

Philly, we're so close to seeing each other.

Don't lose hope!

There's no place like east coast home!

TheChristyBel