After a quick hour-long SCUBA training class in our resort pool, my mom and I passed the written test and were deemed ocean-water-ready. We took a cab to the Red Hook Dive Shop and then jumped on a boat with our guides and few other brave souls. After about a 15 minute boat ride we reached our dive location. Because we weren’t certified we were only allowed to go about 40 feet deep. It wasn’t the most spectacular thing I’ve ever done. It was equal parts terrifying and tricky for me. Might not be something I do again but I’m so glad I got to do it at least once.

There are creatures all over St. Thomas. Our resort was ‘cat friendly’ which meant that it housed a large population of wild cats. Wild is a bit of a stretch as they all really just wanted to be payed attention to. The ducks were adorable and kept sneaking onto the deck floor of one of the restaurants. When I tried to take a photo one of the cooks went and got a bag of bread to create a feeding frenzy for me.

After almost three years working as a Producer at Arnold Worldwide I finally decided it was time to try something new. I found a great opportunity working at SCVNGR, an awesome start up in Cambridge. I was lucky enough to have one week off in-between so my Mom and I ran off to St. Thomas for a few days. It was an absolutely perfect four day stay full of adventure, eating, drinking, sun and relaxation. This picture was taken off my balcony the night we arrived. Sitting outside in the dark listening to the waves and catching up with my mom was exactly what I needed.

Ryan handled the more complicated back wheel but I actually participated in spoking the front wheel. It went a little smoother than the back wheel, I’m thinking it’s because I actually read the instructions and Ryan just kind of went for it.

The whole fam headed to Connecticut this weekend to see Alli and Dan get married. I cannot even begin to explain how wonderful the wedding was. The venue was gorgeous, Alli looked sensational and we all had a great time. Best wishes Alli and Dan, I’m so glad I got to be a part of your special day!

While in town for Alli and Dan’s wedding we made a quick stop at the Mark Twain Museum which just so happens to be his house. My brother is a Mark Twain expert and I’m pretty sure I learned more from him than I did from the actual tour guide.

I spent some time today with a laser cutter. Not something I would normally spend my Saturday doing but it was way more fun than I expected. I have no design background so I generally find that I’m more limited when it comes to actually making cool things. I have ideas, they just get stuck in my head because I can’t figure out how to draw them or make them on a computer. But I was amazed at how simple it was to use and how perfect the results were. A simple letter made an antique book look great. We cut all kinds of things, books, a leather vest, skateboard deck, even a dinner plate. Be the end of the day we were walking around the city saying “oh, we should laser cut this” and “oh, we could totally do that”. It definitely turned into a little bit of an obsession.

I grew up in Vermont and Michigan so I’m definitely no stranger to snow. Getting a foot overnight is not mind-blowing to me, it’s expected a few times a year. This year however, has been unlike any year I’ve experienced. We keep getting hit by storm after storm, all leaving at least a foot of snow behind.