Spring in Buffalo

So it has been a little while since we have last updated our blog, but it has not been as long as some other blogs.

Not a whole lot has been going on with the "Hall"way in Buffalo. The weather has finally turned to spring. The grass is green, the trees have leaves and the temperatures are in the 70's. There is a famous saying in Buffalo..."If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes!" With this in mind, we have been trying to enjoy every second of the spring weather.

For those that are not familiar with our location in Buffalo, we really have a lot to do that is within walking distance from our house. We are located just off the heart of Elmwood Village. Lately we have been wandering up and down Elmwood Ave which is lined with small shops, bistros, coffee shops, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and many other types of businesses. The best part of Elmwood Ave is the people watching. You would be amazed how long we will sit licking an ice cream cone or sipping on a beverage of choice and just take in all the different walks of life.

Last weekend we finally visited the Buffalo Zoo. After living in Buffalo for almost eight years we have never been to the zoo. At first we felt very out of place at the zoo. Here we are, a young-adult married couple at the zoo without any kids. People looked at us with looks of "Aren't you to old to be at the zoo?" One lady even asked Teresa where our child was. But little did this lady know, I am the child...a child at heart. We saw every attraction at the zoo, including the reptile house, elephants, monkeys....

The afternoon Sea Lion feeding....

And of course the Buffalo's (American Bison).....

The Buffalo Zoo was better than we were lead to believe by others that have visited the zoo. We agree it is nothing like the Bronx Zoo or the Toronto Zoo, but it was an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon outside....until it started raining.

On the house front...We are still waiting for a closing date. Hopefully by the end of next week we will be first time home owners.

Happy Mother's Day

Since today is Mother's Day, we here at the Hallway wanted to take a moment to thank our moms for helping us to get where we are today. There are no words to thank a mother enough for changing our diapers, helping with homework, teaching a life lesson, and being just a phone call away whenever we need them. This year we have been lucky enough to add mothers and grandmothers-in law to our family. They are going to kill us for posting pictures, but we love them and are going to do it anyway he he he.

I love this picture from our wedding. It is my mom and grandmother boogeyin' down. My mom is definately a cool chick- she raised 3 girls in a house with one shower, is one crazy gardener, and is a rapper at heart. No joke, she used to send me inspirational raps for studying while I was in school, complete with shoops and beat boxin. Definately good comic relief.

Also shown is my grandmother known by her grandchildren as "Gree." I am to blame for this given name since I was the first grandchild and couldn't manage to call her anything but Gree. She makes the best chocolate chip cookies, always had fun toys to play with, and does hilarious lip-syncing routines to Barbara Streisand on demand. I don't get to see her as much as I would like, but it's always a great time when we get together.

Here is Mama Hall, a hard-working mother of 3 and proud new grandmother. She is a wonderful mother-in-law and is always there for the two of us. I also have to thank her for teaching Dennis to be an independent individual, as she would not let him leave for college without learning to sew a seam and a button.
Here I am in sunny Florida with my grandmother. She is a great lady who is the family card champion, a world traveller, and a proud member of the Red Hat Club. She describes the club as an opportunity for her to get together with a bunch of ladies and cause trouble. I look forward to the 4th of July each year for the family get together so I can see her.

Here is the famous Grandma Sullivan. I remember when Dennis and I first started dating, she simply introduced herself as Grandma and would not be called anything else. She ran her diner every day into her mid-80's, and finally just sold it last year. She is now enjoying retirement with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her new convertible.

Happy Mother's Day to all our moms and grandmoms!

I know, I know....

I know some of you are wondering where we have been. We haven't had much going on that has been post worthy. We are still waiting to hear on a closing date for the house. We are really hoping to close next week, but no confirmation on that yet.

Things in Buffalo had been going well. We both have been extremely busy at work. One nice thing is that the weather in Buffalo has finally turned to Spring. The temperatures have been in the mid 60's the last few weeks....and you know what that mean....Grilling as much as possible. On another note, for those that do not follow hockey, the Buffalo Sabres have advanced on to the Eastern Conference Finals. Here they will face their rivals from the North, the Ottawa Senators. The rivalry between these two teams has become very intense based on this meeting: