Day 5- snowed in.

As if 2 feet of snow wasn't enough, we're getting slammed by yet another round. Over a foot so far today, and complete white out conditions.

Hunkered down for a while.

It's been a while!

OK, so really it's been year since the last post. I don't think blogging is for me...at least not constant blogging. So here's the latest: That great job at the DCCC turned out to be less than great for me. It did lead to a job I love at the DSCC, where I work with Senate campaigns. Love it. CAn't blog too much about what I do, since there's a no-blogging policy...

Baltimore has just been pounded by 2.5 feet of snow, and I'm not going anywhere any time soon. (so check out the pics).

Patrick has less than one year left until he finished law school. Can't come quick enough for both of us...

I'm going to be an aunt in about 7 months, which is very exciting. Can't wait until I find out what Adam and Jamie are having so I can start shopping.

Next week, I'm heading to Denver to visit Kelly, Matt and their 11 month old daughter Stella, who I haven't met yet! And Kelly has one more on the way! I can hardly wait! Now if the snow can just hold off so it doesnt screw up my trip!

OK, that's all for now, but hopefully it won't be a year before the next post!

New Chapter

After 4 great (and sometimes not so great) years at EMILY's List, I have made one of the most important decisions of my career. I'm moving on to go to work at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The idea of taking on something so big and SO different from what I have been doing for the past 4 years is daunting, but I'm harkening back to the days when I would move cross country to go work on this campaign, or that campaign, and remembering that sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. What makes it most difficult are the relationships I have built here at EMILY's List. It really is a family, and leaving seems a bit like when I left home 8 years ago, terrified and excited all at the same time. I think the biggest thing I have realized is that I can still be dedicated to the mission of electing women without being at EMILY's List every day. I know that the people who have worked hard to help me grow and learn have done their jobs and that ultimately I will be successful in this, even if there are a few bumps along the way.

Sometimes, if you don't have kids....

You just have to put a hilarious picture of your cat on your blog

Or maybe two.

The safest day of my life

OK, so after nearly 8 years of working in politics, I FINALLY got up the nerve to ask one of the elected women to have my photo with her.

Here I am with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Not only was getting this picture cool, but let's be clear: Standing next to one of the most protected people in Washington is not a bad way to ensure your own well-being.

As a side note: Also at this dinner: Madeleine Albright, Senator Barbara Mikulski, and Actress Tyne Daly.

Change is here!

After Christmas, it was full steam ahead back to work on the next big project: the EMILY's List Inauguration luncheon. For most of you, you are intimately aware of just how much I really don't like putting on events, even the ones that seem a bit glamourous. This one was no exception. As I kept saying to my overworked, exhausted staff: The best thing about this event is it's happening in two weeks. The worst thing about this event is that it's happening in two weeks. Despite the tight timeline, we still managed to pull off what I am happy to say was the best event I have been a part of. Our speakers (Nancy Pelosi, Sec. of Labor Hilda Solis, Sec. of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, COngresswoman Gwen Moore, Senator Kay Hagan, Senator Jeanne Shaheen and NC Governor Bev Perdue) were each amazing and have the opportunity to speak with them each individually reaffirmed my belief that having these women in government keep the issues that I, and so many other Americans care about at the forefront. It was so obvious that each of these women were so grateful to the people who had entrusted them as their representatives and how seriously they take that job. You can watch the whole lunch here : (be sure to notice my C-Span debut at the end) http://www.c-span.org/Watch/watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-A-14304

After the lunch, to say I was spent would be and understatement, so I gave up my inauguration ticket in favor of having a front row seat to history on my couch. I have to say that while this election cycle was full of ups and downs for me personally, that I was without reservation optimistic about the possiblity that lies ahead of us. I don't know that anyone can dig us out of the mess we find ourselves in, but I think that we're off to a good start. Hearing the stories of the women I helped to elect and the inauguration address of our new President, I cannot help but feel renewed. I remember why I found this business my true calling. Why I believe, when so many others don't, that government can and should work for the citizens, all of the citizens, not just the privilaged few. Why I believe that most of the people we elect are good people with noble ambition, and that the few who are not cannot become the voice for all. Today there is promise and a sense that together we can accomplish what seems impossible.

Christmas in Kansas

Not wanting to tempt fate and lose for the second year in a row, Pat and I decided to fly home on Christmas eve instead of Christmas Day. Even with a stop over in Chicago, we were on time arriving into KC, where we begain our 7 day (5 for Pat) stay.

Starting a new tradition (at least we hope so), instead of traditional christmas dinner on the 25th, we had a KC classic, BBQ.

One of my favorite gifts of the holiday was a new, smaller camera that I can take with me. I'll use a lot of photos in this post, because I was a little click happy with my new toy.

Christmas in Philadelphia

Instead of gifts for each other this year, Pat and I decided to New York for the day right before we left town for Christmas. There's nothing like walking around the city on a crisp winter day...seeing Rockefeller Center, the shop windows, hot chocolate. Unfortunately, we were outsmarted by mother nature and the day before we were scheduled to go, New York got a massive snowstorm. So, not wanting to waste a day with no school and no work, off to Philadelphia we went. Our first stop was the Philadelphia Art Museum, where we took in the great impressionist collection, and toured the modern art exhibit. We liked the prior...not as much the latter. Next stop was the "must do" while in Philly....cheesesteak. Instead of our usual stop on South Street, we decided to go native and head to South Philly to try a real cheesesteak at Ginos. Next time, we'll try Pat's and then we can cast our vote in the neverending Ginos vs. Pats battle.

After sunning and drinking a cocktail....

There really isn't anything else to do BUT to strap yourself to a cable and zipline through the jungle. Here we are at the top point of the rain forest

And here's dad zipping through the trees.

At the bottom, you land on the beach where you can enjoy parrots and.......

MONKEYS!

More Roatan

In addition to enjoying the sun and surf, checking out the local watering holes is an island favorite.

Here we are at Mavis and Dixie's the bar and restaurant located conveniently 20 feet from our front door. The frozen beverages were excellent, the seafood amazing, but what kept my mom, Jamie and I coming back were the Mojitos made by bartender Rodney.

Roatan, Honduras

As you may recall, I spent last week in Roatan, Honduras on the Kershner Family Vacation. We arrived to beautiful weather and a tropical, somewhat undeveloped island. The house my parents rented shockingly looked exactly like the picture on the internet, and did not disappoint at all in ammenities nor view, as you can see.

ON VACATION!

Hi All!

I'm out for a week with my family in beautiful Roatan, Honduras!

Election Night!

Welcome to the EMILY's List "war room". As we watched the returns (SLOW RETURNS for a while), our cautious optimisim settled into sheer nervousness. Early reports showed our two Senate races (Shaheen in NH and Hagan in NC) up, but with small numbers reporting. As those numbers increased, we learned that YES!, in fact, we did elect two more women to the U.S. Senate, taking over two Republican Senate seats.

Then the steady roll of states that came in for Obama...at 11:00, everyone was holding their breath, knowing it was over and that Senator Obama would become President-elect Obama, but just needing to hear it from one of the networks to make it official. I wasn't prepared for how emotional it would be to watch history being made, and to have just been just one small part of the millions upon millions of hopes and dreams that made this happen.

Maybe this moment affords us the chance to believe where once we may have lost hope. Maybe this is a reminder that together, we can do anything and that so much is possible if we remember that we are all in this together. For everyone who has ever worked it politics, there is inevitably a time where you become cynical and you lose sight of what it was that made you choose this wacky career anyway. The past election cycle has taught me to believe again. Sometimes to believe so hard that it breaks your heart when what you want so badly doesn't happen. And then to remember that it's not about one person or another, but the ideas that a person presents that can move ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

Joining our brave brigade in NH were two of EMILY's List directors, Patricia Williams and Sherry Merfish. Don't they look bright-eyed on day one! With them on the case, I am SURE that NH voters can't help but go our way!

More from New Hampshire

As you might imagine, after such an early morning, my traveling companions were very excited when I forced them to take their picture in front of the Moose statue in the Manchester airport. I figured we had to do it then, because word was that the McCain Palin campaign was on it's way to NH, so by the time we got back, I figured Sarah Palin would have shot and field dressed the moose, thus ending our opportunity to get this prize photo.

More from New Hampshire

Our journey to New Hampshire started at 6:00 AM with my co-worker, Maren Hesla, her two awesome kids and an EMILY's List intern, Isabella. The four of us, and the 23 other passengers who thought it was a good idea to take the 6:55 AM Saturday flight to Manchester boarded our plane

Get Out the Vote in New Hampshire

I'm sure that it's hardly shocking that I would have spend the last weekend before the election knocking on doors of complete strangers and trying to persuade them to vote for Barack Obama, Jeanne Shaheen (U.S. Senate candidate) and Carol Shea-Porter (U.S. House). What you might find shocking is that I LOVE this kind of work. I love talking to people who probably wish I would just leave their porch. And I love, more than anything, early morning visibility (standing on a busy street holding a sign, preferably homemade and jumping up and down like a lunatic to show your enthusiasm for your candidate.) I just love it all. It was the part of politics that first attracted me to pursue a career electing women. After all of the galas, the nice dinners and the "grip and grin" events, there is absolutely nothing like talking to a voter about what matters to them, and why your candidate is someone who will work to make their lives better. No champagne, no passed bacon-wrapped scallops. Just the stuff that really matters.

In trying to decide what is the best way to mark the beginning of my third decade, I knew it had had to be something new, something I had never tried before. Skydiving seemed like an ill-advised idea (maybe in 10 years!) and let's face it, a tattoo is a bit too permanent. Then I thought about one of my favorite activities: reading my best friend Liz's blog about life as a mom and being able to keep up with the weekly activities of Kaily, the cutest baby in the world. So, I decided that while I don't have a cute baby to show off, I actually do some pretty interesting things and NEVER take the chance to tell anyone about them. So, welcome to my blog. Hopefully filled with mostly interesting, but likely some pretty boring stuff too.