Travels, continued.....

Summer is all about 'adventure' in the minds of the royals. Travel to new destinations and locales is truly a part of what summer is all about--getting out and about to uncover new and unexpected treasures. And so it has been an adventure-filled summer for all of us as we've traveled near and far and enjoyed the company of family, friends and new friends too!

The cousins snuggle in good for a fun slumber party!

Auntie Beth (Dr. Beth) helps to teach all the kids (her four and our three) the joy of science. Her home is filled to the roof with amazing scientific experiments and here Adia is showing us the 'Adia powered rocket!' :)

Alec holds the rocket launcher and demonstrates his best "Dr. Evil" look.

One of our latest adventures included travel to Adventure Suites! Yes, an appropriately named destination where each guest room is geared towards a specific theme (Jungle, Movie, Cave, Roman, etc.). Our family enjoyed a stay in the Tree House--which included a beautifully appointed cubby called the Nut Hut (or in the words of the littlest royals--the Nut Nut Room).

All the kids hunkering down in the 'Nut Nut Room' for an evening of non-stop movies, pillows and popcorn. Definitely a summer memory they'll not soon forget!

Breakfast in the morning served in the very special hidden room within the tree itself! The kids enjoyed puzzles, reading and feasting in their own space--which also provided a little breather for mom and dad! :)

Prince Aramis enjoys a snack.

The stairwell leading to the second level of the tree house....

The hot tub which sat inside our room--but was designed to look like an exterior home hot tub. Very, very creative!

A quick look up at the second level and the mini staircase which leads to the Nut Nut Room.

We also traveled to the world famous Dinosaur BBQ (featured last night on Adam Richman's Man vs. Food) and met up with some old friends (and their adult children!). Yummy cuisine and fun was had by all! :)

Beautiful Morgan and gorgeous Josh...all grown up!

Great friend Chrissy Ash and her baby girl, Morgan (not a baby anymore!). :)

King Tony and Prince Aramis sit at the Dino BBQ waiting for luscious ribs and pulled pork!

After a trip to eat, the group returns to the Science Museum (so to speak) for more adventures with the Doctor! :) We love you Auntie Beth!

Jenny Kate, Aramis and Alec learn how to use the remote controlled rocket launcher.

And off to Grandpa and Grandma's house we go! The kids can't seem to get enough of the equipment and laughter--not to mention the awesome food!! :)

Grandma Lu takes Alec, Abby and Aramis for a ride; Jenny jumps on back! :)

And they don't want to get off, so Grandpa takes over to give Grandma Lu a break. I'm sure they were very happy to see us go--since they could finally get a rest! :)

More photos of the adventures to come....!

We love New York...well, sort of....

(Several members of the Bulawa/Agudelo crew steal Grandpa and Grandma's golf cart for a few spins...)

Those that know us know that there is a 'great divide' within the royal kingdom. Queen Wendy is originally from New York, while King Tony, an avid Red Sox faithful, is originally from Connecticut. Our lives convened right in the middle in Massachusetts--and that is a great thing as the King enjoys his favorite baseball and professional basketball teams and the Queen can escape to NY whenever she wishes--as they did this past weekend.

Off to Upstate the royals went for a visit with the cousins and grandparents. What ensued included pillow fights, late night hijinx, sunrises over the lake while drinking coffee, and a real NY-style clambake complete with salt potatoes -- which one only finds in Upstate NY!

Cousin Lilly takes Prince Alec, Ari and Princess Abigail out for a ride. Aramis shows frustration as he really wants to drive...

And he soon tries to take the wheel....

Cousins Lilly and Maryann take off on the 4-Wheeler....

Auntie Beth (aka Dr. Beth not on call for the first time in 10 years) and Queen Wendy


Grandpa Frank trying to convince King Tony that eating a raw clam is totally safe and DELICIOUS!
King Tony was easily suckered into eating one--although we're not sure he thought it was DELICIOUS! :)

Grandpa Bulawa puts Princess Abigail to work--explaining that she needs to learn to mow his 25 acres. She seems amenable if she can sit and mow...

She seems to be getting the hang of the wheel, the gears, and all the other fancy doo-dads...

And suddenly, Aramis appears with a SECOND mower...and a desire to learn as well!

Abby is proud of her mowing ability and Grandpa decides to introduce yet another piece of equipment often used on the ranch....

...the 4-wheeler! The same model Queen Wendy used to use when working the farm 30 years earlier. :)

After a visit with the grandparents, the cousins got to spend time together and enjoy one of Auntie Beth's many talents--SCIENCE! Not only are she and Uncle Erick kick-ass physicians, they are people of science--forever testing and trialing new experiements and teaching their four daughters all about what makes 'life' tick. Below are just a few of the many examples of experiements laden throughout the Bulawa Compound on Delta Lake.

An early look at hydroponics.....(in the kitchen)

We're not sure what this did, but beakers, funnel and other items were present. No explanation available at the time of this blog. We think it is some form of distillery--for WHAT, we don't know. :)

Some of the cousins hanging at the island...just chatting and snacking....

Prince Ari--he's a babe!

Prince Alec and his cousin, Lilly....

Cousin Adia...adorable!!

Abby picks up the guitar and takes lessons from her cousins. Could this be the start of things to come?? Aunt Juliana and her Colombian cousins are very musically talented, so you just never know!! :)

Early morning reading with Grandma Mary....such a special time--and the perfect way to cap off the weekend!

Out and about...

The Kingdom's royals couldn't be more excited about the arrival of warm weather. While fans of all four seasons in general, summertime (and no school), definitely brings increased opportunities for weekend getaways and escapes to locations unknown. An additional day tied to any weekend ensures unplanned adventures for the royals. Whether lounging about in their kiddie pool, picnicking with friends, or jumping in the car towards a surprise location, the royals have fully embraced summertime and prove that 'it's great to be a kid!'

We couldn't agree more...

Princess Abigail selects her seat at Chunky's Movie Theater http://www.chunkys.com in preparation for a viewing of Toy Story 3.

Prince Aramis has Woody in his grasp as he selects his black leather Cadillac chair...

At the end of the movie, Prince Alec has stolen Woody, and Prince Aramis now favors Buzz Lightyear....they are sad the movie has ended... :(

An unexpected roadtrip leads to interesting (thankfully temporary) sleeping arrangements....

Oh, the joy of a ball room....Prince Alec is buried alive on a recent trip to Storyland (www.storylandnh.com).

Princess Abby jumps into the fray....

King Tony takes the boys and Abby on the carousel....Giddyap Horsey!

Prince Aramis finds a sandbox....

King Tony spots Alec as he tackles a new park....

And yes, yet another carousel...we think all the royals are fans which isn't too surprising given that horses are of such high importance here in the Kingdom!! :)

The twin royals....getting big!

Into the bouncy house...!!! Every man, woman and child for themselves!

Gorgeous King Tony having an anniversary dinner high above the city.....

...and the view from our table--just

magnificent!

Just wrestling around as brothers do. Thanks, Testosterone!

Prince Alec just 'hanging around...'

King Tony convinces Prince Ari that jumping off something SO high may not be the right move at this point in his life.... :)

Prince Aramis takes a dip in the pool. The Colombian blood runs strong in this one... :)

Princess Abigail out for a 'Girl's Day' including shopping at the lovely and very fully stocked Rose & Dove (www.roseanddove.com). She's SUPER happy with her purchase of a lovely flower tote bag that also now serves as her very own luggage. :)

And, finally, a quick shot of several Kappa Deltas (Queen Wendy(in polka dots, is in fact ,a sorority gal) who traveled toBoston for a long weekend reunion. We saw more in four days that most residents of the area. The Seaport Hotel will never be the same--nor will Boston Cruise Company, Tia's on the Waterfront, or Boston's Back Bay. Not to mention, the blue men of Blue Man Group!

More adventure-filled posts to follow!!

Another year of wedded bliss.....

Eight years ago today, King Tony and Queen Wendy exchanged vows with one another on the grounds of a gorgeous New England Castle --SEARLES CASTLE(http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/searles1.htm) -- a fairytale from the very beginning.

Their romance was a whirlwind of special moments and activities which culminated in a very special bond and lifelong relationship between two people who most would agree were simply 'made for one another.' Our lives, while riddled with numerous unexpected challenges, have proven to be in sync each and every day since we said our 'I do's' and we look forward to many more love-filled years to come. :)

Skiing together in gorgeous Lake Tahoe

All spiffed up in wedding attire (All I really remember is that it was the HOTTEST day on record for the year and we held and outdoor celebration! Note to self: Air conditioning!!!

Our royal family....2008

and...December 2009.

Together we walk, hand in hand, on an untraveled road filled with bumps, potholes, hills and valleys. If we're lucky, some straight aways will allot us breathing room...but if not, our strength, love, and belief in one another will most definitely carry us through.