Easter 2011....

HAPPY EASTER 2011!!

The kingdom's royals weren't quite in the mood to be photographed much on Easter this year given that the Easter Bunny had come to the house--left eggs AND superb baskets--neither of which the kidlets could enjoy until after we attended Sunday services. It just couldn't be helped--due to the timing of everything. We should also note the late hour the children slept in until given that Alec had a stomach bug and Aramis, a double ear infection. With a little Mommy and Daddy love, some fabulous medication and rest, they seem to be on the mend, but the 5 days leading up to this day were pretty icky to say the least. As of today, the kids seem to be fairly mended, but it took nearly two weeks to get us here (and to super-sterilize the house again!)

King Tony and the royals working on coloring their Easter eggs....

The boys seem to be into it this year....much to our surprise! :) Now we just need to help King Tony 'chill out' a bit as he gets super anxious amid all those colors and hard boiled eggs---fearing that all will end up all over the floor (and his white T-shirt!) :)

Abby gets into the process and King Tony gets even more riled... :) Heee.hee....

"Finally!!" they all cry out! They locate their baskets left lovingly by the Easter Bunny, and get all sorts of goodies they've been asking for for months. They are very happy little ones...

And then, the Easter egg hunt begins....

Prince Alec takes an early lead--scoring two eggs within seconds! We anticipate his future to hold something with forensics or possibly, detective work. :)

Princess Abs spots her first purple-colored egg, and nearly quits the hunt after finding just one!

Prince Aramis is a great hunter. He looks for the less obvious ones--and the ones more difficult to reach and grab. :)

Uh-oh...both Abs and Alec eyeball a yellow egg and start toward it.

Whoever is fastest will be the victor with the spoils!

Prince Aramis heads back to tally up his finds. He's done pretty darn well, and is quite pleased with himself. :)

We can always tell when the royals have had an EXCELLENT day.

We find them like this:

and this....

First tooth....history!

"Hurray!, proclaimed Princess Abigail, who just one week ago, lost her very FIRST baby tooth.

After sporting 'shark teeth' (rows of teeth--baby and adult) for a few weeks, we were pleased to see that Miss Abs wasn't even the slightest bit fazed by the loss of her first bottom front tooth. It was hilarious to watch her pushing on it--since she was annoyed by how loose it was and then one day at school while eating lunch, it just kinda popped out! The Tooth Fairy was extra generous and left not only $1, but a chocolate bunny and a sweet note thanking the Princess for her very first tooth--which she said would go directly to a baby somewhere in the world that needed that tooth! To celebrate, we made chocolate mini-cupcakes which are a favorite! Here she is, with chocolate drool and all, showing off the missing hole in her mouth (below). :)

Another cover.....

What can we say...our daughter is a model!!

After gracing the covers of numerous local newspapers, brochures, etc., Princess Abigail has again earned top billing/placement on another media cover! This time, the April 2011 edition of The Mother Connection newsletter (www.themotherconnection.org). While Queen Wendy wrote several, penetrating articles for the issue, we don't think anyone will care to even open the newsletter since the cover is SO captivating...don't you agree? :) Here she is....Princess Abs!!

Dance Fever....!

Look out world, the Kingdom's royals have attended their first, official dance party!!

Yesterday afternoon, the three royals attended the MDSC/Morning Traveler's Sweetheart Dance, which was an exciting opportunity to dance with friends, catch up with fellow parents of children with Down syndrome, eat pizza and cupcakes and generally, just have fun---which we DID!

You'll notice that our kids haven't quite figured out how to dance like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever just yet, but they did get their daily exercise by running under the limbo stick, jumping up and down and twirling in circles until they tired.

The best part of the evening was when Aramis requested Michael Jackson. (below)

(Backstory: Since the children's birth, we've always played music--taking opportunities over the years to teach music appreciation. Within the last month, we started to work thorugh the classics, which of course include the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. Like any proper spawn of 70's children, ours have come to LOVE MJ--and request listening to his CDs -- especially Thriller and Beat It -- for hours on end).

So, when Aramis requested MJ and Beat It, we weren't at all surprised to see the kids dancing to it. But, we WERE a little amazed when Aramis took a rest right in the middle of the dance floor. You have to see it to believe it! Enjoy!

We are also now taking requests for the next classic artist to feature in our home. On deck is Van Halen (pure rock and roll), but we're open to suggestions for the artists to follow. :)

Double-Dip Culinary Extravaganza....

For those unfamiliar, a 'chef's table' is a table in or in close proximity to a restaurant's main kitchen--typically reserved for VIPs--upon which thematic, seasonal meals are prepared by the restaurant's chefs. It is very special to procure a spot at a chef's table as they are not all that common--and are nearly always booked months in advance.

Those close to us know that Queen Wendy is a culinary enthusiast. After attending the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts as a hobby, she continued to dabble in 'homestyle cooking' and experimented with homemade baby food and gluten-free recipes for her little ones. In the end, she has found that her favorite recipes are those passed down by her talented grandmothers. Although, with a steady diet of decent (albeit experimental) cuisine King Tony too has become quite the 'foodie.' In the last few years, he has also had the pleasure of visiting restaurants owned by some of the most prominent culinary luminaries in the business including Rick Bayless, Hubert Keller, Richard Blaise, Brian Malarky and Todd English, among others.

Simply put, we both love food.

So, it was a lovely surprise to receive a copy of the book photographed above, which reveals detailed recipes of key dishes from Boston's premiere culinary guard. In short, a very special addition to our cookbook collection--that is, until the book was opened.

There within its multiple pages of detailed recipes were the signatures of top chefs from several famed Boston restaurants. King Tony had invested much time and effort in procuring signatures from not only Wendy's favorites, but several that seemed unattainable. The cookbook is no longer just a cookbook--but a culinary treasure!

Todd English of Olives, Kingfish and Bonfire

Jay Murray from Grill 23

"BlueJay" Santos from Gargoyles; Runner up in Hell's Kitchen

On the heels of receiving this incredible and unexpected gift, came VIP tickets to an event that pitted Anthony Bourdain (No Reservations) against Three-Michelin-star recipient and Le Bernadin co-owner, Eric Ripert. (Good vs. Evil). This was, by far, one of the most enjoyable few hours we've spent since our dinner atop the Prudential Center (Top of the Hub) for our anniversary last year. :)

The two went at one another on topics including the First Lady's efforts in the School Lunch Program, sustainability, 'Farm to Table,' favorite places to eat, Michelin stars, Top Chef, the real origination of the American (not Mexican) taco, and their favorite 'Stoner Food.' (Bourdain wants melted cheese and crusty bread and Ripert, a tasty burger with tomatoes, lettuce and pickles--for the record)

Ripert in the 'hot seat....'

Ripert holds court and pummels Bourdain with embarrassing questions...funny!

Bourdain--a humble, thoughtful intellectual with culinary talent....

Anthony Bourdain's take on the push to improve in-school lunch programs....

Ripert's position on 'sustainability' and the immense need for focus on it...

Ripert and Bourdain at the post-event 'meet and greet'

The final stir of the culinary whisk occurred upon our return to the parking garage to pick up our car, as we unexpectedly boarded the elevator with none other than Michael Schlow, owner of several Boston-area restaurants including Radius (a favorite), and former Top Chef Masters contestant!! (Schlow just opened his newest restaurant, Tico, two weeks ago).

It was most definitely an evening of culinary madness which never would have been possible without loving support from Auntie Abra and Uncle Peter who pinch-hit babysitting duties for the Kingdom's royals! Auntie and Uncle got a run for their money with the three little kidlets that never want to sleep, always want to snuggle/cuddle, and seek to watch one more episode of Scooby Doo before lights out. Or, so we thought. What we found upon our return home were a 'semi-retired' Auntie and Uncle on our couch (too cute to NOT snap a photo of before they stirred). :) Heee.heeee...

THANK YOU UNCLE PETER AND AUNTIE ABRA!!! SMOOCH!!

Since we don't get out very often, doing so is very much a treat. To say that we are blessed would be an understatement. The sun, moon and stars truly aligned for us in a unique way so that we could experience, in one night, something that very few in this world will ever get to experience.

Some call it luck, but we'd like to think it has something to do with loving karma--and the old adage, "what goes around, comes around."

We're therefore off onto our next food-adventure, but will not soon forget our "Double Dip" from 2011. Maybe it is a beacon for things to come??

Papa, Mama and the Boston Media.....

It all began with a broken lazy susan...

A few years ago, once the little royals started to arrive, our beautiful home fell to a second, (albeit, third, fourth and fifth) position as far as priority. We do our part to keep up with the yard work/mulching and cleaning, but anything that requires a lot of tenacity--well--we kind of let it fall onto the Honey-Do list....which gets reviewed maybe twice a year.

Then, our favorite news station (New England Cable News; http://www.necn.com/) shifted their a.m. format to include a Morning Show from 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Former New England Dream Home producer Deb Halperin took over a new responsibility with "Help Me Brian"-- a fix-it show hosted by and starring Brian Gurry of American Builder.

So, tying two things together--a small fix-it project and support for our favorite local station--we reached out to Deb with our mini-disaster and Brian kindly responded.

The results of that labor earned us not only a new lazy Daisy (replacing the Susan) but some airtime on regional television. (including a shot of Aramis!!) :)

Wendy and Brian Gurry--he's quite a character!!

John Hamman, Princess Abs, Wendy and Brian post-shoot... (We're thinking Abby may want to fore go anything that requires a lot of photo-taking, so modeling is out for now... :( )

Help Me Brian - NECN; 2.28.2011

The fun-filled, silly segment is below. (NOTE: To increase the hilarity of the segment, some liberties were taken prior to filming (i.e. overloading of the cabinet) since we're pretty sure Aramis and Abby broke this by stepping on it. Oh well....Keep your eyes out for the mouse!! :)

http://www.necn.com/02/28/11/Help-Me-Brian-Make-your-lazy-susan-spin/landing_newengland.html?blockID=429397&feedID=8499
Within the same week, King Tony too got into the media spirit and responded to friend Lauren Beckham Falcone--who was doing a story about recently released Farrelly brothers film, Hall Pass. Tony was interviewed for Lauren's column (linked below) and Queen Wendy was quite relieved to read his response. Although, she questions his motives....

http://bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1318712

And there you have it! We're just a media-friendly family and one unafraid to throw ourselves into the mix.

(See former blogs about Abigail and our family....)

http://kingdomandcastle.blogspot.com/2010/10/10-10-10abbys-continued-ascendance.html

http://kingdomandcastle.blogspot.com/2009/10/princess-abs-makes-front-page-newsagain.html

Sightings of Early Spring....???

We're not sure how or why, but New England saw temps above 50 degrees today--marking what many around town believe to be early-onset Spring 2011. Now, having been an East coast family for the better part of our lives, we know all too well that this is Mother Nature's 'tease.' She taunts us with sunshine and melting snow/ice, but soon enough, we'll again be in the grips of another Nor'Easter--at least until late March when most of us start to feel more secure that Spring is, in fact, on its way. So, in the spirit of enjoying what the good Lord gives us when it is given, the royals headed out to enjoy the warm temps and begin yard cleanup!

Prince Aramis trades in his winter gear for lighter clothes and a shovel.

And goes to work on the mountainous snowbanks lining the driveway....

Abby pitches in to take a turn once Aramis tires of the manual labor. Royals aren't supposed to get their hands dirty, are they?? :)

Wow...looks like the perfect cover art for the weekly newspaper...title "The Big Thaw" :)

Craziness in the Kingdom....

There's nothing quite like catching an actual 'push' between siblings on camera. Well, that was just the beginning of a crazy week in the kingdom. We had TV crews in our home, spent time jumping around like monkeys and enjoyed a special Valentine's Day.

Auntie Wendy again outdid herself and sent lovely Valentine's Day shirts to her Godson, Aramis, as well as his sister and brother--so that everyone sported the most gorgeous designs from www.chicboutiquecreations.com!

(Just a plug: For anything you want personalized, please visit Chic Boutique. Our Aunt Wendy is super talented and has limitless gift options for just about every member of the family.

We love our Auntie Wendy!! :) )

In an exciting turn of events, we welcomed members from New England Cable News (NECN) to our home during the week. More details about the airing of a hilarious segment (featuring American Builder star, Brian Gurry (below) ) to come in two short week! Stay tuned!

To work out our 'cabin fever,' members of the royal family traveled for an afternoon with other members from the Merrimack Valley Mothers of Multiples group--which hosted a lovely day at Jump On In--the most cool indoor recreation venue. After a few hours of jumping and super-sliding, the kids were ready for bed--what a treat for mom and dad! :)

Prince Alec still amid his downward slide...

Aramis and King Tony getting ready to jump off and start again! :)

Topping off the week, our cameras caught up with King Tony--who was inside the kids' tent reading The Hungry Caterpillar.....

...and Alec who instead of hanging out in the tent, decided to hang out on the john and talk on his cell phone. I guess we know who is going to be the businessman (or sports agent) already! :)

Snow Day 2: The Big Climb.....

"Heellllloooooo".....can you find me amid all this snow??
Princess Abs is really enjoying the white stuff....just like her mama! :)

King Tony tries to walk the grounds and finds himself buried up to the waist in white stuff. Hmmm....what to do next!?!

Ah, call the royal princess and princes for assistance. Alec comes to the rescue and pulls Tony from the snow....

Tony teaches the royals how to climb snow mountains....

And then, there's video of Tony's rescue (below). :)

Well, clearly it's a crazy weather year here in the Kingdom. Our snow-belt location has certainly earned its reputation--with now an approximate accumulation of nearly 5 ft. of snowfall (and lovely 10 ft. snowbanks to boot!). While the royals have had a wrench thrown into their daily routines due to snow days off from school, Mom and Dad are finding a number of ways to teach our children about the joys of winter weather. Even King Tony, who abhors the cold and winter months, is taking a lesson out of the Super Parent's Rule Book, and ' jumping in' (literally and figuratively) to the snow to show how fun it can really be. I guess we'll have to plan a vacation in the warm weather soon, so that all can defrost properly. :)

Above is video from Snow Day 2 video titled, The Massive Climb, highlighting our ridiculous antics which keep us sane and warm as the temperatures drop and we're forced to make-due within a sea of white mountains! Hard to believe there is actually grass and driveway underneath all this stuff!