Awesome Adventures...

  

We are truly blessed. 

 

Each day we awake to the sounds of our children's laughter (in lieu of sibling disagreement), we are overcome with absolute joy knowing that we have three beautiful, healthy children that continue to help us stay young.  Through their eyes and experiences, we see the world with new sets of eyes. This summer, we enjoyed numerous adventures together--from road trips and visits with cousins, to parks, splash pads and the picking of fresh fruit. It's been a summer filled with adventures...and certainly one to remember.

Auntie Beth not only teaches all of us about the wonders of science, she knows exactly how to make a cereal bowl out of a mini box of cerel. The boys are absolutely amazed....no bowl needed!

 

 

 Blueberry picking...on our own or with friends...it was something we did at least once a week so we always had fresh berries, and plenty to stow away in our freezer (just like squirrels do nuts) for the winter! YUM!!

Sometimes, even the simplest of adventures can turn out to be the most fun---like our first trip to the SONIC drive-in. The kids were thrilled get their meal delivered to them in the car, by a lady with roller skates(blades) on. They thought it was amazing and have been asking to go back ever since. We tell them once a year is more than enough.. :)

 

Our kidlets on one of our hikes...posing like the Statue of Liberty. :)

A post-karate belt ceremony parking lot picnic with friends the McDonoughs

And one of the most memorable and fantastic moments of our entire summer...the drive-in movies with Auntie Laurie, Uncle Regis and R.J.!!  Probably one of the best nights out we've had in a loooonnggg time!

 



 

We excited to see what the Fall brings...as we know well that there will be even more memories to make with those we cherish and hold dear.

Birthday Bash #5...

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS!

 

It's true, our little twinfants are now big boys. We celebrated Alec and Aramis' 5th birthday with the Godparents since getting time on everyone's calendar gets harder and harder when the Fall begins. Hockey, work, activities, school all seem to interfere with regular visits, so we cherish the moments we DO get with our Aunties Abra, Laurie and Wendy and Uncles Ed, Peter and Regis.  And oh boy, were our boys SPOILED this year! :)  Superman and Green Lantern cakes were requested, as well as Angry Bird cupcakes.  And, so it was.... :)



Auntie Wendy watches as Aramis makes a wish and goes face first into his Angry Bird cupcake! :)

The boys open their special goodies courtesy of Auntie Laurie, Uncle Regis and RJ. They got some cool new iPad accessories and an Angry Bird game.  They've been carrying around the colored Angry Birds every since. Sleeping with them too...kinda freaky. :)

 

The boys take extra time making their birthday wishes...and blowing out their candles.

Angry Birds. We blame  our cousins in NY for getting the boys into this (Jenny Kate!!!) new phenomenon, but on a positive note, they are learning some exceptional hand-eye coordination. :)

Now THIS photo requires some explanation. :) 

 

The 'smudge' above is what remains from Uncle Regis' run-in with our glass porch door. In his hurry to get outside to play with the kiddos, he--like a free bird flying in the late summer breeze--went face first into our pristine-clean glass door.  Fortunately, he was relatively uninjured (no broken bones or black eyes since he's tougher than the toughest nails), but he shook the house and reminded us why we need to place a big masking tape + on our glass doors going forward--to avoid similiar incidents. We LOVE you Uncle Regis!! :)



What? More school?

Now that all of the royal kiddos are in school, we've had to get pretty creative with how we organize back packs, homework, paperwork, hats, gloves, shoes, and all things back to school. As you can tell, we've worked hard to organize so that our kids can be more independent in the mornings as they prepare for school. This year was an especially big milestone as Abby was accepted into a private school. That means two separate drop offs/pick ups, different schedules, two PTOs, and all kinds of new routines to conquer. Fortunately, our kidlets seem no worse for wear as they've tackled the 2012-2013 season with smiles and excitement...which we hope lasts the entire year.  We miss them so much when they aren't with us, but treasure the after-school stories we receive at pick-up. It's often hard to believe that our children are in school full time--since us parents, of course--haven't aged a day! :)

 

The first day of school!!

 

The boys pose on the first day of school with their new teacher, Miss Sheri!

Abby is so excited to be at a new school, with tons of new friends--including some 8th graders who have become her own personal entourage! We're more than proud of our little pumpkin, who continues to prove to the world that Down syndrome is merely a medical diagnosis, NOT a measure of a person's abilities.  You GO Abby Pie! :)

Fantastic Fall Folly....

 

Fall has finally arrived, although we continue to play as if we're still in the middle of summer. Well, sort of. The kids are enjoying their costume/dress up area 3-4 times a week, and they have upwards of 25 costumes to pick from for this year's trek on Halloween. Let's hope the snow holds off! Before October 31st however, we have much to do--and yet--can share that we've also done even more....

We all enjoyed another in-person visit with Rachel Coleman of Signing Time, who spent some extra special time with her very own Signing Time superstar, Abby Agudelo! Rachel has some new projects forthcoming debuting on TV, so stay tuned! :)

 

The boys started asking for gingerbread in early September. So, we made a few batches and started creating our own Fall style gingerbread creatures and even made some karate sugar cookies to snack on after karate class. Everyone seems to enjoy cooking/baking with Mom, so hopefully, they'll all learn how to cook for themselves. Abby often claims that she wishes to be a chef like Mom. All we can say is, "Go for it!"

 

 

 

 Tony's Aunt Marcela, a superstar actress from Bogota, Colombia, graced us with her presence for a little over a week. We tried to keep her busy--touring Boston, Salem, and the Maine coastline, but one of her favorite things to do was Bikram yoga and drinking beer in downtown Boston while people watching. :) It was a lovely visit with Marcela, who brought with her many gifts and goodies. Too bad our little ones weren't on their best behavior for her. We're not sure she'll ever return...

 

 

 

 

 

We all take a break after walking Marginal Way along the seacoast of Maine. Fortunately for us, lunch was enjoyed at a Top Chef Masters restaurant right on the waterfront! Worth every mile! :)

 

 

The coastline is magestic and magical. Check out the stacked rocks. We're definitely in Maine. :)

Bye Bye Maine...See you again, soon.

 Nothing screams Fall more quickly than homemade caramel corn (complete with candy corn, that is). We created our very own concoction and prepared some recently for the LAST DRIVE-IN of the season (Nemo/The Avengers).  This time of year is always bittersweet. While we love Fall, saying good bye to the beach, Martha's Vineyard, and summertime fun in the heat can be a little daunting. But, with ever season, change occurs that reawakens our passion for New England. Fall is especially one of those times of year. And with that, we bid summer adieu, and welcome the harvest season.