Secret hide-away...

I have NO IDEA where this is.  It's somewhere close to our house, and Frank and Alex love to go hang out here.  Their special place together.  And I love it. 



 

Sledding Fun

The boys were up and out playing in the snow very early the morning after the "big snow". It ended up being a very warm day, so the snow didn't last long....gotta get out there when the playing is still good!!!

One Snowy Night

First snow of the season and the boys couldn't wait to get out there!! At 7pm, Alex couldn't handle it any longer, so he went out (decked out in his pj's and just a hoodie). After watching Alex through the window for about 2 minutes, Hunter had to join him. He wore his pj's too...but at least decided on a hat, gloves, and coat. After an hour filled with running through the snow, snowball fights, snow-angels, snowman building, snowman tackling, and general snow fun, I was able to get them to come inside only by offering some hot-cocoa.
Next time, they'll be wearing actual winter clothing! I honestly thought they'd only be outside for about 5 minutes!! Although, it obviously didn't phase them!!!

Daddy is Fun!

Wedgits

We have these really cool block called Wedgits, and Hunter has always loved playing with them. The other day he discovered the instruction manual, which shows a design that you can make with the blocks. He spent over an hour building the different designs from the booklet and he was so incredibly proud of himself (and I must admit that I was proud too...some of those are really difficult!). He insisted I take a picture of each one he built. Look at that little face of his!
Good Job, Hunter!!

Proof

So, our boys like to fight with each other. A lot. It drives us crazy and always ends with them having to spend time in separate rooms and lots of tears. But, there are definitely times when they love being brothers. Thankfully I was able to capture it in pictures. Now, during all the fighting I can look at these images to remind myself that sometimes they really do get along.

Sledding

We got a whopping 4 inches a few days before winter break was supposed to start, which of course cancelled school for the last two remaining school days. Long vacation for the kids -- yay! Long vacation at home with the kids for mommy -- not as much yay!
We did take advantage of our new sleds, snowpants, and snowboots.
Thanks goodness for the steep driveway and yard!

A Michigan Thanksgiving

Ghost stories with Aunt Emily, reading with Grammy, relaxing, chillin' with our shades on in the house, 2 year photos in the play room, Alex carrying Saeda, Alex playing with baby Tommy (Holty family friend), playing in the crib, playing, playing, playing, finding Jerry the Elf, eating, laughing, and making memories that will last forever.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

NY Summer 2010

We had a great vacation in New York this summer.  We started in Binghamton with Grammy.  Playing in the backyard with water, going to the Discovery Center, a Binghamton Mets baseball game, fireworks, Taughanock Falls and dinner in Ithaca.
Then, on to Nana and Papa's house.  Gigi's house for dinner, Aunt Norma's house to see all of the cousins and Guppy for dinner (Daddy made a surprise visit!), lunch at the mall to get out of the heat, Aunt Erika's house for a cool break, dinner with Aunt Erika and Uncle Paul, time at the lake, Old McDonald's farm, swimming, goulash, kumquat pie, a fire and marshmallows, a paddle boat ride, and Cheese World.
So much fun!  Despite the ridiculous heat we had a great time!

Buckets of Fun

What more can I say?  You gotta beat the heat somehow!

    

One of my favorites!

TN - Here we come!!

At the end of summer vacation, the boys and I hit the road to YiaYia and Fonder's new house in TN. We had a fantastic visit! Fonder taught Alex to play chess and dominos, we went to the birthplace of Davy Crockett, we visited a llama farm, celebrated Fonder's birthday, and made s'mores. Such a fun visit and a great way to end a great summer!

On our way home we stopped at a scenic view rest area and had a look at the beautiful mountain view!

Saeda in the house!

We had such a great visit with Aunt Emily, Uncle Steinhouse, and Saeda-Cakes. We went out for Sushi, had a ladies-night, went mini-golfing, played at the park, celebrated Daddy's birthday, ate good food at home, slid down the yard in the rain, amongst other things. The boys loved being with their cousin, and Saeda learned some new things: how to blow a zerbert with your tongue out, that sitting in a tub of toys is fun, that swinging at the park is a blast, that she has two cousins in Virginia that adore her (well, Alex really does adore her and Hunter at least just tolerates her....she did play with all of his toys when he wanted to play with them, after all!), and that her Aunt Christine and Uncle Fly love her as much as their own kids.

We had the best visit with you, Holty's!!! Can't wait to do it again!

Summer Fun

Summer has just begun and already we are having TONS of fun!!! Our neighbors got a really cool water-slide/pool and the boys are loving it up! Notice Hunter's trunks - he wouldn't let me pull them up for him and they kept riding lower and lower. Such a silly boy!
This summer really is off to a fantastic start!

Silly Boys

Summer is coming...fun fun fun!!!

Fun and Forts

Frank loves Guitar Hero almost as much as Alex!!!

We made an awesome fort! It was so much fun!! We used all the blankets we could find and even the rug from the family room!!! The kids loved it!