Daddy's Send-off Weekend 2011

We went into Boston to stay over before Chris started his new job. His home office is in the Hancock Towers, but he had to leave us for four weeks of training so we went in to have some fun and see him off. I always find it so amusing what the kids come up with to do to amuse themselves. We did spend some time at the Museum of Science, but the next day, with all the options at their finger tips, they chose to spend three hours running around the Public Gardens. They had fun and it was free, so a winner all around!

Museum of Science preschool room kept Eamon busy while Colin and Daddy checked out the Pompeii exhibit

Boy, in his natural habitat

My crew

Trying to escape Mt. Vesuvius

We can all squeeze into one hotel room. Sorta.

It is a bit crowded for some.

But as long as there's a TV, he's happy

Little Miss had a cough and would NOT go to sleep

City slickers

Wandering the Public Gardens

Before the snow took the autumn leaves away

Metropolitan Miss

Endless fun feeding the ducks and geese. Thank goodness I always have a bag full of snacks

The boys chased a squirrel even though we have a ton of them in our own yard at home

Always up a tree, this one

Contemplating where the bridge could take him

Daddy's office in the background

Reflections in the Hancock Towers

One Hancock building reflected in another

"Pretty Baby!" she says when she sees her reflection

If you can't find anything else, you can climb architecture

Colin's birthday 11-11-11

Colin turned 8 years old yesterday! The only thing that could have made his birthday party any cooler was if he were turning 11 on 11-11-11, but he was happy with 8! He had 9 friends over, which with our 3, made an even dozen crazy small boys. We had silly string and whipped cream fights, multi-sport combat in the backyard with games of badminton, football, soccer and baseball going on simultaneously, 11 completely non-nutritious snacks and a huge 11 cake with LOTS of frosting! The boys were actually all great, but unbelievably LOUD!! 

One of the many sporting events going on at once.

I guess I should get used to a houseful of boys!

At one point or another during the party, I saw Harry Potter, Batman and a cowboy make an appearance.

Only eight candles on the eleven cake

Lots of 11-11-11 wishing going on.

Silly string!

Even the little guy got in on it!

Then the whipped cream came out!

I am so glad I thought to buy disposable rain ponchos.

Messy and delicious!

Getting creamed in not a bad thing in this game.

Some chose to eat more than battle.

Halloween 2011

I'm happy that the kids are into Harry Potter this year because then I get to play with them! Here they are, all dressed up for Trick or Treating. They have been wandering around with sticks from the yard shouting spells at each other for MONTHS so I actually bought them the "real" wands for Halloween. I MAY have borrowed them a time or two to land spells on one or another of them too.

 Here's the crew ready to board the Hogwarts Express

Little Hedwig, Harry Potter's owl. 

She had the coziest costume by far--perfect for the snowy Halloween temperatures!

 In the last book, the evil Voldemort takes out little Hedwig, but in our scenario, Hedwig took away Voldemort's wand and took matters into her own hands.

 Harry Potter in his Quidditch Robe.

Ready to hop on his broom and fly away

 Liam has been doing an intense character study of Voldemort's mannerisms.

This is a class Voldemort giving the death curse!

 The Final Battle between good and evil, played out in our very own front yard.

 Harry Potter swallowing the golden snitch.

 Eamon dressed up like Dobby, the house elf. He is famous for saving Harry Potter's life on occasion. He also did not make it through the entire series, but we didn't tell Eamon that!

 Normally, Harry carries Hedwig on his shoulder, but Little Miss is getting far to big for that!

Naughty little house elf

First Day of School 2011

I may never catch up here, but I'll keep trying!!  This may not be in chronological order, but it will be documented nonetheless. Here are the kids on their first day of school a few weeks back. Colin is in 2nd grade (that sounds so OLD!), Liam in 1st grade, Eamon in pre-school and Sadie started daycare the two days a week that I work. So, far, so good. Everyone loves it, Sadie ran off into daycare like she had no idea why she would want to even say goodbye to me and everything else has settled into place.

Happy as can be!

At the bus stop even though he doesn't take the bus.

Hamming it up for the camera.

Looking far too much like a teenager for my liking

Handsome even with the shaggy hair.

The usual shenanigans.

Thrilled with his skull and crossbones shirt. (It even changes color in the sunlight)

She LOVES her school backpack!

Looking very sweet and not nearly like her crazy self.

Sleepy Sadie had to be woken up

Camping in Acadia 2011

Not enough time to fill in the words at the moment, but in the meantime, here's a FEW of the photos from our week in Acadia.

Hanging out 'round camp.

At the top of Cadillac Mountain.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse.

Sand Beach with the Martels (aka Liam's new best friends).

Wonderland Trail

Messing about at Seawall.

Checking out Fort Knox, ME on the way home.

On top of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory.