What did the kids do this October?

Built some campfires

Hiked in a gorge

Slid down some slides

Got lost in the corn

Played in the snow

Built an over-sized snowman

Dressed up in scary/cute outfits

Begged for some candy

and said "Cheese" for the school photographer 

All in a good month's work!

The Princess Turns Three

Our princess, our dee-dee, our keiry, our keys, our baby girl is officially not a baby anymore, although she still whines like one on most days, but that might be more of a result of her being a girl and our princess than a baby.  Her well-child check-up went swimmingly and she didn't even cry when she got her flu shot, brave girl!!  She finally broke the 30 lb. mark and is 36.5 inches short.  She goes to preschool one day a week with me in tow and loves doing crafts and singing songs.  Making friends is a bit harder for her.  She tends to be shy and not quick to share, but we're working on it.  She loves gymnastics and Kyle takes her every Wednesday to "Nastics!"  She was bumped up to the 3.5-4 year old class because she is freaky strong and also part monkey as most of you know.  She likes to dress herself and pick out her own clothes which most days is a Phillies T-shirt and old shorts.  Dresses are usually shunned but she was pretty happy to get her Snow White nightgown from Uncle Shawn and RaRa.  Her favorite food is still macaroni and cheese and her favorite drink is milk.  The day after her party, we went to the store and "bought" a new toy with her old bobbies (aka - pacifiers).  She has been bobby free ever since and did surprisingly well with the transition.  I can't believe I don't have babies anymore.  Now I have "big kids" that are getting even bigger everyday.  I love every stage and we feel so lucky to have them in our lives.

Time to get Edge-a-ma-cated!

Thar She Blows!

I'm currently making my checklist of things to do today to prepare for The Big Storm That Could, aka Irene.  

1. Put all toys and outdoor furniture into the shed
2. Take down the patio lights
3. Drain water from the pool so it doesn't overflow when the skies open up
4. Bring all vegetables in from the garden
5. etc.
6. etc.

Then there's Kyle list:

1. Dig massive trenches in our yard with a backhoe
2. Put in 260 feet of underground pipe, 2 dry-wells, and a few surface drains
3. Run new rain gutters on the back patio.
4. Oh, yeah, and try to get all of this done from 4pm Friday to noon Saturday.

Cross your fingers for us.  Hopefully we will all be laughing at me on Sunday night for getting worried over a little rain.  I'll be thinking of the people on the east coast.  Now you all act like good Pennsylvanians and go out and buy your bread and TP tonight.

Here's a few of my funny kids with their best buds.  As long as they're safe, nothing else matters.  See ya on the flip side.

Busy Summer

Sorry for the giant gap in postings but we have been very busy this summer. "So, what's new?" you ask both sarcastically and inquisitively. Well, we've been traveling to museums and beaches and theme parks and safaris. Liam graduated from Preschool and begins Kindergarten in less than 7 weeks. (Yes, I'm old.) Keira started gymnastics and has found a way to express her need for daredevil stunts. We've had family picnics and watched a great fireworks display. We've visited our best friends and their new babies and had them all over to swim. Now we are waiting on three more little monkeys to join the group and one big fat Jamaican wedding. Hope everyone is enjoying this awesome and if nothing else, sweltering summer.

The Boy is Five

After enjoying a wonderfully warm St. Patrick's Day, we dealt with winter's last blow of cold by celebrating our little buddy's 5th Birthday. He is a smart, bouncy, crazy, funny, wonderful big brother. We are so proud of him and so amazed that we will soon have a Kindergartner in our midst.