By K.J. Cardinal
Yesterday, we celebrated Anna's 4th birthday with a family party at our house. Picture perfect weather actually allowed the kids to play outside in their bathing suits and we all had such a blast.
All the kids get along remarkably well and Anna was in her glory to be surrounded by all her cousins that she loves so much. Thanks to everyone that came and helped make Anna's birthday so special.
[WATCH VIDEO]
Showing posts with label Andrew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andrew. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Fantastic Fourth
By K.J. Cardinal
I don't think I could script a better Fourth of July weekend for us if I tried. We packed as much stuff as we could into the long weekend and ran the kids (and ourselves) ragged, but it was such a blast.
[WARNING: You are about to embark on an epically long blog post now.]
Friday night we kicked off the festivities by hitting up a Worcester Tornadoes game. Leo was actually into the game for a few innings, which was kind of surprising. His fascination for balls and people watching skills were on display and everyone in our section clearly loved the little guy.
Anna's infatuation with Twister, the Tornadoes mascot, continued. She brought her Twister doll that we got her last year and couldn't wait to see him in real life when we got there. Once again, she spent nearly the entire game worrying/wondering about Twister's whereabouts.
Unlike last year though, she wasn't afraid to go up to him and say hello. She actually wanted to give him some of her popcorn, then milk, then cotton candy... we eventually convinced Anna he wasn't hungry, so she settled for a high-five and a hug from the furry "dog".
I got it all on video and her (and Angie) are so cute after... as Anna says, Twister was so "comfully".
While Leo didn't go in for any action with Twister, he was perfectly content just hanging out in the stands and playing with Mommy...
On Saturday, we headed down to Jamie and Maura's house in Stoughton for a Fourth of July cookout, but first we decided to brave the Atlantic Ocean on the kayaks with the kids down at Plymouth Harbor. Don't worry, I had done a significant amount of research to find a good spot that would be safe for us and Plymouth Harbor was exactly that.
We headed down to Stephens Field, right on the water in Plymouth, to put the kayaks in there. Plymouth Harbor was absolutely mobbed with boats, but it was great to navigate through them all to get to the Mayflower (replica) that is docked in the harbor, along with the Plymouth Rock.
The Mayflower replica was pretty cool, but other than the historical significance of the Plymouth Rock, I could not have been less impressed. I mean, there are larger boulders in my parents front yard... seriously.
After kayaking, we had a picnic lunch back at Stephens Field, let Anna explore the playground for a little bit, and then we were off to Jamie's for the cookout.
It was an absolutely perfect day for some burgers and beers with good friends. We ended up pitching our tent outback of Jamie's house and stayed the night.
We headed home on Sunday morning to unpack and repack and then we were off to Boston. Scott and his roommate were out of town for the weekend, so they graciously offered up their apartment to us for the weekend so we could enjoy the Fourth in the city with the kids... and we did just that.
Sunday afternoon we got settled at Scott's and ventured into the city. The weather didn't cooperate that much, so we had dinner, checked out a few things and then headed back for a relatively quiet night at the apartment.
Monday, however, wasn't so quiet.
We started off the day just walking around the city and checking out all the huge boats in the Boston Harbor. It was hot early, so we let the kids cool off at the Rings Fountain that's part of the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
Leo was slightly intimidated by the big jets of water at first, but a little help from Ang and he was in full attack mode.
Shockingly, we pretty much had the fountains to ourselves, which was great because Anna was a maniac in the thing. Running, jumping, sliding, sitting. You name it, she was doing it.
After the fountains, we headed over to the Old State House to watch the reading of the Declaration of Independence from the site where it was originally read in 1776...
This wasn't high on the priority list for Angie and the kids, but it's something I always wanted to do and it was cool... if you're somewhat of an American history fan, like myself. I know I'm biased, but Boston is the best city and the history around every corner is what helps make the place so special, without a doubt.
After the reading, we headed to meet up with Tiffany, Pete and the kids where we caught the parade rolling by in front of Faneuil Hall...
Next up, the New England Aquarium. Tiff and Pete recently purchased a big family pass and were happy to treat us to a day with the fish.
On our way over to the aquarium though, we got sidetracked again by the Rings Fountain as we let the kids cool off. Anna and Andrew have become rather inseparable lately, so to no one's surprise, they were even attached at the hip in the fountain. Leo didn't get to venture in this time as it was super crowded, but he was perfectly content hanging out with the adults... most notably Uncle Pete.
Finally on our way to the aquarium and the three big cousins couldn't be any happier as they walked hand-in-hand with Aunt Tiff...
The aquarium was a blast and probably my favorite part of the day. With Andrew as the tour guide, he basically took Anna through the aquarium, showing and telling her everything he had learned the day before when he was there too. Andrew is freakishly smart with an unreal memory... he's one apple that fell way off the tree.
Anyway, when we stopped in a little nook of the Giant Ocean Tank, the kids were priceless... screaming at the top of their lungs when they'd see sharks, Natalie joking with Pete to "throw her in", me getting Andrew to believe that a fish was whistling. I could go on and on. We were only at that spot for about 15 minutes, but it really summed up the day with Tiff and Pete and the kids... tons of fun!
After the Aquarium, we hit up Tia's on the Waterfront for lunch and then ice cream in Faneuil Hall before saying goodbye to the George's as they headed home.
We once again regrouped back at the apartment before making a late-night run out to catch the fireworks. Both kids were fast asleep, but we just had to get them out to see some of the fireworks.
Leo was an absolute trooper. He woke up the second we put him in the stroller at 9:15 p.m. and stayed awake until about 11:30 when we got back. And, we were so glad that we took them out for the fireworks because Leo was in sheer awe at the spectacle.
It was so dark on the Longfellow Bridge, that the videos I tried to take didn't come out, but he was oohing, ahhing and pointing the entire time.
Anna, however, was not interested in being woken up to catch the fireworks... at least we tried.
Well, I hope you're exhausted from reading this uber-long blog post... imagine how we feel after just living it. Excuse me while I try to sneak a nap in this afternoon.
PS: Special thanks again to Scott and "The Grizz" for letting us stay at their awesome Beacon Hill apartment. We had a blast!
[WARNING: You are about to embark on an epically long blog post now.]
Friday night we kicked off the festivities by hitting up a Worcester Tornadoes game. Leo was actually into the game for a few innings, which was kind of surprising. His fascination for balls and people watching skills were on display and everyone in our section clearly loved the little guy.
Anna's infatuation with Twister, the Tornadoes mascot, continued. She brought her Twister doll that we got her last year and couldn't wait to see him in real life when we got there. Once again, she spent nearly the entire game worrying/wondering about Twister's whereabouts.Unlike last year though, she wasn't afraid to go up to him and say hello. She actually wanted to give him some of her popcorn, then milk, then cotton candy... we eventually convinced Anna he wasn't hungry, so she settled for a high-five and a hug from the furry "dog".
I got it all on video and her (and Angie) are so cute after... as Anna says, Twister was so "comfully".
While Leo didn't go in for any action with Twister, he was perfectly content just hanging out in the stands and playing with Mommy...
On Saturday, we headed down to Jamie and Maura's house in Stoughton for a Fourth of July cookout, but first we decided to brave the Atlantic Ocean on the kayaks with the kids down at Plymouth Harbor. Don't worry, I had done a significant amount of research to find a good spot that would be safe for us and Plymouth Harbor was exactly that.After kayaking, we had a picnic lunch back at Stephens Field, let Anna explore the playground for a little bit, and then we were off to Jamie's for the cookout.
It was an absolutely perfect day for some burgers and beers with good friends. We ended up pitching our tent outback of Jamie's house and stayed the night.
We headed home on Sunday morning to unpack and repack and then we were off to Boston. Scott and his roommate were out of town for the weekend, so they graciously offered up their apartment to us for the weekend so we could enjoy the Fourth in the city with the kids... and we did just that.
Sunday afternoon we got settled at Scott's and ventured into the city. The weather didn't cooperate that much, so we had dinner, checked out a few things and then headed back for a relatively quiet night at the apartment.Monday, however, wasn't so quiet.
We started off the day just walking around the city and checking out all the huge boats in the Boston Harbor. It was hot early, so we let the kids cool off at the Rings Fountain that's part of the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
Shockingly, we pretty much had the fountains to ourselves, which was great because Anna was a maniac in the thing. Running, jumping, sliding, sitting. You name it, she was doing it.
After the fountains, we headed over to the Old State House to watch the reading of the Declaration of Independence from the site where it was originally read in 1776...
After the reading, we headed to meet up with Tiffany, Pete and the kids where we caught the parade rolling by in front of Faneuil Hall...
Next up, the New England Aquarium. Tiff and Pete recently purchased a big family pass and were happy to treat us to a day with the fish.
Finally on our way to the aquarium and the three big cousins couldn't be any happier as they walked hand-in-hand with Aunt Tiff...
The aquarium was a blast and probably my favorite part of the day. With Andrew as the tour guide, he basically took Anna through the aquarium, showing and telling her everything he had learned the day before when he was there too. Andrew is freakishly smart with an unreal memory... he's one apple that fell way off the tree.
Anyway, when we stopped in a little nook of the Giant Ocean Tank, the kids were priceless... screaming at the top of their lungs when they'd see sharks, Natalie joking with Pete to "throw her in", me getting Andrew to believe that a fish was whistling. I could go on and on. We were only at that spot for about 15 minutes, but it really summed up the day with Tiff and Pete and the kids... tons of fun!
We once again regrouped back at the apartment before making a late-night run out to catch the fireworks. Both kids were fast asleep, but we just had to get them out to see some of the fireworks.
Leo was an absolute trooper. He woke up the second we put him in the stroller at 9:15 p.m. and stayed awake until about 11:30 when we got back. And, we were so glad that we took them out for the fireworks because Leo was in sheer awe at the spectacle.
It was so dark on the Longfellow Bridge, that the videos I tried to take didn't come out, but he was oohing, ahhing and pointing the entire time.
Anna, however, was not interested in being woken up to catch the fireworks... at least we tried.
Well, I hope you're exhausted from reading this uber-long blog post... imagine how we feel after just living it. Excuse me while I try to sneak a nap in this afternoon.
PS: Special thanks again to Scott and "The Grizz" for letting us stay at their awesome Beacon Hill apartment. We had a blast!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Cardinal Fourth
By K.J. Cardinal
The Fourth of July turned into a nice little Cardinal shindig at our house down in Hudson.
The day started off with us thinking that Aunt Kate and Uncle Matt were going to come down for a quiet afternoon to hang out and see little Leo, but a quick phone call to Meme and Aunt Tiff had the entire family down.
Aunt Kate was probably the MVP of the day if you asked Anna and Leo.
After having Anna help her with her make-up the other day, Aunt Kate brought Anna down a present that consisted of different nail polishes and types of make-up. Anna was in her glory.
She immediately had to have her finger nails and toe nails painted and then proceeded to give everyone in the house a little eye shadow and blush. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. Anna is such a girly girl at times.
As for Leo, he continued his string of unbelievably perfect behavior by just hanging out all day, sleeping and eating. He got to take a real solid nap on Aunt Kate and I think she fell even more in love with the little guy... if that's humanly possible.
Uncle Matt came down to finally take a gander at Leo and was kind enough to bring Bauer too... which was another big hit for Anna.
Anna was spoiled by cool Mater gifts from Uncle Matt too, but Leo was the one that really lucked out. Uncle Matt pulled out his bag of tricks and gave Leo a four-DVD set of the complete He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series. Such an awesome gift, given the fact that I was obsessed with He-Man while growing up. I can't wait to knock the dust off all the He-Men that are still up in my parents attic when Leo's old enough and watch the entire series with him. Such a great gift, Matt. Thanks!
After present time from Matt, we had lunch with leftovers from a catering gig that my parents brought down... shrimp, steak and tons of salads. What a great score for all of us!
While we all ate, Anna did a disappearing act under the dining room table with her new best friend, Bauer. She just wanted to lay next to him, patting him and rubbing his feet and tail. It was priceless.
We hung out for a few more hours with Meme and Papa and then the real party started once Andrew and Natalie showed up around 4 o'clock.
The kids are all at such a great age and get along so well. They went on the swing set, played in the kiddie pool and the sand box, but the most fun came when I broke out the hose.
Andrew proceeded to be a "fireman"... basically just spraying everything in site... most notably Natalie and Anna. It was hilarious, as the girls were loving it, almost as much as Andrew.
As if we weren't all already psyched up for the Cardinal vacation at the end of the month, the Fourth was just a nice little preview of the fun to come and we can't wait!
The Fourth of July turned into a nice little Cardinal shindig at our house down in Hudson.The day started off with us thinking that Aunt Kate and Uncle Matt were going to come down for a quiet afternoon to hang out and see little Leo, but a quick phone call to Meme and Aunt Tiff had the entire family down.
Aunt Kate was probably the MVP of the day if you asked Anna and Leo.
After having Anna help her with her make-up the other day, Aunt Kate brought Anna down a present that consisted of different nail polishes and types of make-up. Anna was in her glory.She immediately had to have her finger nails and toe nails painted and then proceeded to give everyone in the house a little eye shadow and blush. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. Anna is such a girly girl at times.
As for Leo, he continued his string of unbelievably perfect behavior by just hanging out all day, sleeping and eating. He got to take a real solid nap on Aunt Kate and I think she fell even more in love with the little guy... if that's humanly possible.Uncle Matt came down to finally take a gander at Leo and was kind enough to bring Bauer too... which was another big hit for Anna.
Anna was spoiled by cool Mater gifts from Uncle Matt too, but Leo was the one that really lucked out. Uncle Matt pulled out his bag of tricks and gave Leo a four-DVD set of the complete He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series. Such an awesome gift, given the fact that I was obsessed with He-Man while growing up. I can't wait to knock the dust off all the He-Men that are still up in my parents attic when Leo's old enough and watch the entire series with him. Such a great gift, Matt. Thanks!After present time from Matt, we had lunch with leftovers from a catering gig that my parents brought down... shrimp, steak and tons of salads. What a great score for all of us!
While we all ate, Anna did a disappearing act under the dining room table with her new best friend, Bauer. She just wanted to lay next to him, patting him and rubbing his feet and tail. It was priceless.We hung out for a few more hours with Meme and Papa and then the real party started once Andrew and Natalie showed up around 4 o'clock.
The kids are all at such a great age and get along so well. They went on the swing set, played in the kiddie pool and the sand box, but the most fun came when I broke out the hose.
Andrew proceeded to be a "fireman"... basically just spraying everything in site... most notably Natalie and Anna. It was hilarious, as the girls were loving it, almost as much as Andrew.
As if we weren't all already psyched up for the Cardinal vacation at the end of the month, the Fourth was just a nice little preview of the fun to come and we can't wait!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
I think we'll keep him
By K.J. Cardinal
After just over 24 hours of Leo, we've decided that we'll keep the little guy. I mean, he's just too damn cute and I have too much footage of him at this point to just give him up. See Exhibit A...
Anyway, day two of Leo's life was filled with lots of introductions to new family members, which was fabulous, but the highlight of the day for me was being able to see Andrew and Natalie meet their new cousin Leo.
I just can't begin to express the overwhelming joy that Andrew and Natalie were filled with when they met Leo. It was impossible not to get wrapped up in the moment.
Here's a video that has a few clips from the exchange, but I was really just living in the moment and not capturing it all because it was just too meaningful to miss behind the lens of a camera for me. So, while this clip is absolutely beautiful, trust me when I say that it doesn't even begin to do the whole scenario justice.
[WATCH VIDEO]
I think Angie put the whole scene into perspective best at the end of it all when she said, "my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much." It was so great... I wish Meme and Papa were still here to witness their grandkids in action, but I know that they'll get a full week of the Leo Lovefest when we go on our family vacation at the end of July.
A few house-cleaning things to note. We will be in the hospital until Thursday. We originally thought we'd be leaving on Wednesday, but where Leo was born after 8 p.m. on Monday night, they'll keep us that extra night.
We plan to be around all weekend in Hudson just enjoying our new bundle of joy. So, if you're dying to see the little guy and aren't able to make it to the hospital this week, then shoot me an email and let me know when you plan on coming by. If you want to come by the hospital tomorrow, visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lastly, they just took Leo to get circumcised and I have this knot in my stomach. I know it's a rite of passage of sorts, but it's gotta make every man cringe just a little.
After just over 24 hours of Leo, we've decided that we'll keep the little guy. I mean, he's just too damn cute and I have too much footage of him at this point to just give him up. See Exhibit A...
Anyway, day two of Leo's life was filled with lots of introductions to new family members, which was fabulous, but the highlight of the day for me was being able to see Andrew and Natalie meet their new cousin Leo.
I just can't begin to express the overwhelming joy that Andrew and Natalie were filled with when they met Leo. It was impossible not to get wrapped up in the moment.
Here's a video that has a few clips from the exchange, but I was really just living in the moment and not capturing it all because it was just too meaningful to miss behind the lens of a camera for me. So, while this clip is absolutely beautiful, trust me when I say that it doesn't even begin to do the whole scenario justice.
[WATCH VIDEO]
I think Angie put the whole scene into perspective best at the end of it all when she said, "my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much." It was so great... I wish Meme and Papa were still here to witness their grandkids in action, but I know that they'll get a full week of the Leo Lovefest when we go on our family vacation at the end of July.
A few house-cleaning things to note. We will be in the hospital until Thursday. We originally thought we'd be leaving on Wednesday, but where Leo was born after 8 p.m. on Monday night, they'll keep us that extra night.
We plan to be around all weekend in Hudson just enjoying our new bundle of joy. So, if you're dying to see the little guy and aren't able to make it to the hospital this week, then shoot me an email and let me know when you plan on coming by. If you want to come by the hospital tomorrow, visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lastly, they just took Leo to get circumcised and I have this knot in my stomach. I know it's a rite of passage of sorts, but it's gotta make every man cringe just a little.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Our Florida Trip -- Part II
By Tiffany George
Here we could feed the birds. We bought popsicle sticks dipped in what looked like honey and then bird seed. Andrew was so patient as he waited a good half an hour for one to jump onto his stick to feed.
Natalie didn't know what to think as a bird jumped on to her stick!
Here is Andrew mining for precious gems. We bought a bag of dirt that you put into this sifter. You dipped the sifter into the trough of water, then shook it to get rid of the dirt, leaving behind some colorful rocks. Andrew loved everything about it, and couldn't resist getting his hands in that water!
Our first trip on a ferris wheel, hot air balloon style.
The safari also had a mini water area. We were clearly the only tourists there, as the park was deserted. Here is Natalie showcasing her new bathing suit with her hula skirt hiked up to cover her belly!
Natalie wouldn't dare run through the shooting water maze like Andrew did!
Natalie with her bud from the trip, Wesley's dog Ani.
Our trip was so much fun and we can't wait to do it again next year!
Please scroll down if you missed "Part I" to our Florida trip :o)
Our Florida fun continues! Our other big adventure was to the Lion Country Safari. The first part of this expedition involved a safari that we could drive through in the van. It took about an hour and a half to make our way through the zebras, chimps, rhinos, and giraffes but the kids loved it! They loved the fact that they were allowed to get out of their car seats to peer out the windows!
Andrew and Natalie looking out the windows in Lauren's van. And we don't have a photo of our rental car, but it was the first time Natalie had ever ridden in a vehicle with a window that could go down beside her. She loved to feel the warm breeze and was baffled when it would stop at stop lights. She's say "it's not working"...cutie pants. 
Animals were in the road right in front of us. So cool!
Natalie enjoying some yummy cotton candy up on Daddy's shoulders. He had a new form of hair gel that day!
Andrew's animal feeding continued at the safari. First he fed those in water, and now those on land!
Look how happy he is as it eats right out of his hand!
Here we could feed the birds. We bought popsicle sticks dipped in what looked like honey and then bird seed. Andrew was so patient as he waited a good half an hour for one to jump onto his stick to feed.
Natalie didn't know what to think as a bird jumped on to her stick!
Here is Andrew mining for precious gems. We bought a bag of dirt that you put into this sifter. You dipped the sifter into the trough of water, then shook it to get rid of the dirt, leaving behind some colorful rocks. Andrew loved everything about it, and couldn't resist getting his hands in that water!
Our first trip on a ferris wheel, hot air balloon style. 
The safari also had a mini water area. We were clearly the only tourists there, as the park was deserted. Here is Natalie showcasing her new bathing suit with her hula skirt hiked up to cover her belly!
Natalie wouldn't dare run through the shooting water maze like Andrew did!
This is one of those water guns that you can aim and shoot around. Pete aimed it at Andrew and claimed that "Andrew told him to" shoot the water right into his face...and Pete managed the camera to get photographic proof.
Aside from the safari, the kids had the best time just being outdoors. They played on Wesley's swingset and in his sand and water table for hours. We also got to enjoy the playground and walking paths in their neighborhood.
More tree climbing!
And fun in their pool too! The kids loved it when I let them "water" me!
Natalie with her bud from the trip, Wesley's dog Ani.Our trip was so much fun and we can't wait to do it again next year!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Our Florida Trip -- Part I
By Tiffany George
It's hard to believe we've been back from Florida for a month already! We took the kids on their first airplane ride to Florida back in March. We went to visit our friends the Alphonsos, whose son Wesley was Andrew's best bud in Rochester before they moved south last October. We had the best, most relaxing time and really had a chance to enjoy our kids and each other.
First of all, no, we did not go to Disney. The primary reason is that Andrew is terrified of dress-up characters, so a day at Disney would be torture for him. I also don't know if I'll ever shell out nearly $100 a day per person for a park....but don't mark my words! This vacation was more about enjoying the sunshine, playing with Wesley, and taking day trips to enjoy nature, which is what our kids are thrilled to do!
Wesley had really trimmed down since we saw him last! He was great while we were there and shared his toys, home, doggy, and Mommy with us all!
Our flight departed at 6 in the morning, so we woke the kids bright and early to head to Manchester. They were so excited to go on the plane! Just as we stepped aboard, Andrew was invited up in the cockpit to sit in the copilot seat and check out the controls. He did take a look around, but didn't quite make it into the chair. He has talked about this ever since we got home!
We had a layover on the way down and the kids were great. We really couldn't have expected any more from them on the flights.
Natalie being cute too!
Family photo on the same day!
Andrew, Wesley, and Natalie in their undies playing in the shooting water area. Even though it was FREEZING Andrew could not resist the fun! We went here on two days.
This photo captures Andrew's "real" smile. Pure JOY!
This beach and very fun tree to climb were right beside the water area. My adventurous kids climbed right up! Please notice my arm in the back there! I would not allow Natalie up that high without a prop :o)
One night we went to this restaurant for Family Fun Night. Kids ate free and they even had face painting!
Notice Andrew's teary eyes as he waits to have a bumble bee painted on his arm. In addition to the other events, they also had a dress up Barney. Andrew was on pins and needles all through dinner and had just encountered Barney first hand before this photo was snapped. So terrifying!
Wesley had a huge bin of dress-up clothes that the kids loved to paw through. Here is Natalie, the princess witch!
Here are my cuties just being themselves! They love to hold hands and we love it too! Here they are walking down the nature trail at the Florida Oceanographic Center, Andrew's favorite stop on our trip.
Notice Wesley giving Andrew a back-hug as the kids posed for this photo in front of the large game fish tank. We saw them feed huge rays and even a shark!
Andrew at the touch tank, admiring a shell.
Natalie at the touch tank, gently rubbing her shell.
The "plate" of food that Andrew got to feed to the sting rays. Fish, squid, and shrimp were on the menu. And even though Andrew was hesitant to pet the rays, he plunged his hand right down to the bottom of the tank to feed them. We couldn't believe it!
Here is Andrew in his sting ray feeding debut!
Andrew immediately after the sting ray sucked the food from his hand like a vacuum. That face is priceless! He couldn't believe he did it either!
Andrew and I witnessed this huge hermet crab move from one shell to another. Quite the lesson in Biology!
Florida is fun!
It's hard to believe we've been back from Florida for a month already! We took the kids on their first airplane ride to Florida back in March. We went to visit our friends the Alphonsos, whose son Wesley was Andrew's best bud in Rochester before they moved south last October. We had the best, most relaxing time and really had a chance to enjoy our kids and each other.
First of all, no, we did not go to Disney. The primary reason is that Andrew is terrified of dress-up characters, so a day at Disney would be torture for him. I also don't know if I'll ever shell out nearly $100 a day per person for a park....but don't mark my words! This vacation was more about enjoying the sunshine, playing with Wesley, and taking day trips to enjoy nature, which is what our kids are thrilled to do!
Wesley had really trimmed down since we saw him last! He was great while we were there and shared his toys, home, doggy, and Mommy with us all!Our flight departed at 6 in the morning, so we woke the kids bright and early to head to Manchester. They were so excited to go on the plane! Just as we stepped aboard, Andrew was invited up in the cockpit to sit in the copilot seat and check out the controls. He did take a look around, but didn't quite make it into the chair. He has talked about this ever since we got home!
We had a layover on the way down and the kids were great. We really couldn't have expected any more from them on the flights.
Here are some photo highlights of our trip:
Andrew at the beach on day 1, thoroughly enjoying being able to play in the sand!
Natalie being cute too!
Family photo on the same day!
Andrew, Wesley, and Natalie in their undies playing in the shooting water area. Even though it was FREEZING Andrew could not resist the fun! We went here on two days.
This photo captures Andrew's "real" smile. Pure JOY!
This beach and very fun tree to climb were right beside the water area. My adventurous kids climbed right up! Please notice my arm in the back there! I would not allow Natalie up that high without a prop :o)
One night we went to this restaurant for Family Fun Night. Kids ate free and they even had face painting!
Notice Andrew's teary eyes as he waits to have a bumble bee painted on his arm. In addition to the other events, they also had a dress up Barney. Andrew was on pins and needles all through dinner and had just encountered Barney first hand before this photo was snapped. So terrifying!
Wesley had a huge bin of dress-up clothes that the kids loved to paw through. Here is Natalie, the princess witch!
Here are my cuties just being themselves! They love to hold hands and we love it too! Here they are walking down the nature trail at the Florida Oceanographic Center, Andrew's favorite stop on our trip.
Notice Wesley giving Andrew a back-hug as the kids posed for this photo in front of the large game fish tank. We saw them feed huge rays and even a shark!
Andrew at the touch tank, admiring a shell.
Natalie at the touch tank, gently rubbing her shell.
The "plate" of food that Andrew got to feed to the sting rays. Fish, squid, and shrimp were on the menu. And even though Andrew was hesitant to pet the rays, he plunged his hand right down to the bottom of the tank to feed them. We couldn't believe it!
Here is Andrew in his sting ray feeding debut!
Andrew immediately after the sting ray sucked the food from his hand like a vacuum. That face is priceless! He couldn't believe he did it either!
Andrew and I witnessed this huge hermet crab move from one shell to another. Quite the lesson in Biology!
Florida is fun!
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