On the OC Boardwalk

M's first real "Jersey Shore" experience. Having fun!

She's so calm and ladylike about it, too...

Love it!

It's a new era...

She's getting bigger. No doubt about it. 

Pizza with a candle to celebrate the "BIG day":

BIG birthday celebrations (yes, I realize I may have gone a TAD overboard this year!):

But everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) loved it:

But, most importantly, it was a day (weekend!) for BIG kisses, BIG hugs and BIG love. 

Happy 4th, baby girl!

Four!?!

Well, it's here. 4! Wow. 

Big party tomorrow and many more pics to come then, but in the meantime, here's a snapshot of the flurry of pre-birthday activities this week:

First, we had our first Slurpee ever (lemonade flavor, "because it's yellow, it's the best.") A winner. 

Then, we enjoyed some family time at the Morris Arboretum - M showed no fear on the treetop nest and nets and even Thomas the Train was at the Garden Railway (SO impressive!):

Next, we all worked together to prepare the house for the party and to assemble and paint M's big present - big girl bedroom furniture (after much browsing and switches from train beds, car beds and even a carriage bed (!), M settled on plain wood because she wanted it...you guessed it..YELLOW!)

Well, now she's 4 and the new room is coming together:

Nothing less for our little princess ;-)

Xxo,

K, J, the birthday girl, T and T

Adios, Moles (Round 2)

Ok, can we be done with slicing up my face for a while please?

Great. Thanks. :-)

VT Vacation - Day 7 (the end!)

Our final day of vacation was a clear and gorgeous, but windy day in beautiful Vermont. 

We started with breakfast at The Hatchery and our every-visit-to-the-cabin trek to the hardware and building supply store for supplies. This time it was wood lattice for the back deck. 

Then, off to Echo Lake and the beach. Even M declared it too cold and windy, so we packed up the gear and kayaks and headed to the cabin. We packed and organized. M was a BIG helper (no, really!) and set out on a series of adventures on our way home. 

First stop, Lake Amherst for some puppy swims. 

Trevor actually swam for about 3 seconds. Woo hoo !

Then we headed to Weston for ice cream (M tells us that she has two special compartments in her belly that are always empty and ready - 1 for pizza and 1 for ice cream!). 

Next, it was Londonderry for some quality playtime on their new, "awesome" playground. 

On the drive home, we saw four different firework displays and stopped to "ooh, ahh and wow" (nothing says 4th of July like watching fireworks from the side of a major toll road!). 

After a long, but very fun, day. We made it home around midnight. 

Someone was wiped out:

But...we brought back toys!!

Xxo,

K, J, M, T & T

VT Vacation - Day 6

Happy Birthday, America!!!

We said this about 50x today and each event we attended was another "birthday party" for our country. 

First up, the amazingly quaint and genuine Mt. Holly parade:

Next, the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Homestead (also home to Plymouth Cheese - so yummmmmm):

Then, it was off to Woodstock, where M purchased a flag and showed us her totally original "happy birthday America" dance:

She also won two stuffed animal prizes at the 4th Fair:

After a rain out in Ludlow, we made a campfire at the cabin and sang happy birthday while J did an interpretive sparkler dance. It was a huge hit with M!

Let freedom ring!!

VT Vacation - Day 5

Wonderful day in VT...and a late posting due to a very Vermont-y evening of big thunderstorms, no power and candlelight. Let's just say we all got to bed early. :-)

But, first, the fun day...even Tuscany got in on the nature-watching:

We hit the Echo Lake beach again and M worked on perfecting her diving and splashing skills:

M discovered a new favorite treat, VT dark chocolate peanut butter (yes, she is my daughter!!):

We went to our first play at the Weston Theater Co. and M's first play ever (she LOVED it!):

Her favorite character was the Big Bad Wolf (uh oh!)

Then it was off to dinner at a family favorite, Harry's. Their new location even has a fountain. Here's M wishing:

Wishing you all a happy 4th!

K, J, M, T & T

VT Vacation - Day 4

We expected rain today, so we set out to idyllic Woodstock early this morning. Started with some coffee and TWO croissants for M (this was after she ate 2 eggs and bacon at the cabin!)

Then we hit the library and headed off to the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Park and estate. We had never been and it is absolutely gorgeous!

We enjoyed the view from the mansion's front porch:

Relaxed and made ourselves at home:

We may have found our next VT house. Whatdya think???

M loved it and approves. See her waving? She's there...look closely...

Then we toured the estate's formal gardens and amazing 100+ year old pool and greenhouse. Beautiful!

We had a great time!

After a nap for M, we went to the farmers market on the town green (CHEESE!) and got some pizza and ice cream. Then the rain came...downpour. 

Luckily, it tapered off by 7pm and we were able to end the day with a sunset family kayak on our lake. 

Heaven.