Weekend fun

We were enjoying a rare, quiet weekend home alone this past weekend.  That doesn't happen often around here.  And after the snow storm, we had a few days of nice weather so all the snow melted and we could once again get these southern bodies outside to play, (we've adopted the twins as southerners).

 This is my attempt to get a picture with all three of them.  It's pretty hard with my busy 3 kids.

 My sweet Alex, always will give me a "cheese".

 We were babysitting my parents dogs.  This is great to let my kids get to give some love to the dogs but then we get to give them back.  (Isn't that what grandparents say?).  I feel bad, they would love another dog, but life is still a little too hectic for me to have something else to take care of.  

 We went to Essex to grab some lunch and were really excited when we got there to see that they were having a boat race.  It gave us something else to look at and it was a great day.  Essex is a great town and the kids love it there.   Here are some pictures from the day.

Love this picture with me and my babies walking by the water.  The only thing that would be better is if we were in  our bathing suits and we were walking the beaches of Seabrook.  Very soon I hope.  

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 It was Veteran's day weekend.  Thought I would try to get a picture of the flag with the water in the background.  From living in another Country, we know how special it is to live in America and all the freedoms we get that other do not.  It was amazing how comforting our flag looked as we would come home.  

 We think this funny.  Lilly is actually a really good eater, just she doesn't grow very much.  She eats so much variety, just not as much quantity.  She loves clam chowder (very new england of her).  

 Lilly also picked out her outfit.  Usually she does really good, and has to match.  Thsi is what she picked out, and it only matched because it was all purple.

 So Carefree!

 And we have to have ice cream every time we go down there.  Look at Lilly's hands on hips.  For a 3 year old, she has soooooo much personality.  Can't wait to see how this develops.

November snow storm

Well, what would you expect to follow a hurricaine in Connecticut less than a week apart.  A snow storm is just what I thought was coming.  I only work 1-2 times a week usually, and I think in the 2 past years, I have been at work each time we have had a snow storm.  That means that I have to get home, and still not a fan of driving in the snow storm.  Luckily, my mom was home with the kids so I didn't have to worry about them.

 This is pulling into my neighborhood, had just started to snow only a few hours before and already was completely snow covered.  

 Our house in the first snow storm.  Very new England looking.  

 The kids couldn't wait to get out and play in the snow.  This fascination wears off by the end of winter, but they haven't seen snow in awhile.  

 Lilly's snow suit was extremely too small, looks like highwater pants, and no boots fit this year.  This means off to spend lots of money on new winter clothes.  

halloween

This year was an awesome halloween.  The twins were so aware and into this year.  They learned how to say "trick or treat" and would run up to the doors with Julian to take turn ringing the doorbell.  Julian was great with them, waiting for them to keep up with him and taking turns with the doorbell.  Another first for us, that is for the first time in the past 9 Halloweens, we had family here to see the kids in their costumes and to walk with us door to door.  Another perk for living near family.  

All the kids picked their own costumes, and were very opinionated about what they wanted to be.

Lilly- was a bad witch.
Alex- was a spider (which he was last year but he wanted to be it again. )  He wanted to be a fireman, until Lilly's costume had spiders on it.  And since Lilly was a bad witch, he was a bad spider.

Julian- was a skeleton.  This was a little more difficult.  Chris took Julian shopping for a costume after I had my gallbladder out and was resting.  A simple task.  They didn't have much to pick from so Julian got a spiderman costume.  Well the day before Halloween, I learn that Julian doesn't like it and he is embarrased to wear it to school for the parade the next day.  This is not very much notice that he doesn't like it.  So, I go searching around the house for an alternative for school the next morning.  We came up with a baseball player with his old uniform from baseball season last spring in PA.  Then, while everyone was at school, I went to target to find a not embarrassing costume.  And came up with the skeleton.  What we do for our kids to be happy.

 I love my mommy's boy!!!! (and pretty sure he loves me)

 My bad witch and bad spider

 My skeleton

 Even Uncle Blake was here to see the kids off for trick or treating.

 Our next door neighbors.  

 Hard to get all 3 looking at the same time.  But worth a try.

 Looking at all our goodies

October

Can't believe October has come and gone.  This year is flying by.  We have been so busy, it's easy to see the days fly by.  Julian has been very busy after school with football, and that now has come to an end.  It's kind of sad in a way to be over, even though I will not be sad to not have to get him to 4 practices while Chris is busy working.  But, we have made friends and enjoy watching your child participate in a sport.  

Here is a couple odds and ends to bring us to Halloween!

 Our fall decorations!  

 Some pictures of Julian.  Again he is #88.  The Haddam/Killingworth football league bought all the kids the pink socks in support of October breast Cancer awareness month.  Some of these kids don't know the significance, but to those that do, it's really neat to see everyone rally to support a cause.  And it's wonderful to see our league spend the money to support such a needed cause as well.  

 I can't believe how big he is getting.  I stole a quick moment to get a picture with my big man. It's really hard to get these days.  Taking pictures isn't his favorite thing in the world to do, especially while there are audiences. 

 I tried to get some pictures of the trees in and around my neighborhood.  October really is a beautiful time of year in Connecticut.  This is such a wooded and rural area, and it is so pretty just to drive around.  I have learned that I do love this time of year in the north.  The weather has been really nice, and beautiful scenery.  

 My little climber (yes, I am going to put her in gymnastics soon) was found on top of the washer one day.  There is no telling where this little one will end up.

 I had to try to get a couple pictures of this moment.  They play together 24/7.  There are good times and bad, but they truly love each other and would be lost without the other.  

 This was the morning after our October hurricane in Connecticut.  Lilly and Alex were out to survey the damage.  We were extremely lucky compared to our neighboring states to the south.  And thank goodness we decided not to live on the shore.   We only were without power for 12 hours ( and with 3 little ones, that was plenty long enough).  The high winds here brought down some tree  and limbs, but nothing too major.