Happy Valentine's Day (better late than never!)

I am finally getting around to editing my February folder of images and came across all my Valentine's pictures and decided to make a blog post about it.  We'll just forget the fact that it's been a good 2 weeks since Valentine's day has passed!

I love celebrating Holidays, even of the Hallmark variety!  This year we had lots going on during the week leading up to and after Valentine's Day.  The boys had celebrations in school as well as our new playgroup and our old playgroup parties!  We also started a new tradition this year.  A friend of mine shared pictures of her family all dressed up fancy for dinner celebration at home including a fancy dinner menu, complete with Chocolate fondu!  I thought it was such a nice way to celebrate that I decided to start this with my own family.  It was so fun and the boys got a kick out of eating dinner in the dining room.  We had an Italian feast with eggplant and chicken parm, with pasta and homemade sauce and homemade garlic knots.  It was delicious.  Next year I would like to plan something even a bit fancier, but this was a last minute plan!

On Tuesday we had a Friendship party during Family Center.  They got to make up some cards and put them in their friends boxes that they made the week before and we had some cookies and I brought some special cupcakes!

Strawberry flavored mini-cupcakes with sweet tart hearts on top for Family Center

Shaun showing off his Valentine from the Family Center Friendship party!

Evan showing off his Valentine's Day Tee

Wednesday we had to get the boys Valentine's ready for school.  Even though Valentine's day was on Thursday, our Thursdays are pretty crazy with the boys both having music class so we decided to celebrate on the day before.  After the boys finished their treats for their classmates we headed upstairs to get ready for our special dinner.  Omi was over for a visit so she helped me with the boys so I could prep our dinner.  She also helped me get a nice picture of them all dressed up!

Dinner was delicious, but I'm quite partial to my sauce and eggplant parm has become one of my favorite comfort foods!  The boys love having spaghetti so it was definitely a big hit!  After dinner I gave the boys their Valentine treats, from the Granite State Candy Company.  They each got a heart shaped chocolate lollipop and then we all shared a heart shaped box filled with different samples of candy.  I am already looking forward to doing this again next year!  

Shaun working on his Valentine cards for his class

David working on his Valentine's cards for his class

The boys 2013 Valentine's Day cards

Dressed up for Fancy dinner

Me and the boys all dressed waiting for Daddy to get home for dinner

Bellies are full and so it was time to share some special Valentine's Day chocolates!

On Saturday morning we headed to Revere to celebrate with all our old Rec friends for the annual Valentine's Day brunch, where we get to wear our jammies!  The boys had lots of fun making Valentine crafts and eating heart shaped pancakes!  Miss Sally's parties are definitely a good time!

Ready to head to Revere for the Valentine's Day brunch

Valentine's Day tattoos

David's heart shape cake to decorate

Evan checking out his Valentine's

My boys!

So, whether or not you think this is one of those contrived holidays made up by the greeting card, chocolate and flower companies, you have to admit that there is something special about setting aside time to celebrate love and friendship!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's the holiday Hallmark invented! We got to celebrate on Saturday with our Rec friends in our jammies for a Valentine's Day Breakfast!



The boys had a blast making fun Valentine crafts, riding the train and playing with the toys! It was another great party at the Rec center!

David's sweet skull tattoo!!


Shaun riding Thomas the Train!


Evan enjoying the toys!


Today at the Rec Miss Sally had the kids make a special Valentine's Day flower for their Mommy's! Here are David, Shaun and Evans!



Such a great day, even if it is a "fake" holiday! Ha!

Happy 4th of July!!

What a great weekend!! The weather was perfect, hot but at least it wasn't hazy and humid! We had a great time celebrating and we hope you all did too! Check out Evan celebrating his first 4th of July wearing his new festive onesie from Old Navy!



On Saturday we took the boys to the Annual 4th (or 3rd, rather!) of July Celebration at Hill Park. Shaun was old enough this year to enjoy the bounce houses and he had a blast! They also had pony rides, Silly Willy the Clown, slush, cotton candy and tattoos! The best part is that it is all FREE!

David riding the pony!


Shaun going down the slide in the bounce house


David and Shaun going down the really BIG slide together!


David getting himself a sweet tattoo


Then on the 4th we hit the beach for the morning. It was even hotter than Saturday so a perfect day for the beach. After the beach we headed home to get ready to grill some burgers and dogs with our friends! The boys got to roast marshmallows and David got to twirl some sparklers!!

Shaun and Daddy roasting marshmallows!


Sparklers!


Evan and Daddy!

Fun at the Rec

The Doc (the most awesomest husband ever!) got me a really sweet new camera for a Mother's Day/Early Birthday present! I decided to take it out for a spin at our Rec Center taking pictures of all Miss Sally's classes. This summer I will be working on a bulletin board to showcase all that our cities recreation department has to offer!

Thanks to this project I was able to get David into the last three sessions of a cooking class called Little Chefs. The first week they made mini calzones and this week they made their own edible arrangements. It is so cute seeing all of the kids having fun with food!

David rolling his dough!


Adding the pepperoni!


Shaun having some of the dessert!


David's Edible Arrangement


The boys favorite class is called Tic Tac Splat. It's a class where they get to paint, play with playdough, and get MESSY! Basically they get to do all the things that I don't want them to do at home! After all it would be nice to get our security deposit back!

Glitter and Glue




Ink Art


At Playgroup on Monday, the kids had their annual spring hat parade! The kids each make a cool hat and then they get to march around the rec and wave to the office workers!

Shaun's cool hat (thanks Miss Nicole!)


David's hat that he made all by himself!

Really Shaun?!

This kid is a piece of work! Here is Shaun at Splat after painting his star. Not only did he make a HUGE mess all over himself but then he took the paint brush and stuck it in his mouth!

It's the reason I hadn't let him paint before but he wanted to sit with his friend Alexis and so against my better judgement I let him. I thought for sure he wouldn't try to eat it this time because he had his binky! As you can see, not so much.

Easter 2010

We hope that everyone had a great Easter and that the Bunny was good to you. This year the Doc had to take call over the weekend so he sadly missed all our festivities, but we made the best of it and had a great weekend. First on Saturday we had our big annual Easter Party at the Rec center. The Easter Bunny made an appearance which David loved and Shaun, not so much!

David smiling nice for the camera!


Shaun playing


Shaun saying "cheese" for the camera!


David with the Easter Bunny (Shaun wouldn't eve go near him...oh well!)


That night after we colored eggs. Shaun was old enough to participate this year and had a blast dropping eggs into the colored water.







Sunday the boys were up bright and early and found the goodies that the Easter Bunny had left them. We didn't have a lot of time because we needed to head out to NH so that we could have an Egg Hunt at Omi's house before heading over to church.

The Goodies!


Finding eggs at Omi's house!




Outside after Easter Service at the Atkinson Congregational Church


After church we then headed over to Grammy's & Papa's for a ham dinner and another Egg Hunt with all the cousins! It was such a beautiful day and the kids had a lot of fun playing outside!

Our attempt at getting all the kids to sit still for a picture!


Getting ready for the egg hunt!


On your mark, get set...GO!






It was my last trip to NH until after Evan's arrival so it was great to be able to spend it with all the family!