Happy 8th Birthday Evan!!!

A little belated, but here are some pictures of our little boy turning 8! He had a great weekend, filled with birthday festivities. On his actual birthday, Nana came over for dinner and cake. Shannon also joined us for a slice of cake - which was a Skylander's Giants theme this year. Jeff made the cake to look like a video game portal and Evan put all of his figures on top. It came out great! The next day we had a nice birthday dinner celebration after soccer with Grammy and Grampy. After that, the four of us went to the Worcester Sharks hockey game which was super fun. The kids ended up having a blast and staying awake (and behaving!) for the whole thing - we were out until 11pm!! Sunday, instead of a "friend party" this year, Evan was allowed to invite one friend to do the Davis Farm Mega Maze. He chose his buddy Charlie to join him and Jeff and then they came back to the house to play some more and have pizza and more cake. One of his favorite gifts was from Charlie - a Rainbow Loom - to make elastic bracelets, which are all the rage with the kids here in Holden right now. Evan has learned how to make all types of bracelets and has been so creative! Last night he made a fish-tale bracelet in the Boston Red Sox colors. He asked me to wear it during the game to bring them good luck. And it did!!!!! Anyways, it was a very nice weekend for Evan and he is a happy little (not really so little) 8 year old boy. We love you Evan!!!!! Best wishes for MANY more fun and exciting birthdays!!!!!!

2nd Annual Columbus Day Trip to Falmouth!

Nana and I took the kids to Falmouth today to celebrate a day off from school - It was fabulous! The weather was sunny and gorgeous! I originally packed the car with bikes and sand toys - and sweatshirts, figuring it would be a great beach day to walk the beach and play in the sand. Although it was clear and sunny, the temps were still quite fallish - low 60's. At the last minute I decided I had better throw in the kids' bathing suits - in the off chance that it was 80 degrees on the Cape. Well thank goodness I did - as soon as we got to the beach, Ev was asking for his bathing suit. If I didn't pull it out, he would have dove into the ocean in his clothes! Sophia of course had to follow suit since she has to do whatever her big brother does. This was the least timid I have ever seen Sophia in the ocean! It helped that the tide was out, so there was a nice sandbar with no seaweed and clear bottom. She was jumping over tiny waves and everything! It was hilarious. Ev, of course, dove right under water and was doing the freestyle stroke as if it were July and 90 degrees out. Nana and I were huddled under our fleece jackets happy to take pictures from the shore! From there we headed to our favorite sandwich shop for lunch, followed by a great bike ride on the Shining Sea bike path along the ocean....ice cream for dinner in Falmouth Center and then home. It was a wonderful day and a rare treat to have a beach day this late in New England. Let the Columbus Day "last hurrah of summer" tradition continue!

Apple & Pumpkin Picking at Clearview Farm

Hay Day!

We had a fun day yesterday at Hay Day in Princeton with Nana. I haven't been to Hay Day since I was in middle school! The kids had a great time enjoying some Fall activities like pressing cider, riding ponies, painting pumpkins, canoeing and having a tractor hay ride!