"Oh, I love her. What a perfectly beautiful little lady."

Anneli has been eyeing over this "Lady" costume (from Lady and the Tramp) ever since they came out at the Disney Store. She has an obsession with dogs! Today we finally bought it when we went to the mall. She was sooooooo excited as she held it all through the mall and she was sooooo eager to try it on the minute we got home. It's a cute little costume--I imagine that she will want to wear it everyday before Halloween!

Even Christopher had to try it on! :)

Isn't he cute too!?

The Perfect Pumpkin!

Last Saturday we set out on our annual quest for the "Perfect Pumpkin". Shaun and I have made it a tradition to get pumpkins every year since the year we were first dating around the end of September. We always seem to pick out big pumpkins perfect for Jack-o-lanterns. It usually takes me a second or two to pick out mine but it ALWAYS takes Shaun FOREVER to pick one! It has to be perfect. Well, this weekend we realize the kids, both Christopher and Anneli take after him! It took forever!! Christopher had a hard time picking out his "Perfect Pumpkin" he picked one and then changed his mind. Anneli wanted every one and couldn't choose just one! Finally they each chose one and Shaun and I carried their heavy pumpkins to the cashier at the little farm/orchard. On our way their Christopher changed his mind and saw the "Perfect Pumpkin"--it was huge! His "perfect pumpkin" weighed in at just about 30 pounds! Anneli's pumpkin was about her size 25 pounds or so. We hauled them to the car and the kids fell asleep on the way to eat! A perfect pumpkin picking day! :)

Busy as a bee...

On Thursday, Shaun and I had the opportunity to visit Christopher's Kindergarten class for Open House. We were able to see his teacher, check out his classroom and meet some of his friends. As you can see by the photo he was VERY HAPPY to show us his classroom and the things that he likes to do at school! He likes his teacher, Mrs. Hooper, he loves Science, and is starting to make new friends like Emily. He is a very smart little man. When the teacher went around the room to ask the kids their Dreams and Hopes for the year they all basically said to learn their ABC's, write their name and he said, "To be able to read harder books." The list of all their hopes and dreams is posted on a poster in the classroom. He has been working on his sight words and is doing very well. When we read to him he does recognize a few words here and there. He is also doing very well learning the sounds that the letters make. They haven't started doing that in school yet but they will later in the year! He is growing sooo fast!! :)

The above picture is a photo of Christopher's "ALL ABOUT ME" poster. He is very creative starting with the shape of the poster--"A TRAIN"! As you can see he included photos of himself, his family, Karate with Joshu, that he likes to draw, his fish "Speedy", his cousins:Cole, Carter, Alexander, Elizabeth and Bryce, that he likes to go to the beach and visit family in Maine, that he lies to go on vacation with his Meme and Pepe, he likes to be silly with Aunty Valerie, that he lives in Connecticut, he likes animals and that he wants to be a Train Driver when he grows up! He had so much fun with this first Kindergarten Assignment!

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Yesterday Christopher went to the dentist for his 6 month cleaning and Dr. Nadeau told him that his two bottom teeth are loose!! Above is a photo of his cute little smile and all his teeth. He wanted a picture of his teeth before he starts "getting holes in his teeth" as he called it! So take a good look--he might be singing, "All I want for Christmas is my two bottom teeth"...

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Last night Shaun and Christopher went on a Father / Son Campout with Church. Above is a picture of Chris in front of the line of tents early yesterday evening. He was soooooo excited coming home from school and having Shaun come home early. They packed the car and away they went! He had fun playing with some of his friends from Church. They have been going since Christopher was 18 months old. It's always a special time for the two of them! :)

They may not have been lost, but I found THEM!!

Shaun and I have picked up a fun hobby--genealogy! At the beginning of the year, when life was going a little slower, we would put the kids to bed and search on the computer for our ancestors together. It has been so much fun. We must have started fooling around about a year and a half ago with a program called "Family Tree Maker" and Ancestry.com. We entered as much info as we had on our living and deceased relatives and we had a nice small tree. Then we just search on various sites and find tons of amazing info. This week we hit a milestone in our tree--we now have entered 2800 names in our family tree! YIPPEE! It has been fun and we've hit a few stumbling blocks but it's an interesting puzzle!

On Sunday I came home from visiting with my parents and I checked my e-mail. Out of the clear blue a post I made online in January was answered! I was sooooo excited! I was having a hard time finding my Great-Great Grandfather Letendre's information. I knew his name was Hector Letendre and he was born in May 1871 in MA. That's pretty much all I had. This e-mail I got told me that his birthday was May 3--the same as mine and it listed his parents and some additional information and some different resources to explore. After I had that piece of the puzzle, I was able to trace them back to the 1600's. Fun, fun, fun! i can't wait to explore some more!!!!

Sometime maybe we'll get organized and post a website with all our finds! In the meantime if anyone has any family genealogy info. please share! :)

Project Completed!!!

Shaun working on the baseboards in the bathroom.
PePe & Dad installing our new toilet that Anneli helped pick out.

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For those of you who have been to our home in the past six months you know that we've been trying to find the time to finish remodeling our downstairs bathroom! The project is finally complete!! YIPPPEEE! The kids are happy so they don't have to run upstairs to go to the bathroom anymore. We have been living, since March, with our downstairs bathroom pretty much gutted except for the tub and shower--that we had done by BathFitters in May 2005--that's another blog all in itself!! Since May the new vanity, sink, and mirror have been in the dining room with the floor tiles and grout etc. in the hallway. Now, EVERYTHING is in the bathroom and functioning!!! YIPPEE!

Thanks PePe for coming over and giving Shaun a hand!

Thanks MeMe for keeping the kids busy!

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Our remodeled bathroom!

Kindergarten Update

Christopher's individual interpretation of Clifford.

A self-portrait of how a book they read at the Library made him feel.
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Christopher is having an awesome time at Kindergarten. He loves his teacher Mrs. Hooper and her assistant teacher Mrs. Graff. On the second day of school last week he went on a "Safari" with his class. This was a fun way for him and his new friends to tour the Elementary School. It's funny because he remembers classrooms by the animals they found there! Christopher is very fortunate because Linden Street School was just built last year so it's a very nice new school! He is also very lucky because his MeMe's classroom is right across the hallway from his Kindergarten class. They bump into each other in the hallways every once in awhile and usually he sees her in the afternoon when it's time to go home. He loves the bus ride to school, his music class, going to the school Library and gym.

He is becoming such a big guy. It's fun to watch him grow into a handsome, inteligent young man right before our eyes. He is very independent in getting ready each morning, picking his clothes out, choosing what he's going to eat for lunch, getting on the bus, walking home after school, and packing his snack. Each day he diligently packs a healthy snack because they were told only to bring in healthy snacks and Mrs. Graff looks to see who has healthy snacks. He has brought cucumbers, carrotts, apples, goldfish, and potato sticks with bottled water so far in his Lightning McQueen Lunch Box. Anneli and I walk to the school to pick him up every day at 3:30pm. Christopher was excited because today Daddy saw him off on the bus and also came to pick him up with us!

Anneli is a little lonesome when Christopher leaves for school each afternoon, but as the afternoon goes on she adjusts very well. She likes to wait with him outside for the bus. When he leaves she waves to him and his friends as they drive away in the little bus then her poor little face looks like she is without a friend in the world. At that point we head into the house and she needs my complete attention for the rest of the afternoon! Fun for me!! She has maybe only taken a nap once this whole week. The rest of the time has been filled with playing "Mommy Kindergarten", a trek to the Library, reading books, playing on the computer, drawing on her easel, puzzles, playing on the swing set and the sandbox as mommy trims the shrubs! I've been so behind on housework!

It's so fun to watch them blossom before our eyes. Shaun and I are so blessed to have our big guy Christopher and our little princess Anneli in our lives, there is never a dull moment in our home--hardly even a quiet moment! We sometimes laugh and wonder what we did before they came along? Maybe we'll find out in about 16 years or so! But for the moment we will not rush it--we will enjoy each and every second together because time flies and before we know it they'll be grown up!

9/14 HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT JESSICA!!

Our Trip to Fenway!

Shaun & I trekked out to Boston yesterday and we took in a Red Sox game at Fenway! This was the first time we ever went to a Red Sox game. We had pretty good seats in the Grandstand--Section 17 Row 13 Seats 3&4--the seats were in line with 3rd base and home plate and kept us dry as the mist fell on the field. It was a fun experience even though they lost 1-0 to Tampa Bay and a bunch of key players were injured like Manny and Big Papi. But in the 8th inning out walked Big Papi as a pinch-hitter--it was great to at least see him--the crowd was wild when he walked out of the dugout, but he wasn't able to help the Sox's much they still lost. It was fun but I'll admit that it's better at home watching the game on NESN--I love the comments of the commentators Jerry Remy "Rem Dawg" and Don Orsillo, but every Red Sox fan must experience the magic of Fenway park at some point in their life--seeing the Green Monster, joining in singing at the seventh inning stretch and the crowd of thousands cheering and singing "Sweet Caroline" at the eighth inning. It is awesome! :)

Thanks Aunty Valerie for taking Anneli while we were at the game! She had fun hanging out with you, walking taking the "T" with you, watching "The Little Mermaid" and sleeping on your bed! THANKS! :) She wants to "go to Boston again someday."

Labor Day Weekend---a little late but better than never!

I'm definately slacking...Last weekend was a very busy one! It started off with mini golfing on Friday with Aunty Valerie. We had a great time! Thanks Aunty Valerie!! Then on Saturday with Daddy, we took a Hike up Talcott mountain to the Heublein Tower overlooking Simsbury, Avon and pretty much all of CT. We ate lunch at the top and then we hiked back down! Christopher did an awesome job hiking the whole way himself!! Way to go Chris! On Sunday we took a road trip to Root, New York to a cook out at Aunt Donna & Uncle Jim's log cabin or "tree house" as the kids call it. They had fun riding the four wheeler, making a fire pit, eating, playing with Ineau--Matt's cute little puppy, picking vegetables in the garden, and visiting with family. Then Monday we went to see Soup-Mem & Ray's new home and the kids got to see all of Uncle David, Aunt Mary Ellen, and Matt's farm animals! They had a blast!! THANKS Aunt Donna & Uncle Jim for having us!! It was great to see you all!

Princess Anneli

Here are some new pictures of our little Princess Anneli Dawn. The first picture is of Anneli before we went to see Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Theatre with Meme at the end of August. The last two photos are from Christopher's first day of Kindergarten--yes our grass is sort of green still!

Off he went to Kindergarten and he didn't look back, not even to wave to mom...

Yesterday the school bus came at 12:30pm and picked up Christopher for his first day of Kindergarten! He was excited and boarded that school bus so quick that I could hardly take a picture! Poor Anneli was upset though; she wanted to know where Christopher was going on the bus without her! “I go to Kindergarten too…” she said with her sad little puppy dog eyes. She was hoping to go to Kindergarten too! Oh well, she and I drove over to the school to see Christopher get off the school bus with his other friends and their moms. Meme went outside and was able to see Christopher get off the bus during her lunch break. It was fun! No tears were shed, from him or mom, as he marched straight into the school all by himself like a grown up! J As Anneli and I walked to the car we took her picture in front of some flowers and she whispered, “I miss Chris…” she said it a few times as I strapped her into her seat and we drove home to play.

Before we knew it was 3:30 and time to pick up Chris. I pulled the wagon and Anneli rode as we made our way to get Christopher. We got to the school a little early with all the other parents waiting for their little ones. Anneli played on the playground for a few minutes and then the door opened. We went inside to get Christopher in Mrs. Valentine’s room. All the Kindergarten Walkers gather there after school and then parents check their kids out. As we were in the hallway, Meme was already there checking on Christopher. Anneli and I checked him out and he skipped happily all the way down the hallway, out the door to our wagon. He was a little upset because he wanted to go home with Meme but he finally jumped in the wagon with Anneli and we were on our way home. He told us about his day and his teacher Mrs. Hooper and Mrs. Graff. He said he had circle time, did the pledge of Allegiance, sang a patriotic song, played outside, ate his snack, made a cloud, read The Kissing Hand and made a kissing hand craft to bring home to mom. He had a VERY good day he said! I’m so glad he had a great time. He is excited to go back today because he is going on a “Safari” or a tour of the building---he has to bring sunglasses and a safari hat! He’s all packed and ready to go since he woke up this morning!

After school yesterday he came home told us about school, had a snack and then it was off to Karate! He recognized a lot of his Karate friends at school and it made him feel like a big shot, since he’s one of the youngest kids at karate. The older kids there are so good with him! He knew he was getting his belt soon but he didn’t know it was last night. When he was in class, Meme, Daddy, and Pepe arrived so they could be there for the belt ceremony. He was disappointed at the end of class because he didn’t get a stripe—he thought he needed one more stripe before he got his belt but then Joshu (his teacher who is sooooooooo good with him and she’s only in High School) called him up and told him he didn’t need his Yellow Belt anymore. He couldn’t have smiled any bigger!! He was so proud and he should be. Joshu told him that she has seen him improve in so many areas over the past year in skill, confidence, balance etc. She told him to continue the great work and have fun at Kindergarten! He was soooooo proud of himself and so was everyone there—students and parents combined.

Christopher is certainly growing up so fast. If feels like yesterday he was born and now he is such a “Little Man” as his kindergarten teacher calls him!

Thanks to those of you for your Kindergarten Well Wishes he enjoyed reading them all! I put them all together for him for his scrapbook! THANKS AGAIN!