Wordless Wednesday

Retail Adventures...

While Shaun was on vacation, we bundled the kids up (since it was quite chilly and windy!), piled in the van and headed to Natick, Massachusetts. What is in Natick, MA you ask? Natick Collection--the biggest Mall in New England! If you haven't been and you LOVE shopping you must go!! It's a beautiful mall and has over 200 of the finest retail stores--including our main destinations the LEGO Store and the American Girl Store.

The kids were so excited! Christopher and Shaun had a blast in the LEGO Store filling a large container with various LEGO elements of various shapes, sizes and colors and picking out a few different transportation kits to make. Super fun! Anneli had a blast at the American Girl Place. She had her heart set on matching PJ's for her and Kit and a new dressy outfit for Kit too. She picked out the Honey Puppy PJ's for her and her doll. She also picked out Kit's School Girl Dress for her doll. Then Shaun made the mistake of showing her that Kit could have her hair done. Anneli & Kit are fortunate to have a nice Daddy who took them over to have Kit's hair done in two little pig-tails. What a good Dadddy! :)

Then it was off to the American Girl Bistro for dinner with the family. Anneli, Kit, and I had reservations for a late dinner, but it wasn't busy so we ate a little early with Daddy and Chris. It was fun, even though Chris wasn't thrilled! :) Especially with the dessert menu--they only had "Treats for girls"! He got some ice cream anyway--and liked it for that matter! :)

It was a great day, shopping and seeing how excited the kids were!

Christmas Day 2009

Thankfully, the kids slept until after 8am! They were tired--even though they slept the whole way home! Anyway, they were up at 8am. Christopher went downstairs to make sure Santa came before dragging us all out of bed. Even the cat was interested in what Santa brought!It was exciting, as usual, watching their excitement that Santa had come. They started with their stockings first. They were happy about the little stuff---like Chocolate bars! yummm!

Then they opened their other gifts from Santa. They each got new cameras, a Nintendo DSi to share, and a bunch of games. Christopher got some LEGO's of course, a microscope and a bunch of other things I can't remember... Anneli got her zhu-zhu pet she wanted(as did Christopher!), some princess clothes, a princess jewelry box and a bunch of other stuff that I won't list. Wink even got a toy and Kit (Anneli's American Girl Doll) got a new (knock off ) outfit--Jeans so she can ride the new toy Horse Anneli got from Aunt Jess, Uncle Nick, Cole & Carter! After opening presents, the kids talked to Meme, Cole & Carter about all their Christmas treasures. Then Grandpa & Nancy came to visit! Thanks so much for coming! Nancy wasn't feeling too well, so they weren't able to stay long, but it was great to see them! Hope you are feeling better, Nancy!!!!!
The rest of the day was spent enjoying each other's company as we ate, played games, built with LEGOS and had a great time together!

Christopher's 7th Birthday / Christmas Eve in New Hampshire

We started off Christmas Eve / Christopher's 7th Birthday with opening of presents. Christopher opened a present from us and one from Anneli. What do you think he got for his Birthday?! LEGOS of course! He got LEGO Creator Beach House. We'll post pictures once it is constructed--which will be soon I'm sure. It was a nice morning! (sorry I have no pics--I was charging my camera!!)

Then we piled into the van and headed to Aunt Amanda & Uncle Miles' home for the annual Laverdiere Christmas Eve celebration. We started out before the Christmas party celebrating Christopher's Birthday with an ice cream cake and presents with the cousins. Thanks Memere & Jim! Everyone had a blast--as you can see.....

Then it was time for us to exchange our gifts with the cousins. There was tons of wrapping paper and super fun presents everywhere! Anneli was pretty excited with all her gifts, like her Strawberry Shortcake dolls! Christopher was delighted with his gifts too, like his Coast Guard LEGOS! He got some books too, which he even started to read while we were there! Crazy boy!

Then everyone else started arriving to Amanda & Miles home where we enjoyed each other's company and had a nice dinner. We also took a bunch of annual family photos around the Christmas tree, but I didn't take many pics--it was pretty confusing with all the cameras snapping pictures. If you are reading this and you have some pics (like our family one and the cousin one), send them our way! Thanks!!
Then we headed home for our annual late, long ride home. (We even saw a lonely lost reindeer run across 495 in Auburn!) The kids fell asleep and Shaun & I chatted so we would stay awake. As usual I think I fell asleep around Hartford. Sorry Shaun! I tried to stay awake! We were up for a bit getting our treasures out and then off to bed we went.....

Letendre Christmas & Birthday Celebration!

The weekend before Christmas, Saturday, Decmeber 19th, we had a little dinner party here at our house to celebrate the December Birthdays: Shaun's (Dec 15), Christopher's (Dec 24th), Aunt Donna & my Dad's (Dec 23rd), and Christmas! Aunt Donna, Uncle Jim, Soup Mem, Ray, and Lola drove from New York to celebrate with us! Thanks for coming!!! The kids were so excited! My parents came too, and Valerie bopped in for lunch quick, since she was working on a Law School Final ALLLLLL Day! Poor girl.

Anyway, the hit of the party was Lola (Soup Mem & Ray's new puppy!)---or should we say 'Paco'--that's what Anneli called her!!

Anneli was very upset when her little friend went home...

Happy Birthday Merry Christmas....

Tonight we celebrated December (Shaun, Christopher & Pepe) Birthdays and Christmas with Meme, Pepe & Aunt Valerie, since they were leaving for South Carolina in the middle of the night. We surprised Pepe (since it was his Birthday today!) with a super yummy fondue dinner. We had steak, cheese & pepperoni pizza pockets, and mozzarella sticks. It was fun sitting around the pot chatting and cooking our food. Fun, fun, fun! (Apparently I was super hungry because I have NO pictures of our fondue party!)

Next, it was time to open Birthday & Christmas presents. It's always a fun time at Meme & Pepe's house since they get a bunch of gifts and have an entire stocking to open. It's like an early Christmas morning! Thanks guys!

We love the UCONN LAW shirts Aunt Val! They will wear them with pride--especially since that's where Anneli says she's going to go to school to be a lawyer! She wants to be a lawyer to help people buy houses! ;)

I don't have a picture of it, but Christopher was super excited about his present from Meme & Pepe. He got his Duck Hunter - Indoor/Outdoor Flying Duck Hunt Game. We'll get some pictures when we try it!

Then it was time for cake...unfortunately, Anneli didn't make it. She climbed under Christopher's new dolphin blanket in front of the tree and fell asleep. She missed a super cute and yummy festive ice cream cake. Good choice Aunt Val! :)