Orient Point Ferry 2016

The drive to this ferry was lovely! It took us through Long Island wine country and reminded me how much I have to look forward to this summer. However, the ferry was much smaller and it was a longer ferry ride than the Port Jeff ferry. That's a little tough with the kids! Off to Grandma's...

A rare picture of Kevin without his glasses.

Chatting with mopey boo

Ferry comfort

Ferry coping

A little walk outside in the rain.

Spring Hat Parade 2016

James's Pre-K had a Spring Hat Parade at school last week! We had to make the hats ourselves. We repurposed a hat Uncle Andrew gave him to make it more spring-like. I was careful to make the additions so it could go back to being a normal hat afterwards.

James hat is a bit understated but has a train, spider, duck, and basketball on it

Parading! Emma, Lexi, Lyla, Mylah, Connor (Lyla's brother), Cora,

Rebecca, Adrianna, James

Parade! Miss Amanda (Director) in bunny ears!

James giving the eye to Adrianna. Also Rebecca, Mylah, and Cora

Miranda crashing the parade

James, Adrianna, Mylah, Cora, Natalia...

Natalia, Emma, Lexi, Rebecca, Lyla, Connor

After party! Cupcakes and juice!

After party!

Hard Drive Failure 2016

On Sunday, my hard drive failed. After some deep breathing, I've come to terms with the fact that since I last backed up on January 25, and regularly post my pictures to Flickr for use in this blog, I only lost a some files and changes. It's not as bad as it could have been. Next time I'm going to back up everything with Mac Time Machine!

However, my hard drive is totally dead and my laptop in the Apple Store, so until I get it back- really a new one-- I can't post about our trip to the Cape, Easter, or anything else. See you soon.

Spring Break 2016

Kevin is on Spring Break from school! We decided to stay home this year because James has school and we're already planning a lot of travel this summer. We didn't exactly take it easy though- this was an intense staycation. I can't even blog it all. I'm going to try, but this post is crazy long and vaguely incomplete.

Day 1- James went to Pre-K, while I took Miranda to a library event- Shake N' Make Music. James came home and Kevin let him ride his new bike (with training wheels) in our street for the first time!

 Under the baby parachute!

Riding his new bike for the first time.

Day 2- We took a long walk and the kids played at the playground at Cedar Beach.

 

Walking

Walking

Playground

Like sand through an hourglass...

James reading to Miranda

Day 3- Sunday was daylight savings time and the transition went reasonably well because we didn't change anything for the kids. According to the clock, they did everything an hour later-- most importantly they woke up at 7:15! Our town had a big St. Patrick's Day Parade. After the parade, we made James's Leprechaun Catcher for school.

We're here!


Family parade selfie!


Our local Irish peeps

Perfect day to make a Leprechaun Catcher

I caught one!

Day 4-  James had school Monday morning. In the afternoon Kevin had an appointment to register James for Kindergarten! This was the other reason we didn't go anywhere for Spring Break, the registrations all take place during this week. James and I had a little solo date to go see the movie Zootopia. It was amazing!

Playing Medieval Times  at home


Watch out James!

At the movie with James.

And WE BOOKED OUR FLIGHT TO JAPAN!!! It's happening!!! In May!! We haven't left the country in over five years! We are beyond excited.

Day 5- Tuesday I had a date with Miranda at Babies Boogie followed by a date with James at Toddlers Tango. James was super excited because he felt like he finally got to go to "Mommy n' Me" which is sort of of kind of is.

Babies Boogie Musical Peekaboo

There she is!

Babies Boogie bubbles and drums!

Toddlers Tango- Music and hula hoops

Toddler Tango Drumming Circle!

He got bubbles too!

Stony Brook made it into the NCAA Tournament this year, which they've never done before. Everyone was very excited for them and there was an official send off for them at the school so we took the family and went. Kevin actually had four them in his creative writing class last semester so he was really excited for them.

With a seawolf.

Jumping in puddles outside.

Basketball team comes through the crowd.

Investigating worms later that day...

Day 6 - Wednesday I decided to use the fact of our "staycation" to use by cleaning out all the miscellaneous things in our basement. (For Konmari fans, I finally finished komono!) I also finished our taxes! Now that's a productive day! Kevin made corned beef sandwiches.

Cheers!

Day 7- St. Patrick's Day! James had a St. Patrick's Day Party at school so we all put on our green, except Miranda who doesn't have any, and we took him in. While they had some assembly in another room, Leprechauns came by their classroom! They left gold and clues how to find it and they also trashed the classroom. The kids were so excited!

Starting the day green

Party set up at school.

James also had his first "friend's birthday party" that night. A girl in his Pre-K class Lyla had her 5th birthday at SkyZone, a local trampoline park. It was crazy.

The birthday girl  Lyla and classmate Gavin


Ellie, Lexi, James, and Natalia running on trampolines

Jon came over to watch some March Madness NCAA Tournament games with Kevin and enjoyed one of the corned beef sandwiches. 

Jon and delicious corned beef

Day 8- James had school in the morning, and Jon, Kevin, Miranda, and I went to brunch at Crazy Bean. We put Jon on the train to Manhattan, and then we went home so James could have lunch. I also made smoothies so that the rest of us could stretch our brunch a bit.

Jon, Miranda, me at Crazy Bean- get the breakfast quesadilla!

We went back to the Long Island Aquarium. We thought it would be fun to go during the week when it's less crowded. Miranda was much more comfortable with the Aquarium this time. Maybe she remembered it from last time? Also we explored the outside area which we missed last time because it was so cold last time.

Back to the museum for lots of fun

James teaching Miranda how to play Candyland (sort of)

Day 9- Saturday was a big one. First we went to the Heritage Center's Easter Egg Hunt with Easter Bunny pictures. It was really chilly this year, and we were on line for a long time so things got a little hare-y at the beginning, but the kids loved getting eggs and I loved getting pictures with the bunny. Yay! Thanks! 

Haha, cuties


Miranda's toddler egg hunt was so fast! A minute of egg collecting on flat grass!
She got two eggs! She saw other kids got more but she was happy with her 2.

James's older kids egg hunt was a little more involved.

Easter bunny picture!

After the egg hunt, we drove to Jersey City to see Jackie, Rob, and Soren. It was really fun to catch up with Jackie and snuggle Soren who is unbelievably undeniably cute. Though I wish I'd held him more-- but he was pretty snoozy when I was there. I think he's still in the three or more naps part of his life- 11 weeks young!

Miranda loves babies now.

Clou kids versus the BEAR- Jackie saves them

Then we went to see Abuelita and David. It's funny how everyone is used to the fact there must be group pictures!

Daisy, David, James, Miranda, me

Day 10- James W. was in town to run the United NYC Half Marathon. He was awesome, running it in under an hour and half, and he celebrated with Nick and Kevin over drinks.

James W., Nick, and Kevin at Spitzer's Corner in the in the Lower East Side

Day 11- We had more snow! We don't have any snow pictures though because James's school wasn't canceled- yay! And it was so warm- I went for a nice snowy walk-- that the snow melted by afternoon. Also, I signed up for my first race today! A 5k near where I live in June. Training begins in April! Yay!

Kevin is exhausted from Spring Break!

Kevin went back to work on Tuesday- for three days of hard work before Easter Break!