All Dressed Up

We hosted a baby naming at our home for some of our dear friends.  Adam and Ashley were all decked out for the occasion.

Niagara Vacation: Part #7

On our last day in the Niagara Falls area, we visited Youngstown and Lewiston.  While in Lewiston, the A-team treated us to a performance.  The clip is a bit long;  I promise there's a good giggle in store for you at the end.

Niagara Vacation: Part #6

What is the most popular vacation activity of all?  Eating!  Here's us at Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse:

And at Crazy Otto's Diner in Herkimer, NY.  

Niagara Vacation: Part #5

We had so much fun on the Maid of the Mist that we decided to try out another boat ride.  This time we visited Lockport, NY, to see Locks 34-35 of the Erie Canal.  The ride was 1:45 and coincided with nap time, but the citizens didn't seem to mind.  We traveled a vertical distance of over 5 stories just traveling between these two locks!

Wow.  That's one big door, Daddy.

Merrily floating along, checking out the scenery.

Ashley entertained herself with stickers and coloring.

family selfie!

showing Adam some of our photos

one shutterbug teaching another

Niagara Vacation, Part #4

After we all traveled on the Maid of the Mist, we had lunch and the kiddos took a stroller nap.  Karla disappeared to tour the Cave of the Winds.  We later met up at the aptly named "Twist o' the Mist" for some ice cream.

Niagara Vacation: Part #3

Everyone who travels to see Niagara Falls stops to take a ride on the Maid of the Mist.  The kids loved it!

There were more photos from this part of our trip, but I can't find them right now.  If I find them later, I'll be sure to post them ...

Niagara Vacation: Part #2

Next on our bucket list:  Niagara Falls! 

Our favorite phrase when smiling for the camera?  "Chocolate!!!!"

Niagara Vacation: Part #1

True story:  we packed up the car to take Karla and the citizens to visit Niagara Falls.  To break up the ride we stopped in Syracuse, NY.  This was one heck of a trip.  In just 5 short days, we managed to:

*  visit Green Lakes State Park
*  see Niagara Falls from the observation deck
*  ride the Maid of the Mist
*  visit Lockport, Youngstown, and Lewiston
*  cruise up and down locks 34-35 of the Erie Canal
*  swim at two different hotels
*  eat at the Anchor Bar (birthplace of the Buffalo wing)
*  dine at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (fantastic meal)
*  indulge in ice cream at least once a day

Karla even found time to sneak in a tour of the Cave of the Winds.  All in all, it was a fantastic trip.  In today's post we feature the trip to Green Lake State Park.  This was the first time the citizens were trying out their water wings.  Turns out they weren't needed;  the water was so cold the kids didn't want to go in much past their knees.

With my arms sticking out like this, how am I supposed to swim? -- Ashley

Oh, I see!  I can reach my knees.  I can do this!

I can't reach my knees.  How did you do that, Ashley?

Dancing in the Park

Today's blog title is a riff on Bruce Springsteen's famous thirty year old (gulp!) hit "Dancing in the Dark".  We were at Shannon Park and Ashley wanted to dance.  So she did.

I'm noticing that Adam doesn't ham it up for the camera quite as much as his sister does.  We'll have to work on it.

Water Table Tales

Give these two a bucket of water and they can be entertained for hours.  Here's a short clip of some of the recent action:

"Daniel Lions"

The A-team signed up for a letterboxing hike with their friends.  Midway through the hike we all stopped for a snack and to read a book:

At the end of the hike, Adam stopped to pick some "Daniel Lions".  I guess we're watching a little too much Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood these days....

Drizzly Decordova

Despite the drizzle, we headed out to the Decordova Museum to meet our friends for a morning of nature and culture rolled into one.  It was lots of fun!

Alewife Brook Parkway

Many adults go out for a run.  Toddlers do too.

If I slept 12 hours at night and had a 1 hour nap each day I might be able to run like that too!  Where's Adam?  Still snoozin' in the stroller.  Smart kid.

Expensive Taste

This gal has got an expensive palate:  lox, artichokes, and now... lobster.  Adam, on the other hand, isn't swayed by the fancy stuff.

Are you trying to steal some of my lobster, Daddy?

Giving a high five to the lobster

Final Tale from Drumlin Farm

True story:  first time we went to Drumlin Farm, Adam didn't want to go anywhere near the goat/sheep barn.  I don't really blame him.  You might call it a "stinkeroo" to be kind.  For our last visit, our teachers took us back to the barn and inside the enclosure.  Can you believe this is the same toddler?

First we fed the goats.  Note:  Adam and Ashley are in red and light blue jackets, respectively.

Adam is surrounded by goats!  And smiling!  Ashley, on the other hand, was a bit more nervous.  If you watch the video closely, you can see the citizens stand nose-to-nose with the goats.  That would intimidate me too.  So Ashley wandered around in an area safely away from the goats:

Friends' Birthday Party

Best thing about being a twin?  Having other twin friends!  That always means twice the cake at a birthday party.  Yay!!!!

Plip Plop

It rained.  Again.  

Who am I to fight a toddler's natural inclination for stomping in puddles?

Basking in the Sun

Kids today.  I don't know where they get their vocabulary from.  We were at the farm, minding our own business, when I noticed Ashley laying on the ground.  She says to me, smiling, "I am basking in the sun!"  Wow.  Is this kid ready for the SATs or what?

Flying Turtles

This week's romp at Drumlin Farm included a class about turtles.  We met, but did not pet, a turtle.  We also made turtle kites!  Here are a few clips of the citizens making a go of it:

Safety First

Adam and Ashley always put safety first.  That's why their wear their bicycle helmets while reading.  It's a little hard to make out, but Adam is reading the Fly Guy story to Ashley almost verbatim.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Two of my three monkeys were monkeying around the other night.  Last little monkey was eating his dinner.  Smart little monkey!

Inspired by ....?

Was Ashley inspired by Madonna?  Where is that question coming from, you ask?  Well, she's singing while parading around in her underwear.  There are probably other entertainers who do that these days, but I'm too out of touch to know any of their names.