REI Outing

Not all of our outings take place in the great outdoors.

Sometimes they take place in the great indoors.

On this particular day we were waiting our turn to have the child carrier fitted to Tate.  It just didn't seem right that he could launch himself like a firecracker out of the seat.  Turns out our suspicion was correct.

But while we waited, Tate found a way to pass the time:

It's almost like the camping furniture was scaled to someone his size:

Mouseketeers

Every now and then the Mouseketeers visit our home:

Push Car

When I first saw this toy, I thought Adam would love it.  Scooped it up, took it home and presented it to him.  Nothing.  Nada.  So it sat on the shelf...  until Tate recently discovered it. Wahoo!  Now we're in business!

Valet

Sometimes I think Adam and Ashley could use a valet -- in the Downton Abbey / British sense of the word, meaning

val·et

vaˈlā,ˈvalət/ noun

1.  a man's personal male attendant, responsible for his clothes and appearance

I mean seriously, look at how they dressed themselves!

To the Fells!

MLM and MLD waited patiently for Tate to wake up from his Sunday afternoon nap and, truth be told, were secretly envious that Tate was the only one who got to nap that day.  Amid much complaining, gesticulating and whining, we packed up three children into the van and pointed ourselves toward the Middlesex Fells.

We needed some fresh air and we needed it fast.

And it worked!  Withing 5 minutes the kids were climbing across downed trees, throwing stones and finding new sticks to carry.  Even Tate was so happy to be outside that he didn't pull MLM's hair while in the carrier.

It was a great afternoon for everyone:

Ashley climbed this rock all by herself!

Trip to NY: Part 3

We went to NY to celebrate Babushka and Dedushka's 50th anniversary! May their happiness, health and love for each other and their family continue for another 50 years.

Adam happily chatted with his cousins and played with some toys while MLD and Ashley hit the dance floor:

If you want to see more photos, just let me know.  We have lots!  They're too high a resolution to easily post to the blog.  But we can work out something if you're curious.

Trip to NY: Part 2

The next day we went to get our hair done.  Why?  Stay tuned to find out in tomorrow's post!

Trip to NY: Part 1

We had a fabulous trip to NY.  The first part of our trip was lots of fun.  We got to see our cousins!

And they helped Tate clean up after he ran around:

Recovered

After Tate recovered from his SWAT encounter, he found the inner strength to explore the family sedan.  Well, maybe outer strength too.  He walked up to the car and pounded on the door until I opened it for him.  Determined little guy, this one.

Q Say...Wha?

Ashley plays a fun game with Tate.  It's called "Can You Say".  But Ashley says it so quickly, that it sounds more like "Q say..?"

My favorite part?  Listening to Tate say "two".  It's just too adorable!

SWAT Officer in Training?

Daddy loves taking Tate out to the "pancake place" for breakfast on Sundays.  The last time they went there, they bumped in to a SWAT team who had descended on the joint for their fantastic crepes, not because there was imminent danger.

Imagine how excited Daddy was when the SWAT team offered to let Tate sit in their SWAT SUV?  I believe the word is "stoked".

Question is:  what did Tate think of this?

This might be the one instance he doesn't take after his father!

Almost Spring?

Spring has been trying hard to come to the Boston area.  Very hard.  One morning the kids and I went out for breakfast and then hit a nearby trail.  It was lots of fun!

Back On The Homefront

While MLM was in San Diego, MLD was on the front lines entertaining the troops.  On this particular evening, "funny faces in the mudroom" appears to have been a hit!

On the Road Again with MLM: San Diego

Every once in a great while, MLM gets to travel for work.  And even when she does, she's often stuck in a sterile conference room.  So imagine her surprise when the day wrapped up and she was treated to a spectacular sunset:

Patriots' Day Parade

Yes, yes, I'm behind in my posts.  We're busy doing so many fun things that I don't have much time to sit down and upload it all.  But if the photos are cute, then who really cares how quickly they're posted?  Not me.

So for today's post, we're traveling back in time to the 2017 Arlington Patriots' Day Parade.  We joined our neighbors in saluting the patriots who defended our turf centuries ago.

Adam was the most patriotic of all, sporting his favorite red, white and blue:

Lakeside

We had an unseasonably warm day a few weeks ago.  Even though the water is frigid, the kids didn't seem to mind at all:

Homeschooling, Lesson #29

Today's homeschooling lesson:  vocabulary.  Adam and I had a fantastic "date" a few weeks ago.  A trip to MIT to visit the Tech Model Railroad Club!  They had very small scale trains and a huge layout.  The layout was controlled by computer switches and the operators spoke to each other via headsets.  It was all very cool.  Best part?  Watching the trains travel on a spiral, ahem! helix.  If you're going to attend MIT, you have to know it's a helix, not a spiral.  It's all about vocabulary.

Pushin' to the Cushion

I accidentally discovered a new game that Tate likes to play.  He accidentally fell into the bean bag and let out a joyous whoop.  What's a mom to do?  Let him stand up and then push him again!  And again and again and again...

Music Man Mariachi

We took a spur of the moment trip to Ixtapa, a local Mexican restaurant.  It was school vacation week and all of the kids needed a change of scenery. Tate had an especially good time once the mariachi music started:

More Thai, Please

Found a new favorite food for Tate:  pad thai!  To say he's shovelling it in to his mouth is an understatement.

Orange-You Glad Daddy's Here to Help?

Watching Daddy feed an orange to Tate is quite the sight:

Intent Artistry

As I was walking by, I noticed this quiet activity...

All Buttoned Up

Sometimes these two are so cute I can't stand it!

Holiday Crafts

A bit belated, but here are the citizens getting ready for the holiday:

Blur in the Mudroom

Tate moves too quickly for the phone camera.  Watch him go!