Christmas Festivities

We LOVE this time of year!  It's been crazy warm around here this December, hitting 60 degrees in the middle of the month.  

We have enjoyed making Christmas candy and delivering to our neighbors, going into Boston to walk around Quincy Market and see BLINK, the Christmas Light Show.  We watched the Polar Express in the theater while sipping on hot chocolate, visited Santa and Berke and I even went to the Nutcracker for the first time together this year.  It's been busy, but super fun and hectic.  

I love getting into the spirit of the season and experiencing so many fun things as a family, but sometimes it is SO exhausting with everything else that has to get done.  Not to mention two kiddos birthdays that are coming up soon.  

I love the kids at these ages, Christmas is still magical, Berke still believes in Santa and Vivi has no idea what Santa does but she sure does love him!  She ran right up to him and hugged him 3 times now, this girl is not afraid of the jolly ole fellow!

Berke loves his friend, Charlotte, they have known each other since birth and they just love being together!

We found THE COOLEST TREE!  Can you see it?  Do you see the Grinch trying to steal the tree?  We thought it was awesome!

These two love each other so much when they are not teasing the other one!

Look how adorable my family is!!! I love this family of mine SO much, it makes my heart want to burst.  Happy Holidays!

Halloween in our new hood

We had a ghostbuster and Miss Stawberry Shortcake this year as our costumes.  

Grandma Gentry made Vivi's costume and it is really TO. DIE. FOR!!  It is the cutest thing ever and I wish I could put her in it every single day!

Berke's face in this picture cracks me up.  He can pose a smile to save his life.  What a crack up!

Our Trick O Treating Gang!  It's a pretty cute crew if I do say so myself.

Miss Viv loved getting candy.  She was insistent on putting the candy in her bag herself; this is not surprising given her independent personality,

Mr. McDuff was a hit as a ghostbuster as well.

It was nice to be in a quite safe neighborhood to trick or treat.  The kids got lots of yummy candy and had a great night.  Lucky for us the weather was good and we didn't even add the jacket layer until the very end of our adventure.

Give Thanks 2015

 We enjoyed Thanksgiving this year with many of our dear friends for "Friendsgiving" 

The kids ate nearly nothing, because how can you eat when there is so much going on with so many of your friends?

They missed out, because the food was off the charts.  We are grateful Rich and Leslie offered their home and shoved 13 adults and 6 kids into their apartment in Cambridge.  We all just got cozy and enjoyed each others company.

 Mrs. Lisa and her sidekick Maud 

 Rich was the kitchen master this year.  He cooked the turkey, cornish game hens, and lots of gravy!

 There was lots of philosophical conversations going on, and a little snuggling too! 

 There was MORE than enough pie and other yummy desserts.

Gwen and her cute baby belly.  Gotta eat for two girl!

 The hostest with the mostest!

Kiddos

Berkeley William Gentry: 6 3/4 years- 

Attends First Grade and is our little reader.  This kid is on fire with reading and recently told me, "I love reading, it is my favorite!"   I'm pretty sure this is what every mother's dream is, right?  Berkeley loves stories, movies, shows, and books.  When he grows up he wants to be a director, make movies, be in movies, and illustrate cartoons.  He has a very active imagination and has taken on a love for drawing; he loves to draw if he is not reading, playing with his friends or enjoying screen time.  Berke loves playing with friends, especially Ethan and Philip the boys up the road.  He is a big helper with his baby sister.  He took art class this summer and loved it, and is currently in a gymnastics class at the YMCA.  His swimming skills improved this summer when he took lessons at the lake by our house.  He is super into Scooby Doo, Ghoosebumps and Minons this year.  He is going to be a Ghostbuster for Halloween (so is Mr. McDuff).  Berkeley loves apples, raisin toast, cheesy eggs, taco bell, bean and cheese burritos, salsa, and anything with sugar.  Berke was diagnosed with ADHD this year, which causes school to be hard for him due to his inability to concentrate a lot of the time.  We are so proud of how well he has been doing this year and how hard he is trying!  It is super hard to keep doing things that are hard, but he doesn't give up.  He is a great friend.  He has started running with me a couple nights a week, doing a exercise class before school 2x a week and the extra exercise has been wonderful for him.  Did I mention that this kid learned to ride a bike with NO training wheels this summer!  He is such a Rockstar and we love him so much!

Vivienne Dianne Gentry: 22 months-

Little Red is getting quite the personality.  She is very independent and wants to do everything herself.  She has found her voice and loves to scream if she is being funny, if she is mad and especially if she doesn't get what she wants.  Vivi loves to color, play with Berkeley and his friends, go on walks being pushed in her car.  She loves her stuffed animals which she calls "babies", playing with cars, trains, blocks, her Mickey Mouse lunchbox, and her cash register.  She also loves to read books, sing and dance.  Her favorite foods are beans, hummus, ketchup, cheese, bananas, grapes, broccoli, crackers and cake!  This girl will do anything for a laugh.  She attends daycare 5 days a week and is learning Portuguese words from her friends there. Little Miss is going to Strawberry Shortcake this year for Halloween.  We love this girl!

These two love each other and have the sweetest relationship!  I'm so lucky to be their momma!

Mr. McDuff 10 years:

He is getting old, but his spirit is forever young!  He puts up with these two crazy little humans.  He loves to eat, sleep and run around the yard chasing the damn bunnies.  He is cute, handsome and the neighborhood heartthrob for many of the other dogs.  He is a great snuggle buddies, seems to like the new house but refuses to go downstairs, he is in fact terrified.  We love our furbaby!

Topsfield Fair

We are trying to do some new New England things now that we have been here 8 years.  I have heard from many people for a few years how fun the Topsfield Fair is.  I love fairs and haven't been to one in nearly 7 years, so it was time. 

The kids had a great time, Vivi loved looking at the animals, Berke loved the rides and games.  We all loved the yummy food and watching the pig races.  There was good music and TONS of people.  They have a demolition derby, but with a kid who hates loud sounds and a little one who doesn't like to sit still, we had to miss out.  Did you know that I LOVE DEMOLITION DERBYs?!?!

Papa and Hope visit

 My dad and his new wife, Hope, came for a quick visit over Labor Day weekend.  We had a wonderful time with them.  We enjoyed the Duck Boat Tours around Boston, a Red Sox game, a trip to Rockport and a day at the lake by our house.  Vivi was't feeling the best during the trip, but she loved spending time with her Papa.

 We enjoyed a concert in Glouster and watched the boats sail in and out of town.  The kids and I enjoyed dancing around and getting all our wiggles out.  

It was a lovely visit, especially for the kiddos!  Papa spoiled us all per his usual.

Fall Fun at Tougas Farms

 We had a lovely time during our annual apple picking outing this year.  We went to Tougas Farm this year, which is a big orchard full of all the fun, but that also means more crowded.  We decided to get there early so they wouldn't sell out of the apple cider donuts before we got there.  We picked apples, had a picnic lunch, played on the playground and fed the goats at the petting zoo.  

 The kids loved eating apples as we picked, they both ate at least 3 apples a piece.  Berke and Vivi were both super into picking apples this  year which was fun.  Last time we went apple picking at this orchard, Berke was on my shoulders and I was pregnant with Little Red.    

 Bringing the wagon was the best idea of the day!

 We enjoyed making apple struddle, apple crisp and dipping apples in caramel with all the apples we collected.