Back to basics and back to baseball -

3 teams - 3 fields and 3 different times - all season long.

These 3 are dressed and ready for opening day.  Mari was coming to grab Nick, My folks were in charge of Shane and Drew - it was a bit of a rainy day however 2 out of 3 actually played.

Someday Drew  you will wish that you looked at us for photos.

Until than I will let these 2 steal the spotlight.

Shane tucked his in later but this was his chill look - love the uniforms.

Literally second after taking this photo and enjoying our leisurely morning - things turned REALLY hectic when we realized we were about to miss our flight to Vancouver - Yup that is right, Chris and Sara, the traveling pros are about to screw it up again.  We read the arrival time as the departure time and oddly enough don't have enough time to make it to airport.  We literally left the house as soon as we realized it (leaving the kids - Maddy included) waiting on my sister and folks to arrive to do the game shuffle.......

A slugger in the making - Love this action shop captured by our fiends that day!!

Different folks bring out different things -

Yes another blog with no pictures - just a memory from me -

My sister's spring break was a week later than ours so I was thrilled when she opted to come out and we could still see them.  I even got to have Riley for a night.  I LOVE having a girl in the house - Riley LOVED being in the house.  

While they didn't go to bed easily and needed to be separated (totally normal) once my kiddos got on the bus it was just me and Riley for the morning.  She happily did and ENTIRE class of Body flow with me and after I had to mess with Shane's fit bit for a period of time (it drove me bananas that it didn't reflect the correct time - status update, I got it to work that day, but it has since failed again - Timex here we come)  While I was doing that, she grabbed some crayons and colored beside me.  Before we left to meet up with my sister she put in the chickens (without me asking) and was ready to roll.  We honestly didn't do anything crazy special - but I just wanted to remember how simple she just wanted to be with me and how much I enjoyed her.

Spring time babies!!

Spring just might happen out here in CT - sometimes you go to bed and wake up to something TOTALLY different.  Like this tree in my front yard - 

It was as if I woke up one morning and it had beautiful flowers all over it!  (ironic that it almost looks like snow...)

I caught myself looking at it from such different angles savoring its beauty and knowing it was temporary

So you know we have 4 big girl chickens right?!?!  We wanted 7, and nature delivered us 4 and since we have this beautiful coop, we figured we should fill it.  So we ordered up some pretty babies.  They weren't supposed to arrive until May, but I stopped by on my way home hoping they would arrive before my sister came to visit - I INSTANTLY heard the sweetest little peeps as I walked in and the place was popping with babies!!  I got to choose our 7 and surprise the boys.

Here is Nick holding Gerties future sister Grace

Sweet baby

Shane and Drew were super excited to great the babies too.

Like Drew's new watch?!?!  Wonder how long that lasted right?!?

This is Trudy's new sister - Tabitha

They are too cute - impossible to capture it all

Immigration Project

Canton Intermediate School puts on a beautiful simple immigration reenactment for the 4th graders each year.  They spend time developing a persona of an immigrate during that time period.  Nick was a 3rd class citizen from Ireland who was leaving his wife and daughter behind and bringing his son (Vincent) to America - Looks like a proud papa in this photo!

here they are awaiting clearance

Chris and I dressed up as well - Chris was an immigration officer and I was on the mental health interrogator (we tested them with puzzles, games, questions etc...) - there was SO much parental involvement because they wanted to be there and totally made it for the kids.  Can you find Nick in these photos??

They did such a wonderful job and helping the children comprehend it all.

Later that week, Chris and I got to be in Drew's classroom to talk about what we did to make our community safer or better - Chris told them about the fire sprinklers and they were fascinated by the things in the ceiling.

I got to do a mini fitness class with them all

To include some chill time stretching

Maybe a little balancing like a tree

Nice being able to be part of Drew's world for a bit 

I will be the first one to admit - I think school is wonderful for kiddos - they get the chance to learn WITHOUT their parents.  They get to grow with AMAZING teachers and friends. Social environments, quizzes, eye opening situations.  I don't ever want to over involve ourselves in that part of their life - but I do want to know what it is like for them.  Matter of fact, the other day I hopped on the bus to give something to Drew that he forgot.  Just being on the BUS brought me back a good 30 years (like right??)  they are so little and just kids - but these are such big strides for them and I LOVE seeing them make the strides!

Easter Weekend

We get to host the neighborhood Easter egg hunt which I kinda love.  I tried turning it into several chances to get together.  The ladies stuffed eggs Friday night and the boys met early Saturday morning to 'hie' them (or dump them randomly on the lawn!!)

Here are a few kiddos ready for the hunt 

some chickens wondering about the weird eggs in their yard

Well we had a guest appearance!!  The EASTER bunny!!!  

Wish I could figure out how to rotate this photo, but its lots of eggs and lots of kiddos in the yard - get it?!?!

See what I mean??!?  LOTS of eggs!

I will admit - I love that the kiddos are having fun, but I really love just having the neighborhood together.

By far my favorite photo of the day - Rocky Photo bombed the Barber's super cute kiddo photo!

After the hunt was over - we headed down to Diane's family to visit and enjoy a HIKE (not hunt) with them.

Thanks Diane for capturing this keeper at the top of sleeping giant.

recognize anyone up there?!!?

The crew started to get creative in the Fairy houses.

Quick snuggle time.

This one became a fairy house engineer - Can you see the action shot in the background?!?!

Love everything about pictures like this.

Their first house?!?!

The construction continues

Sunday morning was beautifully spent at church - my folks even got there VERY early to save us a spot!!

One good looking crew - 

I will be the first to admit, my cooking is questionable, so it wasn't about the meal together.  It was about the afternoon.  Spent beautifully together launching rockets - with a Chris made laughing pad!! Hope you all enjoyed Easter together as well. He has Risen and yes, it is time to celebrate!

Lazy Spring Break

Things I want to remember about our lazy spring break - 

we slept in (sort of)

We went bike riding (and grabbed a bike for Chris)

we made tree houses and got creative with our neighborhood friends - cannot say enough about how happy we are to have some of the greatest neighbors!!

 swapping houses and sleep overs (loved Luciano coming over after everyone had showered and shane was chilling reading a book - Luciano climbed in and started reading his own book - 2 peas in a pod.

Our first successful BBQ (no photos taken by me - at people state forest with the briggs, izzo's and barbers)

The long walk home (pillow included)

Breakfast at a home not far away - 

What is looks like when boys have had a good day.

Sure - I got a head cold - but the boys were happy to watch kungfo panda 3.

They got creative - they lived life without a schedule (except for bedtime!) and it was nice - 

for a week!

Now, back to school!!

Goomba's Birthday and he is 70!!

There is a special guy turning 70 this week - he has requested a chill family oriented weekend together.  We came up with lots of options, celebrations, travels adventures, but in the end, the birthday boy wins!!

A little birthday prep this week - LOVE watching them color - for 3 boys I would consider this a LABOR OF LOVE.

Friday night was a simple dinner out - poor birthday guys is just starting to get a catch of the cold - boo - but he powered through.  Yummy night at Parrot Delaney.  Shepards Pie for the ALMOST 70 year old.  Sounds about right if you ask me.

Massive burger for the growing 10-year old

Stacie and family drove in Friday night - so Goomba had a full house to wake up to Saturday morning - just as he wanted.  He didn't request these balloons but my sister and I just couldn't resist.  The man that LOVES to throw a party, just didn't want one for himself....

These 2 were ready to start the present opening process.

Now THIS is what he really wanted.  Goofy faces and all - We do have some good smilers in there.

Maybe a little of this too.  Gotta admit - it is pretty priceless how simply we can all come together.

Lets get to opening the gifts - 

Here are Golfballs from the kiddos - saying 'This ball was hit far my Goomba!'  Let me know when YOU find one.

The kiddos were INTO the opening process.

Lots of great boxes - with great things in them.

One of my favorite gifts is this memory book.  Since my father didn't want a HUGE party - yet I KNOW you all have some great memories that include him.  I asked you to share them.  Love the photos and how this treasure turned out.

LOVED gathering all these notes from friends and family - we had been working on it for a while and thankful I never 'spilled the beans'  Hope my father feels how he has truly touched the lives of so many folks.  They treasure YOU!

My Dad's one request was the be the grill master for his birthday - which meant Jason and Chris were the baseball master for the kiddos.

Home RUN?!?!

Exactly where he wanted to be - cooking probe and all!

My treasured comment as we sat down for dinner was - my dad said he always wanted to be an Italian Grandpa surrounded by this family - Italian no - but loved grandpa surrounded by family - YES!!

Cake selection for today??!?!  Ice Cream cake!!

Good thing we are in the fire suppression business.  70 candles - YIKES!

I think the hat gives him a little extra height.

Hurry and light them all!!

Sunday morning breakfast all together with a requested jimmy Dean inspired casserole.

And, a FAMILY photo - my favorite part!!  Love when you think of family and exactly how it should be in the same breathe.  We aren't perfect, we don't agree all the time, not everyone gets along all the time - but that isn't at all what stands out - we are one pretty darn awesome family if you ask me - my father has always made family first.  We show up for each other.  no matter what.  Love it.

And apparently we put basketball hoops up together too.  Thanks Uncle Jay for the help!

He scored the first dunk for his efforts!!

Now THIS is exactly what the doctor orders for a cold the day after your birthday.  How long do you think it lasted?!?!?

Yup, that is about right =)!  Love that he is smiling and those 2 stinkers.

Love how simply the weekend went and how enjoyable it really was for everyone.  It was what Goomba wanted which was not anything in particular - but for HIS family to be all together.  

70 Years Strong Goomba!  We love you!