Jocelyn is Three and a Half!

Our little Peanut turned three last Christmas Eve, so we had a Half Birthday for her this past weekend. She is all about Hello Kitty the past few weeks, so the house was filled with Hello Kitty balloons and other decorations.

Just after arriving, Nana brought in the first gift, a scooter Jocelyn had been asking for...I think it had the desired effect!


Jocelyn asked for face painting at her party so she could look like Hello Kitty. The person we hired also did some magic tricks before starting on her works of art...


...and had all the kids enthralled while she asked them to help her pull a rabbit from her hat.


They seemed a little skeptical at first, but then were very excited to have a little bunny to pet!


And then even more surprised when a dove came out of the same hat!


When the face painting began, the Half Birthday Girl was first in line of course...


...and loved how it came out!


In fact, all the young ladies loved how their face painting turned out. Jocelyn's friends Alex and Grace were painted like princesses...




...and cousin Poppy got some cool ladybugs...


...and even Momma got some pretty flowers at Jocelyn's request.


Jocelyn asked me to get my face painted too, but the face painter explained that I would need to shave first. So I escaped by a whisker, so to speak. Jocelyn was a little disappointed, but I think I redeemed myself when the cake (a Hello Kitty ice cream cake) came out.


I don't think I've ever seen someone so happy to see her birthday cake.


She started blowing out the candles before we were even done singing "Happy Birthday" because she wanted to dig in.


And dig in she did!


Momma searched high and low for Hello Kitty candles and decorations to put on the cake, and I think Jocelyn loved the result! Happy Half Birthday Peanut!

Father's Day 2011

Father's Day this year was a beautiful day for a cook-out and that is exactly what we did! Here is Poppa hanging out on the patio after grilling steak tips for everyone - I was able to catch him in a rare smile for the camera (not a goofy face for once!).

Grammie and Pepere came over to help us enjoy the day...

And Nana too - who took the trip into Boston to surprise Poppa and Pepere with lobsters from James Hook for their special day! Ian enjoyed a brief moment on Nana's lap before racing off on his new pedal-less bike that is his new favorite toy!

Then it was Jocelyn's turn to get some attention from Nana...

and Grammie...

Before racing off on her own as well!

Poppa had opened his gift that morning because he couldn't wait any longer for his new iPad and it was too early for the camera! Here is Pepere, however, allowing the kiddos to help him with his gift! All in all, it was a great day!

Swan Boats

For Ian's baptism, his Godmother (my aunt Cathy) got him a painting of the Swan Boats in Boston that we have hung in his bedroom. Often when I am putting him to bed at night he will look at it and tell me he wants to ride the boats, so we have been looking for an opportunity to give him and Jocelyn the experience. Over the holiday weekend we met our friends the Goggins and their kids in Boston for a ride.

Here is a shot Momma took just after we got on board...Ian is behind Jocelyn but too busy watching the operator get ready to cast us off to look at the camera.


He spent most of the time standing up on our bench looking around, wondering why the operator was pedaling away, and checking out the scenery.


He had lots of other things to look at, because it was a beautiful day. The swans and ducks were out in full force waiting to be fed, and the weeping willows swayed in the breeze. The other kids were soaking it all in as well.


After the boat made its way around the island and headed back toward the dock, we saw a family of turtles heading either home to the island or out for a swim.


What a nice way to spend part of a holiday weekend!

Make Way for Ducklings

After the stretch of bad weather we have had the past few weeks, it was great to be able to get outside and enjoy some sunshine this Memorial Day weekend. On Sunday we took the kids into Boston to meet our friends the Goggins for a picnic, and of course we had to stop to see Mrs. Mallard and Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack!

Here Ian had just hopped on to Mrs. Mallard's back when Jocelyn decided that there was room enough for two. I am not sure the young man agrees.


He then looked for another duckling that he could ride solo and found one right next to Katherine Goggin. Much better.


William Goggin got his own turn on Mrs. Mallard's back and decided to give her some blinders.


After riding the ducklings we saw an artist who was setting up shop to paint them. They were nice enough to let the kids look at their supplies. While the rest of the kids were happy to sit back and watch...


...true to form, Ian jumped right in and grabbed a brush. Perhaps we have a future Matisse on our hands.

Thick as Thieves

Prior to her recital, Jocelyn had a dress rehearsal at which Momma took some great shots of her with her friend Sophia. We couldn't resist the opportunity to post some close-ups of them in their adorable dance outfits.


Jocelyn loves to show off her dance moves at home, but it looks like she is taking her cues from Sophia here!

Jocelyn's first dance recital

Jocelyn loves to go to dance class every weekend to see her friends Sophia, Noah and Amelie. This morning was her first recital. She was great!

Mother's Day 2011

We've been so busy lately settling into the new house that I haven't had a chance to post photos from Mother's Day... Julie decided that what she would like most that day would be to have a nice breakfast after church at home with Grammie, Nana and the kids, so that's what we did!

A nice shot of her with Ian, who is transforming from toddler to little boy before our eyes.


And one with Jocelyn, who decided just before this was taken that the headband would make a nice accessory for her new dress.


Here's a nice shot of Momma and her cherubs (and of our as-yet unfinished mudroom in the background).


Nana came to enjoy the chocolate chip pancakes whipped up by yours truly...


...which the little man and Jocelyn did quite a number on.


After breakfast these days Jocelyn likes to pretend she is getting ready to drive to school with Grammy with her backpack on.


At one point Momma decided to hop into my lap to thank me for breakfast, which caused Jocelyn and Ian to want to climb up too. The more the merrier I guess.


As we got near nap time Jocelyn and Ian got a special treat, a story read to them by Nana. They ate it up and were ready to hit the sack right afterward!


We hope all our friends and family had as wonderful a Mother's Day as we did!