Statue of Liberty

Had a great day today! We went to the Statue of Liberty... It was the first time I was up in the crown... we had to order tickets on line in July and everything was booked till now. We started our day in total tourist mode which means one thing.... Pictures!

Here are my boys on the way to the terminal to get our tickets and go through security...

Next was the ferry ride to Ellis Island...

Well I don't believe Ellis Island was the most memorable for the boys, not sure they could really grasp and appreciate what being an immigrant means. Especially seeing the old pictures and stories of pogroms and to see the poverty and oppression people left behind to get a chance at a new life under our freedom. This is our ferry ride from Ellis Island to Bedloe's Island... (I never knew that the island that the Statue of Liberty is on actually had a name... I learn something every day.)Here is an old version of Lady Liberty's torch in the lower level of the monument itself. Here we go up the stairs to the crown! it was tight, claustrophobic.... the stairs were barely wide enough for me and I'm a little guy! This is a view from the bottom up... Here's my boys about half way up the stairs...
I did not dare to look over the side, I took this one by sticking my hand out with the camera. Now for those of you who don't know, I used to climb telephone poles for a living and it didn't bother me... I also fly and it doesn't bother me... but this did. Here is a view down from about half way up.

Once at the top the view was awesome,

What was eerie was the monument swaying in the wind.... The shell looked so flimsy it was not a comfortable feeling... I found that it was giving me vertigo.

We had some time to take pictures, get some historic tidbits from the Ranger stationed at the top.Then we started our way down... again the steep stairs were not very comforting. If someone fell there would be no stopping yourself. Also adding to the secure feeling is the steps! They are stainless steel and only big enough to fit a size 8 1/2 shoe (SMALL). Here is what the view down looked like...Here is the opposite view...

Once we got down we walked around the upper observation deck and the boys marveled at the view from the bottom up.

(This is what Ryan was looking at.)This is a couple group pictures on the same level...We went down one more level and the vantage point of the monument got much better...

Next we went inside for a tour of the museum. There were some good displays of the molds used to hammer out the copper used on her outer shell. There was this backdrop that was perfect for a picture...There was some copper displays of her feet that the boys enjoyed sitting on. One of her face, which Sean couldn't resist... he had to pick her nose :-D

By this time we were all getting very tired... the 354 steps to the top (and the trip down) had us tired. So we hopped the ferry back to Jersey and got some good pictures on our way.

I think we'll remember this day for a long time. I know I will.

Halloween Party

Time for the annual Halloween Party at Aunt Sharon and Uncle Paul's golf club. It was really cool and has been getting better each year. there was the haunted hay ride... and of course tons of pictures for mommy and daddy :-)

Pumpkin Pickin to Pumpkin Carving

Picked pumpkins a few weeks back...

finally carved those pumpkins this weekend....

NJSP Bear Scout Tour

Uncle Bri was nice enough to open the station to Sean and Ryan's Bear Scout Den. Unfortunately some of the kids were anything but good. Either way, I really enjoyed the tour... Here is the group photo...

Here is a laser speed detector....The boys in the holding cell...

Here is a picture outside in front of a memorial to fallen troopers.

Mobile command center...

THANKS UNCLE BRI!!!!

Back To School

Boys (and now Gabby) are back to school and adjusting very well to third grade... we had a lot of concern. Seems 3rd grade is a time when kids emerge into little adults. They change paradigm from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn' and some times it can be difficult.... well so far so good. Marching toward school... one final look back....

Summer Vacation (Belated)

Goodness how time goes by so quickly, its already September, the kiddos are back in school and I haven't posted our vacation pictures yet! Vacation that happened at the end of July. We had a really good trip to the shore this year. We rented a house with Aunt Kristin and Uncle Mike. It was not as crazy as I thought it was going to be and we really had lots of fun (adults included).

As usual, I dig a huge hole for the kids to play in. This year there were multiple holes connected, one hole was the 'technology room' another the 'Aquarium' and the third was the bathroom.

Eventually when the bulldozer that cleans the beach came by it got filled in... in that case I used what was left to bury the boys....

Then there was all the fun in the surf... The boys played football with me and their uncles.
Plenty of boogey boarding....Pictures at the shoreline...

A night at the boardwalk is always included... Then there are oodles and oodles of family pictures....Then the long sought after beach pictures.... these went on for multiple nights, keeping it short so we didn't get frustrated when we didn't get the 'perfect' picture.

It was a really great vacation, one of the best I can remember.

Labor Day 2009

Mimi had her annual party the whole family was there... I got to hold the newest member of the clan....

There was a Dora bouncer that we all enjoyed.... even the adults....

Happy Birthday

Wow is this late in posting... You had a good birthday. Both of you boys hinted heavily that you'd love a surprise party and since you haven't spoken of it in some time we decided to surprise you.

You also had a laser bowling party with your friends from school.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS!!!!

End of School

Wrapped up the year with an award ceremony... also had field day which was canceled 3 weeks in a row because of the lovely rain...

Happy 4th

An early Happy 4th of July! Can't believe my boys are going into 3rd grade... utterly amazing! School ended on a good note although the weather has been terrible. Its been raining almost daily and its really wearing on us all. We're trapped inside bored and all we wanna do is eat and bicker...

Work has me traveling a little bit lately. Was in DFW a few weeks ago and was caught in a tornado northwest of Dallas. That was a moment of terror... the worst part was when the lights went out... Next I'm going to California outside San Jose. Hopefully there will be no wild fires or mudslides.

Counting down the days till vacation... Looking forward to the Jersey Shore BABY!!!

Sesame Place 2009

Had a long day at Sesame Place. It was fun, there was a new attraction called water city where a HUGE bucket of water would dump on everyone below.... It really was a cool attraction. We road on rides, hit the water slides and floated in a lazy river. It was fun.

Now time for bed for EVERYONE. I'm exhausted.

Just came home from a birthday party. There was a slip'n slide.

Memorial Day

We had a really good weekend, but Holiday weekends seem to go by so fast. The boys and I marched in the Memorial Day parade.

Here's my boys ready to go....

the Boys and their den marched in the parade... here we are assembling before the parade started.... here is Pack 104...

Passing some time, still waiting for the parade to start....

OK, the parade started, now just need to wait for our slot in the line up....Finally marching...

Ryan and Sean got to hold the Den flag with all the scout's signatures....Mommy and Gabby met us toward the end of the parade... One of the best memories is my nephew Jack trying to say Chocolate Truck...

Happy Memorial Day.

First Sleep Over and Boardwalk

We had our annual trip to the beach today. It was a little chilly, but we had plenty of fun on the rides in Point Plesant, NJ.

The day started when we picked the boys up from their first sleep-over ever... Niecie was very nervous but survived. From what we heard, Ryan was the first to fall asleep around 10:40 but was up at 2 AM sleep walking (trying to find the bathroom--he has no recollection of the event). Sean was up till 11:30ish, and all the kiddos were awake by 5:30 AM.

When we first got to the boardwalk the boys were really excited. Ryan jumped up on the hood and laid out... I had to get a picture.

Then Sean followed suit...
We went on the roller coaster first...
Then the swings...

There were a bunch of other rides, especially the Starship (its a spinning disk that all the kids go inside and stick to the walls) which the boys road on at least 3 times. It was a really good day seems like everyone had fun. Now its an EARLY bedtime.

Wolf Scout Graduation!!!!

My boys are now Bear Scouts! Finished up the Wolf Scout season with a few more achievements to complete... time to start Bear. SIGN'S UP BOYS!!!!

Bronx Zoo

Just got back from a field trip to the Bronx Zoo. It was really busy and trying to follow two buses around NYC highways was crazy. Ends up the kids go dropped off at the gate and we had to go all the way around to park. We had to weave our way across the whole zoo to meet up! It was fun, the kids were well behaved, the animals were cool but many exhibits were closed.
The front gate...

Fountain just inside the main gate...Sean's Class 2M ...Taking a break to check our maps....A break for lunch....
Off we were to see Camels (cousin's of the LLAMA!!!)

Tropical Birds...
Dances With Wolves....(can you hear the theme song???)
Mr. Peacock...who was free to roam on the grassy lawn between buildings. He was attracted to a glass mirrored ball in the center, he kept walking around a pecking at it...(this Photo Taken By Sean)More Map checking... Penguins...

More wanderings...

Ryan's Class 2K ....(Most photos taken by Ryan himself)
Love the shades Ry!!!!
African Shara
Lemurs of Madagascar...Mr. Mountain goat...
Chips and Chimps...
Bird...
Mr. Seal....

Mr. Ryan....

Holy Communion

Unfortunately I don't seem to have the time that I used to have to blog... Sean and Ryan had their First Communion this weekend! It was really great, they're getting so big so fast. We had the Holy Communion on Saturday evening (my Protestant Mom was beside herself :-D). The party was on Sunday. Seems though (hindsight being 20/20) we would have done it all on the same day if we could do it over. There were many guests that wanted to see the Communion but because of the trip did not come and just came to the party the next day. We started with some nice pictures of my boys in the backyard.

We weren't allowed pictures or video during the Mass. But afterwards we got some great pictures... First with Mimi.Then with Fr. Dan.Then my Handsome boys.... They were very photogenic this evening... Then a family picture (Gabby always seems to have a itch at the wrong time and doesn't have the social grace to scratch in private... we're still working on that). After a family dinner out at the Macaroni Grill we got one final picture of Mommy and her boys... Ryan And Sean... When Sunday rolled around it was time to celebrate.... Starting with family pictures.... Here are some candid shots from the party. We won a bouncy rental at a tricky tray and put it to good use.

Then it was time for cake...

Well my boys have taken their love of Llama's to another level. Sean came home with a llama license showing him as llama lord Jr. Sean then helped Ryan create his own license.

I asked Ryan what he played at recess and it was llama. Evidently this game is more involved than you would expect a 2nd grader to come up with. Their are different levels that they can achieve starting with spy and then you can work their way up to llama lord gold level... very interesting.

I recommended the boys create llama trading cards. I'm interested in seeing what they come up with.

Love the LLAMAS

Sean and Ryan have a love affair with llamas, inherited from a best friend at school. I was out with a buddy going to do some 'service work' and drove past a farm with llamas. I made a field trip out of it during spring break. The boys absolutely loved it... Check out the 'angel' face on that little girl...

Two happy little llama-lovers...

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Had an Easter egg hunt... ate some candy... went to Church...

Went to Aunt Ki-Ki's...