April Vacation Fun!

Mady climbing on the Castle

The kids looking at the Castle on Castle Island

These pictures are a little out of order. During the rest of our April vacation we got to do a lot of exploring! We went to a place called Castle Island. We went to the Roger Williams Zoo with some friends and finally we got to explore downtown Boston including a park on the bay called Christopher Columbus park. It was fun!

Climbing on the castle

At the beach at Castle Island

At the zoo in Providence Rhode Island

Madys new bikini

Mady, Noah and Jessica

Flying Kites at the beach

Plaing in a fountain in Boston at Christopher Columbus Park

Mady had to bring her "dog" so people would think she really had a dog. Poor deprived girl.

The kids eating iced lemonade at the zoo- no lids or spoons- FUN times!

The Beach

Ok so like everything else I have to learn THE WAY. If we had moved here by ourselves and didn't know anyone then it would be different but because we know people who have lived here for EVER and so they have a way and we have to learn it instead of doing it however we want. It is good in lots of ways but it definitely has it's disadvantages. Well today was no different.
It is April and we are on our 2nd vacation since we moved here. That seems to be a lot of time off but what do I know. Since we have so much spare time to fill we get to explore all the new things around us (new to the kids and I anyway).
Today the high was 91 so Joe (or Joseph as he's known in this zip code by everyone) said we should go to the beach. I got super excited because we have never been able to just say randomly "let's go to the beach". I should have known better. Anyway, we mentioned this to ThaTha who told her friend and to Joe's cousin, Bobby who has a 5 year old. Next thing you know we were all going.
We got up at our usual 6:30am but for whatever reason we didn't get out of the house until 10:40 (that's the WRONG time I will find out later). Sheila left the house to pick up her friend and meet us there then we called Bobby and set up the time to meet- 11:30. Traffic was horrible because 1-it's April vacation, 2- it's 91 out, and 3- it's Patriots Day (a totally made up holiday that they only celebrate in MA, and another day off). After 5 phone calls from all of our large party, we got to the beach. Joe dropped the kids, me and all of our beach gear off because there was no parking and we would have to lug it.  No one else was there so I took the kids down- a ramp (also wrong I would find out) and set up in one of the only empty spots. After another 6 phone calls from our party everyone was there. Sheila was annoyed with me because I told her "we are at the bottom of the ramp by the bath house to the left. She probably only heard ramp. There are at least 4 ramps in different directions there. When she and her friend got there they said "this is the WRONG ramp". I was unaware there was a right ramp- O Well, now I know.
We settled in and observed the beach goers. It was so crowded- did I mention that? Bobby and Sheila now tell me that we can never come at this time again because you have to leave your house at 7 and get here before 8 so you don't have to pay for parking and you get the RIGHT spot. These are the things I guess I have to learn.
It's really hot so we venture out to the water. Joe told me it would be really cold but I thought he was exaggerating. He wasn't. Picture: It's hot out, you go to get into a hot tub which you expect to be warm but instead it's filled with ice water- BRRRRRRRRRR! The kids definitely didn't mind. They ran around in it all day. They had a blast! They spent more time in the water then they did in the sand but I made sure I got my sand time in....cue the picture of my amazing castle.
Now if you've ever been to the beach with kids, you know it's a lot of work. If you haven't I can tell you it's a lot of work. Getting ready, packing extra clothes, packing lunch, walking back and forth to the water, getting the sand off them, taking them to the potty, making castles, moving your chair and theirs for the tide, walking to the car, anyway you get the point.
I was really nervous because "I'm new" and I got scared I would lose somebody. While we were there a boy Noah's age was lost for so long that 5 officers were called and were all searching for his parents (who happened to be swimming and not even worried he was lost). I couldn't relax I just kept doing head counts and seeing if everyone was ok. This was wrecking havoc on my ankle (sand and newly healed bones do not mix).
After a long day and a ride on the carousel it was time to go. So here are the things I learned (whether I wanted to or not). Get there early! Sit by THE RAMP not just any ramp (at least when you are with those people). Don't bring so much stuff, "when Joseph was a child I wouldn't even let him have a chair or a towel". Get a rolling cooler. Get better beach chairs because hers are really old.
All in all it was fun and I can't wait to do it again....in 2 months.

My castle- I was impressed, nobody else cared.

Mady eating lunch

Noah getting burried by Daddy

The kids making a tide pool with Brie

Noah digging for gold (or something)

more digging

Mady's turn, she will never be doing this again because she got to learn about sand in parts of your body you don't want it and how hard it is to get it off :(

Dance Class

Mady is a busy girl these days so I thought I should share these cute pictures from her dance class. She's there for 3 1/2 hrs a week so it's a pretty big part of our lives- I stay because she insists. I figured out a great way to kill a couple of hours too, downloading shows in my phone so I have something to watch. Noah stays home with ThaTha (Joes mom) so its nice and quiet! She is doing
so well and will be performing at two places as well as having a recital in June.

Caught Red Handed

I had to share this video. It's a little hard to see because I was hiding around the corner. I started taping because I heard him playing a make believe game by himself but then I caught him up to something else... Watch and see.

Favorite Quotes

Kids really say the funniest things. Here are a few of my favorites from the last couple of weeks.

"Dinosaurs didn't die- they moved to Mars" (you never know, he may be onto something)

Noah: "How do Dinosuars bones come out of their body?"

Noah: "Does God live in a tree?"

Mady: "Who is the Devil and why can't God just kill him and all the bad guys?" Good question...then the followup "How do you know all this Mommy?" Ummm......

I asked Noah what he wanted to do for break and he said "Go see Sydnee and Tevon" and I said "we can't this time because its very expensive but maybe in the summer" then he said "I know, lets just send us in a box to their house"- makes perfect sense to me.

Noah: "I love Papa, he says Crap a lot"

Mady to ThaTha (Joes mom)"Daddy said "Fuck" but don't worry I won't" um, you just did :)

Noah: "Mady, is Stupid a bad word? Is I hate you a bad word? Is Butt a bad word? Is Crap a bad word? Is face a bad word?"

Noah "Mommy you're beautiful" (I just like that one, even though it's not funny)

On me going out of town for the weekend- alone. Noah: "you're going away all weekend and we stay here?" Me: "yes but it you will have fun with Daddy" Noah: "will Mady be here?" me: "yes" Noah: "oh ok" (relieved). I guess he's not sure daddy can handle it without the 'other boss' around.

On naming a stuffed animal "Noah what's yours going to be called?" Noah: "OH YEAH!" so that's his name. Believe it or not that's not even the weirdest name we have around here.

On what to wear Mady: "mommy do you like this outfit?" me: "I love it, you look so pretty!". Mady: "I think I'll wear this other one"- ouch!

Mady: "he's irrigating me" (it's irritate).

3.2.1 Blast Off

Star log 08531579: A spaceship has been constructed out of cardboard to fly to Mars in. Our local scientist, Noah M. Bennett is going there to 'walk' the dinosaurs with the little people of Mars. He has informed me that the dinosaurs did not die, they in fact were sent to Mars. While there he discovered that only the good ones live here on Mars$ the bad ones live on Jupiter.


Bad news, we've been taken over by aliens who destroyed our ship. Now we will have to live on Mars forever.

Things I've learned...

OK so I've been here a couple of months, so I now I'm an expert ;). Not really but here are the things I've learned about New Englander's.
1. They seem to all be expert parallel Parker's- which is so far very necessary around here and also is something I am not good at all! (thanks Mom). I am getting better but I still land about 2 feet off the curb and at least 3 feet in front of the other car. However, I also still have Colorado plates so I figure I am excused as the idiot from Co (at least for now).
2. Everyone knows everyone and everyone is a 'townie'. It seems as though they all know each other's, names, family members, where they work, and where they were on Saturday night. I feel a little left out but it's kind of funny too. They probably are thinking "who the hell is this girl and what is she doing in our town?" But that's OK since I was at home on Saturday night. I might note that at least 10 people have told me how this town is known nationally for the number of 'townies'. This means that this town, Norwood has the most number of people who were born here, raised here, raise their families here and then die here in the U.S. I know this because they are very proud of it and have educated me.
3. People around here really love their doughnuts and coffee. I thought Coloradoans were crazy for Starbucks but they put us to shame with the number of Dunkin Doughnuts per sq. mile. Noah and I have started a (bad) tradition of going to DD (that's what they call it) and getting a doughnut between dropping Mady off at school and going to the library on Thursday mornings. While there I have noticed that almost every person going in there knows the girls behind the counter, and they know them and their drink of preference as well. When the person walks in they have their drink ready. It's pretty impressive actually. They all sit at different tables shouting back and forth to each other about the day ahead and how their dad's are doing. I'm sure any day now they will ask me how someone I know is doing. :)
4.  The food really is better. I know~ I curse myself for saying this because I have felt bad every time my M.I.L. has said it to me but it's true. The subs are better, the pizza is better, the Chinese is better....my waistline is rounder. Not only that but they seem to deliver almost anything which could become a very unhealthy and very expensive habit. But if it's only in moderation then I suppose it's OK- right?
5. Mothers. Well I haven't cracked the code on that yet but they seem to be part of an elite, invitation only club that meets every Tuesday (at DD of course). This is all speculation of course. It's OK though because I know I'm awesome and they eventually will realize it and invite me in, after the extensive background check and the Colorado plates are gone of course. :)
6. Grandparent's. They seem to be a very important part of raising a family around here. It's nice. A lot of the families all live in the same town so the day to day routines are done by both the parents and the grandparents such as school pick up and drop off, library time, and DD visits.
7. Everyone talks funny. Just kidding.
There's more but I should probably participate in bedtime and all of that. I wonder where I can get a group of grandparents that will do that for me so I can just sit here and blog all day. ;)