C'Mon Irene...

Hurricane Irene moved in bright and early.  I was nervous because Jason wasn't home.  So not only was I facing a hurricane alone with my little ones, but Jase was going to be on the road driving into the storm to get home to us.

The morning dddrrrraaaagggeeeddd.  Then we lost power around 10:30am which to my knowledge was just the beginning of the storm.  From then the day kind of flew by.  We painted pictures.

We painted a lot........these are just a couple of pictures.

We sang songs, and watched the trees dance in the wind.

Once I saw a few neighbors walking the neighborhood (I had no TV, internet or radio to know the storm was over) we were off.  We were looking for a reason to wear our new rain gear out.  What better than to go out on a puddle hunt??

Kyle's "aaarrgghh" pirate face =)

After a long fun-filled bachelor party weekend for Jay, and a long day with no naps for my little ones everyone was asleep by 6:15pm but me......

Now that I have electricity (after 24 hours), cable and internet back (after30 hours) I learned that our town was the fourth hardest hit by the storm.  I also JUST got a reverse 911 call saying there are shelters open in the town and that most of the town does not have any power.  We really are lucky.  Our damage was some limbs and branches in the backyard.  So thank you to National Grid and Comcast for working around the clock. and Thank You God for keeping my family safe and sound.

Goodbye Irene!!!

Another Piqu-Nique

The babies and I are really loving picnics this summer.  So the other day after a few errands and not wanting to hang at home (I don't know whats wrong with me. I LOVE DeVincent park (aka my backyard), but have not spent much time there at all this summer.)

Anyway, here is Hailey's mad face.  I see this a lot now usually with a "NO" or "That's not fair."

Kyle scarfed down his lunch so he could "put my toes in the water"

When lunch was done thats what they did....played in the water

Just as we were about to explore the area and look for fish there was a loud crack of sounds.  I really thought it was fireworks, but it was thunder like I had never heard thunder before.  We got out of there just in time.  It was a really nice day, and we enjoyed most of it outside, at a picnic =)

Rebecca's Last Day....

I have seen so many pictures of friends and their children at "The Butterfly Place".  I really wanted to go, so when my cousin called and invited us along with her two little ones we were IN.

I prepared for a long day of butterflies and fun.

I even brought Jay's cousin Rebecca along for a fun day out.

Well, after about five minutes inside the small, muggy, butterfly greenhouse; Kyle was over it. Hailey was still enjoying the butterflies.  Thank goodness Rebecca found a hidden goldfish pond.  The only problem was once the fish were found Kyle and Hailey were over the butterflies.

I have to admit I was a little embarrassed: Here I am trying to show Rebecca a really fun day with my family, thinking we are somewhere that will take us a lot of the day (like a zoo would) and we were in and out done in I'd guess about 45 minutes. The Butterfly Place was a little disappointing.  I really thought it was a big place but I was so off.  However, now that I know what to expect I would go again.  I am really excited for when the kids are a little older and they can find and check off all the butterflies on the paper buterfly- finder.

The kids actually had MORE fun playing outside at the picnic tables and eating lunch than inside looking at butterflies.  But we still took our butterfly pics. to remember the day =)

When Raina mentioned going to get an ice cream afterward I was relieved, and of course excited, my little ones LOVE ice-cream.

Have you been to Kimball's?  I never have...and before I go any further, I had coconut chip frozen yogurt and it was delicious!!!  The kiddie ice creams were huge and delicious (and reasonable priced).

We found a cute table too......it had a nest with live baby birds =)  Granted the mommy got kind of close to our heads coming back to feed her little ones, but it was fun to watch.

Not only does Kimball's have delicious ice cream and I do mean delicious....there are bumper boats, an arcade, mini golf courses, and horse rides.  It was a little crowded to explore everything but Kyle was all about the horse.

He has been interested in animals before. But for the most part after we watch them for a bit and I call "OK Kyle, lets go see something else" or something like that...he comes running.  Not today he was captivated and determined to get on the horse.

When I gave him the OK he rushed in and grabbed his helmet,

and got on the horse with no fear.

He LOVED it.  There were smiles, waves to the crowd and Yee-haws!

Hailey had no interest in riding the horse, saying hello to him was good enough for her.

So, what I thought was going to be a long fun day at a butterfly park turned into a long random DeVincent day.  I loved it and look forward to going back to Kimball's as a family fore-some and maybe with a few freinds soon.  But really, I just hope we made Rebecca's last day in Massachusetts a fun, memorable one.  As mundane and random as it was.

Haileys BFF

Hailey has a new BFF.....her cousin Rebecca visiting from Ireland.

The instant they met Hailey trusted her in full and had no issue snuggling with her.

I love that my children have so much extended family so far away, yet feel so connected.

Rebecca has been SO HELPFUL!  Its nice having her around =)  I will be VERY SAD to see her go.  I guess it just gives us ANOTHER reason to go to Ireland.