Abbey's Here!

What a delight! We had a visit from Abbey over Easter weekend. Not only is Abbey well loved in our house, she is an organizational guru (start that business, will you!) and I had some special projects that needed her touch. But first, to see Boston!

There is nothing the kids like more than to take the train into the city, something we don't do enough. My reading machine brought a book to pass the time and the boys loved looking out the window.

There's something about the Swalwell genes that bring out the goofball in everyone. Silly kids in the Boston Public Library. It is truly a remarkable place. We did a quick tour of the library, stopped in at a famous old church and listened to some organ music and picked up Nathan at the office for lunch. We lunched on Newbury Street at Sonsie - delish but not a place to bring three hungry kids. Oh well.
Saturday brought a special Easter picnic at our church. Our favorite barnyard babies made an appearance, there were games, a really yummy brunch and egg hunt.

Sweet sister helping Gabey.

How long can I do matching outfits? I love it!

And can you believe? Abbey had NEVER eaten a peep. I was in utter and complete shock. I fancy myself a bit of a peep aficionado. For instance, I prefer yellow bunny peeps, I will eat pink bunnies, not blue, I don't like the chicks - too thick and I only eat peeps at Easter forget the other holidays they try to push on you. Actually I sound a bit crazy.

Easter morning! The bunny left clues for the baskets though upped it a bit this year with quite challenging clues, a tad too challenging and frustrating we thought. We loved sharing in Abbey's Easter traditions with new jammies for the family - which have quickly become favorites for everyone.
After church picture, we were right on time for the service which earned us a front row seat, gulp.
The jam session, Abbey is so talented with such a beautiful singing voice. Such a pleasure to have live music in our house.
The musicians doing a funny pose. It was a great visit! Come back Abbey!!!

Merry Christmas!

The stockings were filled, the tree lit and the celebration began!

I had wanted a lovely Christmas jammie picture. We staged this one a few weeks before Christmas to no avail.

At least we captured two happy kids on Christmas morning!

Here they come!

One

Two

Three!

A sleigh from Santa for all, a hoop for Gaby

A camera and another special kitty were on the list and Santa delivered!

Matching beanbags from Grammie and Pop Pop. I thought these would be in the basement but each child decided to put them in their rooms for snuggling up and reading stories.

And I bought into the hype of the zhu zhu pets. So very unlike me but my friend Denise and I spent, oh about five weeks, putting together our set - from late night Internet orders to 5:45 AM at Toys R Us. And then a two hour intense session of putting it all together. Can you say loco? That said the kids do enjoy them but I can't believe I spent the time and money on fake hamsters!

Howdy pardner. Cowboy boot slippers from Arizona.

My Christmas jam elf

I must say, it was our best Christmas jam yet. Though no wild and crazy dancing like last year when Maddie performed a very wild interpretive dance. You'll have to see the video!

Yes, Jonathan with a maraca, golf glove and filming himself. You look good J, really good.

Hooray! What a special Christmas.

Christmas Eve

We had a lovely Christmas Eve. Our church had their children's pageant in the afternoon. Maddie was an angel and the boys chose to be donkeys. It was organized chaos with a lot of love.

We headed home and made sure to leave reindeer food on the front lawn. Those reindeer get hungry!

And last but not least the feast! Nathan outdid himself with: Chateaubriand with red wine mushroom sauce, lobster tails, yam ravioli, swiss chard, and a pine nut torte. We also had some amazing wines. It was decadent. Everyone went to bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.

Happy Easter!

We had a lovely Easter. The kids were so excited that the bunny visited. They could hardly wait to run downstairs. The weather was still a bit chilly so the bunny hid the eggs in the house.

And, boy did that bunny outdo himself, he put together an amazing riddle hunt for Maddie and Theo to find their baskets. The clues even made me laugh!

Theo was so exited to open his eggs and find candy! and even money!

Maddie and I went to church while Gabriel napped. Then it was off to an Easter brunch at our friends the Pozens. There were a bunch of friends from Bowen, Maddie's old preschool, there.

Everyone brought eggs for an amazing egg hunt in the yard.

I love this action shot of Theo.

The loot

Sam and Theo

Wonder what they are talking about?

It was then off to anther brunch at the pastor's house who taught the Love and Logic Parenting class I took. It was a very nice group of people and a ton of kids. When we left that brunch, with three exhausted children, Theo said, "Can we come back tomorrow?" It was a joyous Easter!