Daphne's 1st Birthday

A beautiful day(s) for a beautiful baby girl surrounded by a loving family.  Couldn't ask for anything better to celebrate ONE!!

Click HERE to see some photos from Daphne's birthday and her 1st birthday party.

Apple Picking at Tougas Family Farm

We decided to take advantage of a beautiful day, keep the girls out of school and head apple picking...minus the weekend crowds.

Even with only 2 teeth, Daphne loved her apple and could be heard sucking the juice of it.  Yum!!

Click HERE if you want to see some more photos.

Photos | Evelina Turns 3

I'm definitely not the best at taking, downloading and editing photos lately.  I finally sifted through some photos from Evelina's 3rd birthday.  Yes, yes...I know it was over 2 months ago, but I'm certain there are a few people who read the blog that would like to see them so here they are. 

One observation, both Evelina and Daphne have more hair now.  Ha!! 

Apple Picking

Over the weekend we took advantage of the beautiful weather and went apple picking.  We figured it may be the last excursion we have as a family of three.  Evelina really enjoyed it.  She was an expert apple picker by the time we left and even held the bag until it got too heavy.  I was looking forward to having a cider donut and thought she would love them, but she preferred munching on the just-picked apples. 

Click here to view some pictures.  

Ogunquit 2012

If you'd like to take a look at a selection of pictures from our week in Ogunquit, ME a few weeks ago, click here. 

We had a wonderful time, the weather was perfection and it was so nice to spend a week with Auntie KK, Mimi and Grandpa.  Evelina was in heaven!!  

We hope to make it a Summer tradition every year.  

Touch-a-Truck

Miss Evelina is obsessed with cars, trucks and trains so when the I heard about a touch-a-truck event up the road in Hopkinton, we couldn't pass it up.  She was hesitant to get in the first dump truck, but once she did, she was hooked.  She loved the fire truck best, couldn't get enough!!

At the Playground

The playground has become much more fun since Evelina learned to walk.  She likes to walk around and explore, look at the other kids playing or swinging, and watch cars or motorcycles zoom by.  By far, her favorite activity at the playground is the sandbox.  She could stay in it for hours, digging and covering up her legs.  She's even been known to throw a tantrum when it is time to leave, so I've started to lure her to other toys instead to avoid a meltdown.  She also loves to "drive" at the playground and walk up the platform stairs to the bridge.  She's even started to enjoy swinging.  It was rough going for awhile, she would cry or protest going in the swing but now she smiles and giggles and asks for more. 
  

Next spring we plan to get a swing set for the yard and possibly a sandbox (if she still likes it).  I'm thinking this would be the perfect 2nd birthday gift!!

Chilly Fall Evening

Just a few shots from this chilly fall evening.  The perfect weather for a cozy fleece, a cute handmade beanie, sidewalk chalk and leaf-hunting. 

Fun Times on the Farm

We've had the opportunity to visit a few farms over the past month or so and Evelina has loved every minute of it. She LOVES observing the animals, reaching out to touch them (when we think it's safe), or even attempting to feed them.  I think the best part is visiting the farms with her favorite family members. 

Davis Farmland with Grandpa, all the way back in August.  Unfortunately, my point and shoot suffered a fatal accident (no worries, no animals were involved) during our trip to Davis Farmland so we missed out on some other great photo opportunities.  That means, we will just have to go back again soon. 

Belkin Family Lookout Farm with Mimi and Auntie K.  A beautiful farm with grapevine covered paths, orchards full of fruit ripe for picking, a fun children's play area, hay pyramid, burlap maize and animals. Evelina loved riding on the train underneath the grapevines and feeling the wind against her face.  We will definitely visit this farm again.  

Beautiful grapevine covered path

Hmmmm...what does a sheep say again?

Red Apple Farm to celebrate a special birthday boy.  Such a beautiful farm, quintessential New England, and the perfect place for a birthday party. Evelina got to visit with friends, go on a hay ride, "feed" animals, enjoy apple donuts and cider slushies...YUM!!  We brought some apples and peaches home from the orchard and they are truly delectable, Evelina thinks so too.  

Mama, I LOVE balloons!!!

Soon enough we will be putting on sweaters to protect us from the crisp fall air, picking out pumpkins for carving, and dressing up Evelina for Halloween.  So much fun!! 

Summer Vacation Week - 2011

Back Lake in Early Morning Fog

Here I go again with a delayed post...oh life, why are you so busy?  

A couple of weeks ago Chris and I took the week off for some family time and a vacation up north...way up north.  We I had grand plans of a beach vacation, something we could turn into an annual tradition (similar to my childhood...but not at Hampton Beach), but I didn't leave us enough time to find something affordable so Chris and I decided to introduce Evelina to the Tall Timber Lodge in Pittsburg, NH.  The same lodge that Chris (and sometime me) ventures to in the winter months for his weekend snowmobiling adventures.  It is such a beautiful and peaceful location nestled in the Grand Bois du Nord, surrounded by lakes and the Connecticut river.

Evelina and I started out the week with a trip to visit the New England Aquarium with "Auntie" Debi.  The highlights for Evelina being the different species of penguins and the top of the huge fish tank.  If she had her way, she would have taken a dive right in.  

 
We headed up to Pittsburg a few days later, on the way stopping at The Basin in Franconia Notch for a little break.  Toddlers and long car rides aren't meant for each other. 

Typically, when we visit the Tall Timber, we rent a cabin, but this time we rented a 2-bedroom apartment with views of Back Lake.  It was the perfect spot for us and allowed Evelina to have her own room...thank goodness since I haven't slept in the same room with her since she was about 3-weeks old.  We weren't sure how Evelina would do sleeping in a pack 'n play overnight because she had only slept overnight at the hospital after she was born and then our house, but she did surprisingly well...minus her typical 1 wake-up that has been plaguing us these days.  One of the best things about the room was that one of the walls of Evelina's bedroom was a shared wall with the Tavern (very sound proof though), so once she was asleep for the night, we would slip over to the Tavern for dinner or drinks with the baby monitor.  SCORE!!   

We spent a lot of time gazing out at the lake, feeding the ducks and ducklings, walking along the dock, loon watching, kayaking and fishing.  Our two big activities were taking Evelina out in the motor boat for the first time and bringing her on her first hike.  

All I can say about the boat ride....she HATED the life preserver.....and sitting still of course.  We putts around the lake until we thought she would lunge overboard.  We hiked the Falls in the River trail in Pittsburg that followed the Connecticut river ending at some beautiful falls.  We were looking for a semi-easy hike, on a flat trail, with beautiful scenery.  What we got was an easy-moderate hike on a very windy, bumpy trail with lots of roots, spider webs and bugs.  It was great exercise...especially for Chris who was wearing Evelina in a back pack.  All of the walking and movement lulled Evelina to sleep and she missed our reward, seeing the waterfall.  We heard that in the fall when some of the lakes are lowered in preparation for winter, that you can actually see Salmon jumping up stream.  

 Overall, we had a fun trip and enjoyed being away from it all, which is easy to do in the middle of nowhere.  Vacationing with a little one is quite exhausting though and it was nice to get back to Casa Ciano.  I'm looking forward to next summer already!!  

1st Trip to Charlestown Navy Yard

Cooling off in the soft grass

We've been busy, busy these days and I've had some serious low back pain to contend with soooo the blog hasn't been high on my priority list.  Photos of our vacation in northern NH will be coming soon, but first, Evelina's 1st trip to the Charlestown Navy Yard a couple of weeks ago.   
 
We couldn't let a beautiful Sunday pass by without taking the opportunity to introduce Evelina to one of the most historic spots in the city, a place that used to be our "backyard".  She even got to experience her first taste of ice cream...yum-o!!  

Pretty archways and blue hydrageas

Old Ironsides

1st taste of ice cream at Emack and Bolio's

Now that's a big ship!!

Fun!!  I wonder how big Evelina will be next year?

The Garden in the Woods

I had been eager to visit Garden in the Woods in Framingham with Evelina since last summer, so when it was featured as one of the Free Fun Friday locations last week, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to check it out on such a beautiful day.  

Lily Pond

Pretty flower, I forgot to look at what it was

It is a wonderful location with lot of flowers and foliage, along with a beautiful lily pond.  Since admission was free, it was PACKED, but it was still peaceful and a great place to have a bench lunch in the shade.  

Enjoying lunch

Curtis Path, Evelina under the arbor, pretty flowers, garden statue, cactus

We will definitely visit again and I will plan to leave the stroller behind so we can explore some other trails.   

Chillin' in the Ergo