VIDEO: Is She Headed for Broadway?

Before I get to the video, here are some group photos from last week.

Below is what I look like after a LONG day of watching the kids. I admit that I breathe a sigh of relief when bathtime is over because that means the kid's bedtime is near!

 Aunti Becca was home last weekend and she spent her Friday night with us. The kids can't get enough of the Happy Feet penguin on her iPhone.

 It was really windy on Saturday so it shouldn't have come as a surprise to us that we lost power...all day! We managed to keep warm by lighting a fire and staying in the living room with it. Here we all are snuggled up. Later that day, we went to a museum and out to dinner. It was the first time at a restaurant that the kids ate and behaved like little people (no highchairs or booster seats even!). For fear of jinxing us for the next time, I won't dare declare that we have reached that point where eating out with the kids is more enjoyable than it is frustrating...but that's what I'm hoping.

 I got some awesome like-new sparkly "Princess" shoes for G to wear for Easter at the local Savers (a really great second-hand store). They are slightly big but she loved them. Here she is dancing in them.

...And finally - here is the VIDEO of her singing and dancing in her new shoes. If you're unfamiliar with the song, it's the "I Love You" song that Barney (the purple dinosaur) sings at the end of his show. Enjoy!

February festivities (or lack of?)

Last week Chunky's (a local movie chain that serves food while showing movies) had a free showing of The Little Mermaid, so my friend Adrianne and I each took our 2 kids to see their first movie in a theater (with the exception of Sebastien, as this was his second). Everyone had a great time, and the best part was that no one had to be silent since kids were squawking and occasionally running all over. We made it through the whole movie and all 6 of us were happy at the end- quite the accomplishment, if you ask me.

Here's a picture that Adrianne took of her girls and us at the table.

 The rest of our week was pretty low key, and that continues through this week. Here's Dan and the munchkins relaxing one evening.

 Sebastien's new favorite game is playing "grocery store." He takes turns with his sister (when she cooperates) ringing up the food, bagging it, and being the customer.

 Mostly, though, Genevieve just walks around finding things to wear on her head. These are the plastic inserts to a couple helmets. She looks like a science experiment.

 Yesterday the Richard girls came over and we had a wonderful playdate. It was so warm outside (low 50s) for February. We collected some pinecones outside and painted them, as you see here.

The weeks keep flying by. One after the other. Genevieve's 2nd birthday isn't too far off. Where has the time gone!

Boston Aquarium

There's no better way to spend a cold snowy/rainy February day then at the New England Aquarium in Boston with the family. Having learned the hard way, we knew to arrive at 9am right as the doors opened because it gets uber-crowed by 11. Since we had the place practically to ourselves for the first 40 minutes, we were able to see everything at the kid's preffered pace, which was RUN! We had an early lunch there too, and ended our visit in the new room with stingrays that you can touch. They were both smooth and slimy feeling.

No, I didn't buy this picture from the aquarium, but this small version was available free (well, if you know how to take a print screen) on their website.

 Genevieve and Phillip look at the penquins

 Dan and Sebastien look at the "New England Ponds" tank and find a sunfish which Sebastien is still proud to say that he caught one of them while fishing months ago.

 Grandma shows Genevieve the starfish

 Grandpa and Sebastien look down into the big circular tank as the giant sea turtles swim by.

 Genevieve needed a little break so we came into the playroom.

 This is the new stingray touch-tank room. So cool! Both kids weren't afraid to touch them...and of course Genevieve wanted to jump in.

 Us outside the aquarium.

What a fun morning!

Super Bowl Weekend

So I'm going to throw you for a loop by showing you pictures from not a football, but a hockey game. Yes we went to see the UMass Lowell Riverhawks play Vermont in hockey on Friday night. The kids loved it, especially Sebastien. Below is a picture with his friend Luke. I don't think either of them stopped pointing and giggling for about a half hour after arriving.

 Genevieve found the game entertaining as well.

 Can you believe she'll be 2 next month? Where has the time gone?!

My Super Bowl snacks: 

 I was quite surprised to find that all 3 of us (Dan excluded) had Patriots attire in our closets. Worked out perfectly for the super bowl.

 Grandma and Sebastien in matcing (well almost) jerseys.

Even though the Patriots lost, it was an entertaining game. The kids did great and stayed up for the whole thing. I even thought the half-time show was amazing.

Lately...

I wonder if they'll still be doing this when they are 16 and 17?

I'm sure I know my answer, but one can hope.

These tracks are definitely signs of a good day spent outside. Too bad that all of this snow is now melted. I can't believe how little snow we've had this year (especially when compared to how much we had last year!).

Friday night the O'Donnell's came over for a visit. We put Genevieve to bed and the boys stayed up and watched Charlotte's Web.

Saturday we went to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. it was really nice. They both loved all of the animals on display and Sebastien liked the dinosaur bones. Sebastien was especially fond of using the magnifying glass, seen here.

The kids looking at some prehistoric fossil bones.

Why not take a family picture in front of a gigantic prehistoric sea monster? If only it were Christmas card season, right?

Cozy winter nights...

Sunday we went back into Boston because Dan and I had a crazy idea that we'd take the kids to FAO Schwartz. Well, after walking around and not finding it, we later learned that it closed in 2003. Whoops! (Thanks Google Maps for being up-to-date!) Luckily walking through Boston Gardens and playing at the playground in the Common was enough activity for the kids and we ended up having a pretty darn good day. Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's, complete with all Masse siblings, was a cherry on top. Oh, and Downtown Abbey being on afterwards was a second cherry. :)

VIDEO: Diva Sings Jingle Bells

When I filmed Genevieve singing Jingle Bells this morning, I only intended for you to get the pleasure of watching her sing. I did not intend for the full Diva to make an appearance. Luckily (un unluckily?) for you, it did. Here Genevieve hams it up in the spotlight, but then unleashes the diva when it's Sebasten's turn to shine. (Warning: You may want to turn down your computer speakers at the end.)



And then there was cold

The cold set in this weekend. I think the low was in the low single digits last night. We, however, decided not to let it keep us from going to our first Newbury Bonfire. The town of Newbury, MA burns all of their Christmas trees at once in a big bonfire event. We bundled up and headed out.

Here are the kids bundled up in the stroller. It was probably in the 20s, so not as cold as it could have been, but man was it chilling.

 The warmth of the huge fire was a comfort. Unfortunately we didn't hang out too much by the fire, as there were food and beverage stands that needed to be sampled.

 And it wouldn't be a bonfire without some goats (?). Genevieve loves goats but was upset that her gloves prevented her from sticking her fingers up its nose, which is her favorite goat activity.

It's hard to see Sebastien in this video because I shot it with my camera which doesn't allow for a flash while filming. Nonetheless, hopefully you can make him out dancing. We were waiting in line for fried dough (or "elephant ears" as they're known to my midwestern crew) and Sebastien decided to make the best of it.

The next morning, Sebastien made pancakes...well, with some help.

 The red pancakes turned out pink but no one minded. We used our smiley face pancake maker too.

 Yummy!

 Then Daddy decided they could handle the 14 degree weather to go outside to play. Here they are bundled up. Genevieve only made it about 40 minutes, but Sebastien would have stayed out there all day if we let him. Dan is so proud of his snowbunnies. Next winter we ski!