Switzerland, Storyland, and Everywhere in Between

We're still trying to recover from our summer trips!  Switzerland was amazing and wonderful, and I feel so very lucky that we were able to travel there with my mother.  However, along with bringing back tons of memories (and several pounds of chocolate), we also brought back a little post traumatic stress over traveling on a plane with our three kids.  That plane trip to Europe has been declared as the last time we all fly together until Luca is at least 5 years old (which is fine cause it'll take that long to financially recover from that trip, lol).  We would, however, reconsider, in situations such as reunions or weddings.  Just in case you were worried.

Here's a link to our Switzerland photo book (hope it works, click below):

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=wIatWTNwxas2rkY

In a nutshell, it was fantastic.... and it was so fun to see my cousins, and wander around in the mountains with the kids. We can't wait to go back in 4 years! 

Ok, life is a bit crazy: the kids are growing up at this super fast rate, and I can't get myself to this blog to record how Vince, Zoë, and Luca are changing every day!  So here's everything that's happened since Switzerland, that I can remember at this moment, in lightning fast speed:

-Mike turned 40 Oct 1st (haha!), we went to New Hampshire for it.  The trip did happen to center around the kids, and going to Storyland, but we all had a blast, and we got to stay in an awesome condo that my coworker owns.  It was a perfect fall weekend, with the trees turning amazing orange, yellow, and red colors, with blue skies above.  We also took a drive up Mt. Washington, and had spectacular views to forever. 

-We had fun at Halloween, with Luca finally being able to walk door to door to get candy.  The problem was he kept wanting to just stop and eat whatever was thrown into his bag... it made for a very slow move down our street. 
I absolutely could not pass up the chance to make Mike wear a hotdog costume-being that Vince was aching to have his Dad be a hotdog.  Mike was a good dad and played a hotdog with pride.

-Skipping several things I really wanted to remember to mention on the blog (like milestones, Luca saying "milk", etc.), I'll have to stick with whatever I can remember at the moment.  Unfortunately that mainly means only the disastrous calamities that we go through with the kids. 
Not sure why the first day of Zoë going to preschool this September didn't really stand out.... but maybe it was cause she just took off and joined her classmates without so much as a goodbye wave.  Before I was even able to try and reflect on my baby girl starting preschool,  I had to come to my senses and chase down Luca, who was already out the door and making his way to the parking lot.
-I do remember very vividly however, the beads of sweat that broke out on my forehead a few weeks ago, as we attempted a family photo shoot.  It was an epic failure, that not only left me and Mike with a few extra grey hairs (and some chuckles later on), but apparently also left some family in the next photo room with pictures that included our kids running in the background.  Our photographer felt so bad, she let us schedule a "re-do" shoot.  That time we got a few good ones in:

oh Vince.... 

 don't trust that smile for a second!

 -Talking about vivid memories, and that little smile above that you should NOT trust....tonight's dinner included the first food fight we've ever had.... started up by our youngest little hell raiser.  He got the idea that it would be hilarious to throw ketchup laden fish sticks at Zoë.  Despite several attempts at telling him to stop, then finally yelling... he didn't stop until Mike practically tackled him off the dinner table.  We did learn that Luca has somewhat of a good arm tonight, and we are soooo in for it with this kid.

-Ok, here's a happy milestone to celebrate.  Zoë has finally graduated to a real bed, and tonight is her first night sleeping in it!  I've been so excited for this, as now I can cuddle in bed with her and read, as we did tonight:

Other things I want to remember:
-our first fish, Swimmy-Nemo.  Named so because Vince and Zoë couldn't agree on which name it would have...so they both stuck.  
-the way Luca says 'goo-nigh' and gives kisses before bed, then waving bye bye, but with his hand backwards, so he's actually waving bye bye to his own little face. 
-the birthday party we had to have for Vince's stuffed bunny Ollie.  He's 3 now.

-Vince's first official sleep over with his friend Max.  Zoë crashed the room, but got kicked out after a while

 

-our trip to Lego Land discovery center, because even legos like to get down at a disco: