A Warm So. Cal. Halloween

As if traveling to Florida wasn't enough for the month of October, on the Saturday before Halloween we gathered the troops once again and headed back to Logan Airport (thanks Peggi!) to board our 6 hr flight to California.  Oh man was that a looooong 6hrs.  I didn't know how easily a little 2 year old girl could slip through airline seat belts! ;).  This time I armed myself with more 'surprise' toys than ever before, keeping them busy and somewhat happy while we headed to the West Coast.  We couldn't wait to get there and see Grandma, and run around in the warm sunny weather.

Unfortunately, we got 'warm' in more ways than one.  Vince came down with a fever about 2 days into the trip... and had one for about 1/2 the total trip!  I don't think there has been one time that all 5 of us has been well at the same time.  He didn't let being sick slow him down too much though, he definitely enjoyed his time being spoiled by Grandma, and we still got out and trick or treated with friends, got to go to Disneyland, and got to visit Descanso Gardens and Griffith Park.

Halloween is Always Better at Disneyland!

Vince's Dream Come True

Ok, I'm still trying to get through October.... and Vince reminded me that I better write about 'Day Out with Thomas'.  In case you're wondering, he's still crazy about trains....  so we decided to squeeze in yet another activity in October, somewhere between flying to Florida and flying to California.  I know, crazy month-but fun!  At least we had good luck this time at the Thomas event, as this year it wasn't unbearably hot, and Sir Topham Hat didn't pass out like he did last time we went.  We bought tickets for the 9:50am train, thinking we'd get there in plenty of time and be able to catch a few rides before getting on our scheduled ride.  I'm realizing that it's a bit harder these days to keep up with my track record of being able to get places relatively on time even with multiple children in tow.  Between the kids slowing us up, and Mike missing the correct exit, we ended up practically running onto the train in order to make it!  

We met our friends, jumped on the train and off we traveled through the cranberry bogs of Edaville.      

At the end they let you take pictures with Thomas at the front of the train. 

 Vince didn't want to leave

Only piloting a plane like the Red Baron could get him to leave Thomas!

And this time we got a picture with Sir Topham Hat, sans face on the floor

Mike the Knight!

Luca had fun with his first ball pit experience.   

"Mom! What am I supposed to do in here!?"

Vince and Zoë on the other hand, new exactly what to do

(guess who got in trouble for throwing the plastic balls!)

At one point Zoë completely disappeared and went submerged for a few minutes.

Silvestro Family Reunion

Over Columbus Day Weekend, we gathered ourselves and the kids and headed down to Florida for a fun filled 5 days at Disney's Vero Beach Resort, along with 50 other Silvestro family members!

It was a blast being able to hang out with everyone, and have the kids get to know their cousins/aunts/uncles... and everyone in between; while running from the beach to the pool all day!  I for one LOVED the warm weather and sun, couldn't get enough of it.

To highlight the most memorable moments:
-being able to see so many family members all at once, and play all day together!
-Some of Mike's siblings organized a photographer so we could get lots of family photos together and with everyone
-Can't forget what a pain the A$* Zoë was while trying to take all the photos!  We're lucky we got any good ones
-the pool, beach, and water slide
-the mini golf course right near the pool (awesome!)
-the TONS of kid friendly activities that we could sign the kids up for, such as "pirate sword crafts", and what became all our favorite, the "unbirthday party".  Following the theme of Alice In Wonderland, there was an unbirthday party that the kids could go to where they spend an hour at a pretend birthday... doing things like musical chairs, hitting a piñata, and decorating a cupcake.  It quickly became our favorite activity when we realized that it was a kid activity where you could DROP THEM OFF FOR THE HOUR!  Once we found that out, we dropped them off, and ran out of there straight to the poolside bar, got some drinks, and chilled for an hour while our little people were entertained ;)
-Getting Vince to finally go down the water slide, and seeing his big happy grin on the way down
-The Goofy and Donald Duck Pirate Dinner!  18 of us marched into the hotel restaurant with reservations for the pirate themed dinner, of which everyone was fitted with our own pirate bandana and eye patch (yes, even Luca), and all the cousins were able to bring their above mentioned "pirate sword craft".   Vince took it a little too far and insisted on using his sword to attack Donald and Goofy whenever they got anywhere near our table.
-Watching Nonna get escorted in to the afore mentioned pirate dinner by none other than Pirate Goofy himself, and gracefully wrapping her pirate bandana as a classy scarf around her neck.  that was cool.
- celebrating cousins Joey and Chris's 5th birthday with everyone!
-making our own cotton candy with my new wish list item the Nostalgia Electrics cotton candy maker. thanks Lori!

PIRATE DINNER PICS:

 All the cousins reciting the pirate oath

 Vince starts attacking Donald, and doesn't stop

 All the cousins giving Goofy hugs, except Vince whose ready to attack

 A pirate says what Zoë?!  Arrgghh!

Some fun at the beach!  yes, poor Zoë inherits lots of boys hats/clothes from brother Vince, but this hat looks cute on her so it's ok

                                     

Vince, with cousins Bella (left) and Noelle (right), contemplating the next build on their sand castle

 Vince would have tried to dig up the whole beach 

Luca, relaxing in the shade

Zoë took over sand castle building at some point

taking a rest 

Vince and Zoë admiring our view

This resort being Disney property, it was geared for kids...... of all ages.  I think everyone took a turn down the water slide at one point or another.  Even Mike's Dad, who everyone gasped at when he came shooting down the slide like a bullet!

Luca had fun splashing around with Pop-Pop

 My boys!

Mike's turn down the slide!

 My turn!

  Cute cousin Melina always taking care of Luca

Vince and Zoë always missing Noelle and Andrew

Mike's nephew Brian, his wife Lori, and Nicholas, Bella, Chris and Joey.  We never get to see them enough!  

 Mike and all his siblings

 family photo with Nonna and Pop-Pop

Storyland!

Over Labor Day weekend we took a two night trip up to Storyland in NH.  For those of you not from the Northeast, Storyland is an amusement park geared to kids 12 and under.  There are lots of rides for the little ones, and also a bunch of areas for the kids to just play.  As a point of reference, there were only 5 rides that Zoë was too small to go on.

The drive through the White Mountains to Storyland was really beautiful.  We stopped at one of the scenic overlooks and took this picture of Vince and Zoë:

Not all of the pictures we took came out as nice.  In fact, I'm still convinced our family is cursed when it comes to trying to get descent pictures of us together.  Here's a video Lisa made of a few pictures we took:

That's Vince fooling around and taking Zoë out, then Zoë stomping away.

We stayed at a little motel called the North Colony Inn that had an awesome playground for the kids.  It was the only place that we could find with decent reviews that didn't require a 3 night stay for the long weekend.  From what we read about it, it's great for little kids since they have an awesome playground.  Here's a picture of the treehouse they had there (with Mike and Vince looking out the windows!):

Um, where can I get one of these for our backyard!  This is the coolest little treehouse

Luca and Zoë swinging in the sunshine!

Storyland has a deal that if you enter the park after 2pm, you can come back another day.  Since the park closes at 5pm, that's the perfect amount of time for the little ones.  We went for 3 hours the first day we got there, and then back for more the next day.  Here are some of the highlights in photos.

The kids got to meet Curious George, but Zoë wouldn't get closer than 10 feet.  Instead, she insisted on a constant stare, like a deer in headlights, frozen, until we finally had to pick her up and carry her away.  Only Vince went for the photo op, and he was a bit freaked by the giant George also.

Lisa, Vince, and Zoë taking a ride on the little train.  Any surprise that this was the first ride they went on?

Lisa and Zoë on a ride.  We couldn't convince Vince to get on, but this was towards the end of the first day and he was getting pooped.

The pumpkin carriage ride to Cinderella's castle, and 2 random kids.

Vince loved the pumpkin ride!

Zoë was overwhelmingly excited to meet Cinderella.  Vince was too shy to go up to her.

Zoë had to ride the carousel three times before we could get her off!

On the Storyland equivalent of a ferris wheel.

Towards the end of day 2.  We needed to give the kids something to keep them going, but maybe this was a little too much...at least she didn't yak that cotton candy/popcorn mixture back up! (although she sort of looked like she might when I took this picture)

Both days we were there we went to the Glen Junction restaurant for breakfast.  The place has a train theme, and you can see the train track hanging from the ceiling in the picture below.  It was probably Vince's favorite restaurant EVER, and it made for a relaxing meal for whoever sat next to him.

And it's Vince at it again, making sure to taint our family photos with a funny face!

After our second day in Storyland, we took a ride on the North Conway scenic railroad.  The ride was about an hour total, and it was a nice relaxing way to end a long day for the kids. 

our engine

Views of the White Mountains.  We sat in an open air coach.

I can't believe that Zoë sat still long enough for this photo.

                      Everyone watching as the engine is moved from one end of the train to the other.

This was Vince's favorite thing to watch!

We'll definitely be making another trip up to Storyland at some point.  It was fun to be able to go on some of the 'big kid' rides with Vince..... and makes me look forward to so many more things we can do as the kids get older!  (including get more sleep... haha!)