Strawberry Picking

I took the kids strawberry picking this morning at Boone Hall Plantation.  We got three big buckets full and plan to eat strawberry shortcake for dessert all week!

Currier's BFF, Conner, is just as wacky as Currier.  Crazy attracts crazy.

Pumpkin Patch 2013

This year our annual trip to the Boone Hall Plantation Pumpkin Patch happened to be the morning after my 40th birthday party.  Although a wee bit hungover, it was still a memorable, fun time. 

Strawberry Picking

It's strawberry shortcakes for dessert tonight! 

Lucky Coin

Trent's sister bought some Greek bread in Tarpon Springs and cut the bread into equal parts for each of her siblings to take home.  She said there was a lucky coin hidden in one of the pieces and to search for it after we all got home.  Guess who found the lucky coin!?

Festival of Lights

We went and saw the Festival of Lights on James Island for the 4th year in a row.  It's become a little family tradition and each year it seems to get better and better.  The kids sat on the roof of the car while Trent kept a hold of their feet through the sun roof.  The kids thought that was so cool.    

We drove through the park twice while singing along to Christmas music in the car.  If this doesn't get you in the holiday spirit nothing will!  The bottle of wine helped us along too!    

We took at brief stop at the festival just long enough to ride the Merry-Go-Round, Climb the rock climbing wall and roast some marshmallows.  

Holiday Traditions

Today we took the kids downtown Charleston to do some holiday window shopping and to check out the amazing train set displayed in the prestigious Hotel Charleston Place.   Window shopping turned into roars of laughter over a naked mannequin's butt in one window.  I'm learning that my children share my sense of humor in all things inappropriate.  We ended our fun little day at the Market Pavilion Rooftop bar drinking Shirley Temples because it was too warm for hot chocolate.  This is a tradition I'd love to repeat each year!    

Turkey Trot 2012

Today I ran my 3rd Turkey Trot in Charleston.  For the past three years we've celebrated Thanksgiving the day before so that I can run the 5K downtown and return to leftovers and then relaxing and Christmas decorating. 

I'm so thankful for a family that is willing to trade the traditional Thanksgiving to support me while I run.  Happy Thanksgiving.   

Festival of Lights

This holiday season has been crazy busy but we still managed to squeeze in the annual tradition of seeing the Holiday Festival of Lights on James Island.  As we were rushing there to get in the gate before it closed, we got a lovely speeding ticket for $85.  Merry Friggin Christmas! 

Gingerbread Nightmare

Last Saturday night we hosted a sleepover for a small army of kids and I had the brilliant idea of keeping them busy by building gingerbread houses.  It was an absolute nightmare trying to get six gingerbread houses to keep from collapsing while the icing dried.  And trying to teach patience to six kids all cracked out on sugar was impossible.  Everyone cried at some point in the evening including me!  Merry Christmas. 

Oh, Christmas Tree

The annual "Get over there and pretend you're hanging an ornament on the Christmas tree and I'll take your picture.  No, make it look realistic like you're actually hanging it not just touching it!  No, touch the hook part not the actual ornament!  That's not the hook part!  Just touch the... oh, forget it and just smile!" 

Visiting Santa

We took the kids to see Santa last week.  Rya asked for "housekeeping" and Santa said, "What?  Ice skates? You want ice skates?"  Currier asked for Wii and Santa asked, "What kind of games do you want to go with the Wii?"  Currier replied, "Lego Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean!"  Santa said, "Those are Legos to build not video games to play.  What kind of Wii games do you want?"  Currier had to explain to Santa that Lego has Wii games and he was quite shocked that Santa didn't know that!  Way to go Santa!     

Opening Doors for Prizes

This is the first year that we did advent calendars.  We usually just do the paper chain for our Christmas countdown but this year we decided to add to the excitement of Santa's ETA.  If you ask Currier what he's been up to lately he'll say, "Opening doors for prizes!"    

Letters to the Bearded Fat Man

The kids drafted their wish lists for Santa and mailed them to the North Pole.  Currier wants Wii, Wii games, Legos and chocolate covered cherries.  Rya wants "housekeeping" (a kitchen set), Tinkerbell Barbie, books and chocolate covered cherries.  Santa might have to put in some overtime to pull this off!

Friday Favorites—Santa's Key

Currier has been losing sleep over the fact that we don't have a chimney and fireplace for Santa to enter our house on Christmas Eve.  I found the solution at Wonder Works of Charleston.  This is a magic key that we leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve so he may enter our home in a more dignified way.  Problem solved!  Happy Friday.  

Thanksgiving 2011

I suppose its become a tradition in our house to celebrate Thanksgiving the night before...

So that we can wake up early on Thanksgiving and run the Turkey Trot 5K downtown Charleston.  This year Currier ran it with me.  Aside from his whining through The Battery that he was "so thirsty" and the piggy back ride he begged for half of King Street, he did great and I'm very proud of him for accomplishing a 5K run at the age of five.  

Now it's time to eat some leftovers, decorate for Christmas, take a nap, eat some more leftovers, take another nap and then eat some more.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Day of the Dead

Today is il Giorno dei Morti, Day of the Dead—an Italian celebration of remembering our loved ones who have died.  Since Currier is Sicilian born, we’ve adopted this tradition in our home.  This morning Currier and Rya woke to presents “brought” to them from the dead.  I’m sure most people think this is morbid but I think it’s a sweet way to open a conversation with my children about death and give them the opportunity to honor and cherish our loved ones who have passed on.