More Days

Train to NY

Only one person in our group has ever taken the train to NY so we were all counting on Trish to make us look like we all knew what we were doing on this trip. Not just the train but the subways and taxi’s and so on.

We failed at even looking good. Yup…no blending in for us.
Here we are trying to get through the gates for the subway. Swipe and walk…pass the card to person behind you…swipe and walk….pass the card…again. Sounds easy? Does it look like we made it easy?


I tried to get my camera out of my pocket quicker but this is the best shot I got. Here Beryl started thought the gate but the bar swung up and she got high centered. Then she fell down and lost her shoe getting her leg over the top. Yeah! We are true New Yorkers! NOT!

Trish and I standing in Time Square.

M & M’s! This was only one wall.
To my TLC Family! Cheers to you!!!!

Hershey store, M & M store and Accent on Youth - Broadway play!
We also took a look see at ground zero but we didn’t want to tour this area. Had a wonderful dinner and grabbed taxis after the play. We were all home and in bed by 3:30a.m. Cool!

Did you think I was kidding?

Cards.

Cole looking for frogs in their back yard.

Geocaching
We went out looking for a geocache and didn’t find it. Will be trying again in the morning. We did meet a very nice man fishing, so we chatted with him while we looked all around. Cole was very interested in how and what he was fishing for and talked to him the most. When a bass was caught the man showed Cole how to hold it and then let Cole release it back into the pond.
Not finding the cach was ok, had a good time looking and chatting.

Off for our next adventure in the morning!

First CT Days – Cole & Mom

Our flight out to CT was smooth. Cole and I snoozed on the way to LA and then I snoozed more from LA to Boston. We had a window seat on both flights but Cole thought it was better to keep the shade down most of the trip. He would just tell me that it was too bright out and would shut it. I think it helped me sleep a little bit more so I have no complaints.

Andrew had an award ceremony on Wednesday night where he received two awards - one being a $500 scholarship. A big old WHOOP to you Andrew!

Do not know why the tongues come out on many shots of the boys? Is it a boy thing?

The whole Gang

We all managed to sit around one table for meals and more.
Paul, Wayne, Andrew, Peg, Julie, Cole, Tina, Mandy and Beryl.
In addition, card games, lots and lots of card games.
Did I say card games? From the moment I walk up the stairs in the morning until I head down the stairs at night, someone is shuffling a deck and playing dealing. Really enjoying this part of the visiting.


I asked Andrew to look smart and this is what I got. I would post the other photo of him but you have already seen his tongue hanging out.

To be fair, Andrew has been cast as Eugene (the nerd) in a stage production of Grease and these are the glasses he will be wearing.

Proud Parents

Trish, Andrew & Wayne

Cole and I are happy to be a part of this day. I am so very proud of him and am excited for his future. By the way, Andrew will be attending CCSU this fall.

Boys will be boys and Cole LOVES it.

Riley(Andrew’s best friend), Randy, Andrew and Cole all ran outside to sword fight in the front yard. Not that I thought it was Coles idea in the first place, but I thought it funny and cute that it was the older ones who picked up weapons and said, “Let’s go!” and headed out the front door quickly with lots of laughter, whacks, ughs and so on. Cole is having a ball this day.

Mandy in Blues Clues
We attended a children’s stage play that Mandy was in where it was interactive with the kids sitting on the floor. Very cute, Mandy was very animated playing the part of Suds or basically the bar of soap. She did a great job and was fun to watch.

Cole did not want a photo with Blue and informed Beryl as we left “I was forced to take a picture”. Poor poor guy.

Fun - Schools Out – Baseball

WHAT DID YOU DO????
Mom did a favor for someone and that is how she ended up in a cast! Kristi, a Nurse Practitioner in training, had been putting in her last days of internship at the clinic Mom works at. She had not caste anyone before, Mom was asked if she would volunteer so the NP could practice. Mom was also told that they would cast her left arm so as she could wipe her butt with her right that night. Turned out casting her left was a very thoughtful thing to do. Mom loves her job as it is very different each and every week. Who knows what will be next.

Kids have been in their swimsuits as much as possible with the warm weather. Sprinklers, slip n slides and trips to the pools. SUMMER!

SCHOOLS OUT!
Cole received a few awards from his classroom this year. The first is from his teacher who looks at the kids personalities, their school work and so on, then comes up with what she thinks their future holds. You saw it here first BS Groupies!
Mr. President

The MVP award is voted on by his classmates. A real honor and some day he will truly “get” what it means. Right now he says…”Babe Ruth, MVP…Cool!!!”

Last Day of School
I wanted to compare the kids first day and last day of school pictures. They looked so different that I thought I would put them together here so everyone can see.

First Day Last DayMom just kind of says “WOW, what a difference.”

The Giants!
Cole is playing baseball again this year. He could hardly stand it, waiting so long till the season started. Some new rules playing second grade ball: keeping score, wins and losses to name a few.

His favorite position is still catcher but bottom line the best thing about baseball is that he is just playing!

May Happenings!

BMX Man
Cole has asked off and on to be taken to the BMX track and try it out. Mom finally took him and did he ever ride and ride and …ride. He found out that it’s a lot tougher ride than it looked but he did it non stop for almost an hour and a half.Mom finally had to put a stop to his riding because she saw how tired he was even though his words were saying, “I’m not tired”. His hair and shirts were soaked from perspiration and by the time they got home he was a cranky young man. Exhaustion had taken hold and he just didn’t know what to do with him self. (Mom’s have taken note, half an hour ride at the bmx is a good amount of time)

5 minute Cake in a Cup?We tried a Cake in a Cup recipe,
all taking part in adding the ingredients and mixing.
Into the microwave for a 2 min cooking time.

It grew quite high above the rim.LOOKS GREAT…SMELLS GREAT!!!!

Didn’t taste so great. Ha Ha
We are modifying the recipe because making a chocolate cake in less than five minutes sounds too good for Mom to pass up!
It will be perfected!

Porch Flowers

We didn’t make it on Mothers Day but they did finally get planted.Both kids wanted to pick out their own flowers again and were able to do more this year getting them planted.Now if we can get them to water once in a while.

BBQ, Water and Tetherball

Spent a day at the Young Belmont’s Homestead for a day of play and relaxation. Ok, the last part not so much.


Kids gave the slip n slide a whirl, it was not a super hot day nor does a well yield warm water
and then the ground was very hard. But the kids seemed to have a
good time.

Tetherball Anyone?
They planted a tetherball in their yard so we played some games.

(top)First Corri and Mom gave it a whack.

Laughing became part of the game and the older we have all gotten…well pauses in movement also were required because…well…laughing to hard….enough said.

(middle)Todd smugly gave Mom the rules to play by and how the game would actually go. He was a tough opponent for sure….

(bottom left)And here Mom stands…looking at the dang ball to high to touch…game over.

(bottom right)Oma jumping did not help her with a victory.
(Mom and Oma tried to cheat but that didn’t even help)

Todd is the Master. Their…said it and don’t need to repeat it.

Mom was a tad sore the next day too.

Did we let the kids play the game?Yes we did.

Great day of fun in the sun, laughing, food. Great day indeed.

Big D behind the plate!
Cousin Derian is playing baseball again and is doing really well. This game she had the chance to play catcher and did a fantastic job.The adults talked about how she might get a little ball shy if a pitch hit her in the chest. It wasn’t a pitch but a foul ball that whacked off her facemask not long after the adult comments. She hung in there and did great, catching one more inning after her face whacking.
Love Watching Baseball.

Cole and Jo are 7!

The kids were so excited about their birthday this year that it was 10pm and later before they were both sleeping. We thought they actually might sleep in but no, they woke earlier than normal so we sang Happy Birthday to them while spraying them with…

SILLY STRING!
(Were they really awake yet? Not really)

They both opened some gifts before school, new outfits for the day, a real necklace for Jo and grinding pegs for Cole’s bike.They were up so early Cole even had time to try his new pegs out.

School PartySome of you ask do they do “twin things” because they are twins?
They are so different that something so simple as a cupcake is completely opposite of the other one.

That evening we headed back to their school for a school BBQ, along with displays of the kids art work and even our first concert!It was not a full blow production but it was quite fun watching and listening. Jo was completely into the stage and attention, doing her best to read the music and sing her heart out. Cole was very embarrassed and was quite shy.

Birthday Evening


We took gifts and cake next door to celebrate the kids’ birthday with Dale and Francis.


Caught a tender moment with the kids hugging after opening gifts from each other.





We then ate angel food cake, strawberries and ice cream.

Francis and Dale

SKATE PARTY!

Both kids have been asking to have their birthday party at the skating rink so we gave it a go this year.They had a GROOVY time!

The room was large enough to hold the kids at the party only.

Lots of gifts given with lots of love.

Yes, we ate their faces!

Mom remembers skating when she was young while her brother always put on the skates but then spent most of his time playing video games, with his skates still on.Don’t know if it’s a boy thing or a Belmont thing but the generations have not changed things. Cole with his skates on playing a driving game and Uncle Todd still trying to beat Atari’s Poll Position, this time without skate!

We ended the late afternoon in different places.Jo, cousin Lanna and Mom headed to Jo’s soccer party for a few hours where she got participation medal and we ate pizza for dinner. Cole, Oma, Nanny and Grandpa ordered pizza in and hung out at home.

The end of the party weekend we caught glimpses of Hannah Montana doing a private concert in our back yard with one of our neighborhood kids.

Happy Birthday Cole and Jo!
WE LOVE YOU!