Sunflowers 2019

Yes, we paid a lot, but the kids had a great time getting lost in the sunflowers. And yes, they sang the song.

Years ago we went to Burnside Farms to pick tulips under the advice from Emma, they do charge per person and then again for each flower you pick. So we went to pick sunflowers at sunset this year and we paid $10 per person plus $1.50 per flower. We realized (and admittedly we should have realized it sooner) that the fee was really for the right to go take photos rather than admission to pick flowers. Pro-tip Brookside Gardens is free. Continue to see more pictures. Continue reading “Sunflowers 2019”

No Reason Needed to Dress up for Dinner

During the year, the girls like to wear dresses to school, but at camp they wear camp shirts required by the camp. So last night, when we asked what they wanted for dinner, they said that they wanted to put on dresses and eat somewhere fancy – but not too fancy.
 
We ended up with Erin matching the kids and Albert getting into a sport coat, and soon we were dressed as we were for Julie and Steve‘s wedding rehearsal dinner. At Clyde’s a tipsy pair of women loved the fact that we looked so cute and took our picture; Lo and behold, our family picture of the week.

Elia’s Kindergarten Orientation

It is hard to believe, but Elia will be going to kindergarten this year.
Not just a flash in the pan – remembering what is important part two. Here is a second daddy-daughter date right before kindergarten orientation. Elia wanted my “bow tie” to match her dress so we dressed up again. Amber Marcellino, you guessed our last place, do you recognize this one?

Knowing What is Important

Knowing what is important: Elia and Albert had a spontaneous lunch date yesterday after staying home for the plumbers and stair people. Albert asked if she wanted to go to a fancy restaurant, she said that she wanted me to wear a bow tie (which she means a tie) like hers. So we dressed up and went to a fancy restaurant for lunch. where she had chicken fingers with a fruit salad that had a blood orange. Albert had blackened catfish and we shared a side of fries. Elia later told Erin that she was Hermione and Albert was Ron (because they are together) and that we wore the same red tie, black top and white shirt. Of course now Albert owes Curie her own date.

Knowing what is important part 2: The next day, Albert was working from home and needed to take the car in to get an oil change. Realizing it was late in the day, he decided to pick up Curie early and called EMA. When he arrived, Curie bounded forward and the instructor saying that Curie was ready for her date. Albert suddenly realized that though he hadn’t planned for this to be Curie’s date, he needed to make the time special for her because the date with Elia obviously was on her mind. The problem was that there were no fancy restaurants near the car dealership. Albert told Curie they could either go to the buffet ( Curie loves a buffet) for a snack(we had dinner plans with Julie), or because it was snowing, they could get a snack at the vending machines but they could spend the time watching and drawing with each other. Curie opted for vending machines and drawing initially, but when they arrived, she was hungry so wanted to go to the buffet even though it was snowing pretty hard.  They trudged through the snow hand in hand and went to the buffet joking all the time that it was a big snack, or dinner 1 before dinner 2. Curie did not mind that it was not a fancy restaurant, all she cared about was equal time with parents and spending time with Albert; that is the lesson here.