Disney Trip Winter 2008

Start to Disney 2008:
We had an amazing trip to Disney this year the three of us. Although the trip there and back was a lot to be desired, snow storms and bad weather to blame. We were supposed to leave on the afternoon of Friday Feb 22, but due to a huge snow storm that hit the north east all flights were grounded. In a way that was a blessing in disuse. We got to meet the newest member of our family Jacob Felch. Selim's sister gave birth to her first child two weeks early on our original date of departure. Luckily we were able to see him and hold him before we left for southern weather.

Welcome Baby Jake

So due to the weather we ended up staying the night in Boston before catching our AM flight to Orlando on Saturday. That always proves to be fun staying at new hotels with my two water babies. By the time we got to the hotel and got a bite of food in our bellies both Ally and Selim ran down to the pool to play. I knew that was a great start of our vacation both of them thrive on being in water so it worked out well that the pool was warm in Boston too.

Saturday night we got to Orlando and what a welcoming we had when we arrived at Saratoga Springs and Spa Disney. The first thing you hear when you drive through the gates is "Welcome Home" and that continued the entire trip. Every one was so welcoming, warm and helpful. We just loved the entire experience of staying on a Disney property. Highly recommended!

So back to the water, as soon as we got to our room off came the cloths and down to the pool they went again. Can you see a trend. They love the water and would be in it all day long if it weren't for me saying lets do some other things too.

Some Hotel Shots from the First day

Every Disney Hotel had one of these areas it was like magic filled with Classic Disney movies. Mini chairs, mini TV, and lots of mini people.

At least my two water babies got in the water each and every day of the vacation.
The fist day in Orlando or I should say "Mickeys House" we went to Merry Poppins Breakfast at the Grand Floridian. It was great we got to meet all sorts of characters; Marry Poppins, Alice, Mad Hater, Pooh Bear, and Tiger. Ally just loved it and made sure to hug each and every one of them but she was not all to sure about the Mad Hater "he had a funny voice and he talked funny".

Well we have so much more to share but this is what I have for now.

Additional Disney postings will be coming very soon.

New Years 2008

Selim and I had a wonderful New Years Eve up at Loon with Shawn and Robyn Johnson. We had a wonderful time catching up, it had been ages since we had seen each other. We caught up on what going on with the kids and our selves.

Not to mention we were among the first to make tracks for the new year on the ski mountain. We had a great morning skiing the three of us. Selim did not attend because he is still a beginner on a board and wanted more time to take lessons. So Robyn, Shawn and I hit the trails early and had a blast. Although we did leave early due to a major snow storm that started while we were skiing. It did not make the skiing any harder it was actually more fun but the issue was the drive home. For what should have been an hour and 15 min drive home it took us 4 hours. They kept on closing the highway and diverting us to many back roads. By the end of the drive Selim had swarn off skiing due to the snow. I am still trying to convince him that it does not always happen that way.

We are planning another Johnson/Tobey ski weekend before the end of 2008 season!

This is a shot of the updated time share kitchen

Dec 2007 Cont

December was just crazy, after NC we had several birthdays, my mom, my grandmother, and my sister too. Just can not believe that she is 14 now. Where has the time gone?

Here is a shot of Nikki and two of her best friends Sophie and Sarah;

Along with all of the holiday celebrations we also were getting hit with at ton of snow. Since December we got several inches of snow a week. Here is a shot of Ally and Selim playing on her play set under 2 plus feet of snow.Just before Christmas we had Ally's best friend Madeline and her mom and dad over to visit for the Holidays. It was a very nice visit for all. We got a chance to catch up on whats going on and play with the girls all together.

We had a very low key Christmas day at home all together with Jim and Nikki and a visit from Aunite Aylin. It was fun to play with Ally and all of her new toys and watch her discover each and every one of them. Her top gifts she tell every one about is her Vanity and doll house. Santa did really good.

End of 2007 Catch up take II

December:

What happened to the month of December? Where did it go? I feel as though I just blinked and it was gone with all of the magic.

December 1st Selim left for FL for his Boys Weekend in Miami to visit their buddy Joe. From the stories I have heard it was a great trip and they are already planing a 2008 trip too. Unfortunately while Selim was a way Ally came down with a really bad ear infections so Mommy and Bubby had to take the little one to the emergency to be checked on. Luckily we got the meds going and she was feeling much better fast.

We did get hit hard with Snow Storm after snow storm. At one point in the month we had a snow storm every other day. Not to mention each time we are out side with a shovel in hand Selim keeps on saying "Condos are really looking good to me now"

Ally and I just laugh and say you are silly daddy, we love the snow.

Holiday Card Photo Shoot was a blast, we tried for a day to get the perfect shot and her are a few of the out takes.

Ally had one idea of a cute shot and I had another, lets see how it went....

TAKE ONETAKE TWO

TAKE THREE

COME ON IZZY NOW SMILE FOR THE CAMERA
Okay now lets try this a couple more times.....Cute but not it yet, lets see....

I think we got it!!!!!!!!
Then Ally and I joined Selim on one more trip for 2007 we went to Charlotte NC. We had a great trip. Stayed in a great hotel and visited some great restaurants and museums. Lots of fun to travel as a family.

Children's Discovery in Charlotte

Tobey Family in Detroit Airport

Ally made her first Ginger Bread house with Bubby at the Children's Museum in Concord it came out great and tasted great too.

End of 2007 Catch up

November:
Well it has been a while since I have done an up date. We have been very crazy with the holiday season and all. Not to mention the endless colds that have been running thru out home since mid Oct. Between runny noses, coughs, fevers, aches and pains we are really looking forward to Spring 2008. You just have to love the first year of having your child in school. To bad Ally loves Preschool so much or we would pull her out due to the cold season. But we do know that every child has to go thru it and every parent of first time schoolers have to live thru it too. The old saying that kids have cooties are true, and they bring the new ones home from school too.

So let me tell you a few wonderful highlights for November 2007.

Lets start with a great visit that we had with the Johnson family in which Connor lost his first tooth ever. It was so exciting to be a part of the memorable event. Not to mention how much fun we have when we all get together. Although it makes Selim and I miss our old Glen Bloom days that much more by not having them just across the street to stop in on each other at any time for a chat or just a simple hello. Since we have moved to Concord it has been much tougher to get our schedules together, but when we do we always make it memorable. The night they came to visit we celebrated Nutmegs birthday. Now for those of you that do not know who Nutmeg is she is Jim and Nikki's Dachshund. It happened to be her birthday and we were watching her while Jim and Nikki were in Turkey visiting Big Grandma. Ally just loved planning the party and we even had a cake with candles for her.
Just before Thanksgiving we had a Holiday Parade in Concord welcoming Santa to the Mall. Ally and I went to cheer on all of the attendants in the parade, which included my family, Muma, Pupa, and Auntie Nikki with the mini horses. Ally just loved all of the exciting sights. Kids on unicycles, Polar Express Bus, Lama's, Greyhound's, and so much more. It was great to see all of the great community happenings and every one coming together. Ally and I watched the Parade with one of my work collages and her family, Brenda, Tundra, and their daughter Monica. Ally was very excited to have a buddy for the event.

Thanksgiving:

We had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving with Jim and Nikki. It was nice to have a quite Thanksgiving with the Macy's Day Parade and some Football. Nikki helped me while I cooked away she did every last dish that I dirtied. We made a great team. We just felt bad for Selim he was very sick that day. So for that I was so thankful that we spend the holiday at home safe and relaxed so Selim could rest to get better faster. He did not even make it thru the meal before he left the table to take a nap. Nothing like him, that was how we really knew he was not well. By the end of the weekend he was on the mend. Thank goodness because it was on the heals of his favorite holiday his BIRTHDAY. Selim just loves his birthday.

Selim's Birthday:

Originally we had planned a small family party at home on the day of his birthday but at last minute he was offered tickets to go to the North Pole on the Polar Express and that was an offer that we just could not refuse. Ally is so fond of the movie and the book it just took her breath away. So we moved the birthday celebration a day earlier and went to the Polar Express on Daddy's Birthday.
Ally had the entire birthday party planned in advance. She knew that she wanted to throw daddy a Scooby Doo Birthday Party, and that we did. She and her Bubby and Bubba went to the party store to procure all of the necessary party supplies, plates, cups, cake decorations, noise makers, balloons, and even the stickers to decorate with. She was just so proud of all she had done for her daddy. Ally and her daddy just love Scooby Doo and it was just so appropriate.

The day after the Scooby Doo party we were off to see Santa at the Polar Express. Ally was just out of her mind with excitement and anticipation of getting all the way up to the North Pole. We took the Train from North Conway and road all of the way to the North Pole. The entire experience was just magical, with the dancing chefs, the elf's with the red lanterns, and SANTA. We hope that we can try to make this a family tradition for many years to come. Highly recommended for any one that has thought of doing the trip! All of the children were in their PJ's and singing holiday songs, we got the hot coco and chocolate with nougat as white as Santa's beard. Then there was the first gift of Christmas too.....

Ally's First Halloween Party

At school today Ally had her first Halloween party. It was just a blast, every one got into costume and played games, eat food, had a parade, and sang songs. Ally is a Pink Poodle this year for Halloween and she could not be any more proud. Check out some of the fun that we had at her party today.

Pink Poodle Ally Ridding her Horse

Ally, Ava, and Madeline

Every one singing fun Halloween songs

Pumpkin Carving 2007

Ally, Daddy and Mommy carved our Halloween pumpkin last night and it came out perfect. Ally did most of the cutting all by her self with her own knife (not to worry it is a kid safe knife).

We can hardly wait for Halloween Day, we have so much going on. At school Ally has a Party and then we have the night of trick or treating. Ally can hardly wait.

Keene Pumpkin Festival

We had always heard about the Keene Pumpkin Festival but had never made the trip to see what it was all about. Well this year we made the trip to Keene, what a sight. So many pumpkins to look at in each and every direction. The goal of the festival is to have the most carved pumpkins to brake the records. Last year Boston won the title and Keen was out to win it back. Here is a peek at all we saw....

We meet up with our friends Karen, Robert, and their 2 month old Mathew. It was so much fun, lots of food, costume parade, and tons and tons of pumpkins to view. The weather was just perfect as well, this year we have had an amazing Fall.

One of the other great parts of the Pumpkin Fest was that Ally got to ride on her first School Bus, she just loved it. She can't wait to be able to ride her own school bus to school too. Mommy and Daddy can, time is just flying to fast already we are trying to slow things down as much as we can.

Long Island Weekend

Last weekend Ally and I traveled with Selim to Long Island for a combo trip of business and family visit. The goal was to hit as many sea side/ resort towns to show and sell "Me Time" Selim's new line that is being sold only to specialty stores. So we packed up our rental car full of movies, mommy, daddy, Ally, Izzy too, and we were off. The trip took us from New Hampshire to Connecticut, to an hour and a half ferry ride over to Orient Point Long Island. Upon our arrival to Orient Point that is when the work started. We had fun shopping from shop to shop to find the perfect "Me Time" locations. The weather was a bit misty but it was still a blast to all be together.

The only downer to the trip was that I was suffering from laryngitis. It was very taxing for me to try to communicate with every one but we all survived.

After a day of travel and work we arrived at my aunt Susie's house in Northport. It is always so much fun to visit with family. Every one was home, Aunt Susie, Ramon, Cousin Becka, and Gavin. Alex was just in heaven. She so loves to play games with all of her cousins.

Friday Ally and I stayed behind with Aunt Susie while Selim hit up all of the small sea side villages along The Hampton's. After work we all head a great dinner all together at home with a nice warm fire. It was just perfect. We took time to go over our summer stories and share photos of all of our adventures. We had to keep it low key because Becka was gearing up for a big Crew meet in PA the next day and we were all hoping she would continue on her winning streak. Becka just turned 15 and she is rated to the be the #1 rower in the US among the 16 year olds, Way to go Becka! Keep it up, make sure they all eat your wake.

Saturday am we all had a traditional Dominican breakfast created by Aunt Susie and Uncle Ramon, complete with fried Cheese, mango, and Dominican coffee. It was Selim's first taste of what I grew up on. I do think he really enjoyed the good eats. After we wished Becka well on her Crew meet and sent Gavin off to school for his crew activities we traveled to South Hampton. Selim wanted to show Alex and I one of the towns he had hit the day before and some great new adventures for Alex to explore. We came upon Hank's Pumkintown. The had every thing Fall to do, Pick your own pumpkins, wagon rides, pony rides, corn maze, children's playgrounds (lots of them too) and tons of food. It was lots of fun had by all. We found some really amazing pumpkins some the size of Alex or larger.

We tried to convince Daddy we needed this one but he said "No To BIG!"

Tell me those are not much smaller, Ally almost rolled it

I spy and Ally in the Mums

After running and playing we all hopped back into the car and started to head back up north to New Hampshire. We had such a great trip visiting family, and having lots of fun, we hope to be able to see every one again very soon.

Fall To Do List

This fall Selim and I made a Fall to Do list. It is not like the typical Honey Do list, it was more of a must do and see list for New England. It included hiking in the lakes region, sea kayaking, apple picking, photos of fall colors, and so on. So far we have achieved a good portion of the list. Three weekends ago we went apple picking with Jim and Nikki to a great little apple orchard that was known for its cider apple dough nuts. Well worth the wait in the long, long line out and around the building.

A beautiful mid September weekend we traveled up to the lakes region to hike Mount Manger. It was a perfect day for a hike. The weather was sunny and cool. Selim, Alex, Tab, and Izzy traveled up the mountain while enjoying the breath taking views. All of the fall color was starting to truly bloom and vista we amazing all 360 degrees around us. At first I was not to sure if Izzy and Alex would be up for the 2.5 mile hike but they trooped thru it with smiles on their faces. We even did the ledges and both Alex and Izzy scaled the rocks and made it to the top. With the exception of the frequent bathroom stops for both Izzy and Alex, (yes Alex does...go in the woods) and the snack stops we make it in great time to the top. We had brought a back pack filled with food and refreshments for us to enjoy with the beautiful vista on top of the mountain. We even brought Izzy her own food and water bowl, Alex really enjoyed serving Izzy her food on top of the mountain.

The last weekend of September we traveled to New Castle to rent a sea kayak for the three of us. It was so much fun to tool around the bay with a small boat. At first it was rough going for us to get the hang of paddling and stirring at the same time. We hit land a few times before getting the groove. But that was fine too because Alex liked it when we would bump land and have to push off again to get going again. Again we had a wonderful day with the weather. After we were done boating it was time to get dinner so we went to Portsmouth for dinner down town. After dinner we walked around the shops and visited the local Starbucks bathrooms. Ever since potty training we are sure to visit each and every bathroom around. Small price to pay for having such an independent girl. And I must emphasise "Independent". There is not to much that Alex does not want to do on her own any more. She chooses her own cloths each and every day, some very interesting choices but I am not about to smother her creativity, I like to see it grow. The only things that I have had to learn is that I have had to add on more buffer time to our departure and arrival times since she has to do every thing on her own now. She has to chose her shoes, put them on, climb into the car on her own, get into the car seat all alone, and buckle up too. Now this process alone adds at least 10 minutes to any departure. So now when we are leaving the house her first question to me is "are we running late?". I am guessing I have been saying that quite a bit as of late, simply because we are due to her new found independence.

PHOTOS TO COME BLOGGER WAS HAVING SOME DOWN LOADING ISSUES!

This fall has been truly exceptional weather wise. It is very unusual to have such dry warm weather in October so we are trying to make the best of it while it lasts. We have a few more goals to meet for Fall activities and we will be sure to update as we get them done.