First day of school

We have a freshman in high school this year...gulp...

and two middle schoolers...Julia is off to 8th grade and Gianna is off to 6th grade...

Gianna is very excited to be at the Middle School this year.  She has quite a few good friends on her team so that should really help with the transition.  I know she'll make lots of new friends too. Julia has some good friends on her team this year too. She's always excited to start a new school year. She loves to get her backpack organized with all her matching folders, pens, pencils and markers. She was a great big sister and helped Gianna get her backpack ready too by organizing all her things. But I'm the most anxious about my boy...and for so many reasons. He's the typical boy though...he has his old backpack from last year (a new one is on the way thank goodness) and just a notebook and a pencil. Haha!! Simplicity is best for him I guess. I'm just praying he'll have a great year and make some nice high school memories. Fingers crossed!! : ) 

Back to School Ice Cream

School starts tomorrow!  So these friends met up for some ice cream to celebrate the new school year. 

8th graders...

and 6th graders...it's the first day of Middle School tomorrow for these girls!

Gianna flying through the air...

Talent Show

So we waited and waited and waited for Gianna's talent show to come on our local cable TV...and the recording was terrible. So this is a recording of a bad recording.  Oh well.  At least I have a copy of her dance.  She did such a great job! She's never danced on the stage all by herself...and in front of her school no less!! Brave girl!!  And I absolutely loved how the kids cheered each other on!!

Field Trip

Today we took our annual field trip up to Wakefield High School to visit my sister Kimmy who is Superintendent. The kids love to sit at her desk, write messages on her calendar, and eat candy at her co-workers desks. Then we headed over to Brothers for a delicious lunch! Love these family traditions!

After lunch we went to Jordan's Furniture where they have this really fun zip line course...

And I was shocked that Gianna decided to do it this year!  Good for her!!!

Look how high up they are!!

And anyone who knows how cautious Gianna is will be amazed that she did this entire course...and the zip line!

Look at her go!!

Then it was time for ice cream and the water show...and then we ran off to jump on all the couches and mattresses!! : )  It was a really fun afternoon!  Only one week until school starts!

Nicholas...

Julia...

Gianna!!! 

Wow!! I am so proud of her!! 

Julia's 14th birthday!

Ok Ok...I won't say "I can't believe Julia's 14!!"...I'll just move on with her birthday post...

So my beautiful, talented and extremely funny little girl had her 14th birthday on Sunday.  She had an awesome day!  We started with breakfast of course at her favorite place, J.D.'s, for her traditional chocolate chip pancakes...

Then back home to open her birthday gifts...

Vera Bradley...

Tickets to see Wicked!!  I'm excited about that one...

Then some of her friends came over for some fun...

We took them to dinner at Hibachi...

Then back home for her birthday cupcakes that she made and decorated all on her own!  Aren't they so pretty?...

They played capture the flag and manhunt, swam in the pool, watched a movie and fell asleep quite late.  A good time was had by all.  Happy Birthday my beautiful girl!  (She promised me she would stay 14 for at least another 364 days.)

St. Anthony's Feast

It was the perfect day yesterday to head into Boston for St. Anthony's Feast...

and feast we did...on steak on a stick (our favorite)...

and ziti and ravioli...

We walked by a Mass in progress...

Pinning dollar bills by the statue...

We ate delicious cannolis from Mike's Pastry...

Look at all this deliciousness...

Nicholas loves the marshmallows dipped in chocolate...

Me and Gianna's favorite...fried dough...

Then we walked over to Faneuil Hall and saw a few of the street performers...

It was a great day!

Merrell Twins

Last Sunday I took the girls to see their favorite You Tubers the Merrell Twins. The tickets were general admission so we had to get there early to get good seats...that meant standing in line for an hour and a half...but worth it for my girls. It really was fun and the Merrell twins really are very sweet girls. It's nice to see 20 year old girls being good role models for these impressionable kids. Good clean fun.

Gianna's friend Victoria couldn't go to the show so Gianna asked the twins to send a message to her.  How thoughtful of Gianna. Victoria was thrilled!!

Gianna's tooth

Gianna went back to the oral surgeon this week to expose her missing front tooth. We waited ever so patiently for over two years for that tooth to grow in but it just hasn't. Turns out the roots are quite crooked and the tooth is just plain old stuck. So the oral surgeon removed the gum tissue that was covering the tooth. We now wait about ten days and then it's off to the orthodontist.  He'll attach a bracket and a chain to that tooth and over the next few months will try and maneuver it down. We're hoping by the holidays she'll finally have two front teeth! Yay!!

Nantasket Beach

We had our annual Nantasket beach day visiting my friend Marcy. Her family has a house just a few steps away from the beach. It was a gorgeous day and I had lots of fun spending the day with all my high school friends.

And my girls enjoyed the beach too...