Christmas Eve & Morning

This year we were invited to a few holiday bashes and while we couldn't make them all the ones we did attend were very kid friendly, as most of our events these days are. I love watching my kids interact with one another. Ava is very sweet towards her brother, she's always looking out for him making sure he's ok, Aiden on the other hand, not so much.  Careful:  tons 'o pics!

Just the girls catchin up

Aiden entertains everyone with his jumping skills

Here is our attempt at a family photo

First attempt

 

Over here Ava!!

Jordan wants to be with his buddy

Not quite...it never happened

These parents aught to be ashamed of themselves, letting their children play with knives



Christmas Morning!!

Someone was happy to get her first Barbie

It was a very Hello Kitty Christmas

Candelight Service

Our church had a candelight service in a loft space in Chelsea.  It was pretty swank and great for all the kids to run around since it was a family-friendly service.  There was this white curved wall that the kids would try to run up and then fall, monkey see, monkey do.  We sang Christmas carols and all the kids did really well and a few went up on stage at the end with the worhip team.  Wish I had gotten a picture of that.  The reason you don't see Aiden in any of these pictures is becasue he wasn't there, he was with Lela...we know better.

All the kids were lined up laying down on the wall, it was darling but I couldn't get my camera out quick enough and this is the shot I got.

Fourteen stories abouve Manhattan, over looking the FDR and Hudson River, it was a beautiful evening.  We found a patio that Josh thought was super cool.

Ava's Christmas Concerts

Christmas is truly for children. Everything is centered around them this time of year. Ava was in 2 concerts this year one at her school the other at church. Needless to say I just missed her school performance of 'Mi Burrito Sananero' because of the stupid E-train. When she saw me arrive at her school in the middle of the day he was so excited she started to cry, it was the sweetest thing EVER. I even got teary eyed.  Here's a few photos from her party.


 

 

At church the kids sang Christmas carols, it was very cute.  You never know what will happen when you get a bunch of kids together to sing on stage. 



Christmas Chaos

While I would love to say we decorated our tree, sipped cocoa and caroled the night away that was soooo not the case in our household.  Let's be honest, someone played with the lights, broke ornaments and wanted nothing to do with Christmas music, so we opted for the Bubble Guppies and kept everyone happy.  BUT, our tree is decorated and ready for presents to be wrapped and left beneath.  Boy, Christmas is not always how you plan it when you have kids. 

Practicing Christmas carols on her guitar.

 

Avita before school one morning.  She is my sweetie pie!!

Our furry child

We love our dog, Bailey.  Although, I threaten (almost daily) to give him away, I never would.  He has brought such joy (and misery) to our lives and we have a responsibility to him.  I love that my kids get to grow up with such a great dog, Joey and I both grew up with dogs.  Bailey is very gentle with our kids and they love him tremendously.  Aiden on the other hand is not so gentle.  Bailey is behind the gate purely for his protection.  Our youngest loves to shower him with milk and throw things at him.  That kid has an arm, perhaps a pitcher for the Yanks??

One day my sister was visiting us and she offered to walk him and as soon as she went for the door with Bailey Ava cried, "you can't take my Bailey!!"  From that moment forward any dream I had of getting rid of him was crushed.  True story.

Scooter Girl

Any chance Ava gets to ride her scooter she's all over it. Daddy's still a little hesitant to let her ride it and runs right along side her. We've nicknamed him RED ALERT, Ava also holds this nickname because she is just like her Dad. She loves watching the boys play b-ball, such an urban kid.  Later in the day some of her friends, Camille and Lucia joined her at the park.  I had to get a picture of them with that amazing sky behind them.  The pictures are kind of dark but all I had was my crummy camera phone. 

Big boy haircut

Took my big boy to get a haircut today, he stood perfectly still, even the barbers were surprised.  That is contrary to the way he is at home - he's all over the place, non-stop.  He keeps us on our toes.

I'm in awe at how big my baby is. *sniff*

Being silly with big sis.

Date Day in the City!!

Last week Joey and I took a day to spend with each other sans munchkins.  We headed to Soho and hit our old stomping grounds.  Soho means South of Houston Street and Houston is NOT pronounced like the city in Texas, I quickly learned this just days after moving to the big city, I was corrected by a local after asking for directions.  We had brunch at a hip eatery and then we were on a mission, for what you ask -- shoes, clothing, the Dash store - nope!  We were on the hunt for this place. 

This is Jean-Michel Basquiat's apartment where he created many of his master pieces and eventually died in the upstairs apartment.  My husband has become quite the art aficionado (I know, I can't believe it either!).  Basquiat is his favorite artist of late.  It is now a Japanese meat market with a secret restaurant in the back, they also don't post their address.  You can only get in if you have a secret phone number.  Yes, in this economy only a New York restaurant doesn't advertise their location but keeps it a secret.  New York City is rich in history, you never know what went on in many of the buildings you pass. 



The Bowery Mission - where Joey and I met.

Soho has changed tremendously since Joey and I used to hang out here on a weekly basis.  A lot of high end stores have gone up pushing the Mom and Pop stores out.  But a place that we know and love was Ceci Cela, while we haven't been in almost 2 years we were happy to see that it was still there and thriving.  We stopped in for some French cafe and pastries.  I have to warm Joey up to the French to prepare him for our trip to the French Riviera next summer. 

It was a perfect fall day to walk around and reminisce about our times before kids and all the time we had to do whatever we wanted.  Then we hopped back on the train and couldn't wait to get home and see our little kiddos.  I love our family!

Aiden's Day with Mommy

Last week I took a day off to spend with Aiden.  We had such a good time on this chilly Fall day.  We went to breakfast with Daddy and then hung out at home most of the day because it was really windy and cold.  He has grown into such a cute little boy.  He's definitely clinging to his Daddy more these days which makes me covet my time alone with him.  This boy definitely has a temper, he gets mad very easily and let's you know when he is not happy about something.  We're working on curbing that.  Later in the afternoon he came with me to pick Ava up from preschool.  She was so proud that her little brother was there and showed him off to the class.  Needless to say, he didn't want to leave. 

Love this picture of him sitting in Ava's PINK Dora chair.

NYC with my Bestie

This weekend was one of my top 10, by far.  Our friends Matt and Annmarie Yocum came to the City for the weekend.  While Matt attended Comic Con, Annie and I ate our way through New York.  After some girly chit-chat over sugar-laden frappaccinos we shopped, laughed, ate, laughed, met up with Joey for dinner and laughed (and ate) some more.  Annmarie is one of my bestest and oldest friends that I still talk to on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis.  They just don't make girlfriends like this anymore.  We were friends BC (pre-Jesus) and even better friends now.  She's been with me through it all and I love her dearly.  And the coolest thing is that her and her hubby are expecting twins in May!!  They are going to be an instant family of four!!  They are going to make fabulous parents.  The world will get a little sweeter with four Yocum's in it.  Here's a play by play of our weekend.

Wet and rainy evening in the city.

Subway to Brooklyn with kids on a Saturday afternoon is comical, we walked over a mile to get to the bridge because someone took the wrong train.  Hint: it wasn't Joey or Annmarie.  Oops!

It was exceptionally windy this day and almost the entire bridge was scaffolded.

Our church held service in Soho this Sunday so we dropped by Ray's Pizzeria for a bite and found out they are closing the end of the month because rent is too high.  So sad, Joey and I spent a lot of our engagement at Ray's and at least the first year of marriage eating her once a week.  Goodbye Ray's, you will be missed.

Ava playing peek-a-boo while we wait for our pizza.



The Little Cupcake Shop!  So charming, quaint and yummy!! 

What a great weekend in the city I love and with the ones I love.  Miss you already Annie!!!

All the food was awesome but a girl can't eat like that every weekend, back to my daily green smoothies pronto!