The Luck of the Irish...Our annual St Paddy's Day feast

Yes, its our annual dressing of the green dinner over Kara's house in honor of Grammy Frannnie.  We even had a toast to her.  She LOVED coming over to Kara's house for her corned beef dinners.  She looked forward to it every year.  What a great bunch these buggah's are and they loved their festivities too.  How nice is it now that we dont have to entertain them every second.  We had a great time and they all enjoyed each others company.  So great for cousins to get along so well.

Gymnastics State Championship

      Catherine qualified for the State Championship.  These girls are such good kids and get along so well.  Below they are huddling up for good luck.

      Cat had a great day....out of the four events she ended up on the podium three times and overall she ended up seventh in the state.  She was awesome!!

Floor Routine 9.325

Laura up at the lake with Jeb

This weekend Laura and I ended up spending the weekend up at the lake in the cold.  This time it was her asking for the fire.  It was very cold this weekend.  We had a good time while she recovers from her swimming injury.  She is making crazy music videos about a man named Jeb.  Oh those kids!!!

The first night we had steak on the grill.  We had bought it on the way up.  On Saturday morning we went out for breakfast at our favorite breakfast restaurant.  We came home and I did some painting.

I had to take a photo on our way out just so I can look at it when i'm not there and get back soon.

Open

     It seems we wait all winter long for Sully's to open on March 1st for our ice cream conundrums.  Oh what would we do without our mint chocolate chip and chocolate marshmallow ice cream.

Laura's turn

Oh the hippie and I had a grand old time at the Garden last night.  We opened the night at the Quincy Market and stopped to have a bite to eat before heading over to take our seats.  Everything went very smoothly, from the traffic getting there to getting on the T as soon as we hit the station, the trolley was waiting for us.  Laura and I both like taking the trolley in instead of driving right to the events.  Its part of the experience.  We laugh at the same people it seems.

we got there for pre-game warmups.

One of the good things about having this blog is being able to figure out whose turn it is to hang out with Daddy.  Everyone, of course, says that its their turn but the blog does not lie.   Next up is Catherine.  She has already told me that she wants our turn to be for the Red Sox game and we have to spend time before the game walking around the city..

They call me Jeb

Well, I guess I've taken it to a whole new level.  I really love it up at the lake.  I might just put a face on that lovely wood stove and start talking to it....as if I haven't already.  Anyway, its a great place and I'm loving it!!!......oh yeah, the kids are too

I was up the lake for the weekend doing some stuff...why should I shave...I've been watching video's about how to build better fires........i need some overalls like this guy, he's the host of the video's, I've nicknamed him Tiny.

Hockey time

Me, Jackie, the ump and Laura, Jimmy and Charlie headed out to the college hockey game the other night.  It was a great time and even better when the home team ends up winning.  Jackie saw the hawk and had to go say hi!!  We had a really good time !!

The sweetest gal i know

     Go right ahead and say hello to the first place finisher in the Floor competition.  I tell her I always think that she should get a 10 in the floor exercise because I think it is just that good.  Of course all i know about the rules of gymnastics could fit inside a McDonalds bag, but that doesn't matter.  I've seen all of her meets for the last three years and this one by far was her best floor routine.  I just knew it would be spectacular and sure enough, it was a 9.35.  She was so excited.  To get the highest score is quite the feat and she celebrated with a double dose of McDonalds cheeseburgers on the ride home from Springfield.

                                        this upside down flip is her favorite picture she tells me

They call me Daddy

     Of course this is not earth shattering here.  I really enjoy that they still call me Daddy.  I know, but I love it.  Lyn gets called Mommy.  Why does that matter...maybe to the rest of the world it doesnt...but its still good to hear.  maybe they know that and that's how they wrap their little fingers around me and own me.....Laura called me Daddy this morning about something and I took notice and it struck me....god, i dont know why but i'm a daddy i guess.

Laking it in the cold

     Spending the weekend up north again.  The kids were out on the lake walking around.  Of course, it scares the hell out of me to see them walking around out there.  I'd be the first one out there when i was younger but for the kids not so much freedom.......

Here is Jackie walking around the beach that in a couple of months we'll be frolicking around on.

     There is the cool man and his entrourage...

Jackie got a bag of Jenga for Christmas and he builds all these different forms of buildings.  This is the tallest one he built.  I helped him with this one.  The best part is tearing it down.

Here is my television screen.....Couldnt you just sit and stare at it all day long, listening to the crackling of the wood....yeah, i think i'm obsessed!!!

My little Catherine stayed behind because she had gymnastics.  She is always missed but she got to stay with Ant Jo.....A little jealousy from Jackie i think.

First place

Catherine and her team came in first place in the Boston Classic Gymnastic meet over the weekend.  She was so excited this week and told me each day what good practices that she had.  She was on the podium during each event and had an overall excellent meet.  Her friend Gracie came in first in one of the events and they gave her a snow globe because of it....Poor Gracie dropped it and it smashed to pieces and she was a wreck.  This led to probably the cutest thing i've ever seen.  Catherine got her a gymnastic bracelet from the sales table to make her feel better.  Gracie gave her the biggest hug and smile and appreciative groan that would make even the most hardened trucker tear up.  It was sweet.

Teaching me new dance moves

The kids are watching all the Fuller House shows on netflix and Jack was teaching me the Gibbler Gallup dance

More Jackson

Another Weekend in New England taking us away......

A complete New England experience was what we were looking for.  Here we are on a sleigh ride through the woods...The weather wasnt that bad and besides, we had hot chocolate and smores to keep us company.  It was a really fun time for all of them.

The kids all make fun of me because I could sit in front of the fire for hours at a time.  I clean the glass and say that i'm cleaning the TV screen.  Its so peaceful...quite possibly i'm getting at that age.

Even Fenway seems to love it up here....he just cant get enough ot all the snow...He wants to dive into it all the time.  Catherine likes to go up on the top of the man made mountains and create a slide.  But most of all her and Jack like to have snowball fights and use their daddy as the practice target.  Oh yeas, we've had more than one fight when the aim has been a little bit too good.