Christmas 2010

The master builders trying out the Trio blocks... We've made lots of helicopters and airplanes!

An animal rescue vehicle and lots of new animals to join our lonely kangaroo!!

We are obviously still waiting on the big gift for the year, Michael's new sister... Hopefully any day now! I know I'm ready!! If only she was!

Christmas Time at the Garden Factory

Around the corner from us is a great garden store that transforms everything at Halloween and Christmas. I needed a bit of a rest one weekend so Donald and Michael went on over to check things out this year...

Not a big fan of Santa... Apparently we had too many discussions about the fact that Santa knows when you are naughty! I think he thought he was getting busted!
Happy with the trains again!!!
Hanging out with the train display...

Columbus Zoo

A new tradition for us is to go to Columbus every fall to celebrate the fall holidays with Donald's family. This year while we were there we went to the Columbus zoo. It was a really great zoo.

Checking out a sleeping kangaroo! You could walk around in their area. Most of them were huddled off in a corner no where near the path though!
On the Merry Go Round
Baby Elephant and Mikey. As part of the halloween festivities we had just seen a pumpkin get smashed by a real elephant!
The monkey chilling with the monkey...

Picking fruit

Michael hasn't always been the best eater, but one of his favorites is typically fruit. We try to take lots of trips to orchards and fields to pick our own stuff. This summer we made a few trips to the strawberry fields, a trip for blueberries, a trip for blackberries and raspberries and a trip for apples. Luckily they don't charge us by the pound for all the samples that Mikey helps himself too or we'd all be in the fields attempting to work off the debt still!

In September we went to Brown's Berry Patch to get blackberries and raspberries. It was a fantastic place and we'll definitely go back!
Two for Mikey, 1 in the bucket... 3 for Mikey, 1 in the bucket...
In October we went to a place in Hilton to pick apples. Now its time to make some applesauce!

Strong Museum of Play

For Christmas every year, the Ciarmoli's give a membership to the local children's museum to Donald. It's a fantastic museum and we appreciate the membership very much!

Shopping for pumpkins at the Wegman's kid market.
The builder in action.

Seneca Park Zoo

We love trips to the zoo. The monkey's are typically the highlight. I try not to linger with them because the scent of their housing leaves a bit to be desired!

A new addition to the zoo. I think he'll fit in nicely.

Posing with the polar bears.
Apparently they got a new Meerkat too.

Snoopy... I mean Buffy...

In September our friend Jaye, his girlfriend Marie-Claude and dog Buffy all came to see us for a weekend. Jaye, MC and Buffy currently live in Canada, but are about to relocate to Australia. We wish them all the best (but wish that Australia was a little closer!!!) Michael LOVED playing with Buffy... or Snoopy as Michael deemed her. He also renamed Jaye to Apple John. Soon after Jaye, MC and Buffy left our new kangaroos moved into the house (not sure if its the Australia connection or just a coincidence) . I've yet to see them but Michael tells me they are named Peanut Butter and Fluff. Last I heard they were in the apple orchard picking apples......

Birthday 2010

Our guy is 3 years old. It doesn't seem possible at all. He's turned into an inquisitive, funny, sensitive little guy that we love to pieces! Happy 3rd Birthday Michael Anthony. You mean the world to us!
Birthday cake courtesy of Grammy Jean (it's a bulldozer)
Making birthday cupcakes to take to daycare to share with his friends!

Goofy kid

National Night Out at Target

Target sponsors a community night once a year. This year they called the nice guys over at the Chili Fire Department and they brought a fire truck and ambulance for the kids to check out. Mikey loved the flashlights and would have loved to get his hands on one.

Summer in Rochester

sprinkler time in our back yard... the bulging belly is because Michael drank about 10 quarts of sprinkler water!!!!
Mikey and Daddy headed over to the Gates Town Celebration which basically takes place at the end of our street. Mikey got this awesome fire hat and a fireman badge!

Fredonia NY

On the way back from PA we meandered our way home. We made a quick pit stop in Fredonia NY (where Mikey's mama went to college many moons ago)

Mikey hanging out in front of one of the many art pieces on campus, the Tin Men.
Someone wasn't real happy about having to get BACK into the car. It was tough to run around though because it was HOT that day.
The house I lived in my senior year at Fredonia with Mikey's Aunt Aimee and Aunt Amy.

Happy Birthday Great Uncle Steve!

We traveled to Uniontown, PA on July 4th weekend to attend a suprise party for Donald's Uncle Steve. It was nice to see the whole family and get to meet some cousins that I hadn't met yet.

Uncle Roddy, Grandpa Don, Uncle Steve, Aunt Patty and Uncle John

Michael and Uncle Stephen battle over air hockey. Mikey took an early lead, but I think in the end Uncle Stephen scored more points.
We played pool (without sticks)
and had CAKE. I think it was the only thing Mikey polished off all night long!!

It's been a while..

I'd like to say we've been up to so much fun that we haven't had time to slow down. The truth is there isn't much new around Rochester NY. Mikey is getting bigger everyday. We find him pretty funny most of the time. Last weekend Mikey and I went to see Grammy Jean and Grandpa Dino. Mikey got this shirt and made sure that Dino had a yellow shirt too. This morning when I put it on him, he was upset because he wasn't sure Dino was wearing his yellow shirt. I made sure to text Grammy and she made sure Dino was in a matching shirt.

Mikey still loves his Scout puppy. He's learned the joy of "boo-boo ice" and getting M's when he uses the toilet. He loves books and insists on having at least 5 in the bed to drift off to sleep with.

We love him so and can't imagine the world without him!

Day Out with Thomas 2010

Thomas (the Tank Engine) and some of his friends came to Medina NY this weekend (he'll be back next weekend too) so we decided to go say hello to him. Unfortunately for us the beautiful weather we've had in upstate NY went on a bit of a hiatus. We woke up to SNOW and it was pretty chilly. Lots of the fun parts of this were outside, but we didn't get to enjoy everything.

Check out Mikey's new Rosie tattoo... He didnt even cry when he got it.
What's that???
Mikey and Toby. One of his perennial favorites.
Mikey and Momma enjoying a short train trip that Thomas took us on.
He looked like a grump most of the time we were there, but I was able to catch this smile!

It's a bird... it's a.... well, it changes.

according to Michael the new decoration in our garden is a cuckoo clock, a bird house or an owl house. I'll let you know when we reach a definitive answer.

the park at Uncle Stephen's place

A new tricycle.

Watch out Tandoi Drive, Maniac Mike is on the loose!
Getting the hang of things...
Ahhh, he does take after his mother. In my day though, when you fell off your bike you hit pricker bushes or the house. Kids these days have it so easy!

Happy Easter

We went to Ohio for Easter and stayed with Uncle Stephen. The Easter Bunny obviously got the change of address Mikey submitted because there were lots of baskets for him!

and when he was cute... he was very cute.

A face that melts your heart... I'm fairly certain I can see his horns poking through though.

a visit with some family

On our drive home from SC, we made the decision to stop to see some of Donald's family. His uncle Steve has been in cardiac rehab for a bit now and we hoped a visit from the bundle of energy would do him good! As a surprise to us, Aunt Patty had contacted Uncle Roddy and Aunt Liz and we all enjoyed some time together and a meal before getting back on the road.

Here's Michael with his great Uncle Roddy, terrific Aunt Liz and wonderful Aunt Patty. I think they were trying to get him to stick around the DC area!

The Annual Cheeseburger in Paradise shot

Take #2, February 2009
Take #1, March 2008
Take #3, March 2010