What a Magical Week!

We had such a wonderful trip to Florida with Gramma and Grampa, and Aunt Jacey and Uncle Paul! It was very difficult for me to choose from the more than 850 pictures that we took, but I think I picked out some of the best ones to share so everyone can see what a great time we had!

Our first day was spent at the Magic Kingdom. Gramma, Grampa and Cory did some research beforehand, so we knew which rides we wanted to make sure to go on and shows we wanted to see so we could make the most out of our days. So, on Day one, we went on The Jungle Cruise, Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride, Splash Mountain (which was a favorite!), we walked through Swiss Family Robinson's Treehouse and The Haunted Mansion, and we saw the Country Bear Jamboree. We watched a parade down Main Street where we saw all of the characters and we, even got to meet Tigger and Pooh and Peter Pan in person! Just to name a few things!

Sierra with Aunt Jacey & Uncle Paul on the The Jungle Cruise

Avery, Sierra and me on Aladddin's Magic Carpet Ride

Going up Splash Mountain!

Meeting Tigger and Pooh

Peter Pan took a nap with Sierra and then signed some autographs for Avery

On our second day, we went to Animal Kingdom. In the middle of everything is the Tree of Life which is just so awesome to see. We also went to Dinoland USA. We went on a few little carnival type rides and played some games. We also went on a Safari ride where we saw so many different kinds of animals, some we had never even heard of before! We saw a show called It's a Bug's Life, which we just kind of went to to kill some time, but I think we would all say it was one of our favorites. We also saw the Finding Nemo show which was great! We went on a Roaring Rapids ride which was so fun and Avery, Sierra and I got absolutely soaked!!! And then Avery, Cory, Gramma, and I went on Expedition Everest, the big roller coaster, which was a little scary but lots of fun!

The Tree of Life

The Girls with Gramma and Grampa at Dinoland USA

Waiting to see "It's a Bug's Life" (it was a 3D show)

The next day, we were back in The Magic Kingdom. We started the day with The Princess Breakfast in Cinderella's Castle. And due to the timing, we were able to get into the park before it officially opened, so we walked in with our cameras ready to get some good pictures without all of the crowds in them. And the breakfast was great. We got to meet all of the princesses, the food was delicious and it was so neat to be inside of the castle! After breakfast, it was time for some rides! We went on Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh, Goofy's Roller Coaster (where Avery & Sierra sat together in the first car!), and Splash Mountain, again. We also saw Mickey's PhilharMagic 3D Show and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. Then we had an early dinner at Chef Mickey's Restaurant where we met Mickey and all of his friends. After dinner, the girls took a little nap so we could go back to the park at night to see the Electrical Parade and the Fireworks Show. It was a little difficult to wake them up, but it was worth it, the parade and the fireworks were great!

Posing with our Little Princesses

The Girls meeting Cinderella

And Snow White

Avery & Sierra at Winnie the Pooh's House

Avery & Sierra in the front of Goofy's Roller Coaster

Posing with Chef Mickey at dinner

Our last day in Disney was at Epcot Center. We started out on Soarin', where you feel like you are hang gliding all across the United States, so cool! Then we did Test Track, which simulates testing cars. The girls loved it so much, we did it a second time at the end of the day. We also went through the Seas with Nemo & Friends and did Turtle Talk with Crush, which was hilarious! Avery, Cory and I also did Mission: Space twice. It was a spaceship simulator with a moderate version and a more advanced version. They were both really fun, but the more advanced version was defintely more advanced! The girls also got to meet Duffy the Bear (Micket Mouse's teddy Bear) and we did some interactive stuff in Innoventions and Imagination. Then we went to Norway for a great dinner with the princesses, after which we went on a Viking Ship Ride. It was a great final day in Disney!

All of us on Nemo's ride

Avery, Sierra & Duffy

Avery, Sierra, and Belle

Having some fun in the gift shop in Norway!

Avery & Sierra on Test Track (one of their favorites!)

Epcot at night

We did a little photo shoot before we left The Grand Floridian. It was so beautiful!

After checking out of The Grand Floridian and leaving Disney, we went to the Nickelodeon Suites Resort for a little change of pace. It was a fun resort with cool swimming pools with lots of water slides and splash areas. The girls had a blast! Avery got "slimed" twice, the girls both got cute hair wraps, they did an arts and crafts project, which was make your own stuffed animal, they met all of the Nickelodeon characters and they got to sleep in bunk beds!

The big water slide area

Avery getting her hair wrap

And Sierra's turn

Avery is under that slime somewhere!

Meeting Dora & Diego...Sierra's dream come true!

We were able stay one extra day so we could see my friend Jackie and her husband, Bobby and their son, Alex, who live in Orlando. It was so great to see them and Jackie's parents and Grandparents. It was a nice relaxing day just hanging out with some friends. It was a great way to end our wonderful trip!

The Winter that Almost Wasn't!

I was feeling a little guilty because I haven't taken any pictures lately, but then I realized that usually this time of year most of the pictures I take are of the girls playing outside in the snow. And with the exception of the out-of-the-ordinary storm we got in October and a few inches on Avery's birthday, we haven't had any snow! So one day I just grabbed my camera as we went outside to play our usual games of "You can't catch me" and "Mario Kart Races" around the house and tried to get a few shots of the girls playing in the grass.

Stopping for a quick pose

Swinging as the sun sets

And then we finally got some snow! This is the weirdest winter. We had snow on Halloween, a few inches for Avery on her birthday and now on March 1st and that it is! Oh well! Here is what my pictures should look like this time of year!

Another quick pose in the yard

Avery and our Big Snowman

And Sierra too!

Having some sledding fun!

Skiing at Wachusett Mountain

Last weekend, we had a great weekend skiing at Wachusett Mountain with The Mancino's, Uncle Joey, Aunt Jenna, Alex and Stacy! This was Sierra's first time on skiis. Since, you have to be 4 years old to take a lesson, we just rented her a pair or skiis and either Cory or I stayed with her and helped her get used to them on some little snow hills they have set up. She did awesome and she had such a great time! Meanwhile, Avery, Alex and Stacy took lessons Saturday and Sunday mornings. They started out at Level 2 on Saturday and moved up to Level 3 on Sunday, which meant they got to go on the big chair lift to the top of the Bunny Hill. And both days, we all skiied together in the afternoon. The kids all did a great job and we all had so much fun!

Sierra's First Time Down the Hill

Stacy, Alex, and Avery at their Lesson on Saturday

Stacy, Alex, and Avery at the top of the Bunny Hill getting ready for their first run down

Sierra practicing on a slightly bigger hill

Sierra coming down the Bunny Hill with Daddy

Sierra and Daddy going back up the Magic Carpet for another run

Alex, Daddy, and Avery going up the big Chair Lift

Avery & Daddy stopping to pose for a quick picture

Avery tearing up the mountain!

Daddy showing off!

As Avery said, "Nothing like a hot cup of chocolate after a cold day of skiing!"

And a monster ice cream sundae after a yummy dinner!

Avery's 6th Birthday!

Avery's Sixth Birthday was full of family, friends, and lots and lots of fun! Nana and Grandpa and Gramma and Grampa were all her for her birthday, along with Alex and Stacy, and Kailey, Ryan and Brady. Luckily, it snowed just in time for her birthday, so all of the kids were able to sled and play in the snow in the morning. They had a blast! Then her party was in the afternoon. She decided to have a gymnastics party this year at Giguere's and she invited all of the kids from her class. As you'll see from the pictures, the kids all had a blast jumping, climbing, balancing, tumbling, etc., etc.

A little parachuting to start things off!

Avery showing everyone how it's done!

I'm not too sure about this move

Sierra showing her stuff on the trampoline

And the Balance Beam

The looong table of party-goers!

Avery had to cover her ears as her friends , literally, screamed "Happy Birthday" to her!

Blowing out the candles on her cute Hello Kitty cake

Time for presents!

Her birthday was so crazy that she had to wait until the day after to open presents from family, but it was worth the wait!

Posing on her new Razor bike with her new ski helmet on!