Apparently, you CAN have too much chocolate

but it takes a loong time.

It has become a yearly tradition to attend the Chocolate Buffet at the Langham Hotel with a group of about 8 women. My friend (Beth) and I were invited by our good friend (Tam); she and her friends had been going for a year or two.



I'm not going to lie--it is fantastic. Utterly amazing desserts--and freshly made donuts, and a crepe bar..come on, I don't really need to convince you to try this do I?

YUM!!

Even better than the chocolate (seriously) is just spending time with them--actually finishing sentences without refilling a sippy cup; conversations uninterrupted by helping someone on the potty! Bliss.

They make me laugh so hard, my sides were sore all night (honestly, you know it was the 8 pounds of chocolate I ate, but they are really, really funny!)

If you know him--you know this is not overkill

We figured that we really need to warn the public, and this seemed most efficient way.

Mike rates snow: 6.5; snowball fights 9.9

This is Mike's first real year with snow--last year he was bundled up and whisked from house to car and back. He was too little for any real understanding of winter except for the cold air that used to make him hold his breath when we ventured outside.

Like most of us who live here in New England--he seems to have a love/hate relationship with snow.

Well, initially it was more hate than love.

But you can climb it! (better than the dining room table even!)

...and build things!...or watch your mom and dad build things while your sister supervises--but fun nonetheless. Now he stands diligently without complaining as I put on layer after layer of gear-I guess he thinks that the snowpants and gloves are worth getting to climb the snowdrifts without me telling him to get down.

It only took 1 snowball for Mike to understand why snow is really cool. Chucking ice at each other? and it is sanctioned by the grown-ups? Count him in.

Wait until he finds out about snowboarding.

Happy Holidays 2007

What a great holiday season! I learned two very important things this Christmas.

The first thing I learned is that it is (or, rather, it must be) hard to be Santa. Especially when you have a precocius 5-year old that is a SNOOP. This was the first year of really hidden, covert-mission-style gift attainment. The worst thing is that it is only going to get worse as they get older. Let me tell you, I have a new appreciation for *my* Santa when I was little (because I was a snoop too!)

The other thing that I learned is that once you have kids, you really don't care at all what you get for Christmas, or if dinner isn't perfect, or if you didn't get to buy/make all the things you planned. All you really are about is watching the kiddos have a magical day.
We are so lucky to have them, and so lucky we can give them a great holiday.

This is what they woke up to Christmas morning...















Can I just say, not one of Santa's better ideas to start the fort at 1:30 AM...

hee hee..doesn't Mike look like a Who from Whoville?

Because we know it was only a matter of time before Gia started an all-girls Emo Band.