Talking With Tori ---

Just realized we never posted this to the family site. A little old, but here it is. We're also collecting video for the second episode of the groundbreaking variety show.

[Pennsylvania Vacation Special Series, Part I] Red Sox v Pirates: Kids First MLB Game ---

***The family has been vacationing in Pennsylvania since Wednesday. It's hard to make updates on the road, but we're taking plenty of pictures and video and will posting as we go in our Pennsylvania Vacation Special Series. Enjoy Part I! ***

The family enjoyed their first Major League Baseball game on Sunday after morning after meeting. We've been to several AA games back when the CT Defenders where known as the Norwich Navigators, and Daddy's been to a game at Fenway, but this was the first Major League game the whole family attended.

As a Pennsylvania native, Mommy had a hard time deciding which team to root for. Her adoptive Boston Red Sox, or her hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. She split the vote and rooted for both, even buying a Pirates shirt on the way out.

During the game Eliza took a tour of the park and picked out Jonathan Papelbon in the bullpen. She was very excited to come back and tell Daddy about this, who went down and got pictures of Papelbon, Jason Varitek, and Daniel Bard. While browsing the gift a little boy, obviously a Pirates fan, came up and saw Eliza's David Ortiz jersey and said, "Oh, I can't look!" Eliza then wanted to leave the store because she felt awkward wearing her Sox jersey. Daddy clearly has some teaching to do regarding Red Sox pride. Eliza said of the game afterwards, "Awesome!"

Daddy enjoyed chanting "Let's go Red Sox!" with many of the other Red Sox fans at the game, until we got out-cheered by the Pirates fans. Also, he was wearing his black and gold Boston Bruins Championship shirt, whose colors are similar to the Pirates, so some of the Pirates fans were confused to see someone wearing what looked like a Pirates shirt and a Red Sox hat, until they stopped to get a closer look. Daddy also enjoyed being able to see Heinz Field where the Steelers play.

Ella Grace opted to read her book about half way through the game.

We had been hoping to get there early enough for batting practice and a chance at some autographs, but with the meeting in the morning and a long commute to the game we weren't able to do so. The family found PNC Park to be a very nice venue and the fans where enthused. Daddy was surprised to find the park so full, even if a quarter of the fans were Red Sox fans, given the low attendance they've had in the past. If the Pirates can continue putting together a winning season like they are presently, it should be a good time for baseball in Pittsburgh as there is clearly a devoted fan base to build on.

The weather was nearly perfect. It did slightly sprinkle around inning four, but otherwise it was picture perfect weather for baseball.

Bunches of Pictures ---

Been far too long since our last post, so here's a bunch of pictures to fill in the gap a little.

Groton Day 07 ---

The family enjoyed an afternoon at Washington Park for Groton Day. Naughny-Na, Daddy-Poppie, and Auntie Ann were also there for hamburgers, hot dogs, and moon bounces. We collected a lot of freebies from the various kiosks of local companies. The free sno-cones were much appreciated on the hot day! We left as the mosquitoes came out in force but Ella, Eliza, and Daddy snuck in a ride on a horse drawn wagon first.

SailFest 07 ---

Saturday was our first SailFest at the new house and we were happy to entertain family and friends for the day. Grammie, Grandpa, Aunt Fran, David, Alex and Erica attended, as well as the Glovers who were able to make it in time and cousins Dillon and Emily along with mother Sarah. We got the grill running for the first time this year and Grandpa helped out getting things ready for a BBQ. The kids played in the lopsided pool (the terrain isn't flat enough, a problem we'll be working out later) but the kids got lots of fun out of it before it collapsed later in the evening.

Grammie and Grandpa also got us an anniversary cake, a chocolate one, that was delicious. Thank you! The burgers were good and so was the wine. We started a fire for roasting marsh mellows but the kids weren't interested, probably shouldn't have given them smores just the day before. :)


It was nice to not have to fight with traffic, before or after the fireworks. Everyone enjoyed a game of Apples to Apples and some Walmart fireworks before heading down for the real show about 20 minutes before it began. We got a real good view, probably the best I can remember, of the show and everyone enjoyed it from beginning to end. Afterwards we all sat out in the front swapping stories while we watched the traffic slowly clear out. The kids enjoyed sparklers.

Pictures here!

Anjuli's Graduation Party ---

The family spent a wonderful evening at the Denobrega's house Saturday night helping to celebrate Anjuli's completion of high school. It was a fine night of volleyball and dancing along with good food and lot's of laughs. Ella and Eliza got to play on the rope swing in the backyard as well.

Daddy and Uncle Pepsi also got to reminisce about high school days, learning that Alex Denobrega also went to Grasso Tech, as they had. They also got to play several games of foozeball.

Mommy and Daddy had a blast dancing to several swing songs, and Gene taught us the Cotten-Eye Joe dance. It's obnoxiously fun. Ella Grace got in her first game of manhunt, and Eliza did pretty much a little bit of everything.

Pictures here.

Parties Galore! ---

It's been a busy week in the house, lot's of fun! Eliza had an end of year party at Headstart that Mommy and Daddy attended with her. Then on Saturday Eliza had a tea party. A couple of her friends weren't able to attend for reasons beyond anyone's control, but Emily and Dillon made it and had a great time. From balloon popping to cake eating there was never a dull moment.

Friday Uncle Micah came over and we got a new toilet to replace the last one that never stopped running. We also got the screen door fixed (mostly) so now we can leave the door open in the summer time, as well as finally getting some glass on our side door so we could take off the plastic baggy that was covering it. Daddy also brought up one of the air conditioners and a window fan.

Eliza's tea party

End of year party

Suessical ---

We attended the Suessical musical at the Garde Arts today and enjoyed it, though Eliza got up for a couple of minutes near the end as she got a little bored. The play takes a number of Dr. Suess books and combines them into one story and sets the whole thing to music. It was well done and imaginative, and Daddy remembered how creative imaginations can be once you get wrapped up in a play, your mind filling in all the blanks made by the limitations of what you can do on stage. All the limitations movies spoil us by filling. It's more fun letting imagination do the special effects. Mommy loved it but was a little bothered by the fact that the Cat in the Hat had no tail. :)

At home the family has been enjoying reading the Bible together as we prepare for the Memorial of Christ's death on Monday. Ella Grace was amused by Jesus throwing the money changers out of the temple.

Backyardigans ---

Lately the kids show Backyardigans have taken over our TV, helped by the advent of the DVR. We record them every day for Eliza, and it's about the only show she ever wants to watch. Once in awhile she'll take in a Dora episode, but most of the time it's Backyardigans, which she says as "Backagains". Morning, noon, and night, you can usually find it playing on our TV.

Fortunately for everybody else it's an enjoyable show that parents can appreciate and not be annoyed with. The five kid animals share a backyard and play together. The show manages to portray them as being children without being condescending to either the characters or the audience. They're well spoken tykes who generally get along. The show also manages to give each episode it's moral lesson for the day without coming across like a public service announcement. There's also a lot of singing and dancing in each show which is more sophisticated than most kids shows. This is great for Eliza who likes to dance along, and dance in general. The show also centers around the childrens extensive use of their imagination and reminds me very much of playing in the backyard when I was a kid, something today's kids might miss out on.

This is the first show in which Eliza has remembered all the characters names, Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, Uniqua, and Austin, and we think she might have a crush on Tyrone. :)

Disney On Ice ---

Forgot to post this earlier, but recently the family enjoyed a trip down to Providence to see Disney On Ice, which the kids enjoyed very much. Cousins Emily and Dillan were brought along as well. A funny thing we parents noticed is that we got Ella and Eliza into the car, drove all the way to Providence, got them in the arena, all without either one of them even once asking us where we were going or what we were doing. This was great because when the characters started skating out on the ice it was a complete surprise to both of them. Guess we just have trusting kids! :) The show was two hours long with an intermission, and none of the kids ever appeared to get bored.