Fireman Sam

Our friends, Elizabeth (Chucky), Wayne and Rebecca, sent Colton an awesome Fireman Sam backpack for Christmas. I let him open his package the morning after it arrived and he was so excited. His LL Bean bag has retired for the time being and he brings Fireman Sam with him everywhere. Since the Hilton's live so far away (England) I wanted to throw this special THANK YOU out to them. Merry Christmas Mates!!!

O'Christmas Tree

Last week we set out to find the perfect tree. The nursery we usually go to has a petting zoo so Colton got to feed the animals which is always a good time. That night we had the Raasch clan over to help decorate and have a little tree trimming party like the good old times on Scott Drive growing up. We stayed up playing Cranium, girls vs. guys, hate to say it but the guys won. It was worth the loss though seeing the guys do those Humdingers!

Uncle Zach babysits

I went out to do a little shopping and Zach offered to babysit Colton. They had a good time playing micro-machines which date back to when Zach was Colton's age and they watched Kung Fu Panda. Later that night Colton told Nick and I that he had a special prize that Uncle Zach had given him and reached into his pockets to show us. Colton is known for keeping his cars in his cargo pants pockets so I figured Zach sent him home with a few micro-machines. We were quite wrong when Colton pulled out a handful of beer bottle caps! Oh that Uncle Zach.

Checking the pockets...

Hmm...what's this?

Look what Uncle Zach game me!

(Yes he is sitting on his potty...almost time for potty training)

Thanksgiving 2008

We headed out to Pennsylvania this year to spend Thanksgiving with Nick's family. Colton had a blast because his cousin Aidan and him are only a year apart and they were best buds all weekend! We don't get to see all the Manorek's very often so it is nice to get everyone together including Grandma who comes up from New Jersey. We had a lot of fun playing games and Wii. The girls even managed to sneak out for a few hours on Black Friday to go shopping while all the guys went to see that new kid movie "Bolt"...Colton is always happy to indulge in movie popcorn..who isn't?!? My camera was MIA all weekend and I got a few not so great shots of the boys on Saturday morning before we left so here they are. They were so busy playing the game Cariboo it was hard to get a picture of them. Anyone looking for a great game for 2-5 year olds, Cariboo comes highly recommended, kid tested, mother-approved! Hope everyone had a great Turkey Day...perfect time of year to remind you all how thankful I am for all my friends and family. Love ya.

Riley's 5th birthday party!

Riley turned 5 a few weeks ago and we had a special soccer party at our house to celebrate. The original plan was to have it the weekend of his birthday (Nov.15th) but Riley came down with strep so we canceled for the following week hoping his health and the weather would cooperate. Riley got better but the weather didn't so we weren't able to do the adult/kids soccer game as planned. Heidi had made everyone t-shirts and Riley had picked the teams. Riley's Papa was suppose to be the ref and Nana Banana and Papa Roy were going to be goalies. What a scene it would have been?!?! We had fun anyways. The kids had a little Dance Party USA action going on...so they got their exercise (I don't know why my video won't upload but I am working on it). Colton rocked his official futbol gear he had gotten for his birthday from Chucky & Wayne over in Newcastle. He looked like a professional and he sorta plays like a pro, it is crazy how well he can drop-kick a ball. We should also mention Riley and my mom (Nana) share a b-day so we need to throw a Happy Birthday to her as well.

Cool glasses...can we try this with beer now?

Serious dance moves and serious faces.

Pumpkin festivals

Colton and I went to the Weymouth Pumpkin Festival a few weeks ago and we had so much fun that I finally had to post some pictures. Even though all the pumpkins were gone before we got there it was well worth the trip because Colton got to go on the "bouncie bouncie" (Colton's terms) aka the moonwalk. He LOVES the moonwalk and sometimes it is really hard to get him out of there when his turn is over. This time he bounced so high on his bum when he was getting out of the moonwalk even the guy working the booth said "wow"! One of the girl scout troops were having a book/bake sale so we bought some new reads including this Monsters Inc. book in the picture and The Elves and the Showmaker...remember that book?!? Fun stuff, we also got a bag of popcorn and two rice krispie treats for $1...now that's a bargain!!!

Dumbo

This Halloween Colton really wanted to be Spiderman. Nana bought him the costume, he loved it, ran around the house acting like a superhero, until...Auntie Heidi asked him if he wanted to see Spiderman in the mirror. One look in the mirror and he said "this too scary, take it off and return it Nana, I be Dumbo". Really he was just an elephant but if you ask him he will set you straight with "No mama, I Dumbo"!!! This was his first real year trick or treating. The first house he went to he opened the door, walked into their kitchen, played with the dog and helped himself to all the candy he could get his paws on, then he walked out the door and said "LOOK NANA, CANDY!!!" We live on a little dead end cul de sac so he hit all of four houses and then we drove across town to my friend Jill's house for our last trick or treat and to see her and her bulldog Tyson. Tyson was all over Colton's costume and thought the trunk was a toy or bone...it was pretty funny. Colton managed to eat at least two bags of m&m's that night, I think I hit one reeces cup...not so bad!

Halloween is almost here

I am one of those moms/aunts that likes to get the boys matching jammies and clothes...it is too cute not to. Realizing this only lasts for a short time until they insist on being different from each other, for now they LOVE nothing more than having matching outfits! This week I gave them all new Halloween pjs and tried to get them to sit still for one minute for a photo shoot before we went downstairs to Nana's for popcorn and a movie. We were going to watch Alvin and Chipmunks Halloween dvd but Colton took the dvd out of the case that night and it is still missing to this day...so we ended up settling for Dora's Halloween, not quite as entertaining for us adults but the kids still enjoyed it and getting them to snuggle with me on the couch was all it was really about anyways!!!

Brayden's Christening

This Sunday we had a nice family day celebrating Brayden's christening. Corey is the godfather and Siobhan is the godmother. The boys were all dressed up for the occasion, Brayden resembled a sailor/pillsbury dough-baby...he was the cutest up at that alter by far. There was a nice party afterwards at the Commonwealth where Riley and Colton played pool with the uncles and played the song "Ghostbusters" at least 20 times at the jukebox and "Thriller" maybe 10 times. Colton brings his little jack o'lantern basket everywhere filled with cars and he did try to smuggle a few pool balls. He was eventually caught red handed and forced to return them to their proper home. Overall I think the kids were a good "birth control" for the uncles, our kids can be a handful. We finally got to meet Corey's new girlfriend, Kerry, she is very cute and Riley clearly has a crush...he is very into girls at such a young age (lock up your daughters)! My favorite part of the day was when Nicole and Nana showed up in matching outfits without knowing it. That's what happens when you let Judy buy all your clothes. The lesson learned today was that you should never go to a party without checking what your 80 something year old grandma will be wearing! It was confirmed though, Nicole was NOT wearing elastic waist pants...this also meant she had to watch how much she ate and drank though. OK enough ripping on Nicole, the pictures say enough. God Bless ya Brayden!!!

Brayden's Godparents

Uncle Corey and Brayden

Okay here Colton is checking out the pool ball scene...looks like trouble...

...and he is off...someone stop that kid...he has the 8-ball!!!

Uncle Paul giving Riley some lessons.

Riley refuses to make a normal face for any picture...
this will come back to haunt him someday when he is older...blackmail!

Sisters - I don't think we look alike but somehow everyone else does.

This is Kerry...now I understand why Corey stays in Plymouth so much. :)

Alicia and Wally...I think this is where Riley gets the camera faces from.
Thanks Banger.

Riley and Niamh praying in church...Riley is looking dapper.

Saving the best for last...hey at least Nicole knows just what she will look like...
in another 60 years.

Busy weekends

This weekend we were pretty busy visiting with new and old friends. Friday was typical, I had all the boys over for a sleep over. Heidi does an over night at Cardinal Cushing on Fridays so Brayden and Riley sleep at our house. Saturday my cousin Tiffani came over with her two kids for a play date with Colton and the entourage. Her oldest, Madison is 16 months and just the cutest little thing...she made me want a girl soo bad, then her youngest, Jordan is only 6 weeks old and absolutely adorable, didn't make a peep all afternoon...that too makes you want another one (in case you are wondering my Colton is it for me, he is just enough perfection one girl can handle). Saturday night Colton and I went to Donna and Chris's in the North End to see my friend Colleen from Portland, OR visiting for the weekend with her newborn daughter Francie. Francie and Colton hit it off...he kept asking to kiss the baby...I think he liked the fact that she likes the Red Sox too. :) Sunday we went to a post race party for Pam, she ran a half marathon...woo hoo...anyone who can run that long deserves a party. Monday we hit the circus. It was quite a boy outing, Richard, Colton, Anthony, Will, Brady and Dominic (Beth and her sister's boys) came with us. This was a great circus, they had tigers, elephants, clowns, even the human cannonball.

Colton and Madison...she is really cute and tough...hung in there like one of the boys!

Baby Francie and the boys...cutest little Red Sox fans I know!

Not so easy to get all the boys to sit still and take a picture.
(Colton, Richard, Dominic, Anthony, Brady, William)

OK - I found the clowns!!!

Apple Picking

A typical fall day in New England...the weather is gorgeous and the orchards are packed. This past weekend we went apple picking at Honey Pot Hill in Stow. Colton ate every apple he picked, the grand total was 5 in the one hour we spent actually picking. Pam, Manami and Jill joined us on the excursion. It was so much fun and even more fun looking for good apple recipes to bake!

Climbing the apple tree...he likes to climb so this was a piece of cake.

Eating the apple before he even gets out of the tree...one down four to go.

Sharing an apple with Daddy.

Other than eating the apples...
Colton's job was to remove any stuck apples from our wheels!

The girls filling up their bags.

Perfect ending with a hayride...time for apple pie!

Just another Monday in the North End

Every Monday Colton goes into the city with Heidi and Brayden to watch Richard. It is all boys...all the time, I don' t know how my sister handles it so well. The part that I really can't fathom is that she usually takes the boys out to the park to run around and play and Donna and Chris live on the third floor! Imagine getting them all up and down those stairs, to the park and have them listen to you?! The boys love her...she must be some kind of Saint. Colton and Richard are total buds and look forward to playing cards, baseball and even playing with a fake pizza set (I mean it is the North End)!

Rock Stars

Everyone should get their autographs now before the O'Connell boys hit it big. I mean with Riley on the drums and Brayden on the keys it is just a matter of time before they are discovered. Who doesn't think that Brayden's skull bandanna is real tough? His Harley is parked out in the back yard. :)

Rainy weekend at home & NKOTB

It rained non-stop all weekend so this was a perfect excuse to stay in our pajamas, take naps and play all weekend at home. Colton at the moment is obsessed with playing with cars and army guys. He is growing up way too quickly...where did my little baby go?







I went to the New Kids on the Block Concert this past Friday...so I also had to share a few of the photo opts we had. My friend Pam from work is actually Danny Wood's sister so I am sooo thankful to her because she brought us (me, Heidi, Lisa and Kelly) with her daughter Manami (who is the cutest 15 year old kid I know) to the concert on Friday night. Natasha Beddingfield opened and it was awesome. The New Kids played all their old stuff and even though I swear I have not heard it in 15 years it all came back to me. The concert was so amazing. They even had Paul Pierce from the Celtics come out with the championship trophy and do Hanging Tough...oh yeah fireworks and all. After the concert we actually went to the private party closed off to family and friends. It was all very sureal when Danny Wood walked in and Pam introduced us. He has big muscles and is really hot. We also met Johnny Knight, Joey McIntyre (I definitely had my arm around him for a little longer than necessary) and even ran into Donnie Wahlberg in these back stairs when we were leaving the party. It was nuts I could go on and on but figured I would post a few of our pictures so you can see for yourself.