Trip to Colorado

We made our annual trip out to Colorado to see Collin, Greg and Abby and as expected had an awesome time! It was so much fun to watch Hampton and Abby play together...they got along (and shared!) very well.

On Saturday, Valentines Day, the wives were generous enough to let Eric and Greg head up to Winter Park for a day of skiing in great conditions. Collin and I stayed home and played with the kids and had a great time. On Sunday, Greg and Collin gave us an awesome day to ourselves and Eric and I took the ski train from downtown Denver to Winter Park to ski for the day...we hadn't skied together since Hampton's birth, so it was a real treat and the conditions were amazing! If you ever have the opportunity to take the ski train, do it. It's the easiest way to go and they have great food and a full bar. Good times.

Our camera wasn't working properly on this trip, but Collin took some great pics and we'll post those soon.

Hampton's "ABC's"

We know that we have been very bad at updating this in 2009. It has been a very busy year so far! We went to FL to see Gigi for Christmas, I went to Key West Race Week (and we won!) and Marin and I have both had our noses to the grindstone at work.

We have a few fun trips planned in February. We are all headed to Colorado to visit Collin, Greg and Abby and we also plan to get some skiing in while we're there. Then, Marin and Hampton are headed down to St. Thomas for a week with the O'Connell's. Then from there (I am literally picking them up at the airport and we're leaving) we are headed up to Sugarbush, VT with the Reilly's! So....lot's of pics to come.

Halloween (yes, it's late)

OK, so we're only two weeks behind the eight ball. Here are some photos from Halloween. Hampton was a pirate (Arrrrrrrrr). We had our second annual pre-parade Halloween party for the Charlestown kids (and Hampton's friends that don't live in Charlestown).

Every year there is a parade around the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Literally hundreds of kids from the neighborhood participate. Marin went at this alone last year because I was at J105 North Americans, so I had no idea how much of an ordeal this was in Charlestown. Pretty cool!

At first, Hampton was a little on the shy side when everyone started rolling in our house. Here he's giving CC a big hug. I bet she hated that.....


The group of Charlestown moms from the Charlestown Mother's Associate. Almost all of these babies were born July 2007

The Reilly's came up from Norwell to Join the fun. Hampton and Dad at the parade

The Band!

Hampton wanted to walk in the parade and push the stroller and walk Deacon.

He finally let me push him in his stroller

No idea who these people are, we just liked their costumes. Just 4 days before we had to suck it up and wait 4 years!

Just a pic of the scene at the base of Bunker Hill

Lots to Catch Up On!

We have been pretty busy since our last blog...

The renovations are still underway, they will be hanging all the sheetrock, plastering and hanging all the new trim this week and then we should be ready for the floor guys to come in and refinish the newly discoverd original hardwoods we had hiding underneath the existing wood floors. More photos of that are on the way...

We celebrated our 4th anniversary on August 28th! Because Hampton's daycare was closed on that Thurs and Friday, Grandma CC and Aunt Nanny came up to Boston and brought Hampton back to the Cape for a couple of days. It was nice to be able to go out to dinner (we went to Aujourd 'hui http://www.fourseasons.com/boston/dining.html and it was excellent) without worrying about a sitter.

A couple weekends ago we visited Alexis, Billy, Will and Jackson Reilly at their new home in Norwell, MA (just south of Boston). It was great to see them and their house is truly incredible.
On that same weekend we walked over to the New England Aquarium for Hampton's first visit.

On Labor Day weekend we made our annual day trip to Edgartown to continue the celebration of our anniversary on Saturday. Hampton came with us again and needless to say he wasn't as easy to handle this time (he was only a month old when we took the trip last year), but he/we still had a great time. We were able to catch up with Craig and Cory (Veitor) Appleman, their adorable 6 month old boy, Bancker Appleman and Cory's sister Lindsay for lunch at the Edgartown Yacht Club. It was great to see them and it sounds like Cory has had a great summer in Edgartown with her their new additon.

On Sunday, we hung out on the Cape and the men cooked everyone a seafood feast which we ate out by the pool. Though Aunt Lauren doesn't really like seafood (she wouldn't even eat a steamer for $50!) she was able to enjoy some of her usual grilled chicken and we had a blast just hanging out in the beautiful weather.

Today, we went up to the Burlington (MA) mall for Hampton's first haircut! He hated it. He screamed worse than he did when they had to draw blood from him at the Dr.'s office. He got over it though and he's less of a ragamuffin and definitely looks a little older. The ladies at "Snipits" did a great job.

The Reilly's new house in Norwell, MA. It is absolutely beautiful. Congratulations Alexis, Billy, Will and Jackson!

Billy and Will Reilly

We walked over to the New England Aquarium for Hampton's first visit that same weekend. HH liked the Shahhhks!

On our walk home from the aquarium, we paused to take a photo of the new Rose Kennedy Park (part of the "Big Dig). It's amazing to think that only a few years ago this would have been a picture of Marin and Hampton underneath a overpassing highway (now the highway is running beneath Marin's feet!)

Hampton enjoyed the views of Falmouth's Inner Harbor as we shoved off for Edgartown.

While Hampton slept during last year's annual breakfast at "Among the Flowers", he was a bit more lively this year.

The Knight's and the Lewicki's having some appetizers on Labor Day weekend (steamers!)

Though not a fan of seafood, Aunt Lauren was just happy that there was plenty of wine.

Hampton loves the pool.

Hampton did NOT like getting his hair cut. He got over it though.

Memorial Day Weekend

We decided to forgo our usual plans of travelling to the Cape for Memorial Day weekend to stay in Boston. It was quite relaxing to be home and not have to fight the tourists to get down to Eric's parent's home. On Saturday, we travelled up to Marblehead for Connor Gyllenborg's 1st birthday! The rest of the weekend we just stuck around Charlestown and got some stuff done around the house....rearranged rooms/furniture and spent some time at the park with Hampton and with our friends the Smith's and their 6mos old daugher, Ella. The weather was gorgeous - it got into the 80s in Boston on Memorial Day. Also, HH is 10 months old as of Memorial Day!

The John Harvard Park/Playground is about a 1/2 block away from our house. Now that the weather is nice, it has become Hampton's new stomping grounds.

Hampton showing his respect for Capt. Tek

Our landscaping is done for the summer! (window boxes)

View of the Bunker Hill Monument from our front steps (and the Warren Tavern in the forground). The Monument is the landmark of our city "beach"

Setting up camp with the Smiths on Memorial Day at Bunker Hill Monument - fitting locale for Memorial Day!

A view of some of the Boston Sky Line from Bunker Hill

Marin and Erin on the unofficial "first day of summer" 2008!

Eric, Hampton, Ella and Brian hanging out at the monument

Hampton liked his new tent!

Hampton and Ella Jane sharing toys

After we spent the day at "the beach" the Smith's came over and we did what Americans do on Memorial Day....grilled up some burgers and had some beers. Aside from the Sox getting swept in Oakland, it was a great weekend all around!

Happy Mother's Day!

The Mom's on Mother's Day

Today was an awesome Mother's Day. We spent the weekend on the Cape with CC Grammy, Grandpa and Aunt Nanny. We enjoyed a beautiful brunch at the Hyannisport Golf Club and later ventured to check out potential kitchen appliances for our much anticipated home renovations. Hampton had a great weekend, he loved playing with the dogs. He sensed Cody didn't truly want to get down and dirty with him so he crawled after him for most of the weekend. When we got home on Sunday, Hampton crawled up our two flights of stairs! I was quite impressed by his agility - hopefully that will continue to develop on the sport fields :) Anyway, he's now 9 1/2 months old - says "Mama" and "Dadda" all the time. He waves. He claps. And, he's continuing to experiment with more and more foods. Too fun.

The Fam (minus Deacon)

Trip to Colorado

Recently we took, probably the most ideal vacation we could think of - a trip to Colorado to visit Collin (Marin's sister), Greg and Abby and do some skiing, followed by 5 days in Oahu, Hawaii for our friend Becky and Samir's wedding.

Grandpa Knight joined us for the Colorado leg of the trip and we all rented a great condo in Breckenridge. Over the four days we were in Breckenridge, everyone got to ski and the guys got to take a daytrip to Vail. The skiing was fantastic as we got snow just about every night.

View from the Condo in Breckenridge

Collin and Marin skiing Breck!


Grandpa Knight and Eric at the top of China Bowl, Vail

Greg and Grandpa Knight getting ready for the daytrip to Vail

Grandpa Knight and HH on St. Patty's Day. We had plenty of Guinness.

Hampton's Baptism

Last weekend was Hampton's Christening at St. Mary's Parish in Charlestown - a beautiful church that was built in 1823. Hampton's Godmother, Karol Zikas, and his Grandma Gigi flew in from Florida for the event. As always, Hampton's Godfather Mike Zikas was missed, but we know that he was looking down on us and that he's got connections!

Eric, Hampton, Marin, Father Ronan and Karol Zikas

"Dude, what are we doing here?"

"And why does this man keep drawing crosses on me?"

Grandma CC, Hampton and Gradma Gigi

Hampton and "Aunt Nanny" (Eric's Aunt Debbie)

Stowe Weekend

Last weekend we went with the Reilly's (Alexis, Billy, Will and Jackson) up to Stowe for a ski weekend. They got a ton of snow the week prior so the skiing was incredible. The dogs (Deacon and Jackson) had a blast hopping through the snow that was probably 4' deep in the front yard of the home we rented for the weekend. We also got to hit the Matterhorn bar with the kids after skiing on Saturday. We got a great table, some beers, good food and had a blast. I think that Will and Hampton enjoyed their first "bar experience". It's pretty cool to think that Will and Hampton could be skiing together and going to the Matterhorn together for many years to come!

Hampton, Deacon and Will playing together nicely at the ski house

It was very hard to get Deacon to come inside.

"The boys" at the Matterhorn

Got a little Captain in ya?

Hampton taking in the scene

Snow is here!

Unlike the last few Decembers (as far as we can remember) we are actually getting quite a bit of snow up here. Even the Cape is getting it. Maybe we'll have a white Christmas?

Thanksgiving and Four Months!

Well, it's been a while since we've written in our blog. I guess with Thanksgiving and everything, we've been pretty busy. Hampton had his 4 month checkup and we're lucky parents to be able to report that he's a perfectly healthy boy. He was 25.5" long and weighs 17lbs 80z. (78th and 98th percentiles, respectively). He's pretty darn close to rolling over from his back to his front, but not quite there yet. He is also sitting up for a very brief period of time while using his arms to support himself on one side. It's fun to watch him learn new things.

Hampton getting in some tummy time (4mos)

We went to the Cape for Thanksgiving and the Knight's life long friends, the Zikas' (Hampton's Godmother, Karol and her daughters Karolyn and Kristen) joined us from Florida as well. Of course Aunt Lauren and Uncle Frank were in town as well.

We didn't do much! Eric played some golf with his Dad and we got some good relaxing in. As you can see, Hampton wasn't starved for attention.

Grandma CC, Karol and Hampton on the beach the day before T-Day

Aunt Lauren spending some time with her Nephew


Karolyn had Hampton every chance she could get!