Halloweenies

We may not go door-to-door in quite the same way as when mommy and daddy went trick-or-treating as kids but it's every bit as much fun!  Instead of ringing the doorbells of the Jones, Smith and Johnson houses, we visit our beloved local retailers who doll up their windows, dress up to the nines and stockpile the candy for our little trick-or-treaters.  Sometimes its hard to tell who's having more fun, the kids or the grownups!

A local East Village shop decked out for the occasion 

(notice the tiny trick-or-treater inside).

Big Brother dressed up as (go figure) his fave Yankee Derek Jeter, while Little Sister went as the main character in her favorite book series Ladybug Girl. The resemblance is striking...makes sense that Ladybug Girl's name in the book is none other than...Lulu!

After a fun-filled trick-or-treating adventure through the East Village we arrived home to find our amazing downstairs neighbors bearing Halloween treats for the kids.  A squashy marshmallow pumpkin and Mickey Mouse lollipop delivered by our infinitely patient downstairs buddies (would you want to live underneath this family??) rounded out the loot and reminded us once again why we love it here.

Happy Halloweenie Everyone!!  

xx

The McHales

It poured last night!

So we went for a walk in our pajamas.

 And ladybug boots.

And the really huge umbrella Daddy bought to keep me dry.

-LuluMac

A birthday card for mama.

Artwork courtesy of Lulu.  A great day all around.

xx

Mama

Spooky!

The McHale Family Jack-o-Lantern: 2011.  Design by Cavan Shane Miller.  We think he did an excellent (and very spooky) job.

xx

Fall Fashion: Clover Louise Style

Who needs New York Fashion Week when Lulu is on the scene to tell you all you need to know! Miss Lu got a fabulous little denim Mexican dress for her birthday from our friend Jennine, but today she decided it just needed a little something extra to give it that je ne sais quoi.  She layered it with a long sleeved black tee, pink heart necklace and...

...black and pink star print leggings.

Later that day, while shopping for shoes for her big brother, she happened upon an incredible pair of cowboy boots!  She just had to have them!

After a very fashionable tour of the Farmer's Market, playground, and local ice cream shop, we had a very sleepy cowgirl on our hands.  Being the resident arbiter of high style is hard work!

xx

We're Halfway There!

We're officially halfway through "Grandma's Rocktober Challenge!"

Last year Cavan had a few, um, issues with remembering to write down his daily assignments and bring home all of the things he needed for his schoolwork.  To kick off the new school year Grandma came up with the idea of setting some goals for Cavan that, if achieved, would result in very cool rewards.  The first challenge?  Every day for the month of October, Cavan must remember to write all homework assignments and important test and quiz dates in his daily planner, plus bring home all materials needed to complete the day's homework.  For each day he completes this task he gets a sticker on the "Rocktober Challenge" calendar on the front door.

As you can see we have two full weeks of stickers which means Cavan is taking this challenge very seriously.  If, at the end of the month, there is a sticker on the box for every school day, Grandma has agreed to sign Cavan up for the new baseball league he wants to join.  YAY!

We look forward to celebrating the successful completion of "Grandma's Rocktober Challenge" because we're sure he will succeed.  And then it will be on to the next "Grandma" challenge!

Go Cavan! Looking forward to some serious skill building in 4th grade!

Columbus Day 2011: The Bronx Zoo

Lulu and Daddy had such a great time at the Central Park zoo recently that they decided a tour of the Bronx zoo was also in order.  It just so happened that Cavan had the day off from school for Columbus day so off they went.

Everything from tigers and elephants, to gorillas, giraffes and gorgeous birds were enjoying a beautiful Indian Summer day.

Cavan and Lulu take in the view.

Looks like one wild animal escaped his cage!

At the end of the day Lulu decided it was all too much and crashed in her stroller.  Big brother decided to climb up on a camel and enjoy a final view of the Bronx zoo.  By all accounts it was a great day and everyone slept very, very well that night.

Happy Birthday to Lu!

On October 5th Lulu turned 2!  She started the day off modeling her birthday outfit.  Lulu has developed a fondness for tutus and, naturally, a day as special as this would require one!

When Cavan got home from school the real festivities began.  On the menu for dinner?  Pizza of course!  Followed by a pistachio birthday cake from our fave local bakery Sugar Sweet Sunshine.  No one makes a better cake than Sugar Sweet!

The birthday girl admired, then blew out, her candles (with a little help from mom).  What did she wish for?  You'll just have to guess because the birthday girl's not telling!

After cake it was time to play.  While daddy kept her busy, mommy and Cavan quickly piled a big bunch of presents outside the bedroom door.  Surprise!

Lulu got so many wonderful gifts.  And while the glove, bat and ball set from big brother was a very close second...

...the runaway, hands down favorite of the day was definitely a miniature version of Lulu's stroller that she pushes her baby in up and down and up and down the hallway.

Happy Birthday Lulu.  We love you ladybug!

-Mommy, Daddy and Cavan

An epic morning at The Central Park Zoo.

Lulu insisted that Daddy take the morning off Monday to continue our Animal Edification Series.  This stop was Central Park's Zoo.  We were both overwhelmed by how beautiful and lush it was right here in the middle of Manhattan.

We strolled through the paths and saw penguins, a polar bear sleeping in the distance, a quick glimpse of a snow leopard, a ton of birds and this little guy…a red-tailed panda watching us slowly pass by.

Then we came out of the trees and passed by the snow monkey habitat on our way to see the seals being fed.  Lulu couldn’t stop giggling at their bark as the trainers tossed them buckets of little fish.

With the morning almost gone and an exhausted couple of kids (big and little) we hiked over to the petting zoo where Lulu and Daddy pet a huge black angus, some sheep, an alpaca or two, two pigs, and, of course, THE GOATS!

What an amazing moring!

Lions and Tigers and Elephants, Oh My!

The last week has been maelstrom of congestion, traffic, frustration and muck thanks to a 9/11-related terror threat, a Presidential visit, a United Nations session and, well, Mother Nature's contribution....heavy rain.

On Saturday morning we decided a good old-fashioned museum visit would be just the thing.  Lulu had never been to the Natural History Museum, and with 5 or 6 visits under his belt Cavan was feeling like quite the tour guide.  We started at the elephants.

And then Big Brother pointed out the virtues of the stately ostrich.

After visits with birds, giraffes, bears, reptiles, gorillas, Plains Indians and the Hall of Biodiversity we were all ready to call it a day.  Rainy weekends aren't so bad after all.

Update: 9/11/2011

A package arrived this weekend from the Tuesday's Children Foundation.  Inside was a t-shirt, magnet and handwritten note addressed to Cavan thanking him for his efforts on 9/11/2011.

We love our Cavan.

A warm September morning in the McHale household.

Love my girls!  -GMac

9/11/2011

Today was a day of reflection and remembrance.  Remembrance of the people who lost their lives, the brave first responders, the survivors, the nightmares, the emotional scars and the first glimmers of hope in the aftermath of 9/11/2001.  It was also a day spent remembering the many reasons we love the city we call home.

This morning we watched the memorial ceremony on tv with our hearts in our throats and tears in our eyes.  But we spent the afternoon with smiles and laughter and feelings of gratitude for NYC and our amazing community.  Cavan and his friend Cate decided to set up a lemonade and cookie stand to raise money for the Tuesday's Children Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the children of 9/11.

The sale was a huge success and the kids stayed until the last cookie was sold and the last drop of lemonade drained from the cooler.  But with vendors as cute as these two (plus a pint sized New Yorker as an assistant) how could they fail?

Lulu, Cavan and Cate

The little assistant was eager to help but also had trouble keeping her hands out of the cookie jar.  Note the telltale evidence smeared on her face.

Customers came from up and down the block: neighbors, friends, strangers, and policemen from the precinct across the street who made sure to let the kids know how much they appreciated their efforts.  (The fact that they were selling without the proper permits was quietly overlooked.)

After tallying the day's receipts the kids will write personal letters to the foundation to send along with a check that may be small in number but is huge in love.  We couldn't be more proud of these thoughtful, bright and compassionate children.

And today, tomorrow, and forever, we will love New York City.

Fourth Grade!

It's back to school time for Cavan Shane.  This year he's in 4th grade and not only did he score a great teacher, but his good pal Dawson is in the same class!  (The jury is out on whether this is actually good news.  I guess the first report card will tell us all we need to know.)  Looking forward to another great year at Nest+m!

Resident Fourth Grader

Meanwhile, Cavan Enjoys a Thousand Island Adventure!

While his summer may not be as long as those I enjoyed in my youth, Cavan Shane certainly packs a ton of adventure into a couple of months!  In addition to trips to Southampton and Queechy Lake, as well as a birthday jaunt to Dorney Park with dad, mom and bbf Hen, he, most recently went to Papa Mama's beach house and enjoyed an exciting boat tour which, clearly, he loved!!  What better way to usher in 4th grade?

We love Cavan Shane!!  xx, Mommy

Breezy Point: Labor Day 2011

There is simply no place like Breezy.  We can't imagine any other town on earth where we'd be ok with just letting our kids disappear out the back door.  It's kind of like stepping off the canvas of a Norman Rockwell painting.  And lucky for us, our friend Jennine grew up going there and her dad Bruce is simply the most amazing host ever.

We went to see Jennine's family, including her husband Drew and their adorable baby Charlie, over Labor Day weekend and our photog friend Drew once again captured moments that we adore.  Like a dream come true we drove 45 minutes away from Manhattan and arrived in Queens to enjoy sand, surf, kids and tons of fun with our pals.

While the ocean side provides gorgeous waves, the bay side boasts an awesome playground and an amazing view of Manhattan and the Empire State Building.

Mommy and Daddy love Breezy!!  xx

Hurricane Irene (and other news)

It's been a big weekend here in NYC.  Hurricane Irene made an unwelcome visit, prompting us to clear and stow every last bit of our rooftop "garden," batten down the hatches and stock up on essentials in preparation for her arrival (including bottled water, flashlights, and... diapers).

But perhaps the most exciting event of the weekend was Lulu's first ever pee pee in the big girl potty.  (And yes, we ARE crazy enough in this house to think this warrants a post.)  Maybe she was inspired by the hours of rain, rain, and more rain Irene brought.  But whatever the reason we're proud of this milestone (and looking forward to the increase in disposable income that will result from no longer needing disposable diapers).

Go Lulu!

The Ninth Inning

My baby turned nine last week.  NINE!  Next year we'll be in the double digits.  But for now we'll enjoy this ninth inning with our little league Yankee who celebrated his birthday with a bike ride and SURPRISE a new bike!

We rode down to the Yankee store at the South Street Seaport where he got a "real" NY Yankees baseball cap ("no adjustable strap on the back Mom!") and a jersey with his fave player Derek Jeter's number on the back.

Then we celebrated with a special shrimp and steak dinner requested by the birthday boy and prepared by Greggie which was, of course, fabulous!  We actually put the cart before the horse so to speak and had cake before dinner so that Lulu could partake in the festivities.

It took our birthday boy some time to ponder his wish but we're confident it was a good one and that all this kid's dreams will come true.

In fact, one dream already did come true.  The day after his birthday mom and dad took the day off of work and took him and his best bud Henry to Dorney Park, an amusement park in Pennsylvania with amazing rides!  It was a great day and will be a fantastic memory for the kid we're all so very, very proud of.

Happy Ninth Cavan Shane!

Fashion Visionary or Fashion Victim?

I'm on the fence.  But you gotta give the girl credit for one thing: she's creative.  Not many people would have the guts to pair a swimsuit with their brother's boxers and a winter hat. You go girl!

Cavan and His Mates

Sure three of these guys are in an amazing band that sells out upwards of 10,000 seats per venue and another is a branding/graphic design prodigy...but did that stop these cool kids from indulging an almost-nine-year-old in a friendly game of Scrabble on a Friday night?  Heck no!  And that's just one (of the many) reasons why we love these guys. 

Danilo, Andrew, Cavan, Jack and Nate

Fawn-Doe-Rosa

No, I'm not grossly misspelling Ponderosa.  I'm talking about an amazing sanctuary in Wisconsin that Grandpa Wright took us to during our summer visit.  It is home to all manner of amazing creatures including deer, goats, bunnies, elk, porcupines, miniature horses, llamas, bears, pigs, chickens, and, I'm told...wolves.

Cavan + Friends

Many of these animals have been injured and given a safe place to live and interact with animals and humans in a safe, clean and nurturing environment.   Upon entering, guests are given a bag of feed including dry food, carrots and corn (well, ok, the food DOES cost $1.50...but still...think of the animals!). Once in the sanctuary you freely interact with amazingly sweet deer, super snuggly goats and cows that, oddly, remind you of your dog back home (Peanut, I'm talking about you!).

What's not to smile about?  Food without fear of shotguns!

Cavan and I agreed that if there was one thing we could smuggle back on the flight back to the Big Apple it would definitely be this miniature goat.  We think he'd fit right in here!  Picture our morning walks: Shiba Inu, Brooklyn pit bull/boxer mutt, and....mini goat!  Only in New York folks!

Future East Village resident?

Is farming in his future?  Cavan is, after descended from farmers!  He may be born and bred in NYC but don't discount this kid's love of nature! 

Farmer Cavan

All in all it was a great day.  It's hard to say who enjoyed Fawn-Doe-Rose more, Mommy or Cavan.  But none of us regretted the layer of deer/goat/cow/llama saliva we had to scrub off of our hands and we have great memories of amazing close encounters with our furry Fawn-Doe-Rosa friends.

Cavan and Grandpa call it a day.

xx