Slugger...

Here is a video of Will playing baseball in the house (thanks, Joe). The boys have decided that playing with the baseball tee is for "little kids" and Will is a "big kid" so he's going straight for swinging at the pitch. Left handed no-less. Our little slugger! Enjoy! Video of talking, dancing Ella soon to come!

Living Treasures...

We love our little animal park Living Treasures! Last year Will was too timid to feed the animals. This year, he jumped right in and forked over the carrots to all of them! His new favorite phrase since visiting for the first time this year, is to call everyone an alpaca! "Oh, you're just an alpaca!" What a goof...

My little animals...


We all loved this Momma kangaroo and her Joey in the pouch!!

This series cracks me up... Poor Nan trying to wrestle the kids into the picture!
Ella, no Will.

Will, no Ella.

Finally!

Where'd this little blue-eyed girl come from???


Will loved this horse! Giving him the rest of the bucket of feed.

Dr. Joe!

Although Joe successfully defended his dissertation months ago, his official graduation was two weeks ago. We are so proud of him and all his hard work. Check out those stripes on his gown!!!! Thankfully the ceremony was in the Pitt field house so the kids were able to run the track with their grandparents without disruption! Along with getting his doctorate, he also was promoted to Director of Curriculum for his school district this week. There's no stopping him now!!

Giving Will a high-five on his way to the stage.

Proud Dad, proud Kiddos!

Extremely proud parents...

One happy family!

Will's first foray into photography. Taking Pop-Pop's picture!

Ella running amok during the ceremony.

Ella and her Nan...

Some silliness...

Everybody loves oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries! I was trying to take a picture of Ella feeding herself and of course Will wanted in on the action. You'll notice no more high chairs or bottles in our kitchen, for now :-) We're down to cups and booster seats. Bittersweet...


They decided to have a parade with my shoes on one morning... Will refused a picture, but here's Ella!

Sailing our boat (or baby bathtub, also now in the attic...)

Trip to Boston!

I know this blog is about the Guarino family, and most often the Guarino children, but I was able to share an awesome experience with a close member of my "family" from Notre Dame recently. A couple of weekends ago my friend Kelly ran the Boston Marathon in an incredible time and I was lucky enough to be there to see it! Stef, my dear friend and roommate in Baltimore, lives in Boston so the weekend was doubly special!! Thanks to Stef for putting me up, showing me around, and to Kelly for running like the wind!! What a special trip...
Running shoes in the flower boxes in Beacon Hill.

The gratuitous self portrait...

After a fabulous dinner in the North End. You'd never know she was carbo-loading!

Ann's (Kelly's running friend) husband and Kelly's mom along the marathon route. Cheering on their girls!

Stef's boyfriend Jim was SO GREAT in mapping out a route for us to maximize our sightings of Kelly and Ann. The Blackberry's and iPhones were going nuts as we tracked their progress!

Here they come!! Going strong at mile 22 just after Heartbreak Hill!


Off they go to the finish line!