The Battle of Manassas

Most people (okay, maybe only historians) may think of the civil war when it comes to the Battle of Manassas.  For the Nicastro family, it was the greatest impromptu 1.5 mile race at the Battlefield they've ever experienced.  Mommy and Daddy wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather and "hike" the Battlefield.  Ysabella and Anthony had a different idea and took off running immediately.

Soon Mommy and Daddy realized they would have to join in if they wanted to keep up!

They started off strong and really enjoyed being chased by Mommy and Daddy.

Ysabella showed us the proper way to check on those running behind you (for safety reasons of course - most definitely not to assure she was still in first place)

Of course we got tired, (no marathons completed in this family, yet)... which created the perfect opportunity to smell the flowers.

Or enjoy a photo op... 

There was also plenty of quality family time enjoyed by all.

Mommy even got out from behind the camera (phone) to smile for pictures.

Ysabella seems to have a knack for running and didn't stop but for a second. Anthony had a tougher time keeping up...

Mommy and Daddy love to teach about the value of exercise and turned down his many attempts at being carried.  Holding hands is a very good alternative (at least for Mommy and Daddy). Once the run was over Ysabella became very adventurous...

Anthony reluctantly joined and held onto Daddy very snugly.  Good thing he had the beautiful scenery to distract him.

All in all, it was a great activity on a gorgeous day and everyone had a wonderful time.  Oh, who won the great battle?

All of us, of course!!!

Keep up the good sportsmanship, little Nicastros.

And remember, if there were a real race (especially trails) you will all eat Mommy's dust!!

xo:)xo

Best Weekend Ever!

This weekend was jam packed with fun, family and activities.  Mommy and Daddy were sad to have a quiet, empty house. Thankfully, they didn't have much time to dwell on it before they fell asleep.  It all started with Ysabella's 4th Birthday Celebration.

Tangled was the theme and long hair was mandatory (for most).

The celebration seemed never ending as the good times carried on into Mother's Day.  Most of the family (we missed a few people very  much) gathered at a nearby park for a cookout where we enjoyed food...

   

...and Nonas...

...and Grandmas...and sunbathing...

... and streams...

...and playing in streams...

...and playing in dirt...  and best friends cousins...

... and relaxing/chatting by dirt...

... and most of all being together.  Mommy says it was the best weekend ever and she couldn't have had a better time.  All this playing, eating, and excitement left four little kids and quite a few adults very tired. Luckily, we have until next year to rest up for the next jam packed birthday/mother's day weekend.  

So rest up, little Nicastros, this weekend will be hard to top.

And Thank You, for such a special Mother's Day to remember. 

xoxox

Birthday Biker

Today Ysabella turned 4!! And to welcome her to the next year, Mommy and Daddy got her a brand new bicycle.  She hasn't stopped talking about it all morning and finally got a chance to take it out for a spin. 

Whew, those hills can be tough! Soon enough, after a solid unplanned dismounting, she was cruising down the street.

Piggy had to come along for the ride, though it looks like he doesn't mind.

Four must really agree with Ysabella because she is almost good at sharing with her brother - who isn't too bad at peddling with his toes. 

 Mommy and Daddy can't believe their baby is already four years old.  She is growing up too quickly but make us so proud at what she is capable of and what a great little girl she as become. 

Leave 'Three' behind, Ysabella. We wish you the happiest of  4th birthdays and remember during your next year,...enjoy the ride! 

xoxox

New 'Do

Now that we have consistently warmer weather, it's time for some fresh spring-y changes.  Daddy is a master at changing his appearance and is teaching his children the skills of a new look.  Mommy has finally let go of the little old man part for Anthony.  It is time for the young and vibrant buzz cut, courtesy of Daddy!

Once the itching began and Anthony noticed the recent clothing trend, ...it was officially the hour of shirtless men...

Even Ysabella got in on the fun. (No, not the shirtless part, she is a lady,... the haircutting!)

Next it was Daddy's turn. First comes the cape... it goes right through the jugular, right Anthony?

The comes the clippers

Careful not to miss any part of this activity, Ysabella was there for quality control.  Don't worry Ysabella, Anthony didn't cut Daddy's hair too short, it's called male pattern baldness (Thanks Poppy)!

In the end, we had two very handsome Nicastros with fresh cuts for the coming summer.

Keep helping each other out, little Nicastros

And remember,... never point out other people's flaws, right Daddy? ;)

Freeze Frame

We had beautiful weather in VA this weekend, which meant plenty of outdoor fun.  Mommy also had lots of fun experimenting with her camera. Luckily, the kids were very cooperative doing their favorite activities over and over again.  Ysabella took flight showing us how big she could jump.

... and land on her feet! (Judges Score: 9.8)

Anthony continues to hone his hand-eye coordination with Daddy as his coach.

HOMERUN!!!

Welcome the warmth of spring, little Nicastros.

And remember, always stop and smell the roses (or capture a moment in time)

xoxox

The Nicastro Ballpark

This weekend of rain has allowed our imaginations to play.  Today we turned the basement into a ballpark and practiced our hand-eye coordination.  Daddy was very pleased to see us discard the baseball tee and opt for a slow pitch game instead.  

The kids had a blast and learned all about the 3 strike rule.  Luckily, they kept their eyes on the ball and rarely got "out". (Yes, Daddy was loving it!)

Look out SportsCenter!  The Nicastro name may be prominent in your highlight reel! 

Remember little Nicastros, its not about winning or losing.... 

.... it's about making your Daddy happy that you may be athletic! :)

XoXoX

A Chicken, a Lion, and Some Bears

What does a chicken, a lion, and some bears have in common? Well, they are some of the favorite things that we found at the public library near Nona's house! Mommy promised us a trip to the libary, (oops we mean libRary - we are still practicing that one), so we could get a new and fun learning experience. The first thing we HAD to do was play on the computer.  Getting used to a mouse was a difficult thing but we picked it up quickly.

Anthony praciticed his letters with a train game! 

Next, it was on to puzzles. This library had many, many puzzles to choose from.

Once we found the perfect puzzles, there was no stopping us. 

Cute bugs for everyone,...

Until ... Anthony found the large inset toys!

He loved to play with them and make them play with each other. 

But he was also claimed to be "scared" of them...

Afterall, "Spiders are yucky."

Before we knew it, lunchtime was here.  But we couldn't leave without an impromptu puppet show... which is where we met the chicken....

The lion...

and some bears.

Ok, maybe one of them is a dog, but no one uses labels here at the library!  We all had a great time and can't wait until our next visit.  Who were those amazing puppeteers? Ysabella and Anthony, of course!

Remember Little Nicastros, we are never too old to use our imaginations and explore new places.

I'm sure we'll see you again at the libary,... i mean libRary!

XooX