Luke & Mom & Team Lisa Thank YOU!

This message is a very special THANK YOU to everyone who supported Luke, his mom, and TEAM LISA for the 2009 Komen NYC Race for the Cure! Luke and Mom are thrilled that they reached their $2000.00 fund raising goal, and are keeping their fingers crossed for Team Lisa to hit $15,000 before the October 31st deadline. (If you want to give, just click here to give to support Luke & Mom, or here to support Team Lisa, and follow directions!)

We had an amazing day in Central Park with fantastic weather, Cyndi Lauper, and the handsome handsome, even more handsome in person Maurice Dubois. So even more thank yous to all who donated for helping to make it a fantastically celebratory day for our team!

How good looking is our team? Especially the beauties in pink survivor shirts! This year, Luke was thrilled to be officially dubbed the team mascot. Looks like there are lots more Races in his future!

Luke was careful to hydrate adequately before the Race began.

These pictures go out to Luke's Great Uncle Joe - the Harley lads & ladies always come to cheer us on as we start the race. Yay!

They even had a pink bike!

I guess all of that hydrating and riding is hard work....Luke didn't make it through even 1k of the 5k course!

But he was sure to wake up for a photo op with Auntie Lisa

And you KNOW he wouldn't sleep through brunch!

Look out, Aunt Sharren, Luke has a new best Auntie friend in Lisa. Here, he gets her digits so he can blow up her celly later.

And he gave her a little snuggle (because Auntie Lisa is a softie and let him out of his high chair!)

Time to go home! Another fantastic Race for the Cure in the books (but it's not too late to give)!

Overall, Luke rated this day a FIST BUMP!

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Grammy & Grandpap

Luke's Rosella Grandparents are official Pittsburgh residents as of this Friday. In celebration, Luke created some videos for them, showing off his newest words and activities.

In this first video, Luke, shirtless after a particularly messy dinner of chicken fajitas*, demonstrates his mastery of new vocabulary words, jibber jabbers, and points out the window adorably. He also uses his "WTF?" hand gesture that brings his Auntie Lisa a lot of amusement. While puppy was one his first favorite words, he has yet to master "woof," but kitties, on the other hand, say "eeeowwwws".

Every morning when Luke gets to daycare, he tucks into his oatmeal and banana with Miss Gigi. If you ask Luke about Gigi, he'll say "Gigi? Na-na." Take it from his mom, do NOT bring this up when he's hungry and/or bananas are not a snack option.



*thanks to the 30 Minute Meals book Grandma & Grandpa Casey got for Dad for his birthday. Mmmm. And NOT the Rachel Ray nonsense, the Gourmet deal

Here, Luke, this time with a shirt on (from the Jacob & Ronan Collection), executes his new favorite activity, "washing" his hands. And turning the light off & on.

Ack! A(nother) Catch Up Post!

Way back in July, we went to Nantucket on Luke's first real family vacation. We were lucky to stay with our dear friends, The Scotts, at their house - with lots of other Bowdoin visitors during the week. We had a fantastic time, the weather was great, and we ate like kings. Luke, despite an Indepdence Day Fat Lip, loved being with the Big Kids...and scoping out next year's gear from the infamous Jacob & Ronan Collection (tm).

First, Dad got things off to a proper start on Main Street

Luke found very little to be more entertaining than watching Jacob & Ronan (and Sam, too!) running around their yard being Big Guys

Except maybe playing with Cisco, their "puppy"...

...or waking nice and early to play with Cisco...

...or to snuggle with Puppy before a long day...

...or snuggling up to Cisco at the end of a long day...

Luke wasn't so fond of the sand at the beach on SurfsideHe found it boring, really

He soon came, however, to see how the beach, while sandy, is a GREAT place for a nap

And while Luke napped, Ronan and Paul studied up on the life of Harry Houdini

Luke, Jacob, and Ronan had fun running wild around the Cisco Brewery

Luke tried to use his Crazy Baby Strength to move some kegs around

And Luke & Ronan committed quite the party foul
(the pacifier was allowed outside of bed/nap time due to the aforementioned Independence Day Fat Lip)

How handsome are these boys?

Luke and Ronan consulting on just how broken they broke the kite

Luke tried to earn his keep by cleaning up around the house - and showing a little skin

Remember when I said we ate like kings?
(also: Independence Day Fat Lip)

Paul was a popular story time guy - with Jacob and Ronan...

...and at bedtime with Luke and Amber

Luke also gets special commendation for surviving the road trip and ferry boat portions of our voyage. Snacks helped.

Race to the Race - Only 2 Weeks Left!

Another post shamelessly asking you to support TEAM LISA as we do the Komen NYC Race for the Cure on September 13th!

Luke and I are just about 1/2 way to our $2000 fund raising goal for this year's race. Team Lisa has an even more ambitious goal of $15,000, and we're a little more than 1/3 of the way there. We know this year is a financial challenge all around, but there are NO MINIMUM DONATIONS and all donations are appreciated! So look in your coat pockets, check the bottom of your purses, and that weird drawer in the kitchen you never really look in and if there's any spare change, please think about throwing it our way.

Just go to our personal web page for the race, or to Team Lisa's page, and click the "Support Paige" button to donate!

Perhaps I can bribe you with some adorrrrable photos? Look closely, there's a Celebrity Impersonation hidden therein.



Wait for it.




Support Team Lisa.




OK, here you go. ADORABLE!

Luke inherited these pants from the Jacob & Ronan Collection. We can't sort if they're long pants that don't fit right or clam diggers. Either way? ADORABLE.
(Please support Team Lisa)

Luke was spotting some "quack quacks" in the Hudson - this time away from their usual cove & hanging out by our apartment. Note the slick Nantucket Red shorts from the Jacob & Ronan Collection. ADORABLE.
(Please support Team Lisa)

Luke is doing his best Jimmy Breslin here, in my opinion. Jimmy Breslin? Grizzled and cantankerous. Luke? ADORABLE.
(Please support Team Lisa)

A little more of the Blue Steel from Luke and the Hazel Heat from Dad. ADORABLE.
(Please support Team Lisa)

Now if this doesn't charm you into supporting Team Lisa, well, then you're obviously made of stone. ADORABLE.
(Please support Team Lisa)

Reunion (more catching up)

Paul's 15 year reunion was back in may, so, only 3 months late, here are a few photos.

Luke hangs out on Founder's Green like his dad back in the day. However I never ate tofu and drank water there



Kicking it in the library




Chasing Balloons


Catching Balloons


Hanging with his BFF Aunt Sharren


Helping Mom stock the beer cooler (and yes he put that hat on himself)

Birthday and Father's Day with The Phillies (catching up)

For a combo Father's Day/ Paige's Birthday celebration, we took Luke to his first Phillies World Champion Philadelphia Phillies game. He took to it quite well, lasting for a regulation game (5 and 1/3innings), pointing at the ball on the field, and spending a lot of time looking around at all of the action on both the field and concourse.

Luke hopped on pop, and had a great time looking around

Luke also made mom and dad quite proud, enjoying a Tony Luke's without, going so far as to pull the meat right out of the bun to get more in his mouth at once. Good to know the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Oh wait, what's that? World Championship beer? There must be only one team who can sell that this season.


Luke watching the game with mom and dad, pre-fussiness

What's that flag with 2008 on it? Did something important happen last year?

The Phanatic shooting hot dogs at the crowd. Despite seeing him ride right by on his ATV, we didn't get any free dogs.

Luke on the way out with his new favorite 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies baseball. By the way, that is dad he is on the back of, not Phillies great John Kruk