A White Christmas (One Day Late)

Although we missed a white Christmas by one day, it was still quite a sight to awake the next morning to a winter wonderland scene...very rare here in NC!

The girls were so excited to see all of the snow out the windows and couldn't wait to get outside. Snow activities included snow angels, snow ball fights, being pulled in the sled, eating the snow, and simply lying in the "fluffy white stuff" that covered the ground. The girls even managed to help Dad clear off the car.


I must admit, I even got in on the fun and built a snowman!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas
from our home to yours!
We hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and
a Happy New Year!

All I want for Christmas...

The girls sat down this past weekend and wrote their letters to Santa, asking for their top 4 items. Here is what they came up with...

Happy 4th Birthday, Lauren!

It's hard to believe that our sweet baby girl is turning 4 today!

Thank you for all your beautiful smiles that brighten our days and your many hours of silliness and laughter. You are a true blessing to our family and we love you very much! We hope your birthday is as special as you and that all of your birthday wishes come true!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Lauren!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Aloha!

A couple of weekends ago, we traveled down to Sanford to visit Biz and Doug for the day. They had discovered the Aloha Zoo located only 10 minutes from their house. Upon arrival we learned that all of the animals had been rescued. They were not deemed "perfect," and thus, zoos would not take them.

The girls enjoyed feeding the animals (mainly goats and cows) and witnessing the various animals on the "safari" ride. We even saw a zhorse...the offspring of a zebra and a horse!

Trick or Treat

This year for Halloween the girls had matching costumes...

Virginia Tech Cheerleaders!!!! Go Hokies!!!

And as we know, cheerleaders aren't complete without their favorite football player...

We hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween!

Sister Coordination

Frequently when I take the girls shopping these days, they like to pick out similar outfits. They don't have to match exactly, but pretty close. Here's the latest ensembles the two of them chose.

Camp Out

I realize my posts are way overdue, but none-the-less, I'll try to catch up in the next few days. (Blame it on waiting a LONG time to upload photos!)

During our last track-out, Mark decided to seize the opportunity and have his first camp-out with the girls...in the backyard. In the middle of the afternoon, he pitched the tent and began preparations for a night under the stars.

At dusk, Mark stoked the fire pit to begin the "adventure" with a favorite pasttime...roasting marshmallows.

Once the girls and Mark settled in the tent, I retired to our air-conditioned house for a restful night's sleep.

I was sure one of the girls would retreat indoors an hour into the camp-out. Much to my surprise, they both slept peacefully throughout the entire night until 6am. Must be they have their father's camping genes.

Mark treated them to McDonald's for breakfast, eaten in the tent. Looks like there may be more camping expeditions in the future!

Back to School

Lauren returned back to preschool this past Wednesday. With one year under her belt, she walked straight into the classroom, found her cubby, hung up her back pack, and sat down to work. She informed me she did not want her picture taken...we had already taken one on the steps. I guess there's no time for picture taking when there's playdoh to be sculpted!

Happy 6th Birthday, Kate!

Our sweet daughter, Kate, is growing up fast!

Happy 6th Birthday to a beautiful girl, both inside and out! You bring smiles to our faces, excitement and energy to our days, and endless amounts of love and happiness to our hearts!
You are a true blessing to our family and those around you. May you enjoy life to its fullest each day and may all of your wishes come true today and always!

We LOVE You!

Movie Time

With the high temperatures and heat this summer, we tend to find activities that involve the indoors. So, one weekend, Mark rented a movie for the girls...his selection, Benji. Since both girls love animals, his choice was a hit!

Of course, the viewing of the movie couldn't take place simply sitting on the couch. The use of sleeping bags and popcorn was required.

Welcome, Clare Elizabeth!

We welcomed our newest niece, Clare Elizabeth, to our family last Friday!

Weighing in at 7lbs 2oz, Kate and Lauren can't believe how tiny she is. (If they only knew they were that small at one time.) Due to policy changes at the hospital, the girls were unable to meet their new cousin on Sunday. So, we stopped by yesterday after school to visit.

The girls presented Clare with some cute booties Lauren picked out at Target.

Welcome to the family, Clare! We look forward to watching you grow in the years ahead!!!

Back to School

Today we started another year of school...1st grade!!!! Kate was very excited to return to school and see her friends. With backpack ready and school supplies in tow, we headed off to school at 8:30am this morning. Prior to leaving, I took a couple of photos. Here's the comparison from last year to this year...they grow up so fast!!!

Kindergarten

1st Grade

An Old Fashion 4th of July

Our "small town" of Apex hosts an annual 4th of July celebration each year complete with games, numerous bounce apparatus, karaoke, a children's bike/scooter parade, and a splashdown finale, compliments of the fire department.

For the very first time, the girls decided to decorate their bikes and participate in the parade. I helped the two of them and a neighborhood friend deck out their "wheels" with 4th of July flair on Friday in preparation for the big event Saturday. This is what we created!

The girls had a blast riding proudly down the main street of Apex. There only comment..."it was way too short of a ride!" Looks like we'll be doing it again next year!

We hope everyone had a very happy 4th of July!

Kate's Graduation

Last Friday, Kate's class had an ice cream social for all of the parents and siblings. We were unaware that we would also be attending an informal graduation ceremony as well. So, after receiving their "student awards" we all enjoyed ice cream sundaes with numerous toppings. Yummy! It's hard to believe she'll be starting 1st grade the beginning of July!

Ms. Su (Teaching assistant), Mrs. Monza (teacher), and Kate

Practicing for the Future

A couple of weeks ago, Mark and Kate had to attend school on Saturday (snow day make-up). Friends of ours are both teachers and had to be at school as well. So, Lauren and I volunteered to babysit their 3 month old son, Adam, that morning. I knew Lauren wouldn't mind seeing as how she still wants to have 4 children of her own someday, 2 boys and 2 girls. She definitely has a maternal instinct.

By the looks of these pictures, she's off to a good start!

Slip 'n Slide (NC Style)

The girls received a Slip 'n Slide for Christmas. With the warmer temperatures this month we decided to give the gift a trial run. During their first attempts, they remained stationary. Lesson #1: a slope in the yard is helpful.

Yet thanks to their Dad, Mark was able to give the girls a shove sending them down the slippery run. Both girls seemed to enjoy it! So far...a good investment.

Dressed in our Easter Best!

Just a couple more Easter posts!

Easter morning we attended our church service with Dad, Pat, and Pauline (Pat's mom). The girls were dressed in their new outfits and were as pretty as a picture. They sure are growing up!We snapped a couple of shots prior to church and then a family photo on the church grounds.

Dyeing Eggs

(A week late...but still worth a post.)

The Saturday before Easter, the four of us partook in our annual Easter egg dyeing production. I prepared the 10+ colors of dye while Mark outfitted the girls with some of my old t-shirts, in hopes of not ruining their clothes. We then began the creative process.

I must admit, the wire hoops they provide for holding the eggs...less than desirable. As a result we resorted to hanging onto the eggs with our hands. The girls selected their favorite colors, dunked the eggs, and in the end, did a great job!


The final result, multi-colored fingers and eggs!