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.