Catching Up

Wow!  I've neglected this blog.  We've been busy since the last post (February?).  Where to start?

Travel and Visits:
In February, we visited family in Pennsylvania that we hadn't seen in about a year.  It was fun to see Jenna and Rachel playing with their cousins.  It was a great weekend trip.

Oooh, Easter eggs!

Easter was early this year (March 31) and we loved having some family come here to stay with us.  The weather was beautiful so the kids got to play outside.  We had fun shopping, eating out, dying Easter eggs, making a bunny cake and enjoying time together!

Easter Sunday

Feeding the goats

At the end of April, Sandra and Steve came to visit.  Jenna and Rachel love their Aunt Sandra and Unc Steve!  We went to the Virginia Wildlife Safari Park.  They had been in October when they last visited and we thought it would be fun to take the girls.  It was a gorgeous 70 degree day and we got there early so it wasn't very crowded.  This was the first time we have gone to a zoo as a family.  This was a unique place because you drive in your car and animals come right to your car where you can feed them from buckets.  There were also lots of other animals to see after the drive-through part.  Jenna and Rachel loved the monkeys.  Jenna liked the tortoises and was brave enough to help hold a bucket for an emu to eat from.  We always enjoy our visit with Sandra and Steve.

Saying Goodbye to Sandra and Steve

What's new with the girls?
Play dates, library story times and music times continue to be some of the activities we do in the mornings.  Lately they have been talking in complete sentences and telling stories about what they have done.  Both girls love to sing songs.  Favorites are Itsy Bitsy Spider, Old MacDonald, Twinkle, Twinkle, ABCs, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and several others.  We sing all the time!  Rachel loves to go "play piano".  She'll climb on the bench and play while singing a song!

Rachel: April 2013

Jenna: April 2013

In March, we had a BIG snowstorm and they finally got to use the snow pants I had bought last year!  There were over 12 inches.  There was another snowstorm a few weeks later with about 6 inches and this was perfect for being able to play in it.  The weather warmed quickly and it didn't stay but I think they really loved the snow when it was here!

March Snow (Rachel)

They've been learning more about emotions and have been showing kindness towards each other. Sometimes I hear "I'm happy now!" Or "I'm a little whiny."  We talk about things that make people sad and happy. They do argue or fight at times but they've been learning about the importance of being nice and sharing.  I love seeing them play together and enjoy each other's company.
They love to play outside, use sidewalk chalk, and have learned to blow bubbles.  I've been looking at options for a backyard play set.  We've had fun at the parks and they've both gotten better at climbing and have become comfortable on big slides.  In April we had some unseasonably warm weather and I put together a water table I had purchased last fall.  I can't wait to use it more this summer.

What's new with me? 
In March, I had my first Tastefully Simple party as a new consultant.  It has been fun to have something different to work on and to share these products with friends.  I've had several parties since then and have started meeting other consultants on the same team as me.  I've been feeling more confident each time I have another party.  I hope to have 3 or 4 parties a month and then gradually adding more as my client list grows.
I've continued to go to a weekly Zumba class and I love it!  I look forward to Tuesday evenings.  The girls look forward to their time with Kenny and he enjoys this time with them.  I'm so glad that I stuck with it! I don't even stand in the back anymore...now closer to the middle!

 

Ridgeview Park, April