Where did the time go?

I've been reading other blogs and thinking that I really should keep up with this one. How do two months go by without me adding anything!  I love reading back on my old posts and seeing the old photos so I'm going to summarize our last 8 weeks (with photos of course).  

August
At the end of August my mom flew down to spend some time with us.  Dad and Kevin came a few days late and Adam came too.  They were all here to celebrate my birthday on the 23rd.  We had a great time with Mom.  We finally went to the Children's Museum in Harrisonburg and the girls still talk about the Ambulance they could drive there.  It's a tradition to go to the Green Valley book fair and of course we left with lots of books.  We went to parks and had a picnic.  For my birthday, we went out to lunch.  I asked the girls where we should go and Jenna said "the throw peanuts in the floor restaurant."  So we went to Texas Roadhouse where the highlight was throwing the peanut shells on the floor.  It was a fun visit and we were so sad to see them go, thinking that we wouldn't see them again until December.  

Jenna driving the Ambulance

Rachel milking a cow at the Children's Museum

At the park with Grandma

Birthday lunch with the family

"Bye bye, Grandma and Grandpa!" 

September
There were no travels or people visiting in September but the month was filled with play dates, story times, lots of playing outside and POTTY TRAINING!  I decided to try the "just undies" method and after one accident, Jenna did well and has only had small ones here and there.  Sometimes she just waits too long to get there.  Rachel has had some difficulty and can go several days without an accident and then have two in a day.  They both like to be in control and don't like me telling them to go.  Sticker charts and M&Ms really worked and now they're pretty much day trained.  They still wear a pull-up for nap and diaper for bed.  Now if we can only get them to go #2 in the potty (both wait for a diaper!).  

Painted faces from the church picnic

Yum!  "Classy Chocolate Pound Cake." 

Silly Jenna

Sponge painting

New Swing Set

I had originally ordered a swing set in June hoping it would be here by July.  One package didn't show up to the store so we brought home just "Box 1" and waited for the shipment of the second box.  4 weeks later, "Box 2" came to our house damaged.  After lots of hassle and lots of talking with people over the phone, we finally got the first box picked up from our garage.

"Box 2" from the first swing set.  

Through all of this, I decided to do more online research and we chose a different swing set from Sams Club.  It came on the day promised and in good condition.  Kenny and I spent 2 days sorting out pieces and starting to put it together.  A friend came to help with the big part of it.  They were able to get it all put together and the girls were playing on it, 4 days after it was delivered.

Our garage filled with all the pieces! 

The weather has been unseasonably cool and wet and often overcast but this has been perfect weather for playing outside.  The girls LOVE their new swing set and ask to go outside several times a day.  It's been fun watching them show more confidence in climbing the rock wall and getting on the glider by themselves.

 During the past few days they've really been using their imaginations with the playhouse and the upper deck. They've been playing school, taking orders at a restaurant, having parties, taking naps, and just playing together.  Kenny and I have loved sitting on the patio and just listening to them talking with each other.

Snacks with friends. (Yes it's August in VA and they're wearing jackets)

Although this was one of the biggest purchases we've made in a while, it was definitely worth it!

Summertime Scrapbook Part 2

One of Kenny's sisters was getting married so we planned a trip to NY for the wedding and to visit family.  It was a fantastic trip.  The girls did really well in the car and had fun everywhere we went.  

On Monday, we saw Sandra and Steve.  We had dinner and ice cream and then went up to the lake.  It was a gorgeous evening.  

Jenna, Steve, Rachel, Kenny

We visited my Grandma and Grandpa and I wish I had taken more pictures.  I love this one because Jenna and Rachel are playing with toys that I remember playing with almost 30 years ago.  They loved the Little People and the tractors.  We even got to go swimming at my aunt and uncle's pool.  

 We visited Katie and Tim's house and the girls loved playing with their cousin.  We went swimming in the big pool in the morning but after naps, they all got in the little pool...me too, see my feet? 

Jenna and Rachel were flower girls in Amy and Dave's wedding.  They loved their "wedding dresses" and did exactly what they were supposed to do.  

Walking down the aisle

"Mr. and Mrs. Dave Lotta!"

I love this picture!  Jenna and Rachel were told they'd get M&Ms if they smiled!

The Goodberry Family

Cute cousins

Cutting the cake

Happy!!

It was so wonderful to be able to see our family.   We'll plan another trip for the fall.

Sleepy Jenna

Sleeping Rachel

Summertime Scrapbook Part 1

It's been WAY TOO long since I updated this blog.  This blog was made as a journal for me and as a place to go back and remember different milestones so I want to be better about keeping up with it! We've been busy visiting people, having play dates, going to the library, and enjoying the nice weather.  I thought I'd add some pictures from May, June, and July as a kind of recap of our past few months.  I recently uploaded hundreds of pictures to Snapfish and loved seeing the girls change and grow before my eyes.

Mother's Day 2013.  Playing with the iphone

 We met my mom and dad in Hershey during Memorial Day weekend.  It was a great trip!  We enjoyed the Hershey Chocolate World ride and the girls still talking about the cows singing, "It's the milk chocolate."  We had fun at a nearby park, loved seeing the animals at ZooAmerica and had lots of yummy food.  Jenna and Rachel hadn't seen their Grandma and Grandpa since December so this was a great way to see them! 

At the Hershey Gardens

 For the 4th of July, Mom and Dad came down to Virginia for a few days.  We went to a neighborhood cookout, went peach picking, and fed the ducks at Gypsy Hill Park.  

Snuggling with Grandma

At Chile's Peach orchard

Rachel at the duck pond

Watching Grandma and Grandpa leave

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