Dress-up

So, when you need to by busy packing and finishing 500 things, what do you do? Take a "trip" to India! Dress up in fun clothes, paint your face, curl your hair and pack suitcases to stick under the couch and take a vacation. It is is especially fun with Madison as your trip coordinato and Niki as your stylist! Can kids be any more beautiful? Yes, I know. I am biased! Anytime you are busy and looking for perspective try the "India" trip...worked for us!

Zoo trip

I am behind in my blogging, this is a trip we took with some friends to the Reston zoo here in Virginia and had such a great time, we wanted to share some pictures with you. The girls are letting me actually braid their hair these days AND put a flower in it! They warned us that the camels might try to eat it and to be careful--"Sully" the camel got pretty close, but he was so kind and friendly he didn't eat any people, just the food we gave him and the kleenex that fell on the ground, and the box the food came in...the girls thought it was so neat to pet a camel--I did too! Their feet are so cute! What a day at the zoo!

Madison's new haircut

Madison had her first real hair cut. When she was 3 she cut a little off one side, but this is the real thing! We think she looks so grown up for a five and a half year old and I think she is ready to be 20! Grandma Diana is our swimsuit supplier and gave Madi this on her last visit. We promised a fashion show, hope you like it! Madison is either in this or her gymnastics leotard these days! :) We love summer!!

Fun with Oma and Opa

Oma and Opa came and we had such a fun time with spoons...and the river and just being together. We had a hard time getting Oma out of the water!! Notice Madison's hair--she got it cut, so the next pictures she looks so different!

Dad's Visit

My dad was here for almost two weeks and Kathie came at the end for the last few days. We thought we were so lucky they came for so long, but, of course, it turned out to be so short!! Grandpa is awesome and was so helpful around the house, in our condo, with the girls, doing the dishes, making walking sticks and flower boxes--we loved having him around. We were total tourists too! WE saw museums and the Ford Theater, the monuments, the Arlington Cemetery and had a wonderful walk on Sunday on the Mall. We LOVE Grandpa Kay and Grandma Kathie and miss them! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Come to see us in Mozambique-- we can't wait two years to see you again :)
One of our favorite memories is throwing rocks into the creek and making a "dam" the little Mexican kids we played with called "the border." It was halarious...they also did such a good job organizing themselves and doing the work. Dad and I commented that we could not have gotten them to do what they did, but because they decided, they did it is no time. So cute! Sorry about the allergies guys!! Come in the winter next time! Love you!

How would you like to cuddle a kangaroo?

So, Peter and Michelle's neighbor is a zookeeper at a small zoo of exotic animals nearby. They are training a "baby" (meaning almost one year old) kangaroo to be an educational animal, so the zookeeper gets to take him home. Of course, he needs exercise, so one day we were visiting with them and saw their neighbor coming over holding a baby kangaroo. This wasn't just exciting for the kids - Dad got totally into it, as well. Can you imagine how cool it is to hold a baby kangaroo and then watch him hop around your front lawn? Not your everyday, "Mom, can I go pet him?" Just look at the faces of the two girls holding him. Once in a lifetime.

Mika's Birthday!!!

The BIG 3!!!! Mikaela has been wanting to be three for months now, so today was a BIG day. She was probably wondering if it would ever come. Grandma and Grandpa Roy, Grandpa and Grandma Kathie, and Oma and Opa had all left gifts for her, which have been sitting wrapped on the dresser for over a week. And this morning she got a special treat - after opening a couple of presents, getting sung to, congratulated, and a special breakfast, she got to go early to gymnastics class with her sister to play on the gym toys. They love it. They recently watched a movie about Nadia Comăneci, a Romanian gymnast who started young, and has become somewhat of a role model. It is really fun to watch them in the early stages of learning to be gymnasts, a little awkward, very cute, and makes you chuckle. Today was a great day for both of them.

Great Falls

One of our new favorite things to do here in D.C. is go to Great Falls. It is beautiful place with wonderful trails and gorgeous falls. Madison is our little acrobat! :)

Mom's visit

My mom came to visit with her husband, Roy. We had a wonderful weekend in the sun, making cookies, eating at yummy restaurants, playing at the park and taking walks. My mom and I had some nice early morning talks and we all actually finished all three High School Musicals :) As always, it was too short! Love you mom!

Happy Easter- Happy Spring!

We loved the Cherry blossoms this year, even if they almost made Madison comatose with allergies! They were so fun to see and photo :) Here are some of our favorites. We also had tons of fun dressing up the girls for Easter. Madison insisted on white dresses, but I thought they looked like jammies so I made pink sashes and added way too big daises :) It was fun though :)

My girls the photographers...and models

Madison and Mikaela get creative sometimes, and Madi has really started to enjoy her new camera. It is funny sometimes to see how they turn out as she doesn't have patience to wait for it to focus and actually shoot the shot she wants. They also make some of the most interesting dress up outfits--the sun was beautiful when we were taking pictures, so I thought I would share. Madison loves to make up new poses :) She is my model, actress, creative one. Mikaela is definitely an athlete and so far is happy to follow her sister in whatever she is doing! They both are so cute sometimes...I believe it is so they stay alive longer!

Less sugar diet...

So...we are trying to eat less sugar and are failing miserably! Here we are on a Friday night making caramel popcorn with only 2 cups of brown sugar!! They were soo good and the girls had a blast making them. Thanks Katrina for the awesome recipe :)

Hanging out

SO...our posts aren't nearly as exciting as living in the Caribbean, but we still have fun and want Grandma and Grandpas to know what we are up to. This is yet another way my girls get o so creative with their boring mother!