A few recent pictures of the girls

Maggie playing her new Leapster

Maggie was always stealing Ellie's Leapster.

For her birthday, she received her own Leapster which she loves!

Maggie's 3rd Birthday

First Day of School

Ellie had a great first day at Margaret Brent

Rainy Day Fun

Bummed. That is the feeling around our house when it rains on days that we plan to the playground. We are especially bummed when it rains on Saturdays and Sundays Like today. What helps cure the rainy playground blues? A lunch or dinner at a fast food establishment with a play place.

Tonight we are heading to the Chick-Fil-A in Timonium. While it's not the Stadium Place playground, it does the trick on gloomy days like today.

An Update

There isn't too much to report. Ellie is getting ready for kindergarten at Margaret Brent while Maggie is all set in her new romm (room four) at La Petite.

Maggie is still into Spiderman, headbands, and swings. Ellie likes Polly pockets, climbing apparatuses, and having her hair in three ponytails.

Ellie is in a Saturday reading program through George Washington University. I don't think she is challenged academically, but being in a group setting where you have to raise your hand and answer questions.

We had a wonderful summer.

JT's 37th birthday

Today we celebrated JT's 37th birthday. I bet he was surprised to see his name in the church bulletin. The girls dedicated the chancel flowers this morning to their Dad in honor of his birthday.

We continued the celebration with the arrival our new Weber grill. A wonderful addition to our already great deck. Next we took a spin on the dragon paddleboats at the harbor. The girls loved the cab ride downtown as well as splashing in one of the sitting pools near the aquarium.

For dinner wwe went to an old favorite Houlihan's. JT and I use to eat their all the time after church when we lived in Marietta. The cheesy lavosh is comfort food for us!

A lot of fun washad by all!

Vacation Bible School

The girls had a fabulous time at Vacation Bible School last week. Some of their favorite parts of the day was snack time, the marshmallow lesson in science class, shaking paint and rocks up in a shoebox and the music with Miss Liz. Lots of fun was had all week long!

I'm a slacker mom

Yeah, yeah I know I am a complete slacker. Not even sure when the last was that I updated this blog. Oh well, I am doing it now while I have a few minutes and the kidş (youth group kids) are sleeping.

Happenings in our life....patio furniture arrived and is assembled so most dinners the last few weeks have been outside.

Ellie is a master swing pumper these days, so most afternoons afterschool are spent on the Maragret Brent playground. While Ellie pumps, Maggie belly swings and wants to be pushed higher and higher till it looks like she might fall off. Mags is definitely the daredevil. Both girls have also gotten into climbing and are actually quite good. Ellie has tried out the monkey bars and really likes them. Both are still trying to figure out hopscotch.

In other none playground news, Ellie is reading the Junie B. Jones series and is really enjoying them. Maggie is still into spiderman and especially her spiderman flip flops.

Both love watering our vegetable garden and Ellie has become quite the helper around the house.

This month both girls are into wearing hairbands and wearing dresses. Who knows what next month brings.

Ellie in Sunday School Class

Sunday School is the highlight of Ellie's week. A huge thanks to Miss Meg and Miss Linda for making Sunday school such a fun and enriching place!

Wonderful Weekend

Memorial Day weekend was filled with trips to Target, DD, Ritas, the Farmer's Market, swinging, climbing, waiting for the plumber, church, reading books and more books, and a picnic.

Most of our quality time with gran involved reading, hanging out on the deck, or going to the playground. 

Maggie Showing her balancing skills

Ellie climbed up here all by herself

Maggie passed out

Just hanging out

 

It's amazing how a visit from Gran makes the girls so happy.  Ellie is already counting down the days till she sees Gran again.

Mother's Day ramblings

Blowing the quackers before we board the Duck

Ellie's self portrait

One of the best photos of JT--taken by Ellie

Some Ellie-isms of the day....

"It says to go" As we tell Ellie that she can't bring the pancakes home with her.

"Sidewalks are for walking not for falling down"

"Mom, you don't have to sweep the floors on Mother's Day"

"Daddy will read a story to you tonight." "It's Mother's Day, so you have to read to us!" says Ellie.

Maggie Fact...
Maggie can really sleep anywhere--as her falling asleep on the "Ride the Ducks" tour while the quackers are quaking, the music is blaring, and the wind is blowing.

Time in NJ

Today is our last day in Jersey. We've had a wonderful time eating out, being spoiled with gifts, playing with cousins, and running in and out of the rain.

One of the quotable quotes..
Maggie, "I sit in your rocking chair"

Whoops....

Can you tell it's tax season?? We haven't posted a thing in almost two months...shame on us.

All is well---except for being really busy. A few ago, Ellie finally revealed to her teacher that she can read. Life has been different for her in school ever since. Ellie got her second progress report--which basically stated that she is secure in most things that she should know at her age...YEAH!

Maggie is Maggie--the complete opposite of her sister. While Ellie will go off in a corner and read, Maggie has on my high heals and is trying to play catch with a beach ball. She is full of life and zeal and doesn't appear to be afraid of many things.

If we didn't need more craziness, we finally put fish in the tank that was collecting dust in our basement. Maggie selected a black money who she named BLACK and Ellie picked a yellow fish who she named Licka. Maggie gets pretty concerned if she doesn't see her fish and will say, "Is Black dead?" Nice, huh? Well at least they are learning the rhythms of life.

Update on favorites:

Maggie's favorite color: Black and Red
Ellie's favorite colors: Pink, Purple, Yellow, and white
Maggie's favorite shape: circle
Ellie's favorite shape heart (i think---she draws them on everything these days)
Maggie's favorite zoo animal: monkeys (one of which she caught peeing on the floor and now always mentions it when she thinks of a monkey)
Ellie's favorite zoo animal: Zebra
Ellie's favorite pastime: reading
Maggie favorite pastime: coloring or being outside


There is lots more, but I need to run pick up the kids and take them to the bookstore.

Thursday night fun

Saturday fun

Maggie latest obsession....an umbrella

Editing my Sermon obviously bored someone!
Say Cheese!

Maggie is quite obsessed with President Obama

Inauguration

We had a few good family moments today during the inauguration ceremony. These moments are brought to you by Maggie who has a fever of 100.5 (but is still her same self ) and Ellie insisted on staying home as well to help care for her sister.

We gathered round the television at 11:51 to begin watching the inauguration. After Biden was sworn in while Yo-Yo Ma and others were playing a arrangement of "Air and Simple Gifts" by John Williams, the camera focuses on Obama whose eyes where closed. I turned to Ellie and asked, "What do you think he is thinking about?" Ellie was silent for a moment...and then said, "God." To which I replied, "Yep, I bet he is"

As Obama was giving his speech, Ellie said ,"Mommy, all big girls are watching Obama. I'm a big girl."

Just some fun comments besides the usual of Maggie chanting, "My Obama, My Obama" To which Ellie says, "He is all of ours."

He sure is all of ours---what an exciting day!! Kind of happy that Maggie was sick. The girls and I made some good memories together.

Jenn's Birthday

The yummy cake that JT and girls made to help me celebrate my special day!
The highlight was definitely Mary, G, and Cookie stopping by for dinner. Lots of fun!

"Mommy, you mean!"

So, we are making yummy ice cream with our new "Playdough Ice Cream Swirl" (Many thanks to Aunt Mary for the wonderful gift). We are eating our new creations when I take Maggie's cup and dump it out when she is finished. To which she response while pointing her finger in my face---"Mommy, You Mean!"

First, I am not mean:) Second, where did she pick that up that statement? I remember the excitement when Ellie said her first word. Maggie talks way to much and we never know what will come out of her mouth next.

New Year's Eve at the Maryland Science Center

We had a great time rocking in the new year at the Maryland Science Center. The highlights included the dinosaur exhibit, the third floor kid zone, and for Ellie ---the bed of nails she had the chance to lay on:)

Below are just a few of the pictures from New Year's Eve Day.

JT's smile


Maggie was so proud of herself

The girls making dinosaur tracks

Our little paleontologists