Party in My Crib

Pigeons Have Landed in the Kennedy Center

2012-01-30T21:10:00.002-05:00

Two of my favorite things.....The Kennedy Center and Mo Willems! The Kennedy Center has a great family theater that has several performances throughout the year. It is reasonably priced and it is cheaper than the Barksdale Theater in Richmond. This was Campbell's first time here and she loved it. We watched Knuffle Bunny and it was fabulous! I would highly recommend it. The theater is cozy, the performances are only an hour, and there is no intermission....perfect for a three year old!

Leading up to our trip to Washington, D.C., we read and reread many of the Mo Willem books. We of course had to get out our fancy dresses for this occasion. These were my Ross dresses that I spent about $10 each on. You gotta love a good deal!

We went with our friends, Jack, Gavin, and JT. I think the girls secretly loved all their bachelors.

I spotted Addisan posing like this before going back into the show. She is as girly as they come!

The kids loved looking at all the things in the city going on. We saw kayakers, planes, trucks, etc. I love the feeling of being in a big city and watching all the things going on.

I was THRILLED beyond words to hear that Mo Willems was going to be there to autograph books after the performance. So, of course, we had to join the never ending line.....but it was all worth it! He was as nice as could be. Addisan and Campbell have been listening to the musical CD every night since returning from our trip.

Of course, no trip would be complete without food! We stopped at Joe's in Vienna before returning home to Richmond. I love trying to hit the places to eat back in Northern Virginia that we do not have back home.

Meeting Mo Willems with my girls makes me smile!

Starting Off The New Year

2012-01-27T22:27:00.001-05:00

I have a brilliant friend who has a "Russian New Year" for her friends. Just like the Jimmy Buffet song, it is 5:00 somewhere....it is already midnight somewhere too....Russia! We have a countdown to noon for the kids. We have food and laughs...it is a good time had by all!

My friend gets fancy glasses and sparkling apple cider for all the kids. They think they are so grown up with these glasses.

The three girls just being themselves...silly!

Addisan learned how to flip over the bar New Year's. For the average kid, this is no big deal. For my little girl with two left feet, this is a huge accomplishment.

That evening, we went out to dinner to one of my favorite places, Cafe Canturra with one of our favorite friends, Parker. Parker was kind enough to bring over a cardboard princess castle for the girls to make and color. They loved it!

Starting the New Year with friends makes me smile!

A Special Christmas

2012-01-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

This blog entry is long overdue! You would think after all the Christmas madness was over, life would be a little less hectic. That never seems to be the case, huh?!

Christmas Eve and all was quiet after the kids went to bed.

The stockings were hung on the banister with care.....

with the hope that the Easter Bunny would soon be there???? That is right, those are our Easter baskets. The Millers from Charlottesville needed stockings and we did not have enough....so it is a good thing Santa and the Easter Bunny are in cohoots with each other.

Elenor was caught eating cookies on her way back to the North Pole with Santa.

Santa had arrived! In the past, we would open a few gifts and let the girls play a little bit and then open some more. Now that Campbell is like a bulldozer opening gifts, Addisan has picked up on it too. Opening gifts that morning was no longer a marathon, but rather a nice steady race.

After uploading these long over due pictures, I realized how badly this room needed to be painted. My winter project is to finally finish this room. We still refer to the room as "Carmella's Room" because the only thing that was in there for the longest time was our guinea pig! I am not a formal person, so what better way to use a formal living room than for your pets.

I love seeing the girls' faces fill with excitement and joy.

Again, it would not be a Christmas morning in the Taylor household without breathing treatments. I had to remind myself that it could be worse, we could be at Chippenham again!

Uncle Chuck and Auntie Kris hangin' with Campbell while Addisan was finishing her meds.

Santa left a princess tunnel for the girls. It is amazing how something so simple gives them so much joy!

Some moments caught throughout the morning. Campbell insisted on wearing her fairy dress over her pjs all morning long. She is a trip!

The girls received bikes from us this year. We got Addisan a "big girl" bike and Campbell a balance bike. I have heard such great things about these balance bikes making the transition to a big bike a lot easier. We will find out this spring if that is true.

Santa brought the girls Doodle Pads. Basically these are travel kits with a chalk board on one side and paper on the other. This was one of their favorite gifts of the morning. It just goes to show, bigger is not always better.

After the Miller Christmas morning was over, we went to the Taylors for round two. It was nice to see everyone....good food and good memories made!

The day after Christmas, my good friend, Molly, had a mom free date with Addisan. Addisan LOVES the Nutcracker and went to see the Richmond production of it with her.

Christmas memories make me smile.

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-01-07T23:08:00.000-05:00

So Christmas season begins December 1st in the Taylor household with the arrival of Elenor, our elf. Before Elf on the Shelf became so commercialized, our neighbors introduced Elenor to us. She is related to the Putney's elves. Tommy had read somewhere that you should have one elf for each child....that way when they grow up and have children of their own, their elf can go with them. I think traditions are part of childhood...those are the memories that tend to be closest to our hearts.

Another Christmas tradition is to open up one gift the night before Christmas. Each year, the girls receive a new pair of matching pjs and a new book to read that night. This year, it was extra special because my niece and nephew spent the night with us and they read the books to the girls. I love having family over night....and so do the girls!

I bought an Apple computer this past summer for my graduate class. With iPhoto, there are so many options you can do to modify and enhance your pictures. The one above is just one that I changed to black and white as well as the warmth of it.

Campbell sporting her new pjs after her bath.

The past 4 out of 5 Christmases, we have spent with Addisan on the nebulizer and ending up either at Chippenham or her pediatrician the 24th, 25th, or 26th of December. This year was no exception. I think her body just goes and goes on adrenalin until we have a break....and then everything catches up with her. Our biggest problem with Addisan is that she does not complain when she is sick...I think partially because she has always had issues with her health and does not have a solid healthy baseline to compare it to.

This was one of our favorite gifts that we received from my parents. Addisan has been asking a lot of questions about God lately....like how does he stand on the clouds without falling through?! She is starting to learn more about this at school this year. The JK program at her school did the pageant at the Christmas Eve service and she got the role of Mary. It was just darling!

Boo and Campbell playing with her birthday gift from the Charlottesville Millers.

Another tradition are oysters on Christmas Eve.....YUM! I love the fact that Tommy does not eat them and I can consume his share!

Homemade lasagna courtesy of Pop-Pop.

The Charlottesville Millers. How in the world did Boo get so tall?

One of the most special moments was seeing Addisan open the door to Santa. Her excitement just poured through every ounce of her body. She is a very reserved child by nature and to see her let her guard down and believe in something so magical was priceless. This is one of the moments I will always carry with me as a mother close to my heart....her belief in something bigger than herself.

You gotta love girl time!

Cookies for Santa.

Boo and his four legged friends before bed time. We are fortunate to have such easy going dogs! Max, their golden retriever, was a HAPPE dog that they adopted from our rescue group.

Going to bed with out of town family in your home makes me smile!

Polar Express...IMAX Style

2011-12-31T20:56:00.001-05:00

We went to the Virginia Science Museum to see Polar Express on the IMAX theater. This was my first IMAX experience and it was awesome. Addisan asked me on more than one occasion if we were flying. The span of the screen kept Campbell engaged the whole time. There was so much to see! They currently have a mummy documentary on the IMAX that I think Tommy and I might try to go to. Ever since teaching about Egypt when I taught third grade, it has since fascinated me!

I am hoping to take the girls back to the museum to explore one day soon. There are so many cool things that caught their attention on the downstairs to the theater!

On the way home, we stopped and ate at a new place on Patterson called Super Stars Pizza. It was highly recommended by lots of friends and we were not let down! I also found out that you can take home pizzas to bake at home AND I pass it three days a week to pick up Addisan from Extended Day. I see many pizza nights ahead for the Taylor household!

New experiences with pizza makes me smile!

ICE! Round II

2011-12-31T15:33:00.001-05:00

This is our second trip to the Gaylord Hotel at the National Harbor to see the ICE! show. The girls just love it! As a mother, one of my favorite things to do is start traditions like this and hopefully create life long memories for them to carry on to adulthood.

We got a hotel room with a balcony for the girls to see the Atrium. Last year, it "snowed" a few times and the girls just loved watching it. This year, we did not see any. I am not sure if they did away with it or if we just timed it wrong. We did get to see one or two of the shows from our room without having to fight the crowds down below.

After we unpacked, we quickly got ready for the ICE! show.

The lobby of the hotel was decorated so nicely. On the way out, I snapped a quick picture of Addisan. Campbell wanted no part of the picture.

This is how Campbell sometimes feels when the camera has been out for too long! She is such a ham. I am so worried about missing a moment with my kids because they grow up so quickly. For that reason, I always have my camera with me.

We had better success with these parkas this year. Addisan HATES being bulky and had a huge melt down last year. This year, we all knew what to expect and we prepped her better for it.

This year's theme was the Penguins of Madagascar. The girls were not too familiar with it, so we made sure that we watched the movie beforehand. All of the TONS of ice are sculpted in China and brought over here to the States. Each of the Gaylord Hotels has a different theme each year. They also have ICE SLIDES for the kids to go down.

This year we were smarter. The wait for eating at the hotel and nearby restaurants was about 2 hours last year. This year, we had a heavy lunch at Fosters Grill in Old Town and brought ingredients to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the hotel room. You cannot keep Campbell waiting when she is hungry...like mother, like daughter.

In the morning, we were able to get on the road pretty early and eat breakfast in Old Town.

There are so many fun and eclectic places to see and eat at in Old Town.

Breakfast was a hit! We tried a new place down on Duke Street and it was fabulous! Everything they served was organic. I had one of the best omelets I have ever had.

Starting traditions with the girls makes me smile!

It Can't Be! Campbell is Three!

2011-12-29T15:24:00.001-05:00

So on December 17th, we celebrated Campbell's third birthday with family. It is hard for me to believe that my baby girl is no longer a baby anymore, but a little girl with a great sense of humor and independence. She constantly reminds me about what life is truely about, living in the moment. I find myself stressing over things that I have no control over and planning every open minute that we have on the calendar. I need to take a lesson from her.....

Campbell has taught me to enjoy each day as they come and not to get my panties in a knot. One of the many things that have cracked us up lately was when she opened up the refrigerator, pointed to the almost empty gallon of milk, and said, "Hook me up with some of this!" Another funny moment was when she was on a photo shoot. Campbell was selected to model for a toy catalogue and while playing in a pop up castle, Tommy tried to convince her to come out by telling her to let down her hair like Rapunzel, one of her favorite Disney princesses these days. She peeks her head out and informs Tommy that she is Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty) and she was going back to bed....and then proceeds to slam the door. The whole crew just laughed. She is definitely a ham! I think she gets it from her daddy!

For her birthday, she requested chocolate donuts and milk for breakfast. You can still see some chocolate on her face.

Campbell is polar opposite from Addisan when opening gifts. She could care less what is in them....she just enjoys throwing the tissue paper around and destroying the wrapping paper. We got her an outfit for her American Girl Doll this year.

This was a cake to remember. While blowing out the candles, her hair caught on fire!!!! Luckily, with one swoop of his hand, Ju-Ju quickly put it out. It amazes me that she was not harmed other than a few burnt pieces of hair.

Our family is very generous, any time there is a birthday for one child, they always bring a small something for the other child. Here Addisan is opening up Chutes and Ladders and a few other things from Baby and Pop-Pop.

I was fortunate to be off of work for Campbell's birthday and was able to bring cupcakes to her class at school. I love being a teacher, but I feel like sometimes my own kids get gypped because my work schedule is not very flexible during the school year. I guess being a December baby has some perks....mama can bring in cupcakes!

Happy Birthday Sweet Campbell Layne! Being your mom makes me smile!

Where Has The Time Gone This Semester?

2011-12-20T20:37:00.000-05:00

This fall has been pure craziness for us. First of all, our girls are at two different schools this year which makes scheduling very hectic at times. Addisan started at St. Catherine's in the JK program while Campbell continues at Goddard. The JK program's philosophy is based on Reggio Emilia which fosters problem solving, communication, and individuality. We have been soooo happy with our choice to send her there.

First Day of School

This was my first fall working full time with two kids, tutoring after school....all while taking a graduate class. Needless to say, our family blog was neglected. Here are some highlights from our fall....

Apple Pickin' at Carter's Mountain

Disney on Ice with our friend Dylan

Campbell modeled for Modelogic for their client, Magic Cabin, a toy company.

Spending time with good friends.

Tea with Baby in Culpeper

Turning 5!

Watching local parades

Crozet Art Festival with friends

Birthday Parties

Campouts at school

Pumpkin pickin'

Halloween

Great Wolf Lodge with Maggie and Ryan

Frog and Toad at the Barksdale Theater

Trips to Maymont

Joint birthday party with friends at All Fired Up

Thanksgiving with family in Culpeper

Trips to the zoo

Picnics at Katie's Park

Trips to see Santa

Lewis Ginter

The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center

I hope to be better at blogging this winter!!!! I want the girls' to have a memory "book" of what we do as a family. They grow up so quickly and I just want to savor each moment.

Summer Went By Too Fast

2011-09-16T21:34:00.001-04:00

Summer went by too quickly! These were a few things that we did that I did not have a chance to blog about that we just loved.

Chick-fil-a holds a special event each Father's Day. Some owners have horse drawn carriages while the one Ju-Ju, Tommy, and the girls made reservations at had a limo that took them around town after their meal.

Campbell went to a big girl place to get her hair done! The person who does my hair now does her hair too. For me, having her go to her "Ms. Jessie" instead of one of those "cutesy" places make me feel like my baby is gone. She is now a big girl.

before

after

This was Addisan's second summer doing the CAPs program at St. Catherine's. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this camp. She has looked forward to it for the past two years. This year, she was able to take piano lessons. For 3 weeks of lessons....only $65! That averages out to $4.33 a lesson!

We went several times to Busch Gardens. The girls' favorite part of park was the mini water park.

We also got to see some friends from back home. We first stopped at Erin's house to see her and her boys. They had just gotten a "little" puppy named Agnus that we also got to meet. Could Agnus be any cuter??

That same weekend, we went to Theater in the Woods at Wolf Trap with Nicole and her boys. We saw an African story teller and Mr. Steve. He is one of our favorites! I love Theater in the Woods....for the price of a movie ticket, we got to see two shows with this awesome scenery!

Being on summer vacation with my girls makes me smile!

Where are the Match Box Cars that I Grew Up With?

2011-09-01T22:10:00.000-04:00

As a child, I remember playing outside in the backyard with kitchen spoons digging in dirt and playing in the basement with Matchbox cars with boy across the street. So....how did I get such girly girls??

Addisan and Campbell love their dolls! With all three of us being off of school, we went to the American Girl store up at Tysons for them to choose their own dolls for an early birthday gift. At this store, they even have PERSONAL SHOPPERS for your dolls. Who ever came up with this marketing was genius! I think I want a summer job doing that!

If you go to the AG store, I would definitely go when it first opens. It quickly filled with a lot of young girls, moms, and grandmas.

Campbell went straight to the doll baby strollers. I had no idea that they had different sized AG dolls.

The girls decided on the like-me dolls. Addisan named her doll Kate and Campbell named her doll Little Campbell:)

Popeye and Ju-Ju came up with us. Popeye loves dolls way more than I do and she was in heaven there.

We had some extra time between purchasing our dolls and our lunch reservation at the AG Bistro. So we walked around Tysons for a little bit. It amazes me how much this mall has grown since I was a child. I love this picture with Tommy carrying all the bags for his little girls. It makes me realize these girls are growing up too quickly.

I would suggest if you want to eat at the AG Bistro, you make a reservation at least a month in advance...and that was for mid week. The earliest time I could get was 1:45. Again, marvelous marketing on their behalf...everything was pink and frilly at the Bistro. And surprisingly, the food was pretty good.

They even had seating arrangements for the dolls!

We just placed our drink orders when an earthquake struck. I was born and raised down the street in Falls Church... never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect that! I first thought it was Metro construction. Then I thought it was a terrorist attack. I was teaching in Bailleys Crossroad area when the Pentagon was hit and we felt the impact at our school. That feeling never leaves you. So, my first instinct was to grab the girls and we went outside with everyone else. Everyone was cool and collected exiting the mall and helping each other trying to figure out what just happened.

After an hour and a half, we were allowed back in and resumed ordering. We decided to wait it out because we knew the traffic was going to be bad with DC being evacuated. So, our rationale was, if we were going to be stuck in traffic at rush hour, at least we will be fed.

Popeye and Ju-Ju ended up buying the girls and their dolls matching pajamas. They have been in heaven with these dolls since they came into their arms.

Making happy memories with my daughters makes me smile.

Nanagra's Rainbow

2011-08-26T20:36:00.001-04:00

This is our third annual OBX trip with my parents (aka Baby and Pop Pop) and our good friends, the Harrisons, from back home. We rent my sister-in-law's mom's beach house. It is located in Corolla and two houses away from the beach. We return to the same house each year and it is a wonderful feeling to have our kids feel at home away from home.

Below are just a few of our many memories from our trip. The week was perfect down there. Not one rainy day! I think someone up above was making up for last year when we got evacuated due to the hurricane.

Nanagra's Rainbow

Morris's Farm Market on the way down there. Great samples to eat and the cleanest bathrooms.

Great friends.

Our annual picture with Baby and Pop Pop. This year the boys wanted to be in it too!

Our morning ritual, coloring on the screened in porch until breakfast was ready.

We discovered Duck Donuts this year thanks to my friend Julie! The best donuts....even better than the apple donuts at Carter's Mountain!

My friend Julie and her girls were down in Nagshead the same week we were there. They came to see us and hang out one day. Mason was one of my first graders when I first moved down to Richmond and now she is going into sixth grade. Her sister, "Big" Campbell, was our inspiration for naming our little girl Campbell.

This was the weather every day! Can you get better than that?

We would go nightly to the beach after dinner to fly kites, walk around, let Kaylee swim, and just be together.

Some other random shots.

I LOVE this picture of all four kids! Notice Jack and Campbell holding hands. They did it all on their own.

These kids napped well! I went down to check on Campbell one afternoon and this is what I found.

Addisan FINALLY learned how to petal and steer her bike (with training wheels) at the same time while at the beach. I am thankful for even the smallest miracles. I thought this was never going to happen.

Addisan walked up with Tommy all the way to the top of the lighthouse for the first time! He said she was very quiet while walking and concentrating really hard.

This was taken after going to race cars on the track. Addisan did not want to go at first, but decided at the last minute to. I told her I would go as slow as she wanted me to. Nicole described this experience as me driving Ms. Daisy. On the other hand, Campbell LOVED it and wanted to go as fast as possible.

You gotta love some ribs!

I love the simple things about the Outterbanks. Family, friends, and everything the sandy beach has to hold.

Knowing that more special memories will be made there next year makes me smile!

Sea World...Here We Come!

2011-08-18T22:36:00.000-04:00

Here we are waiting for our shuttle bus to take us to Sea World. We were the first ones down in the hotel lobby raring to go. I felt a little silly once we got to Sea World and realized the main entrance was literally across the street from our hotel. We got a great deal on passes. If you have a certain tier of Busch Gardens Season Passes (the one that includes free parking), you get 50% off your admission to Sea World and Campbell was free since she is only 2 years old.

When we first entered the park, we got a double stroller again. The best investment at amusement parks. They steer better than any of the double strollers I ever had. Once we got rollin', the sting rays were first. The girls saw others feeding them and wanted to try. So I bought some fish to feed them. Once they saw the food close up, they were not interested. I fed the sting rays two of the fish and gave the other two away to some other kids who were willing to touch them.

Sting Ray food

The first show that we saw was the Dolphin Show. It was fabulous. It had classical musical playing and told a fairy tale kind of story...one with love verses evil. They had gymnast on ropes and high wires, live birds flying around during parts, and of course these beautiful creatures below.

Next stop, the manatees. We were able to go underwater observatories not only for the dolphins, but the manatees as well.

This was and will always be one of my favorite spots in Sea World. I could watch the penguins play all day!

We then went to see the Shamu Show. The girls enjoyed it, but did not love it like the dolphin show. I think the element of dance and classical music in the dolphin show was more to Addisan's liking.

This was MY favorite show, Clyde and Seamore. It was a cute little skit about pirates who get marooned on a desert island and how the sea otters and sea lions help them out. We had a rain delay in the middle of the show, but they resumed after about 15 minutes.

After this show, we walked back in the rain to the hotel where we took a short nap and had dinner in the hotel. Kids ate free at the hotel restaurant! Later on that night, we went back to see Shamu Rocks which was the whale show with fancy lights and classic rock songs. It was great! Campbell loved just standing up and dancing to the music.

With one day admission to Sea World, you are able to go back for another day within that week. So we woke up early the next day and went to see the Elmo Show. It was at the same theater where we saw the Pets Galore Show the day before. This was another great show where they take rescue animals...dogs, cats, birds, potbelly pigs, and even a skunk to perform the skit!

Due to the rain, we only went to this show. It was the only one we did not get to the day prior. I was hoping to go back and visit our favorite things again, but the weather was not on our side.

These girls were rock stars all day long! Being with such great little travelers makes me smile.

A Vacation in a Vacation

2011-08-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

Nothin' like a vacation in a vacation! I took the girls to Sea World for two nights and they had a blast. I still have not gone through all of the Sea World pictures yet...but, here is the start of our mini getaway.

We had the best hotel experience at the Renaissance Marriott across the street from Sea World. Our room was very inexpensive and had a lot to offer.

When we arrived, they gave us sparkling cider. When I asked the girls to raise their glasses for us to do "cheers," the lady who checked us in came right around the counter and took a picture for us.

They had great amenities in the hotel. The girls loved the waterfall on the way to Starbucks, which was located inside the hotel, that we ate at each morning. I am currently addicted to ice chi tea lattes and birthday cake pops.

The pools here were amazing. The size of the main pool was equivalent to the few resorts I have stayed at. There was a bar and great music playing.

We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to see not just one, but TWO water parks for toddlers and younger kids. It was awesome! Honestly, the kids could have spent all day here. Campbell could even do some of the water slides. I liked this place even better than the Busch Gardens Sesame Street water area because there was more room to run around without sharp corners for the kids to slip and hit their heads on.

In the evening, we just vegged and watched movies.

In the morning, we would eat something light before tackling the awful August Florida heat.

I hope to sort through the Sea World pictures this week and post them soon. Getting caught up with our summer travels on our family blog will make me smile.

Our Last Full Day in Delray

2011-08-14T23:13:00.000-04:00

This picture says it all about our Florida vacation....

For our last full day in Delray before leaving for Orlando, we woke up in the morning and made Shrinky Dink art. This was one of my other craft projects that I got mailed down there. I forgot how much fun, at any age, those Shrinky Dinks can be!

After breakfast and craft time, we traveled downtown to a true local diner. Everyone seemed to know everyone and the staff was so easy going and laid back.

You gotta love a place that serves breakfast all day long!

I am a huge chicken salad fan. It was as good as it looked.

No meal would be complete without dessert. This was Florida's version of Sweet Frogs.

We can't wait to come back again. Surviving traveling alone with my kids makes me smile:)

The Price of Freedom

2011-08-11T20:50:00.000-04:00

While down in Florida, I received word that a sorority sister lost her husband in a tragic helicopter crash in Afghanistan along with his fellow Navy Seals. I was speechless. Tears just streamed down my face. I felt this deep sorrow in my heart and tried to imagine how much pain the family members of these brave soldiers, and especially their children, were feeling. Unless I was in their shoes, I don't think I could even begin to feel their anguish. I get a pit in stomach knowing these children's fathers will no longer see them grow up, wipe their tears, and walk them down the aisle. All these moments I tend to take for granted as mother.

I sometimes forget that these life moments we are not entitled to, but are privileged to. I take for granted that we have all these freedoms in America and we have to preserve and protect them. I am ashamed to admit this, but I sometimes feel so distant from the war after ten years. I hear numbers on the news of fatalities and injuries and have trouble putting a face or a story with each passing or injured.

This horrific incident has reminded me that each number heard on the nightly news has loved ones who are mourning their loss of life. Each number has family who is forced to get out of bed each morning and put one foot in front of the other until it becomes the new norm of feeling. Each number has left behind family who treasures their memories even tighter and keeps their love ones even closer now. Each number has a family who has to learn to move on while their hearts are five steps behind them. I have been boldly reminded that each day we are given in this world is a gift.

I want to thank all of the Armed Services for all that you do and their families who make those sacrifices.

Each day, I hold these two girls even tighter. Freedom in life is a gift and is worth fighting for. Being an American makes me smile.

I Think We Could Live Here!

2011-08-06T22:07:00.000-04:00

We had a great morning in the pool yesterday. I think Addisan could honestly live in that pool. It is the first thing she asks to do every morning.

We then went to downtown Delray and went back to the same cupcake shop. The girls tried the ice cream there this time. I got my usual Cocoa Chanel cupcake.

Campbell insists on doing her hair each day. This is her new hair-do. I think she looks more like hippie....and she has the free spirit personality to go with it.

We later discovered a great old fashion pharmacy. I love it....it had a little bit of everything. They had a great selection of Melissa and Doug toys. That brand is one of my favorite! The girls each selected a small toy eraser and you would have thought they won the lottery with their excitement.

Miami Zoo

2011-08-05T23:38:00.001-04:00

Bernadette and I took the girls to the Miami Zoo yesterday. We had an adventure getting there. Our one and a half hour trip doubled. Looking at the bright side with our unexpected adventure, the girls got a power nap in and B and I got extra time to have girl talk.

When we arrived at the zoo, it was hot. When I say hot, I really mean over 100 degrees hot!

The best $10 dollars I spent in the longest time was on this...

The girls loved this! Campbell has been out of a stroller since she was a year and a half. I was a little nervous to see if they would actually ride in it....but they did VERY willingly!

We saw a lot of cool animals!

When we thought we saw it all, until we saw this...

Bernadette made a comment about those boys walking all over her (in more ways than one, huh?). The zookeeper behind us heard her and said that it happens all the time! You learn something new everyday, I guess.

I think one of the coolest things we did was ride a camel. Addisan did not want to do this at first until Campbell tried it out. Little sisters make great guinea pigs.

The girls had a great time despite the awful heat.

Knowing that you can get lost with a girlfriend for hours and endure awful heat all day and still laugh during all of it, makes me smile.

First Day of Vacation in Delray

2011-08-04T21:09:00.001-04:00

We had a great first full day in Delray Beach yesterday. We slept in, including the kids. We had breakfast and did a craft. Before we came down, I went on Amazon and ordered some crafts for them to do and got them sent directly down here.

We then went outside to enjoy the pool in the backyard. Addisan has made great improvements in her swimming even in the past two days. Things are really clicking for her.

After our rough morning at the pool, we went to a local park. It was awesome for toddlers with all the ground level entry points. The girls could have stayed all day.

After working up an appetite running around, we tried a FABULOUS cupcake place.

Now doesn't this look good!? You gotta love a bottled Coke too!

They also had the perfect size mini ones for the kids. The cupcakes were moist and the frosting was creamy, just the way I like it!

We then finished the day off at the beach.

Being with my girls makes me smile!

Rock Star Travelers

2011-08-03T15:49:00.000-04:00

I am embarrassed to admit this, but I have never flown alone before in my life! As a child, we always drove EVERYWHERE for vacation unless the Atlantic Ocean was separating us from our destination. So when our friends from Arlington moved to Florida, we thought it would be fun to go visit them. So for my first time on the plane by myself....I really wasn't. I had two awesome little buddies with me! This was their first plane ride. They were both so excited about traveling to see our friends!

So before we left, a friend suggested wrapping up things for them to do on the plane. That way it creates excitement about the gift itself and they do not play with everything at once for only a short period of time and get bored.

This worked out wonderfully! They thought it was like Christmas and we still have a few wrapped gifts for the way back.

I also got Campbell her own TAG reader along with kid sized headphones for each of them. Before we left, we practiced using the headphones and showing Campbell how to do her TAG reader "gently."

So on Monday night, we left to go to Falls Church to spend the night at a friend's house right after Addisan's ballet class. We hit NO traffic and made it up there in about two hours with a Starbucks run! The girls love having sleepovers away from home. Norma was very kind and gave up her king size bed for the three of us to sleep in. Campbell and I fell asleep around 11:30 and when I woke up to turn over, I realized Addisan was still awake at 12:30! Below is a picture of the girls hanging out before leaving for the airport.

We got to National Airport with plenty of time to board our flight. To my surprise, we even had more time than expected because there was a delay. We hung out at the terminal and watched the planes take off. They also got to open one of their gifts early.

The plane ride went pretty smoothly. The kids did great on take off. We flew Jet Blue and they rocked...extra room between the seats, TVs behind all the seats, they had FREE COKE (not Pepsi) and snacks, and great prices on tickets!

When we arrived at Ft. Lauderdale, it was past their nap time. The girls slept for the short ride to Del Ray Beach where we are staying and that was it. They were in a good mood all day even with little sleep.

That made this mama smile!

For the Love of Peaches!

2011-07-24T21:06:00.000-04:00

I took the girls to Charlottesville today to go peach picking with my sister-in-law and niece. This town is one of my favorite places in Virginia, not just because of family being there, but also because my "granola" and preppy side are both satisfied in this town. You have the mountain views with the university at its center.

Well, when we arrived at Carter's Mountain this morning, I was optimistic. There were very few cars there for 10:30 in the morning and thermometer in my car read 85 degrees.

Then we stepped out of the car and the humidity hit us, it felt like 100 degrees. Within the first five minutes, we could all feel the sweat dripping down our faces. I have also realized in the past week during this heat wave that Campbell has the same amount of patience as I do in the heat....which is none! She cried and wanted to be carried. That just made me more irritable because now I was twice as hot and with a crying 35 pound sack of potatoes on my hip.

Samantha was a great help relieving me and helping out with Campbell.

Addisan loved picking peaches and could have done it all day.

And if you have been to Carter's Mountain, you know you cannot leave without having homemade donuts and peach ice cream.

The highlight for Addisan's trip to Carter's each year is this....

Then Samantha was a good sport....

Since we ate "healthy" having peach based food earlier in the day, we hit The Corner downtown and went to Little Johns. My friend Ronya introduced it to me when we were in college and now every time I am in town, Little Johns is a must! A cold fountain Coke, Five Easy Pieces, and a homemade brownie makes this girl smile...and drool!

Then we headed to see the rest of the Millers....

Campbell loved her Uncle Chuck and cousin Boo.

Being in Charlottesville with my family makes me smile.

Maybe She Is My Daughter After All

2011-07-17T22:45:00.001-04:00

So we began private swim lessons last fall with Addisan at ACAC. She has a fabulous instructor that we just adore. Addisan was very apprehensive around the water for the longest time. She does not have to become an Olympic swimmer, but she just needs to know how to be safe in the water.

So we went to the pool on Friday. When we got there, we were the only ones there. It was the perfect pool day….sunny, but not too hot.

The reason we were the only ones there was because it opened at 10:30 and not at 10:00 when we arrived. This was the face Campbell gave me when she found out we had to wait.

The girls’ comfort levels have grown so much in the water. Unlike her older sister, Campbell has NO FEAR! This is a bitter sweet problem.

Addisan jumping off the side of the pool.

Watching Addisan jump over and over again off the side of the pool makes me smile. This was the girl just a year ago who would not even get her hair wet because she was afraid of messing it up!

Smokey Bo

2011-07-16T21:04:00.001-04:00

Smokey came to us as a foster dog about a year ago. He was the perfect foster dog. He had manners and grace. We had him for six months due to heart worms. Tommy and I went back and forth whether or not to keep him as a permanent part of our family. He was just that cool of a dog! We loved his jubilance, his energy…you just can't say one bad thing about this dog!

So we decided that in order to continue fostering future dogs, we would have to find THE perfect family when his heart worms were gone. As a foster, I usually have an image in my head for what I deem the perfect match. It is not about who comes first to adopt a dog, it is WHO is the best FIT for the dog.

I pictured an outdoorsy family with kids….and that is exactly what Smokey got. He now has a terrific family and goes by the name Bo. He gets to go camping all the time, travels with them whenever possible, and has three kids who just adore him.

When Bo left, I cried. When I say I cried, I really sobbed. In my heart I knew it was the best for him, but it is always sad to see someone (even a dog) move on to new travels.

So, last week we got to babysit him for the week. He entered the house as though he never left and resumed playing with Tivo and Daizee. I loved being able to see him. I felt like an Aunt….I got to spoil him and return him.

There are times I believe I am best fitted to live on a lot of land and rescue dogs. Some people drink wine nightly to relieve their stress, I surround myself with my dogs. This makes me smile.

Grandparents are the Best!

2011-07-13T20:50:00.001-04:00

My parents came down today to watch the kids while I tutored. In between tutorees today, I stopped back home to grab some lunch and this is what I found…a mini-me with my mom in the kitchen. I have such fond memories of making chocolate chip cookies with my mom growing up and it warmed my heart to see her doing it with Addisan.

As many of you know, my dad is a wood worker. He would always make such great things for my classroom…..big book holders, mailboxes, puzzles, and the list goes on and on. He made the girls bird feeders to decorate during their visit. The girls LOVED them!

Watching my girls with my parents makes me smile!

3 Best Friends = 6 Cute Kids

2011-07-12T22:52:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I took the girls to visit my two childhood best friends. I have known Colleen since the age of two and Sara since I was in third grade. It feels like it was just yesterday that we were in our Woodley Warrior swim suits waiting for our swim events and talking about our many crushes. I am not sure where time has gone, but it sure has gone by quickly! We now have kids and call ourselves grown-ups…how scary is that?!

With all of our crazy schedules, we decided to do one annual birthday party for all the kids in the summer. We all drew names and each child bought a gift for that person. It was easy and the kids loved it!

No birthday party could be complete without cupcakes! I had a Groupon to try Frostings. THE BEST CUPCAKE PLACE I HAVE TRIED IN RICHMOND! They were moist and had quite a selection.

Sara is the crafty one in the group (no offense to us Colleen). She had great crafts planned for us! We made Shrinky Dink necklaces and sun catchers.

We also got to enjoy a lot of free play! You gotta love a princess climbing a fort.

Being with friends that you can always count on makes me smile.

Busch Gardens

2011-07-10T22:36:00.001-04:00

plus

Equals early to bed for these two tuckered out kiddos.

Quiet nights make me smile.

Goodbye!

2011-07-09T22:26:00.001-04:00

Campbell potty trained quicker than I expected. Here is only HALF the left overs that we had in our cabinet!

I am thrilled that we are out of the diaper stage. She has had no accidents at school this week and tells us when she has to go. Secretly though, I am a little sad she is done with them because that is a huge sign she is not my baby girl anymore, but rather my young lady. Tommy and I are done having kids, so I do feel a little a little bit of emptiness that I am never going to be a mommy to a baby anymore….does that make any sense?

Even with that little bit of sadness, not wiping any more poop makes me smile!

Music to Addisan’s Ears

2011-07-08T22:39:00.001-04:00

We discovered a FABULOUS camp last summer for Addisan called Young Explorers. I do not know where to even to begin about how much I love it. Addisan wakes up every morning looking forward to all the developmentally appropriate activities that they have there as well as her wonderful teachers. They have art, movement, music, woodworking, and the list goes on and on. The campers range from ages 3 1/2 to rising twelfth graders. I think I might have to do a whole other post about it because I love it that much!

Anyways, this year they added an optional half hour piano class to the camp. For THREE weeks of group lessons, it was only $65. Maybe I am comparing it to NoVA prices, but I thought it was a steal.

Today was Addisan’s final day and they welcomed families to come in and see what they do. They do a lot with rhythm, songs, proper hand placement, and working with identifying piano keys.

Though Addisan cannot play any “real” songs, she has a stronger foundation of the piano and can appreciate music even more. That is all I could ask for!

For all of those who know Addisan, she is very different from myself. I like music, but she really LOVES music. I LOVE sports, but she only likes sports. I try to remind myself that this is her life and my job as a mother is to expose her to as much as I can….and then the decision is up to her.

So here I am at piano lessons…totally out of my element, but in Addisan’s world.

Watching Addisan shine at her “recital” makes me smile.

Sparkling Clean!

2011-07-07T21:17:00.001-04:00

Anyone who knows me…and especially the ones who have LIVED with me….know that I HATE cleaning.

I view cleaning like I do school work…no matter how much time you spend on it, there is always more to do. There are so many better ways that I would like to spend my time rather than cleaning….like sleeping, going to the gym, shopping, etc. My other thought about cleaning is that if I was to die tomorrow, would my family and friends remember a super clean house or spending time with them? I think you know the answer.

I do have to admit though, I do feel better mentally when the house is cleaned up from all the dog hair and toys. I am great at keeping up with the vacuuming, it is everything else that I fall behind on.

I have several girlfriends that always have immaculate houses and every time I leave their places, I swear to myself that I am going to do better. I am going to hang up my clothes right away before they get wrinkled from remaining in the dryer to the next day (or the day after that). I am going to unload the dishes every night. I am going to make sure there is no dust on the baseboards or Goldfish in my couch. My hopes are always short lived. I really, REALLY want to be like them. Unfortunately, I do not think I am wired that way.

So with working full time and tutoring in the evenings, I fell waaayyyy behind in cleaning. You know it has to be bad if I think it is “bad.”

Awhile back I met a wonderful woman playing Bunco with some girlfriends. She is as nice as they come and she just happens to own her own cleaning business. This woman is the best! I can chat with her all day. When life was getting crazy for us in the Taylor household, I explained our work situation and what we needed. She has only cleaned our house twice, but I am not sure what I did before her.

I have only had a cleaning service twice in my life…and both times were when I was extremely ill during Campbell’s pregnancy Tommy and I do as much as we can around the house ourselves….refinish furniture, hang our own garage door openers, put up wainscoting, etc. So I feel very spoiled having someone help with our housework.

TaDAAAAA….How long do you think this will last with kids?

Coming home to a clean house makes me smile!

My smile will be growing even bigger soon because I am going to trade my tutoring services and work with her grandson for her cleaning services. I love a win-win situation.

After the First…They All Get Gypped

2011-07-06T21:53:00.001-04:00

With our first born, our world was centered around her. She had our undivided attention and did not have to share it with anyone.

Then the second child comes along. Even though the first born had to share the spotlight some, truth be told, she still gets the majority of the attention. She is the one who is old enough for swim team where we wait on the sidelines “patiently,” she is the one who has play dates to be driven to, she is the one who we used to have to wait so “nicely” in the hall for her to come out of her church preschool classroom, she is the one who we have to wait for in a crowded waiting area for her dance class to be done with…you get the picture.

I understand that this is just how we have to roll until Campbell gets a little older and can claim some of these activities for herself.

Though Campbell does not feel neglected, I have mother’s guilt that our world revolves around Addisan’s schedule. Addisan is at camp in the morning which gives me some one-on-one time with Campbell. I cherish these moments with just the two of us. Don’t get me wrong, I miss Addisan while she is gone. BUT… I love watching Campbell develop into her own self without the influence of an overly pink, dancing queen sister.

Yesterday, after dropping off Addisan, Campbell and I went to our favorite place to eat…Chick-fil-a. I am embarrassed to admit this, but we go at least every other day since I have been on summer vacation.

We then went to Lowes to look for some handles for a shelf in the bonus room. I love how she loves the simple things in life….like getting on a tractor that does not move, make music, shake…but simply for the experience of something new.

We then went to the mall to pick up a new pair of sunglasses. We went to Barnes and Nobel to play with the train table and then went to sit in one of the cars in the food court. I do not put money into these things because my fear is that once I did, they would never stop asking me. So I am proud to say that in four and a half years of motherhood, I have never spent a cent in these money grabbers. She just loves going in them and hitting all the buttons.

Though we did nothing exciting yesterday, I love seeing her embrace everyday things in life with a smile and excitement.

Spending one-on-one time with Campbell makes me smile.

Sisterly Love for All Ages

2011-07-05T22:22:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we celebrated the Fourth of July by having a Miller Family Reunion in Culpeper. It was great to see extended family from upstate New York. Addisan and Campbell loved seeing all their cousins….and meeting some of them for the first time.

The girls loved playing with their cousin’s action figures. I loved that it was a break from Barbies!!! All the kids played so well together!

Later, I asked Addisan to sit next to her sister for a picture…this was as close as she got. So much for sisterly love!

Below is a better picture of some sisterly love. Here is a picture of my dad and his three sisters.

Being with extended family makes me smile!

Mamma Mia with my Mama

2011-07-04T20:35:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I took my mom up to Wolf Trap in Vienna to see Mamma Mia! It is a wonderful outdoor theater that is on 100 acres in the middle of a residential neighborhood. They have shows, concerts, ballets, and educational performances. It is one of my favorite places in Northern Virginia. I have memories from seeing performances there as a child to my college days seeing Pat McGee.

Here is the view from outside the entrance of the venue. There are so many hidden treasures like this in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia was not always that hustle and bustle place like it is now.

Mamma Mia! is one of my favorite performances to see. The music alone is a reason to go! This was my second time seeing this performance and it was just as good as I remembered it. The best part was being able to spend time with my mom. Even as an adult, it is always nice to have your mama and not have to share her with anyone.

Being with my mom and not having to share her makes me smile!

My First Drive-In

2011-07-03T11:16:00.000-04:00

Last night we took the girls to their (and mine) first drive-in movie. This was a wonderful theater off Route 64 in Goochland. We got there right before the gates opened.

I was amazed how inexpensive it was to get in compared to a traditional movie theater. For our family of 4, it only cost $17…..AND they were playing two movies that night (we only stayed for one though).

They had an awesome playground for the children to play on before the show began. We met up with some friends and all the children ended up FILTHY from playing in the mulch. They all loved it though.

Another plus about this theater was that there was nothing in the snack bar over $3.50! We were able to eat very cheaply for a family of four. They even had corndogs… one of my favorites!

The girls loved being outside to watch the movies. This was better than a traditional movie theater because Campbell was able to get up and move around….that was until she fell asleep on Tommy’s lap within the first 15 minutes of the movie beginning.

This was the life! It was the perfect temperature once the sun went down. I was also pleasantly surprised that the bugs were not bad at all!

Going back in time makes me smile!

Finding Friends—Both Big and Little-- in Unexpected Places

2011-07-02T16:29:00.001-04:00

When Tommy was unemployed and I was staying at home with the girls, I put an ad in our neighborhood newsletter for tutoring kids struggling with reading. I thought this could be something that would have flexible hours and could help us out financially too.

All of that was true. It did have flexible hours and it did bring in some money. What I did not expect to find were so many wonderful families outside of our village in our subdivision. So many moms and dads I can relate to about parenthood!

I timed the other night at the swim meet and it was so wonderful to see kids that I work with (and the ones that have retired successfully from me) out and about. I loved cheering for them. Secretly, I felt like a little celebrity with all of them coming up to me and chatting. It made me feel very special. I do not think they view me as a traditional “tutor,” but rather a friend who just happens to know a lot about teaching reading. I love that!

Last night, we ordered pizza with a family that I tutor for down the street. They have a little girl the same age as Campbell. Not only did I gain a friend, so did Campbell.

Watching Campbell and her friend make a mess while having fun makes me smile.

One Phat…I mean, FAT Farmer’s Market

2011-07-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

Our morning first started off with Campbell insisting that she had to wear a hat everywhere she went today. I have to say, she looks pretty cute in all hats and keeps them on. Addisan, on the other hand, despises wearing hats (unless you could call a tiara a hat).

So Campbell and I dropped Addisan off at camp this morning and we then hit the gym for a little bit. On our way home, we came across a Farmer’s Market. It was a small one, but still quite eclectic with its vendors . One of my New Year’s resolutions a few years back was to support small businesses. I try my best to buy local and shop on Etsy A LOT. So needless to say, we ended up pulling over and looking around.

When I think of Farmer’s Markets, I think of all home grown items and colorful bouquets of flowers. I saw this here. We ended up just getting a few home grown veggies since we will be going out of town this weekend.

Campbell picked out her veggies to eat. She picked out green beans and mini-cucumbers. I have never seen a child love vegetables as much as her. Sometimes I wonder how she is my own child.

While we were walking around, it all of a sudden started smelling like a carnival…..I SMELLED FUNNEL CAKE! Or so I thought at least.

It was not funnel cake… it was even better! It was these FAT-O donuts that were to die for! They were made there fresh. We got to see them fry them and then dump them in glaze!

The surprise of fresh donuts at the Farmer’s Market made me smile.

What Makes Me Smile!

2011-06-30T21:22:00.002-04:00

It has been ages since I blogged and I have had all this "mother guilt" bottled up inside about not recording these memories of the girls from the last year and a half. Blogging was something that I always enjoyed, but somehow sleep took priority. When I returned to the working force, my blogging habit died. Tommy was still working up in Northern Virginia, I had a six month old that still woke up for a "snack" bottle of 8 ounces at four o'clock in the morning....and giving me just enough time not to be able to fall back to sleep before my 5:30 alarm, my tutoring kids started multiplying, foster dogs were coming in and out....so now, no more excuses for me!

I wish I could freeze time.

I first got inspired to start our family blog by my dear friend Clare. Clare is not only a super woman and friend, but a super mom. She does it all....blogging, crafts, aerobics instructor, photographer...you name it, she can do it. Then my friend Ryan just started blogging and I thoroughly enjoy reading her perspective on children and the world around her. I love Ryan so much because she is very liberal like myself in a very conservative town. We can relate!

To try to get me back in the routine of blogging, I am going to try to do 30 days of things that make me smile. I think in the world around us, we are always in a rush. Even though I have learned to take a slightly slower pace in life since moving to Richmond....I can feel that "Northern Virginianess" that still creeps up in me when I see people writing checks in line instead of using an ATM card or when people role down the window at a stop light to talk to someone they know instead of going RIGHT when the light turns green. I know in my heart that these things are not a big deal at all, but for some reason they REALLY, REALLY urk me! And it bothers me that things this minute bother me....do you know what I mean??

So tomorrow I will start my 30 days of little things that make me smile.

Sisterly Gift

2009-12-13T09:41:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe Campbell has “officially” been here for almost a year. It feels like it was just yesterday I was throwing up in the car, O’Charlie’s, the bathroom…..you get the idea. I remember thinking December 17th could not come soon enough. It is amazing how quickly time flies with kids! Here we are at Campbell's first birthday already??! I really want Addisan to know that art of giving. In order for her to really get this concept, we brought her to Build-A-Bear at Stoney Point. I wanted her to make something from the heart. She got to choose any animal and any two accessories. Of course, she chose a pink bear...what a shocker:) She surprisingly had no problem knowing that the bear was not for her, but rather her sister! Her maturity at three never ceases to amaze me!

Daddy and his girls walking around before going in.

So many choices....where to begin!!?

What a happy girl!

Campbell hanging out with me while I shop waiting for her Big Sis to get done.

THE Santa Claus

2009-12-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

I took the girls to see the Legendary Santa Claus at the Children’s Museum in the beginning of December. We got there shortly after it opened and we only had to wait about 30 minutes. Not too bad if I say so myself! When we got into the actual room where Santa was, strollers were not allowed. Needless to say, I got a good workout with Campbell. I was by myself and luckily had the nicest family in front of me in line to help me with the girls:) I know Tommy really wanted to take the girls on the weekend, but he would have had to wait several HOURS to see Santa. I am hoping next year at this time, we will all be together as a family again! The girls did great with Santa and went right up there on his lap. Campbell was not smiling because I took her bottle away for pictures…the nerve of me! Addisan asked Santa for a pink belt and a pink puppy for Christmas. I love this age where she is not asking for commercialized merchandise! I hope it stays this way!

Addisan insisted that Santa needed a gift. She first wanted to buy him an eclectic guitar, but I tried to explain that he probably already had an extra or two in his workshop (plus, it was not in our budget:)). So I told her that Santa loves sweets! She picked out a bag of Swedish Fish to bring him as a gift. I have been trying to get her to understand that a gift is something you give from your heart that you don’t ask for back. I was proud of her…she did not ask to share the candy with Santa or even to have the bag back!

Addisan waiting in line with the Snow Princess.

After visiting Santa, we went to the Children’s Museum to play. Thanks Baby and Pop-Pop for the year membership! The girls love it!

Where did November go?

2009-11-30T21:09:00.000-05:00

Playing with dolls. Campbell will grab her baby dolls and rock them while patting their backs.

Lots and lots of dress up!

Some hangin’ around and looking cute.

Feeding the ducks at the lake. It is so unusual for the weather to be this NICE for November.

Poor Tommy! I signed him and Addisan up for a cookie decorating class at Pottery Barn Kids. Needles to say, I totally misread the registration. It was a kid’s bedroom decorating class discussing paint options and decor. Addisan still had fun though spending time with her daddy.

Lots of trips to the zoo with the warm weather!

This Princess Castle that the Yorktown Millers gave Addisan is used by all!! The girls love it and will turn it upside down so they have more head room. Even Daizee will go in there and rest.

Tommy surprised me for my birthday a month early!!! Since my birthday is right after Christmas and it being such a crazy time of year, he planned ahead. He sent down my two childhood best friends to dine at our favorite childhood hotspot—Unos. We also got to get pedicures too! It was the best gift ever!

For the Taylors’ birthday gifts, we took them to get their portraits taken at a local place with the girls. It was an AWFUL experience there. But, I am glad we at least have a picture to show for the terrible afternoon.

A Small Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T15:39:00.001-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. In the past, we have usually had over 30 people, but this year was quite different. It was only the two sets of grandparents and our nephew Greg. Greg just came back from deployment and I think some real cooking was just what he needed! Tommy and I made the turkey with my Great Great Grandma's turkey oven. It is amazing that it still works....but especially how well it works! I also made a fabulous chocolate cake from one of my favorite cook books, The Cake Doctor. The grandparents brought the side dishes. I truly felt that it was a fun time held by all with little stress with regard to preparation.

A fun game of Puppy Pals Bingo before we eat.

Our foster dog Hobbs had a lot to be grateful for this year. He was dropped off by a mother and her children who were fleeing from domestic violence. He was so skinny when we got him. I am not a "small dog" person, but he won my heart!

Campbell driving around in her sister's car. She can get in and out all on her own.

A little pre-lunch nap for Pop-Pop.

Campbell having fun playing with her daddy!

Here I am testing the mashed potatoes for quality.

Are We Trick or Treating Yet?

2009-11-02T11:15:00.000-05:00

If you recall, Addisan was sick last year for Halloween. This year, she was well and thrilled to be taking part in the Halloween festivities. To get us in the right mood, of course we had to visit the Chesterfield Pumpkin Patch. With Tommy working, Aunt Lora came with us instead. The girls just love her!!!

Campbell eating some Cheerios and Puffs while waiting for her sister to finish an activity.

Addisan LOVED the tractor pull!!! She could have stayed on it the entire time. There was another girl around her age that started crying when her parents were out of sight, but not my Addisan. She is getting to be so independent!

Campbell watching her big sister on the tractor pull.

Addisan on the hay ride over to the pumpkin patch.

She loved jumping from one ridge over to the next.

Campbell tried to keep up with Addisan. The ridges though kept her a little behind. She finally sat down to play in the dirt.

Campbell trying to keep up with Addisan.

Addisan in the corn barrel. I know Campbell will love to take part in this next year.

The beautiful pumpkins Addisan did.

Some of my favorite characters:) Addisan insisted Daddy dress up and she picked him out a costume from her dress up clothes! What a good sport. Also, it took Addisan to get the hang of what Trick-or Treating really meant. We would go from one house to another and she would say, “Are we trick-or-treating yet?” It was too cute. By the end, she understood that was all it was….going house to house asking for candy!

Tea for Four

2009-10-19T08:52:00.000-04:00

The girls and I spent a great afternoon with some of our favorite friends at the teahouse. We got all dolled up in our fanciest “princess” attire while this mom wore her fanciest jeans and sweater. They dined on chips and peanut butter sandwiches while the moms enjoyed some wonderful wraps and sandwiches. And for the finale, we all dived into a piece of delicious Savannah cake! The girls had a fabulous time…..and the “big” girls too! There are more pictures to come. Leslie took some awesome pictures that I still need to ask her for:) I am so glad that I have found some good friends down south!

Addisan enjoying her ice tea in a fancy tea cup.

Campbell did awesome as usual dining out! No tea for her, but lots of puffs instead:)

Cacci all dolled up in her mama’s pearls!

Heather and Violet enjoying some one-on-one with no older brothers around.

A Princess and Disney on Ice

2009-10-18T11:52:00.000-04:00

We went to Disney on Ice and had such a fabulous time. Since Campbell is still too little to take, we invited Addisan’s friend Violet to go with us. When I was a kid, my siblings were young adults and out of the house. So my parents would take my two best friends to events such as this. I had the best memories, more so because of my friends as oppose to the event itself. I think the case was the same for her as for me. I can’t wait until Campbell is older and they can both invite a friend!

Addisan in her Cinderella dress up dress before we left.

Addisan saying her final goodbyes to Campbell before we went to go pick up Violet.

Addisan patiently waiting in the car to go.

The two girls posing for me outside the stadium before the show began.

Some action shots of the performance. After seeing this show and watching Addisan’s excitement grow, I think I trip to Disney World will be in our near future.

The girls dancing during intermission while Tommy bought them cotton candy.

The cutest picture of Violet.

A love these little moments!

Jack’s House

2009-10-13T20:34:00.000-04:00

We went back home for Jack’s first birthday. It is hard to believe that he is already one. It feels like it was just yesterday that Nicole and I were both pregnant. For me, when I look down at all the weight I still need to lose, I do still feel preggers some days. We had a chance to visit with Nicole’s family, their friends, Kevin, and Erin. The only thing I hate about going back home, is having to leave them and return to Richmond.

Addisan and Gavin were bickering about taking turns with this wagon. So problem solved…we put Campbell in it and they both got to pull her:)

Campbell LOVED being pulled around. She is so easy going!

Me and the birthday boy, Jack.

Addisan trying to make boy toys into purses somehow.

J.T. enjoying his favorite toy of all time while his daddy catches up on some light reading.

The Last of the Parties

2009-10-04T10:17:00.000-04:00

Finally on Sunday, we had the last of the parties. We invited our family and our close friends the Hammonds. It was very low key with sandwiches and light snacks. Both girls had a fabulous time spending the afternoon with so many people that love them. Below are some high lights of our day.

This Dora car was a find! We bought it at the Charter Colony yard sale for $10! Please don’t think I am cheap. My first thought was Addisan will love it! Second of all, she has no idea what “pre-owned” really means:) I went on line to see the original price…..since it was limited edition, it sells on EBAY new for over $450! Needless to say, once she is done with the car, we will be putting it up to sell on-line!

Popeye and Ju-Ju brought Campbell a gift. It was a Minnie Mouse that she loves. Also, Baby and Pop-Pop bought her really cute monkey pjs that she wears all the time.

One of the gifts that she received was a soccer goal. She went to a soccer clinic last winter and loved it. We are going to pout her in soccer again in the spring. Thanks Aunt Susan and Uncle Billy for the gift!

This was “the” gift of the day. Campbell would not let Addisan get to it. It was so funny! It is a cash register that actually scans products. You put the stickers on any items you want and it will tell you the price once you zap it! So COOL! I set up a grocery store in the hallway for Addisan to use her cash register and she loves it! Thanks Baby and Pop Pop.

I am not sure who had more fun with it, Billy or Addisan.

Addisan decorated the cake herself. My mom’s birthday is the day before Addisan’s birthday, so we had a dual cake:)

Addisan loves blowing out the candles to the cakes this year.

Karsen is just the cutest thing in her party dress!

Aunt Ronya mailed this super soft coat to Addisan for her birthday. When I put it on her, she said that she looked like Little Red Riding Hood, but she was missing her basket, cookies, and fork! Too cute!

I’m a Party Girl, In a Puppy World!

2009-10-03T14:34:00.000-04:00

This was the first year we had a birthday party for Addisan and her peers. With Tommy working back home in Northern Virginia, I splurged and paid for someone to have it for me. It was money well spent with the headaches and stress it would have caused me trying to get all the little details together by myself. We decided to have her party at the Richmond SPCA. It was nice to give my money to a party place that in return, saves animals lives. I cannot stop raving about the facility and the party itself. I was expecting a place that kinda smelled like dog and the festivities be in a small room off to the side somewhere. It was nothing like that at all! It was bright, colorful, and cheery. Everything was so age appropriate and was fabulous! We enjoyed having some of our closest friends from home come as well as our new friends from Richmond all together for Addisan. This was the first time I felt completely at “home” in Richmond being with all of our new friends too.

We were welcomed into the HUGE party room by the SPCA mascot, Waggles, and the party favors that they put together for the kids. Each child received a SPCA cup with a stuffed animal in it tied to a balloon.

When the kids arrived, they had stations set up that the children and the families to do at their own leisure. This was one of them. They also had bowling set up, coloring, a reading corner, and hula hoops.

Addisan trying her moves with the hula hoops.

Here I am posing with Sara. We are missing Colleen in this picture:(

Addisan stuffing her chocolate lab. I loved this add on option to the party package. Many of my friends say that their children carry around the dogs all the time still:)

Campbell taking part in the party! We brought two of our neighborhood friends/babysitters to help with Campbell. I don’t think we could have done it without them!

The party facilitator brought us all together on the carpet to go over the rules before going downstairs to see the dogs for adoption. We were able to give them treats and the kids loved it. Many of them were in little “bedrooms” where you could go in and hang out with them. It was not depressing at all, but rather a relief to see how well these dogs are taken care of and with such love.

This was one of the dogs that was up for adoption. This was in the kennel portion and not in the “bedroom” section. Still, these kennels were so clean and spacious. As many of you know, I have a soft spot for pits. There were a few there and they were all so mild and calm. This breed gets such a bad reputation for the mistakes people make by fighting them or keeping them chained up to trees.

Addisan with her birthday cake. We put a photo of our two rescue dogs on it saying “Happy Birthday.”

Lexi and Molly decorating dog bowls with Addisan.

Addisan getting ready to open her gifts. My strategy to make opening gifts go by more quickly is for the person who gave the gift to come up and help her.

This is Sara Lee, the diabetic rescue dog that was brought up to see the children. They were able to play with her. Overall, I think this party was not only enjoyable for all, but brought light to the need of animal rescuing!

Happy 3rd Birthday Addisan!

2009-10-02T14:32:00.000-04:00

Addisan the morning of her birthday getting ready to open her gift from us.

Addisan sporting her gift from the morning….a Birthday Girl shirt to wear for her special day. I get one for her every year from Gymboree. After she opened it, she hopped down from her chair and gave us both a hug and thanked us over and over. She is the sweetest girl and it made our day to see her excitement. Now, I get to pass these shirts down to Campbell.

Addisan turned the big 3 on October 2. We had three birthday celebrations for her. By the time the last party was done, I was pooped!

The first party we had was a party for all the neighborhood kids and my former first graders who are now in fourth grade. Addisan is the youngest on the street and all the older kids love on her so much. We are so lucky to live in such a great neighborhood. We made the party really low key with a cup cake and sundae decorating bar. Having the kids decorate their own got me out of frosting and decorating all 48 cupcakes! We asked our friends not to bring gifts, but if they insisted on bringing something, they brought a new or gently used book for the Chippenham Hospital pediatric wing where Addisan stayed in the beginning of September. We printed out labels for the kids to put inside the books and write their name in for the donation. I have to be honest, Addisan does not need anything and I hate trying to make space for new “treasures.” Tommy and I did get her something to open and keep that night. We got her a wooden ballerina doll that came with magnetic clothes. She loves changing her clothes and making her dance. The makers of the doll are Melissa and Doug….one of my favorite brands for kids’ toys. They are all wooden, solid, and age appropriate. Below are pictures from Party #1.

Addisan trying to patiently wait for her friends to get here.

I really wanted to get a cupcake tier to display them, but did not have time to purchase one. I am hoping Tommy asks Santa to bring me one for Christmas this year:)

Popeye and Ju-Ju brought her birthday balloons in the afternoon.

Our sundae and cupcake bar.

Frosting. Yum!

Friends decorating their yummy treats!

Addisan got a little shy when everyone started singing to her.

Our friends Marianne and Pam. I love this shot of them!

Addisan opening her gifts and books.

I love this shot…..Campbell is just so done partying!

Here is a picture of Campbell and Campbell. This is THE Campbell that inspired us to name our little one this:)

Are We Ready For School?

2009-09-22T14:30:00.000-04:00

Addisan looks forward to going to school each week. This year, she is in the two and half year old classroom. Last year, there were two teachers for the five kids. Now that she is older, there are two teachers for a classroom of ten kiddos. I love the ratio!

It is amazing how her language and vocabulary has exploded over the past few weeks. She told me the other day, “Mama, autumn is too windy. I am ready for summer to come back.” It never ceases to amaze me how she takes in the world around her, even when I am not watching. I know with school back in session, my little girl won’t be so little by the end of the school year….but rather a young lady. Time is flying by with kids. Good thing Campbell is still little. Below are some pictures of our first day of school.

It's that time of year again....Apple Donuts!

2009-09-19T09:45:00.019-04:00

Aunt Lora and I took the girls apple picking up at Carter's Mountain on Tuesday. It was a beautiful day and the scenery was magnificent! It was a little warmer than I expected and I got a good work out pushing Campbell in the stroller. I should have brought the jogging stroller! We picked six scrumptious apples, had a picnic, ate ice cream, and brought some apple donuts home with us. The baker was not working the day we were there. When the baker is not working, the donuts are prepackaged. DON'T BOTHER GETTING THEM! They are not nearly as good as getting them fresh. I was so disappointed! But seeing Addisan loving the day there was worth it!! Below are some more pictures of our day trip. I am hoping to add some more from Aunt Lora. She took such awesome ones!

Campbell loved being out of the stroller and crawling around the pumpkins.

These are the cutest apple worms ever!

Addisan loved helping Campbell with reaching her pumpkins.

A priceless moment!

Yum!

She would pull with all she had to get those apples down!

Campbell watching her big sister pick apples.

What a great view from up on top of the orchard!

Snapshots of Summer

2009-09-18T13:19:00.032-04:00

I took the girls to the Virginia Safari by Natural Bridge to see all the animals. It was a blast. We went with Samantha, Kris....and of course Campbell.

Addisan went to camp at Romp and Roll this summer and loved it. Campbell loved it too because she got to enjoy Open Gym hours in the evenings.

Lots and lots of laughter and giggles when daddy was home!

Campbell is not enjoying that neglecto-saucer quite as much since she started crawling.

Addisan loves her tu-tus and dance class that she started this summer at The Little Gym.

They started taking baths together this summer and LOVE it! There are no toys in the tub and they just make each other laugh splashing and playing Peek-a-boo.

One Saturday when Tommy had to work, I took the girls to Culpeper to visit Baby (this is what Addisan calls my mom) and have tea with her and Cousin Samantha at my favorite tea house. We all had such a good time.

With Tommy being gone during the week, it was too hard to take both kids to the pool by myself. So we got a kiddie pool for those warm summer days.

Addisan dressed up as a cowgirl for the Charter Colony parade for her American Hero. She loved being with all of her friends in the parade.

We took some trips to the zoo and had such a blast. I ended up getting a season pass and hope to go again in the fall before it gets too cold.

Addisan loved the new addition to the front porch...the sand table.

We played LOTS of dress up!

With Tommy working back up in Northern Virginia, leaves me very little time to sit down on my computer and blog these days. Plus, I taught preschool for the county this past summer as well which made time even more limited. I have to say though, I loved returning to teaching even for that short bit and found preschool to be right up my ally! I hated leaving my girls for those five weeks, but it was nice to help with additional income while doing something I loved.

So here are some snapshots of our summer. I tried to plan extra special somethings since I was gone AND Tommy. Tommy leaves for work before the girls wake up on Monday morning and returns after they are in bed on Friday nights. Then, he even has to work some Saturdays. We are all getting into a better groove with this new arrangement, but it sure is difficult. I try to count my blessings and remind myself he now has a job and to be grateful for that. We are hoping for the next job to be with us:)

This was NO Beach Trip!

2009-09-08T23:24:00.027-04:00

Boy...I am so overdue with my blog entries!!! I am going to start with the present with our eventful weekend and work backwards:)

Well....we went on a four night, five day stay at Chippenham Hospital. This was unexpected and totally out of the blue. It all started last Wednesday when Addisan developed a tickle in her throat. I contributed it to allergies since our windows were open and seasonal allergies are not unusual for her. This continued until Friday afternoon. My happy girl was not singing, dancing. wearing her tu-tus, and enjoying her favorite lunch (pizza) with two of her favorite people...Justin and Lexi from next door. Then when she fell asleep two hours earlier than her regular nap time, I knew something was up. I confirmed my hunch when she threw up. I was thinking that it might be the flu. I decided to let her continue with her nap and reassess when she woke up. When she got up, you could see her chest cave in severely when she breathed. I thought we had another case of RSV, but I was sadly mistaken.

When we got to the pediatrician's office, we only had half an hour to spare before it closed. She was talking the doctor's and nurse's ears off. You could not tell she was sick. The nap totally rejuvenated her. To make a long story short, they tested her for strep and it was positive. Then they proceeded to test her oxygen levels and they were really....REALLY low....toxic low. Her readings were in the low 80s (as oppose to the norm being 95 or higher) and both the nurse and the doctor kept on retesting her because the levels did not match her energy and enthusiasm. They decided to send us to the pediatric ER at Chippenham for x-rays and further evaluation.

Before I went to the ER, I dropped Campbell off with Popeye and picked up Ju-Ju to go with us. I was so impressed with the ER! We were diagnosed with pneumonia, had x-rays, and two breathing treatments within the first hour of our arrival. Up home, we never could have received such rapid care. By 11:00 that night we were in her hospital room where we would be spending the next couple of nights. We had such awesome doctors and nurses. Addisan was a trooper and took her meds and IVs with ease. The only thing she truly hated was the oxygen in her nose. One night, it took me, Tommy, and two nurses to hold her down to tape it on her cheeks in order for her to keep it on. This girl's threshold for pain never ceases to surprise me. She is such a tough cookie!

Addisan Saturday morning (her first morning). She was so unresponsive and in a daze. You would ask her a question and she would just look at you and not answer. Even when her friends brought in donuts and gifts, she showed no interest in them. She was so pathetic.

This is an outfit that Aunt Boop brought Addisan in the hospital. Between her new threads and a bath, she was starting to come alive again by late Saturday afternoon.

Aunt Lora and Uncle Carl came to visit. Addisan had to wear a mask while in the hall. She asked Lora to wear a mask too, which it made it less scary for her to have a mask on. Tommy got the job of walking her with the IV cart.

Addisan insisted on bringing her purse with her to go see the fish in the hall.

Addisan catching up on some sleep Sunday morning. We had a rough night the night before getting her to keep her oxygen in her nose.

Addisan and Daddy playing Backyardigans.

Addisan LOVED playing in the playroom next door to her hospital room. They had movies, blocks, dollhouses...EVERYTHING!

Addisan loved this little car. We would go up and down the hallway each day.

Ju-Ju and Addisan enjoying some time together.

We are now home and have already had our follow-up with our pediatrician. She is doing so much better and can resume normal activity. We are now trying to get our little princess back to reality where she can no longer watch TV until she goes to bed and she cannot get what she wants when she wants it like in the hospital. We want to thank everyone again for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

Beach Fun

2009-06-09T08:21:00.011-04:00

We went down to Corolla for a week and had a wonderful time. We went before school was out and it was perfect! There was NO traffic and the weather was awesome....not too hot and not too cool. The water was a little chilly in the beginning of the week, but quickly warmed up. Mike and Nicole and their family went as well as my parents. And of course, we couldn't leave our four legged children at home, so they joined us at the beach. Below are pictures of our week. We hated leaving and getting back to reality.

The whole gang grabbing a bite to eat one afternoon.

We found the BEST soft serve ice cream down in Whalehead! Here is Gavin trying to win Addisan's heart though ice cream....I think it worked!

My parents offered to watch the two youngest kids for us while we took just Addisan and Gavin out to dinner. We all forgot what it was like to just have one kid to worry about at dinner...it was so nice!

Addisan eating her snack at the beach in style.

Addisan informed me while we were walking to the beach that she had to go to the bathroom. This is the first accident she has had since being potty trained in a month.

I think we could have lived at the beach all summer!

Gavin and Addisan loved reading books in bed together each night before they went to bed.

Nicole reading to the kids in Gavin's room.

Pop-Pop, Baby, and the girls on the front porch of our beach house. Addisan was in such an awful mood that night (yes....my little princess was so moody). There was not one picture of her smiling in any of these from that night.

Pop-Pop and Campbell together. Campbell is ALWAYS happy (as long as she is not hungry that is). Her first tooth cut the surface while we were at the beach.

Baby trying to console Addisan.

Campbell getting some tummy time in on Daddy.

The Currituck Lighthouse.

Addisan looking at the top of the lighthouse.

Addisan pointing up at the Harrisons at the top of the lighthouse.

Campbell getting ready to eat.

Campbell eating yet again. She loves her food!

First Love!

Getting ready to the leave for the beach. Addisan refuses to look at the camera most days...I think it is a control thing! It is so frustrating!

I just love this picture of Gavin!

Mike playing Mr. Mom with Addisan and Gavin. I think he was just in it for the Play-Dough.

Nicole and her two little men.

Daddy playing dress up with Campbell.

The girls getting ready for another fun day at the beach.

Dad just taking everything in while we chase the little ones.

Preschool Celebration

2009-06-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

Addisan had an end of the year picnic for preschool. It was a chance for all the families and the teachers to see each other and eat together on the final day of preschool. We had such a wonderful experience at her school. Her teachers were structured, but yet playful. All of her art projects were age appropriate and focused on the experience as opposed to the end product....which is how it should be. All the families that were in her class were fantastic! She made some really good friends this year...one of them actually lives in Charter Colony near us! I am looking forward to another great year next year. Addisan will be attending two mornings a week next year. I think she will be in heaven!

Kids Grow Up Too Quickly

2009-05-24T12:16:00.001-04:00

I went up to NoVa for Jack's baptismal (Nicole's son). This was my first trip back home solo with both kids and it was a success. We only had to pull off to feed Campbell once on the way up there at Exit 140. Addisan sang songs while Campbell watched her and gazed out the window during our drive. I brought my camera with us to take pictures at the baptismal party, but with two kids and only two hands...the camera ended up staying in my purse. The kids were great and easy....but it was just tiring! On the way home, I stopped in Vienna to see one of my friends, Beth. I taught her son at Marshall Road three years ago....boy, kids grow up too quickly because he is now a rising SIXTH grader! Beth would come into my classroom once a week to volunteer. Coming from Title One Schools, I wasn't sure what to do with a parent volunteer because I never had any prior to teaching at Marshall Road! She was a life saver for me each week. We started to really get to know one another when she would babysit my Tivo once a week. Her son would come in early each week to read to Tivo and she would then take my baby home to watch him while I was at school. Tivo loved it at her house and even taught her Josie Dog to open the sliding glass door. Below are pictures of all the kids at Beth's house:)

Jeff holding Campbell.

Maggie. Tim, and Addisan just being goofy.

....I almost forgot this cute Addisan moment. On our way home, I stopped by McDonalds for a Coke. When we got there, Addisan asked where the farm was....she thought we were going to Old McDonald's farm:)