natural science museum

It seems like I'm always running about a week behind on my blog posts, but last weekend we took the girls to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences here in town. I haven't taken the girls since Lilly has been walking around, and needless to say we had our hands full. Lilly was so excited to not have to sit in the stroller this time, and she was practically running around everywhere, going in all different directions (luckily it wasn't very crowded). Maggie wanted to see all of her favorite exhibits (i.e. the snakes, turtles, and frogs!).

Maggie's favorite part of the museum...the snake exhibit

I reckon I've become "citified" b/c I can't believe I used to see these guys several times a week working in the field down in GA! It's nice to have this museum so close to home, but it does make me really miss all of the nature that used to be right outside of our front door. (I wish Maggie could hear the frogs at night down at Ichauway!)

emerald tree boas in the tropics exhibit

Lilly admiring the dinosaurs (Maggie doesn't like the dinosaurs and was still back at the snake exhibit w/ Daddy)

Lilly running loose

Maggie taking a break by some fish

watching turtles

two adorable girls!

a week's worth of pictures

Coca-Cola is in her genes...

(don't worry, she doesn't know how to use the bottle opener yet)

crayon time (even Lilly got crayons this time!)

you'll see that Lilly enjoyed tasting her crayons as well as coloring with them

Maggie wanted to take some pictures of her own...here are some of her snapshots





more cuteness this morning after our pancake breakfast

Just in the past week, Lilly has taken off...she's practically running all over the place now. I've been trying to get some good video of her roaming the house. (You'll hear Maggie saying "it's road trip time" in this video...she likes to pretend her bed is the minivan and we all get up there and go for a "drive").

Samantha's visit

Our friends Victoria and Stephen stopped by for a visit this weekend. Their 10-month old daughter, Samantha, has recently started walking, and it was so cute to see her and Lilly toddling around the house together.

all the girls together

Samantha enjoying the swing

Lilly showing off her chompers

Samantha was mesmerized by the pinwheel

Maggie spent some time collecting little sticks and branches to put in her stocking from preschool

some quality "sister time" this afternoon

trip to Marbles Kid's Museum

My folks and I took the girls to the children's museum here in town last week. I forgot my camera, but luckily Granddad was there with his I-Phone to snap some pictures of Maggie in action.

old-school cardboard bricks

Maggie preparing a meal in the cafe

shootin' some hoops

driving the bus

dress-up!

Diggin' Dirt Island

posing with the trains

Christmas pictures

I'm finally getting around to posting Christmas pictures. Here are a few gems from Christmas morning...mostly of the goodies in the girls' stockings.

Princess Pea (from the show Super Why!)

magic wand...hours of entertainment!

silly piggy koosh

Pez!!!

fun blank notebook for doodling

"this octopus is a bit rubbery!"

an assortment of sea creatures

while the stocking was lots of fun, the big hits of the day for Maggie were the Play-Doh cake decorating set from Grandmama & Granddad and the rubber stamp set from Mimie and Pappy

very cool wooden grasping toy from Mimie & Pappy

awesome handmade wooden ferris wheel from some friends of ours...notice that Maggie has filled all of the seats with little animals

the ferris wheel in action

catch-up

Here are some random photos from the past week.



This is supposed to be the "time out" chair, but both girls seem to enjoy sitting in it too much.

Maggie insisted it was Snoopy's birthday and he needed presents.

My folks are in town for the holidays, and last weekend my brother was also in town for a visit. Maggie enjoyed showing Uncle Chris all her puzzles and Little People farm animals.

Lilly and Grandmama

Maggie's preschool had a little Christmas program today, and it was pretty freakin' cute hearing them all sing carols. The funniest part was actually when Maggie's friend Eli (standing up in the red shirt) raised his arms and was excitedly yelling "my mommy's here...there's my mommy..."hi mommy!!!" over and over again.

Maggie wasn't too enthusiastic about singing...this was her expression pretty much the entire program.

And then she went over to cling to her favorite teacher, Miss Nila.

Lilly really enjoyed the music!