backyard camping, double rainbows, and painting

We've been wanting to take the girls camping before it gets too hot, but we wanted to do a "trial run" first to see how they would both do sleeping in the tent with us before we committed to being out in the middle of nowhere (i.e. with no back-up plan / escape route). We never co-slept with the girls when they were babies, and while Maggie sleeps with us on trips, Lilly has never slept anywhere at night but in her crib (or pack & play on trips). So last week we set up the tent, built a little campfire, and tested things out in the backyard.


Maggie enjoying s'mores


Lilly was too excited to even think about going to sleep.

Maggie got to see a double rainbow while heading to preschool earlier this week.

say cheese!

the budding artist at work

sunny hike

It was a beautiful day today, so we took the girls to Yates Mill Pond park for a hike in the woods and a picnic lunch. Lilly loved the hiking part, and Maggie loved the picnic part. Most of the pictures are of Lilly because I had the camera and most of the time, Maggie and Daddy were a little further up the trail than me and Lilly.

looking for fish


watching a fisherman

beaver dam

Lilly loves to hike and explore!

five-lined skink...this skink was so brave, he stood his ground while Maggie and Lilly were watching him from only inches away

puddle jumping

After the rain stopped last weekend, we took a walk around the neighborhood so the girls could splash in puddles.




Lilly can hold her own with Maggie...here she is "attacking" Maggie.

The girls were playing on Maggie's bed the other day, and while Maggie was singing a few songs from her song book, Lilly became fixated on her pigtails. (also funny...at about 48 seconds in, you can hear Maggie singing part of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot")

I saw Michelle Obama!...well, sort of

Okay, so I didn't actually see the First Lady, but I did see her motorcade today! She was in Raleigh for some public appearances, and I was on my way home from a kid's consignment sale up by the airport. The interstate headed back to Raleigh was closed, so I had to take a round-about detour north of the city to get back home. I didn't notice that the opposite lanes of traffic on this road were closed as well, but then I saw a bunch of police motorcycles & cars, and then several big, black SUV's w/ dark tinted windows passed by going the opposite direction.

Totally unrelated, here's a cute pic of the girls chillin' out after picking Maggie up from preschool the other day.

Sunday afternoon

I had a chance to get some garden work done this weekend, so we decided to set the girls up in the old pool and let them entertain themselves for a little bit.

more birthdays!

It's been a couple of weeks since I've had a chance to post, and in that time we've had 2 doctor appointments, a round of lingering colds, a birthday party for our friend Samantha, my birthday, and our first snow of the season. Here are the stats from the girls' dr. appts: Lilly (at 15 months) weighs 22.5 lbs and is 31" tall; Maggie (at 3 years) weighs 35.5 lbs and is 39.25" tall.

at Samantha's birthday party (recognize the onesie that Samantha is wearing?)...from left, Victoria's niece Delta, Samantha, Lilly, Maggie, Victoria's friends' kids Mackenzie & Lucy, Eli hiding in the back, and Jacob

Will and Maggie made me a giant cookie for my birthday...Maggie was in charge of the sprinkles!

last night it snowed for the first time this season...Maggie was a little disappointed this morning that it wasn't enough to build a snowman

Maggie's 3rd birthday

Saturday was Maggie's 3rd birthday, full of hot dogs, mac & cheese, and cupcakes (and Pez, the only present Maggie asked for)! Unfortunately, family illnesses prevented our friends from coming over, but we had a good time with Grandmama & Granddad.

this was the first year that Maggie didn't cry when we sang "Happy Birthday"

Weebles!!

Pez!!!!!

singing fish card from Mimie & Pappy

last week, Maggie received a package from Aunt Katie w/ some fantastic handmade "crowns" and magic wands...a bit hit!

the back of one of the crowns

last week I snapped some candid photos of Lilly sharing her Cheerios with Lexi...

but once she saw me with the camera, she had to come over and ham it up