Summer Camping

 

 

We love to camp.  The first Christmas Jonathan and I were married, our wish lists were full of camping gear, and our family outfitted us generously.  Although camping with toddlers is not the idyllic forest getaway we each remember from our teenage years, our entire family still enjoys the wonder of the outdoors.

 

 

For Jonathan, the best part is making a tending a fire.  For me, it's the s'mores...hands down.  We are both happy to have a campfire (and s'mores) in the evening, and then do it all again after breakfast. 

 

 

For the kids, it's the hot chocolate.  With marshmallows.  (See a sugar-high theme going on here?)

 But what we really love about camping is spending some time together, with a guarantee of none of our regular interruptions. 

See all that lovely green around our tent?  Poison ivy - every bit of it.  Hannah is old enough to understand that she needs to keep out, but Lydia has no idea.  I only have it in me to run around after a two year old in Poison Ivy Land for about 16 hours, so we're strictly one-night campers...at least until the kids are older.

This trip was in the Smoky Mountains.  We found this lovely stream just off the road and spent a nice morning in the water.

Of course, kids can't play in the water without someone falling in and losing their pants, right?

The next time we planned a trip, Lydia was a little sick...just enough that we didn't want her to sleep outside.  So we pitched the tent in the yard.  Lydia slept inside, and the rest of us (plus baby monitor) stayed outside. 

 

 You'll notice that we still had all the essential elements: fire and s'mores.

And more s'mores.

Two weeks ago, we camped near Cumberland Gap in Virginia.

And look at all that grass!  I was thrilled by the absence of poison ivy.  And wouldn't you know it, I came home with it all over my arm.  Oh well....

Since Jonathan and I both grew up camping, we hope that we can teach our girls to love it as much as we did - and still do.

So far, I think we're starting out on the right foot.

July Fourth Fun

After Hannah's spring dance recital, I decided I needed to start posting pictures on the blog again.  So that night, I diligently sat down and put up the pictures of the recital.  That night, our hard drive crashed, and all of our pictures from January to the end of June are gone.  It makes me so sad!  I've learned two things: BACK UP EVERYTHING!!!!  And to spend less time taking pictures and more time making memories.  I rely on my pictures to be my memories, and I need to imprint our lives more on my mind than in pixels.

All that said, as part of my obsessive back up plan (along with our new computer, we got one of those external hard drives that automatically backs up every time a new file is added), I've rededicated myself to posting pictures on the blog.  It took me a few weeks to be able to take new pictures, and then a few more weeks to download them from my camera. 

And now, at last, here are some for you to see.  These are from July 4th, when we went to the Chicago suburbs to visit Jonathan's family.  Hannah and Lydia were very excited to spend the holiday with their cousin Brady.  We might be a little girly for him, but I think he had fun too.

After the parade, we went back to Jonathan's parents' house, where the kids spent a happy afternoon playing with a bubble gun.  Have you seen those?  It's like a water gun, but it sprays out bubbles, powered by a motor.  Even Lydia could produce amazing amounts of bubbles.  Serious fun!

 

 

I tried to get the kids to pose.  After about 30 shots with variations of this...

...I finally got one where they looked like this.

 

 

And then, this one.  Aren't they the cutest ever?

 

That night, we saw the fireworks...the first time for both girls.  I'm not sure that they loved the whole thing, but it was definitely memorable.

Also over the holiday, after a night of camping in the yard with Opa and Grandma, everyone had a blast in the kiddie pool.

 I gave the kids ice cream and told them to sit still for (yet another) picture.  Guess who said he doesn't like ice cream, but I convinced him to hold one anyway?  "You don't have to eat it, Brady, just hold it for a minute while I take your picture."  Turns out, he's the only one not stuffing his face...oh well!

Dance Recital Time

Well... Hello, there!  It's been awhile, hasn't it?  We've been doing so much (and I've been taking so many pictures!), and I feel completely overwhelmed about catching up.  So I decided to start with the most recent, and hope to work my way back.

In any case, here are pictures of Hannah's dance recital.  These are for you, Grandma.

The recital was on Saturday.  Hannah has been very excited about it for weeks to come.

The ballet was a story of two little girls who fell asleep in a candy shop, and awoke in the magical land of sweets.  Each class portrayed a different kind of candy.  There was cotton candy, lemon drops, red hots, and Hannah's class were lollipops.

Their tap dance was to Shirley Temple's "On the Good Ship Lollipop."

Hannah's favorite part?  That they danced with actual lollipops!

I mean, look at that thing!  I'd be excited too, wouldn't you?

The recital was at the Clarence Brown Theater at the University of Tennessee.  It all felt very grown-up to be in a "real" theater.

On the car ride home, Jonathan and I told Hannah that she had done a good job.  She said, "I am very proud of myself."

And not to be forgotten is the prima ballerina in training, Miss Lydia.  I think she's just about ready for the stage, don't you?

Getting Ready for Valentine's Day

Not much to say, except we're excited about Valentine's Day coming up (in spite of the fact that I vowed never to celebrate it!). 

At the fabric store last week, I spotted this hearts-and-cupcakes fabric in the remnants bin. There was a little less than a yard, and I just knew that it was destined to become some quick little skirts. So I literally whipped these up in about an hour, and here they are!  Mostly I just wanted so share these cute little girls with you.

Can you tell Lydia is saying "cheese?"  Hannah has already taught her the art of the phony picture taking smile.

Snow Day

Imagine the wonder of seeing snow for the first time.  (Technically, Lydia was out in the snow for about three minutes last winter, but I'm sure it made very little lasting impression.)  I snapped this picture just as she came out the front door and saw that everything was covered in white stuff.

It didn't take Lydia long to learn that you're supposed to run around, gathering bits of it in your hands.

Or maybe trying to catch a flake or two on your tongue.

Of course, if you're big like Daddy, you can make a really BIG snowball.

Everyone can help with this one!

I wonder what it's going to be?

In any case, this snow business is pretty fun.

Would you look at that?  It's taller than both of us.  And Hannah says this carrot is it's nose.

This snowman may be very nice, but I'm getting cold.  Enough pictures, Mama.  Time to go inside.

Hannah?  She's never cold.  She could just stay out here all day long.