February 2012

After settling into out home fairly quickly, we picked right back up with a whirlwind of activities. Here are some of the highlights:

Tim takes the girls on what he named "3Ds" or Dada-daughter dates. Here the girls hold hands while peering into a pen where some large animals are kept:

 Madeleine and I went to cousin Abbie's princess party and we enjoyed all the wonderful treats that Auntie Lori prepared:

 Madeleine & I came home to find that Dada had built Mads' big-girl bed; she loved it:

 While the weather is sunny and warm, the girls play out back. Grace helps me water flowers and we all enjoy watching many local feathered visitors devour our bird feed:

 Madeleine has a special affinity for her "jungle" and wants me to come be the Mama cat. She even led G out by the hand to play with her and gather food in the jungle:

 C.C. cars!:

 Our friend Kaitlyn turned 4 and had a Neverland Pirates birthday. Madeleine & a friend enjoy a treasure hunt complete with spyglass and pirate hat (on friend S.):

 The girls at the party:

 Mama & Mads

 My parents invited all four of us down to the Fred Hall fishing show and we watched the Dock Dogs jumping. The girls also enjoyed duck races. I picked up the boater's course for water safety, so it was fun for me too!:

 Gracie enjoyed feeding and watching the ducks:

Last Tuesday night, came down with strep throat and Tim stepped up the hero action to take care of me and the girls for 3 days in a row (oh, then he worked one and then took another one off to baby me because I was still recovering). I barely saw the girls at all, he was so diligent to take care of their feedings, laundry, trips out, shopping and he brought me soup, medicine, even arranged babysitting so he could take me to the doctor's. (How can I not brag about this man?) He took work off on Friday and I thought I could manage with both my moms' help. We got a late start, but my mom, the girls and I made it to the Vintage Hills Easter Egg hunt and because we were so late, the coordinator laid out a huge spread just for us! It was so kind of her to bless us in that way- my girls had too many eggs to pick up and we ended up leaving some for another straggler who we saw coming.

Gracie was so adorable with that basket:

 Madeleine had a wonderful time, and enjoyed filling G's basket and her own alternatively:

 After naps, my mom left and my mother-in-law came over. Somehow I had managed to bake some eggs for the girls to color thinking it would be a fun experience they could have with their Grammi:

The rest of these are not chronological because they are from Tim's camera  and I am too lazy to go sort them!

Gracie's blue eyes benefit from glasses, and she looks lovely to boot: 

Tim had taken the girls on a previous 3D when we had snow down to 2000'. The girls loved in, in very different ways. At first they are both having fun:

 But G decided that she did not want ANYTHING to do with snow and Tim reported she would not stop crying until he finally put her back in her car seat and let her watch as he and Madeleine played. (She had a similar reaction to sand the first time):

Madeleine enjoys the snow & her snowman:

G enjoys her carseat and a snack cup full of animal crackers:

This sweet girl filled a Nalgene full of snow for her mama as a souvenir and when they all returned home, Dada put it in the freezer to save :)

 A few days ago, Mads wanted a picnic dinner and Tim snapped a few shots of her. When she saw him, she snapped a few right back:

 Love, Lauren