Lost Summer Days

The girls decided they missed summer so they got their swimming suits on and spread their "towels" (aka blankets) on the "beach".

It was so funny watching them "sun themselves" and then they would pretend laugh like they were having the time of their lives. Imaginations are terrific - you can be anywhere. Wish my imagination worked that well.

The Girls had taken their "babies" to the beach that day, I wish you could have heard them "giving the beach rules" before they allowed their babies to go play in the ocean.

Museum of Natural History

On request from Tylar to see a "real mummy" Matt and I took her (sisterless) to Washington D.C. to visit a real mummy at the Musuem of Natural History.

We did visit the mummies 1st but they just didn't keep her attention like the new Butterfly Exhib - I had to make her leave after 45 minutes since Matt was waiting outside for us. She loves nature and especially Butterflies!

Both Tylar and all the Butterflies were attracted to each other

The Butterflies seemed to be drawn to mommies hair too - they seemed to sit up there a long time. I guess I just smell good - smiling.
Tylar is amazingly soft with these fragile animals.


Tylar measuring up to an elephant leg

A Girl after my own heart! Tylar had brought some of her own money from her bank - this is what she had picked out to buy. She was only 1 penny short!

Tylar sitting on a femur bone of a dinosaur - I wish I had gotten a picture of her eyes when she walked in this room. She didn't know if she should be fasinated or if she should run. She stopped dead in her tracks, asking very softly "are they real?" - we had to explain about fossils, once she got though there was not stopping her from exploring.

The day trip was great, Tylar really enjoyed her day with mom and dad - she was not ready to leave after 5 1/2 hours but we promised her we would come back. Matt and I have decided this Spring and Summer we are going to be bringing the girls down to Washington more often.

Playing with Cousins

After 1st day of driving 5 1/2 hours

(it should have only taken 4 hours - holiday traffic)

Waiting for the new day to begin - and a little excited to see their cousins
Attempting to have a "sleepover" over emphasis the word SLEEP it didn't happen , we had to seperate them for anyone to get any sleep

Ryann fully enjoying her assistance Uncle Kurt made for her - she did very well. I need to get one for the rink here, both she and Tylar did better with the milk crates.

My Family skating - I sure do love them.
Even Matt enjoyed being on the ice - Look mom no broken bones!

Caleb and Tylar ready to go play in the new snow

Carter and Tylar happy to be outside

Tylar and her snow angel

Poor Ryann, she was too sick to go out and play - she stayed inside with daddy

Rachel enjoying the sledding - or was it making the track?
Rachel and Braden - Braden didn't like being outside but he didn't want to be left inside either


Too Cute - this shot took a lot of practice

(I was shooting it in the dark on a timer)

The kids put on a play - way too cute (and funny)



After curtain call (or was that fall) - literally Playing with their cousins - the kids really did play well together

Rach and Caleb - this picture compliments of Tylar


And she wonders where Caleb gets his talented tongue from

(see Raches blog if you missed Calebs talented tongue)

Ryann and me - see I really was there

Ahhhh - the care ride home

All in all, we had a terrific time at Rachel and Kurts, we even got a free date night out of it (it only cost us a free date night for Kurt and Rachel :) ). The ride up and back were not bad, we split the drive into 2 days and stayed a hotels with pool both directions. It was very low key with little running other than hockey, which was fun to see everyone playing. The only low time if the trip was all of us getting sick the day before we left to come home, luckily it only lasted 24 hours - too bad it was on New Years Night.

Thanks Rach and Kurt for letting us crash your place - love you guys