Airlie Gardens

Airlie Gardens is one of my favorite places in town.  The gardens are alive and bright this time of year.  

 They have these big oversizes tulips, but I didn't think to put anything else in the picture for scale, so just trust me. 

 We also ran into this guy.  Ug, makes my stomach turn just looking at the picture.  Yuck.

 Buddies

 Hadley was on Parks' shoulders so Charlotte could ride.  She's such a goof.

March

Hopefully one monthly post isn't going to be the new norm.... busy month!

We started the month with a Mad About March musical performance at LK's school.  They're playing the "invisible flute" in the lower picture.  Kate made sure to tell me about this before hand so that I wouldn't get confused and think she was actually playing one.  It's a good thing she told me.... :) 

PS I didn't notice until she was up singing that she was wearing pearls from the dress up bin.  Love it.

 To the museum for some Easter crafts

 Dying and decorating eggs at home

 Lily Kate made bunnies with a kit from Nona.  

 Charlotte made her own creation, "egg angels" See the halos?  I get it!

 The spread we left for the bunny.  Wish I had gotten a picture of the spread he left for us. It was more impressive.  

 Hadley checking out her basket.  She called the Easter eggs "can-ee balls" Pretty accurate description   

The big girls playing with their new Polly Pockets

 hunt in the yard

 Off to church for service, lunch, and another egg hunt

 Our friends, the Nelsons resting in the sun after the hunt

 our best attempt at a family picture

 and just one more after we got home.  These two are two peas in a pod, I tell ya...Haddie and Daddy

Happy Easter!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day.  I had to post a picture of this snack that Charlotte and I made for her class.  She , very poetically, said, "these aren't hot dogs, Mom, they're heart dogs".  Both adorable and gross at the same time.  

This morning Parks and I had the sweetest surprise we've ever had.  Around 6:20 we heard the girls running down the hall (we usually wake them at 7:00 for school).  They popped their heads in our room and said, "don't ever come out of here, we're making a surprise for you".  Then, with no prompting or help at all they made us breakfast in bed.  It consisted of red jello (that I made for them 2 days ago), 1 chocolate cookie cut in half  (that I made for them yesterday), and some strawberries cut up.  Everything was in pink and red bowls.  It was really priceless to me.   They allowed me to come out with my eyes closed to grab my camera, so I was able to snap these when they came it.  

Then we made them pink pancakes (that Nona sent) and they opened their Valentine's bags from Nona.    

Parks and I will celebrate this evening with our champagne & Thai take out tradition.  This morning will be hard to beat. 

Evening Hangout Time

Cookie Decorating

Our friends, Samuel & Charlie (and Grace!) hosted a Valentine's cookie decorating party.  The kids went to town with the sprinkles on the cookies.  Most of them made one for their daddies.  It was fun to see them create Valenties for others.  

Happy 6th Birthday, Lily Kate

Lily Kate turned six yesterday, she is officially a big kid now, in my mind.  I got to go up to her school and eat lunch with her.  We brought Krispy Kreme for her class.  The kids were thrilled and Lily Kate loved passing them out.  My wonderful friend, Stephanie, Kate's Yaya, picked her up from the bus and took her on a birthday date.  We opened presents when she got home then went out for family dinner.  

 This is her new (Target version of an) American Girl doll.  She has had her heart set on this doll for some time now.  The doll has freckles and Lily Kate has wanted freckles for a while now because I have them.  Isn't that great?!  She wants to be just like her mommy, how long will that last?

 We were focused on the presents and the picture taking and Hadley was at the other end of the table unwrapping gifts.  We caught this one before it was opened, but she already had one unwrapped. 

Out to dinner

 That's right girl, Happy Birthday!

We love you Lily Kate.  You are vibrant, full of energy and enthusiasm, and smart as a whip, you are thoughtful and detailed.  We love the way you were made!

Our Friends, Walker & Banner

We LOVE having our friends, the Nelsons, here in Wilmington.  We have gotten to watch Banner and her new baby brother, Walker, a few times now.  My girls love it.  Lily Kate "puts Banner to bed", she "reads" her a book, and they fall asleep together in our bed.  It's great.  Hadley is a fan of Walker too, she kept trying to pick him up.  She would bend down and hold his hips and try to lift him.  He obviously didn't budge.  She settled for hugging him and lying with him.  

Silly face shot, at least my girls thought so....

Dunes Waterpark Weekend

We're making a Dunes weekend an annual thing.  This year we went the weekend before Lily Kate's birthday.  We celebrated her after dinner Friday night.  In honor of her favorite food (sour cream - seriously) we made a sour cream pound cake.  

We spent most of our time hanging out at the water slides, floating the lazy river,  and sitting in the hot tubs.  

Ford

Hadley snacking on a cucumber

Caroline in her favorite secluded corner of the lazy river

Charlie floating

We had balloon hats and creatures made and got our faces painted.

Charlotte's crown

Maddie and Lily Kate's heart wands

Charlotte's cupcake face.  

...and more playing in the water...we were pretty pruney when we left on Sunday

Hudson and Samuel in the showers

Parks and Hadley in the hot tub (this is my only picture I have of an adult).  When the kids were asleep I traded my camera for one of Parks' rum concoctions and relaxed with the ladies.

Lily Kate swimming with Hadley