The Discovery Center

We went to the Discovery Center in Binghamton on Friday with Nana, Amanda, Logan, and Luke. This place is amazing! I used to go to it when I was little and loved it too. It has only gotten better. It is basically a children's museum and discovery center with a mini-size Firehouse, Grocery Store, Restaurant, Post Office, Ice Cream Parlor, you name it they have thought of it. The kids loved it, well the three older did. Little Luke hung out in the frontpack and watched the other three have fun, but he seemed very happy too. More pictures to come...

Country Life

Sometimes when you live in the country...you wake in the morning and there is a random horse and donkey on your lawn and you don't know where they came from.

And then the donkey freaks you out because he gets really close to your car and gives you a "don't mess with me look" when you try to shoo him. (He reminded me of the donkey in Shrek. This donkey had real attitude.)

Then they eat your grass and wander down your driveway like this is normal and you better get used to it!

But then your 3 and a half year old is out on the porch screaming, "Mommy, I want to ride that horse!" So next time they better watch out!

While Daddy is Away...

Mommy breaks the rules just a little bit. Daddy is on a little golf / business trip and we miss him so very much. He normally helps with the bedtime routine. I have found that putting the girls to bed alone is quite a challenge. My solution: We all snuggle into BP's bed, and when BB is fast alseep I move her into her crib. Tonight I took a quick picture of them.

Flaps

Flaps...everyday you made us laugh, but today you made us cry.

We will never forget our little buddy with the velvet ears and stumpy little legs.

Our Flapperdoodle who could sniff out a bag of garbage or the neighbor's compost pile in seconds.

The Basset who would do acrobatics for a pizza crust.

The dog who would roll over for anyone to scratch his belly.

Our first baby. We know that you tolerated BP and you thought BB was a cruel trick.

They loved you though!

We will miss you Flaps!

Pool Party

Aunt Cynthia, Uncle Charlie, and James hosted the first pool party of the season last Friday. It was warm and sunny. The pool was refreshing and the views from their spot on the mountain were breathtaking. We thank them for having us and kicking off the Summer season in a perfect way.

Random Notes on the pictures:

BB wore her hat for a few minutes and then tore it off. Darn! It was so sweet.

BP is taking much needed swimming lessons this summer. She is very unsure in the water, but very sure of her new mermaid suit from Old Navy. She loves it!

Keri, I need to find out where you got those cool swimmies.

I rarely put a picture of myself on the blog because I am very critical. Who isn't, right? Anyway, I need to work on my posture is what I am thinking when I look at the picture of myself.

Oh, and if I look like my mother-in-law does in a bathing suit when I am her age, and I will not say her age although you would never believe it, I would grocery shop in a bathing suit. She looks amazing! And no, I am not kissing up. It is the truth.

Last, James, can you tell how much BP adores you? She told me the best part of her day was the hug she got from you. Aaaawww!

(some pictures courtesy of Aunt Cynthia)

Splat!

I took these pics at Cousin James' house the other night. He bravely caught a frog for BP. She will not touch the frog, but she loves when he does this for her. The frog jumped out of the bucket and made a perfect froggy wet splat mark. As if that was not enough someone, and I am not sure which clown, took the chalk they were all playing with and outlined the splat. We all got a good laugh out of it!

Shh..

Don't tell BB that she has another year before she can go with her big sister to school. I think it would break her heart.

Peek-a-Boo!

WHO: The Barefoot Baby

WHEN: Last Wednesday

WHERE: "Moo Park"

WHAT: Playing Peek-a-Boo with Mommy

In case you did not know...her smile melts my heart!

Testing

She is testing us everyday lately. It is a power struggle from getting dressed in the morning to the bedtime routine at night. We have meltdowns over tights and dresses and good old not listening. It is exhausting and then I look at her happy face like this above and I realize it will be well worth it in the end. It's all about boundaries is what my ever patient husband keeps telling me. On a sidenote...I took BP to a birthday party on Sunday with about 25 other kids from her school and I give her teachers so.... much credit. Can you just imagine dealing with 25 kids testing the boundaries all day?

Bakery

Our town does not have a bakery, but we found an awesome one a few towns over. The girls love their ricotta sprinkle cookies and I love the 1950's ambiance. They just introduced fat free, sugar free frozen yogurt for the Summer and I am hooked. 80 flavors and a feature flavor each day. Oh how I love froyo and so does BP now!

Country Living June Issue

If you receive or purchase Country Living, look for BP and BB's little smiling faces in the June issue.

Hopscotch

BP and BB had so much fun with this stepping stone hopscotch game we found in a little park. Such a simple idea, but so fun! I may try to recreate this at home.

Precious Globe

BP found this old metal globe at an antique store the other day. She has this thing for globes, old and new, and the continents, oh and the continents song, which we all hear in our sleep. "Tell me the continents, Tell me the continents if you can.." Those who have heard it are laughing right now. Anyway, she had to have it and has been carrying it around ever since. (Until today when she went to school.) She put it on the table when we went out for dinner the other night. She clutched it as she fell asleep in the car. When she woke up in the middle of the night she asked for her globe as I carried her to our bed. She calls it her "precious globe."

Sisters

To this day there has never been any sibling rivalry or jealousy issues between them. Everyday I pray that they stay so different, but remain so close. With a two year age difference, I fear the teenage years and hope that they still get along so well.

Picking Dandelions

New Coupe

The "Cozy Coupe" is a favorite toy. We only had one unitl BP spotted one for sale at a second hand store by her school. We pulled up, checked the price, paid the lady $10, and loaded it in the car. In a matter of three minutes we were the proud owners of a used coupe. BB slept through the whole thing. They have played with the coupes everyday since!

Sweet Surprise

The director of BP's school handed me some fresh rhubarb from her garden and a dozen fresh eggs on Tuesday morning. So BB and I brought her a Strawberry Rhubrab pie when we picked up BP that afternoon. We brought her a full pie. The half-eaten one in the picture above is ours and it was so delicious!

BB's Trike

BB's new trike is just her size and brought such a smile to her face when Daddy and BP brought it home for her. She asked in awe, "me?" She loves the little trunk in the back for rocks and such.

BP's Bike

BP's new bike makes her a little nervous because it is "a little tippy." It freaks us out because we cannot believe she is old enough to have training wheels!

Katherine's Farm

When BB and BP need a little down time Katherine's Farm is their favorite movie to watch. They lay on a quilt and prop themselves up with pillows and watch an hour of farm life, with little Katherine as their guide. It is such a cute movie, but WARNING not for those with queasy stomachs. Katherine's Farm shows lots baby animals being born in the Spring on the farm. We have had the VHS since BP was little, but she watched it so much she wore it out. Recently, we found the DVD version in Lancaster. It is also available from Rural Route Productions online.