MacFarland Family Chronicles

Apples

2010-10-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

It's fall now and that means apples. Yesterday I found some time to make a yummy apple crisp and Meghan got to help peel the apples while Nathan helped me make the crumble topping. The kids loved munching on the apple peelings. I was taken back to the time when I use to eat the long peels as a child while helping my mom to peel the apples.

Emilie is 4 months old now

2010-10-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that Emilie is 4 months old already. She is a very sweet happy baby and loves to watch Meghan and Nathan. We love having her as a part of our family! She has just recently found her toes and is a very strong girl turning front to back already and can do almost a complete situp with amazing abdominal strength. If I had to predict, I think she will be an early crawler. At 12 lbs 7 oz she is a little peanut of a girl with a big sweet smile!

Planning my Garden

2010-03-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

So excited that Spring is here. The plants are budding out, the daffodils are up and the crocuses are blooming already. I am having a garden fence built to prevent the deer from prevailing on my vegetable garden this year, and have had fun planning out our garden space. It's a 16X24 space, and this is what I plan and hope to achieve. I think I'll get it done, come harvest time it may be a little challenging with a new baby to keep tabs on too, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed and can't wait for the yummy vegetables.

Big Snow Day... Dec 19

2009-12-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

We had a big, huge record setting snow today. Not sure what the totals will be but already a foot has fallen and they're predicting more to come. We were outside early this morning for some shoveling, sledding, and general play in the snow. The kids had a blast, although Nathan grew cold quickly and his boot kept falling off. Meghan loved her new saucer in the snow. It was a fun day passed mostly indoors with fires, hot chocolate, movies, games, books and of course the mandated tantrums. But, mostly it was just good fun!

There's a new baby on the way...

2009-11-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

The cat's finally out of the bag. Today we got to see our newest addition on ultrasound. Yep, at almost 13 weeks along, this little one is scheduled to debut sometime towards the end of May, give or take a week or two. We are all thrilled. We've just told the kids and I know they will both make a great big brother and sister. So far these 13 weeks have been uneventful, although tiring. Thankfully Meghan is in school all day and Nathan takes a substantial nap allowing me to nap as well. Otherwise the time is flying by and we are all anticipating the holidays with friends and family. Here is a pic from the ultrasound.

Pumpkins and Hay

2009-10-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

While my mom was visiting we went to the pumpkin farm and that included animals, hayrides and of course a lot of pumpkins. The kids had a blast.

Akumal and Tulum Mexico

2009-09-29T04:44:00.000-07:00

Finally back! We have been without a computer for the last 6 weeks! Now I am back and ready to catch up. Most recently we spent a week in Tulum and Akumal Mexico, just south of Cancun. We spent the first day in Cancun before deciding to head south to check out the Mayan Riviera. I was there 20 years ago and while there is a lot of 'ecotourism' places that were not there 20 years ago, the beaches by and large remain unchanged.

We checked out the ruins at Tulum which were very hot and the kids were not too thrilled with it all, but Coba graced us with a pouring down rainshower. The kids were horrified at first... We're getting soaked, but Michael and I just started to laugh about it all and they ended up having a great time. Meghan climbed the big tower in the middle of the rain.

OK, I have more pictures but I can't seem to find the time or energy to get them up at this moment, so I'm posting this... so as to end the lack of posts on my BLOG. When I get more time, I'll post some more.

Go Meghan, Go! First Swim Meet

2009-07-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

Tonight was Meghan's first swim meet. She has been swimming in pre-team for 4 weeks now with her peers, but based on her skill-level she was able to swim in the last B-meet of the season. We were all very excited and without trying to talk it up too much encouraged Meghan just to do her best. Not only did she swim the Freestyle, she also entered and swam backstroke, the only 4 year old to do so in today's meet! She did awesome. Placed 3rd in freestyle, not sure of the results for backstroke. We are so proud of her and she had a great time, but when asked at home how she was feeling she said, "Mom, I'm tired!" This, after a 2 hour nap this afternoon, too! With the end of swim season this Friday, we are eagerly anticipating the fun swim meets of next summer! Look out for Meghan!

Warm-ups with the team

Nathan passing the time in the little pool
Take your Mark...

Meghan's swim coach (and favorite babysitter, I m ight add...) Christine has been super instrumental in helping Meghan to swim and we are going to miss her as she goes off to college this fall!!!

Meghan and her pre-team coach Kara. There were so many 'older girls' holding Meghan's hand through every step, it was great to see such comraderie amongst the team.
Meghan and Christine after she swam. Note, Meghan wore Christine's cap, even!

Meghan even entered in backstroke. She came in first place, although a little crooked at time, but as the only 4 year old, what can you expect???

The meet results, for 6 and under, Meghan placed 3rd!!! Way to Go. I have to admit, tonight opened a new world in parenting... the pride you feel when your child works so hard and completes a race. It was a thrill!!!

4th of July

2009-07-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

We had a great 4th this year. Our pool has a big party kicked off by the kids riding their bicycles around the pool all decorated. Then they have activities throughout the day such as this one where Meghan is capturing a goldfish (yes we now have 2 goldfish to care for). Meghan also got to dive for money. After those festivities were over we headed home where we hosted a casual bbq with many of our friends. We had a lot of kids and they played in the sprinkler, with bubbles and just plain had fun. It was a great day

Dutch Wonderland

2009-07-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

We've been heading up to Lancaster, PA a lot lately to partake in the fun times at Dutch Wonderland. The kids love the rides and we love the sheer simple joy just watching them have so much fun!

Mothers Day

2009-05-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending a Mothers Day lunch at Meghan's preschool. They read us a story, sang a song and made us a present. It was lots of fun!

Air Show

2009-05-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

we took the kids to an air show last weekend and while it was loud, they enjoyed most of it until they started getting a bit too tired. Here are a few highlights.

it's Salad time!

2009-05-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

we have a bowl of greens growing on our porch and the kids LOVE to go and pick the greens and make a salad. Here's a few pics and an interview about the salad from Meghan.

Super Spinach

2009-05-05T16:05:00.001-07:00

I was recently passing time in a pediatrician's office and picked up a ToddlerMag to flip through the pages. I found an intriguing recipe that I've now tried two times and loved. The kids love it too. So, thought I'd share it.

Pasta with Spinach Pesto
Cook 8 ounces of pasta according to package directions. I have been using vegetable shells but you could use your child's favorite, whole wheat, etc. In a food processor puree 3 cups packed baby spinach leaves, 1 cup packed basil leaves, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 4 tsp lemon juice (I have not had this so added a little orange juice instead) and 1 Tablespoon honey. While the processor is running pour in 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Process until combined. Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto and fold in 1/2 cup finely chopped grape tomatoes (I think that red pepper would be yummy too!)

Hope your family enjoys it like we have.

Here's the link to their recipe
http://toddlermag.com/recipes/wagon-wheels-with-spinach-pesto/

Deep Creek Lake

2009-04-28T18:28:00.001-07:00

We decided to take a long weekend last weekend and went to check out Deep Creek Lake. It's on the border of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio up in the mountains (or so they call them). It only took us about 3 hours to get up there and we had a great room at the Wisp Resort. Anyway, they have a nice small little beach on the lake which the kids LOVED, and nearby there is another park with some fabulous waterfalls. We had a great time.

Go Fly a kite

2009-04-04T14:23:00.001-07:00

We spent this windy afternoon at the park flying a kite. This was our first family kite flying outing and I was a little concerned I wouldn't remember how, but it all comes back to you. Meghan was thrilled to fly the kite and we all had a lot of fun.

Sweetly Dreaming Boy

2009-04-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

Nathan was sleeping so peacefully yesterday before I had to wake him up early to go and pick up Meghan. I love these photos. These moments are so sweet to remember...

Cherry Blossoms

2009-04-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I took Meghan and Nathan to view the cherry blossoms. We ad a lovely day and the kids enjoyed the blossoms as well as the Jefferson and FDR Memorials

Zoo pictures

2009-03-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

We had a great Friday afternoon in 70 degree weather at the National Zoo. The kids had a great time and enjoyed the special time with dad, too. Meghan loved the orangutan exhibit. There was a woman there entertaining them with all sorts of gadgets. I don't know who was more intrigued the orangutan, or Meghan!

Sharing

2009-03-12T13:11:00.001-07:00

Michael joined us last Friday for a fabulous afternoon at the zoo. The kids wanted ice cream and this was too cute. Nathan ran out first, so he is saying 'please' in signs for some more. Meghan being the great sister she is was happy to oblige. More pics to follow in next post.

#1 Grandpa

2009-02-25T11:31:00.000-08:00

Today it was sunny and warmer than in weeks and we were all healthy. So after we picked up Meghan from school instead of rushing the kids inside for lunch, I sent them out to their new sandbox to play while I made lunch watching them from the kitchen. Last Christmas Grandpa Jack made a fabulous sandbox for the kids. And, not a little sandbox, but a big 8x4 foot sandbox, and he even helped us to fill it up at a local quarry with the sand. the kids LOVE it, and so do I. We have a nice little cover and the kids can play in it while I watch them from the kitchen if need be.

Well, it sparked a spur of the moment picnic on the deck, which of course the kids loved as well.

We all enjoyed a bit of vitamin D. So, here's a big shout out to Grandpa Jack. We all LOVE the sandbox and thanks for all your hard work and efforts you put into it!

Going in for the Kiss

2009-02-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

Nathan has been very lovey lately. He loves to run up to me and give kisses and hugs and then go off back to playing. So this morning, with a prompt to give Meghan some hugs and kisses, he was up for the task. Meghan was busying herself with buttoning her new sweater and was more than willing to accept the hugs and kisses.

Last week, when Meghan was really sick she was sitting on the floor one day and un-prompted, Nathan walked up to her and gave her a big hug. It was the sweatest moment ever and I hope to remember it forever. Kids can be the best sometimes!

Cupcakes and Preschool

2009-02-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

Birthdays are a big deal when you're in Preschool. On Sunday, Meghan seemed well enough to assume she would be going to school on Monday to celebrate her birthday. So, she helped me to frost and decorate her cupcakes. She loves cherries, so it was obvious that a cherry would be on top of the purple frosting.

Birthdays are one of the few days parents are allowed to visit school since she attends a Montessori, so that makes it special to begin with. The students get to wear a special birthday crown and go over their answers to a slew of questions... where do you live, who is in your family, what is your favorite color? Pink, purple, blue. Etc.
Then as the teachers are taking role, the students come up to shake the birthday girl's hand or give a hug. This is Vasilli, Meghan's dearest friend who gave a HUGE hug

They have a special table where the birthday girl got to choose her friends to sit with her. This year her brother Nathan was even able to join her at the table. The kids all loved the cupcakes, and Meghan had a great morning at school

Happy Birthday Meghan

2009-02-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we celebrated Meghan's 4th birthday with a small dress up party. All the kids arrived in various costumes and had fun changing over and over at the party itself. We had princesses, fairies, cowboys, pirates, etc. A great time was had by all. We had some face painting and cake, too of course.

Snow Days

2009-01-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

Meghan has been anxious for some snow and we were finally granted a little this week... Well enough to cancel school for two days, but not quite enough for a snowman.

It all ended up in a yucky mushy wet mess yesterday, but Tuesday was a fabulous snowfall and the kids enjoyed playing in it in the afternoon. After I shoveled the driveway I put the kids on the sled down a gradual slope and they had a blast. Nathan was even content to let Meghan hold him on the sled as long as they got to keep going more more more. More that is until he got too cold and it started to get dark. All in all it was a successful and fun snowfall.

The Blahs of January... Pudding Painting

2009-01-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

Well,
The decorations are all put away, the cold weather is here, and the afternoons are long with only one napper. What's a mom to do? Bring out the Pudding! That's right, you heard me... We recently made pudding, and then added a little food coloring... pink, green, blue, etc. Then we brought out the left over cookie sprinkles, and some cereal, whatever looked interesting and I let the kids go at it. Boy did they ever have fun, and all it took was a little extra Oxy-clean to clean up the kitchen afterwards... Also, take note of Meghan's ever present dress-up attire under the apron. These days, she's either Tinkerbell or a princess whenever she gets the chance. Nathan likes to wear the crowns too.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T13:25:00.000-08:00

The stockings are hung, the baking is done. The gifts are all wrapped and some family is here. We hope you have a Merry Christmas wherever you are. May you find joy as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, wherever you are.

A trip to see Santa

2008-12-18T20:03:00.000-08:00

This week I took the kids to visit the friendly local mall Santa. It's always been an experience trying to determine Meghan's mood and approach to Santa, and now I have two different ones to contemplate... Meghan this year walked right up to Santa with a little prompting from my part and told him she was hoping for a Tinkerbell costume. Thankfully we have dispensed with the desire for 'real wings that can fly'. Even though she told us numerous times that Santa and his elves can make anything, we have informed her that his presents have to be real. Anyway, she had a nice little chat with Santa Claus being that there was no one in line (a miracle). Talked about how hard she's been working in school reading, etc. Nathan on the other hand was not overly fond of Santa. I tried my best to sit on the stool while Meghan was chatting away and let Nathan warm up to the fellow, but he would have none of it. Finally when someone did show up in line and the employees were indicating it was time for our photo, I sat him down in Santa's lap (er... the stranger in a big red suit), and Nathan proceeded to scream. I indicated for them to just take the photo, screamer and all because that's how it is this year, and next year who knows, he may refuse to sit in his lap as Meghan did at 2 years old. So, here you have it, this year's Santa photo. Of course, our visit was not complete until the friendly photo employee loudly proclaimed to all in earshot range, after that Santa looks so thirsty he could die. I nearly fainted and was glad that Meghan did not hear it and could not yet spell d-i-e because I turned to the lady and tried to nicely say (spell what she had said because she had forgotten how she phrased it) she needed to watch what she said around the kids because who knows what nightmares might ensue if Meghan thought Santa was going to die. Geesh... and I didn't even get a free photo. Parched Santa did get a drink of water though.

Preparing for Christmas

2008-12-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas. The decorations, the baking, the Christmas carols, the food. It is even more exciting to have two beautiful children to share it all with. We've started our holiday traditions out with a little decorations, a fun preschool Holiday program where Meghan belted out Dashing through the snow and I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas. We have also decorated Gingerbread houses, started baking cookies (Cranberry biscotti of course), and picked out our tree. We're well on our way... Here are a few pics from our adventures lately.

Nathan turns 1 year old

2008-11-20T03:28:00.000-08:00

Today Nathan is 1 year old. I can't believe the time has flown by so quickly. He is a busy boy. Yesterday took 2 steps on his own and is climbing up every chair in the house, and loves the mini-slide to climb up and go down all on his own. He says Mama, Dada, and a version of 'Hi'. He has the cutest giggle imaginable, and is in general a super sweet boy. I particularily enjoy the fact that he sleeps 12 hours straight at night.. 7 to 7. He loves to copy Meghan... yesterday we took out playdough for the first time and I couldn't believe he only tried to eat it one time. He just sat there watching big sister and playing with the cookie cutters. He also loves to sit at the table and color with meghan. He will only use crayons or pencils, and not those nifty 'first crayons' that are out there... he wants the real deal. His favorite toys are balls. He will make a straight line to get one anytime he sees it. He is also an avid signer and just this week mastered the concept of 'more' and uses it often. We're so blessed to have him in our family. :)

Finding Fossils

2008-11-09T13:35:00.001-08:00

Meghan is currently studying dinosaurs in her preschool, so last weekend we went in search of some local fossil sights. Michael found one about 1.5 hours away that fit the bill perfectly. The kids were in heaven in a massive sandbox, and we even luckily found a fossil. Luckily I say because I just looked down and there one was. I told Michael I honestly had no idea how to look for a fossil or find one, so Meghan was thrilled to have one to take for show and tell this past week. We now have a book on fossil hunting so as to read up on the procedure. At any rate, the kids were thrilled and really enjoyed the family time

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T07:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to everyone out there. While we haven't yet gone trick-or-treating there have been several occasions lately for the kids to get decked out in their costumes. We had a great neighborhood party where we all dressed up, and then Meghan had her preschool party and parade yesterday which had an abundance of superheroes and princesses. Meghan decided to be a princess-butterfly, and sometimes is a fairy. Nathan is a dragon, and I was the fairy Merriweather from Sleeping Beauty... (Originally Meghan was to be sleeping beauty and then we would have all matched a theme, but that's okay!).

Some Good Old Fashioned Fun at South Mountain Creamery

2008-10-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

We spent this past weekend at the South Mountain Creamery enjoying their annual Harvest Festival. It's a free event and full of fun for the kids... including hayrides, visiting the baby calves, a drainage pipe slide, homemade ice cream, shake your own butter tubes, and a gigantic barn full of ride-ons for every age, an 1800's musician, and a grind your own cornmeal machine. It truly is every kid's dream, and the food is pretty good, too. In short, we love to go there every year and have a lot of fun. Meghan entertained herself at the cornmeal station for about 45 minutes. It was entertaining watching the children figure out the machine to remove the corn from the cob and then grind it up. Nathan enjoyed his first go round on a ride-on... first backwards, and then forwards. We all enjoyed the fruits of Meghan's shaking (Nathan helped a bit, too) as she made some tasty butter, and the ice cream was pretty good, too

We also enjoyed the musical entertainment. This man acts out the part of an expert musician in the 1800s Gold Rush. He has numerous instruments and plays them all amazingly well, including the spoons and various drums, etc. It's a great opportunity for the kids to listen to a different type of music while shaking their butter tubes or riding around the barn.

And yes, we do get our milk from the creamery. We have milk delivered every week and it's so yummy, as is the apple cider, egg nog, cheese, cream cheese and everything else we've had them deliver. Check it out of you are in the D.C. area:
http://www.southmountaincreamery.com/home.php

Nathan in the Leaves

2008-10-18T18:35:00.002-07:00

I'm currently enjoying my new 50D Canon camera that Michael bought for me. Also learning how to use some fill flash, and taking in the beautiful fall color. I had the opportunity to take Nathan out this past week for his 9 month photo shoot (Of course he's almost 11 months now, but hey I got a session in for him sometime!). Here are the results...

Meghan is reading

2008-10-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

Meghan has learned how to read basic 3 letter words in this past week. It's very exciting to see the pieces click together and she is thrilled... Sounding out words all over the place. She has been practicing reading lessons at her school recently and brought this one home this week.

Nathan's First Haircut

2008-10-11T18:25:00.001-07:00

Today, we had a family day out at for hair cuts. Nathan had his first cut and of course we had to take pictures.
Meghan was 22 months when she had her first haircut, and was able to sit by herself, but since Nathan is still so little, Daddy had to hold him and he did quite well. When he started to squirm, the store owner grabbed a broom and a paper cup and proceeded to keep him entertained. Who needs cartoon cuts when you have such a great family oriented location. We all had a blast and Meghan had her lollipop, of course.

And, for comparison, here is a shot of Meghan on her first haircut... since I didn't have a blog back then. :)

Nathan loves to climb

2008-10-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Nathan's favorite activity lately has been climbing... Climbing the slide, climbing up the stairs, you name it and he wants to climb up it. Of course he can't walk yet, and he usually can't climb down whatever he went up, but he enjoys it anyway, and it makes for an interesting time to watch him, and then rescue him time after time.

A day at Bandelier National Park

2008-09-22T20:31:00.001-07:00

Today we headed to Bandelier National Park and did a little hiking and history exploring with the kids. Meghan was really into it. It was a fun and beautiful day up in the forest and a great way to spend our anniversary... 7 years of a great marriage we celebrated today. Michael and I had yesterday to ourselves while Grandma and Grandpa kindly watched the two kiddos. We explored Santa Fe and had a wonderful time.
This morning we picked the kids up and headed up to the forest about an hour out of Santa Fe, closer to Los Alamos. the place is beautiful and I was kicking myself for not taking my 'good' camera. Oh well, we had lots of fun collecting pictures for Meghan's sound of the week... the letter 'C'... You know, CAVE, CLIMBING, CACTUS, CREEK, CAUTION, CONE, etc. etc. It got a bit out of control after awhile with Michael and I trying to come up with every C word possible... but fun. Anyway, here are a few shots from our CAMERA :)

A visit with the Alpacas

2008-09-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

Every time we visit Santa Fe, we go and visit the Que Sera Alpacas . The first time we went, Meghan was about 18 months and she loved them. They gave her kisses and were so cute. This photo of her was even used on their business cards and website. Last summer, she was quite fearful of everything, including the Alpacas so the visit was more about overcoming fears than anything. Today however, Meghan was having the time of her life playing with the baby alpaca as if it was another child. Several times the 2 month old Alpaca snuck up on her and nuzzled her neck, and once chased her around in circles around my legs. I felt like there were 2 three year olds in the pen instead of just my Meghan. When it came time to leave, Meghan was so sad to say goodbye and she begged for more visits. They are headed to the New Mexico State fair later this week.

Nathan is now Signing!

2008-09-12T20:49:00.001-07:00

If you've never heard of using Baby Signs with your babies, it is the most amazing thing to investigate if you have young babies that are not yet talking. We used them with Meghan and at one point between 12-18 months she had about 40 signs she used to communicate. We've been teaching them to Nathan and just in the last month he has started using a few here and there. Today he started signing for dog which is a 'panting' type action. We were out and about with Grandma and Grandpa and encountered a dog. I noticed that besides Nathan's eager interest in the dog he was doing a funny panting type thing. I then realized he was using the sign we had taught him. He then repeated it later in the afternoon when we heard another dog, and again when I read the Baby Signs for Animals Book. I was able to capture him on video doing one of his first obvious signs... He has since learned two more in just one day... the sign for frog and for fan. It's just so darn cute and he is so excited to be able to communicate... Now we just need to work on the useful ones like more, eat, drink, all done!

More Smores Please

2008-09-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

We (Meghan, Nathan and I) are currently visiting my parents in Santa Fe. What a lovely thing it is to have two other adults present and actually outnumber the children! Anyway, today we went up into the Santa Fe National Forest to go 'day camping'... no tent, and come home for baths at night, but all the fun of camping. We had a blast. We arrived and grilled up some hotdogs. After eating our fill, Meghan and I walked to a little bridge to play 'Pooh Sticks'... a favorite past time for Winnie the Pooh. Anyway, we got sidetracked by some beautiful wildflowers and amazing dandelions. They were the biggest dandelions I think I have ever seen and Meghan had a wonderful time blowing them everywhere so there will be plenty more of them next time we are there. Meghan and Nathan played nicely together which is always a wonderful thing to encourage. Meghan had a blast picking wildflowers and making a beautiful bouquet for Grandma. We also found some cool rocks (always a highlight), and by the end my pockets were full of things... seeds, flower petals, and rocks, and her hands were full of flowers. Time to return for Smores. Meghan of course LOVES smores. Tonight she told Grandma when she was getting tucked into bed that her favorite part of today was the Smores. Being that we are on vacation, I stretched the rules and Meghan probably ate more marshmallows than are considered healthy, but hey we're at Grandma's house, and rules can be broken within reason.

Girl Cheese Sandwich

2008-09-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, sometimes you have to admit kids say the CUTEST things you just have to stop and laugh about it. This happened to me today when I informed Meghan upon picking her up from school that we would be going to lunch at Panera. The conversation continued about her morning lessons and other preschool happenings when I decided to determine Meghan's lunch order BEFORE standing in a big long line while holding a 22 lb squirming baby, backpack and Meghan's hand... So, I started discussing her options... Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bagel, Grilled Cheese, Turkey and cheese, etc. After thinking about it Meghan said, "Girl Cheese Sandwich, please". Nope, that's not a typo. She called it a Girl Cheese Sandwich, then leaned over to Nathan and said, "Nathan, do you want a Boy cheese sandwich?" I just had to laugh to myself and appreciate the fun little moments of being a mom... Oh and yes, Meghan ate all of her Girl Cheese Sandwich at lunch. Now if she would only take a nap!

First Day of School

2008-08-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

Meghan started preschool again this week. She was excited... well mostly. She returns to the same class and teacher at her Montessori school right around the corner from our house. We walked to school and she jumped right out and went into her class all by herself. Nathan, of course was happily tagging along for the ride before his morning nap. He is a very happy baby. Unfortunately he has come down with his first cold of the season. Nathan just had his 9 month check up where he is in 90% for height (30 inches) and 21 lbs 3 oz which is 65 % for weight. He's a big boy. He is easily pulling up now and it's only a matter of time before he's walking... Look out!

We have mobility

2008-08-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

We've achieved new mobility on two fronts in the last few weeks. Nathan has mastered crawling... well it's his own version anyway. Since he never liked to spend much time on his tummy, he goes to crawling from sitting, and never quite gets his right leg behind him. It's pretty amusingly cute, and it still qualifies for hitting the mobility milestone.

Meghan, similarly has been practicing riding her new bicycle. She BEGS to go for a bicycle ride every day and like most things in her life, she does not go to it in a slow manner. Today she asked me, "Mommy, can I race down this hill?" I think her favorite thing is to pedal as fast as she can and then take her feet off and coast for awhile. Today she easily rode for about a mile on a trail while Nathan and I trailed along in the stroller. She is a brave girl.

Nathan at the beach

2008-08-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Every week there is a new theme on PhotoHunt . This week's was Colorful. Anyone can play

I love this little picture of Nathan at the beach in Costa Rica. He was a handful to keep out of the sand and I definitely failed on more than one attempt. Here we are at the Manuel Antonio Beach just passing the time away...

Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica

2008-08-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

On our third trip to Costa Rica we finally saw some Scarlet Macaws in nature. They were fabulously loud and beautiful. They are doing some wonderful things to re-introduce the Scarlet Macaw where their population has been declining in numbers in recent years. They are I believe now increasing in population which is great news. We saw them in Carerra National Park, Costa Rica and also in Sierpe, and Corcovado. Amazing!

Looking for more information on Ruby Tuesday? Then go visit Mary's Blog

Birds of Costa Rica

2008-08-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Birds of Costa Rica are so amazing and exotic. We were really lucky this trip to see some that we haven't seen before in the wild... the Scarlet Macaw which we saw on our first day out in Carerra and also the Resplendant Quetzal which saw on our last days up in the mountains

Speaking of the mountains, we visited a new place this time called San Geraldo de Dota which is up at about 7000 feet and an amazingly beautiful and different place from anywhere else we've visited. We stayed at the Dantica lodge which is literally on the edge of a cliff. It rained a lot there and was COLD! Well, it was in the 60's, but after the mid 80s it felt awfully chilly. We had an amazing massage and drank hot chocolate. The lodge even had a swing set that Meghan played on when the sun came out. The next morning was bright and clear and we went out looking for the Quetzal. We were rewarded and snapped a zillion pictures of the poor birds. They like to hang out in the avocado trees in the area. What a nice refreshing place to end our vacation .

Sierpe River in Costa Rica

2008-07-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite picture of all of my Costa Rica shots. We took a 12 hour trip with the two babies. From our house in Ojochal, drove down to Sierpe river and were out on the river by 6 am... where I took this shot. We had a 2.5 hour boat ride down to Corcovado at the Sirena station and then several hours of hiking in the park. We saw 3 types of monkeys in one day and on the boat ride home, saw a momma and baby humpback whale in the water. The babies were awesome and we carried them the whole way in our slings. What a fabulous experience!

Here are some of the monkey shots and the crocodiles. There is a river that you have to cross if you are hiking through Corcovado that you must cross at low tide because of the sharks and crocodiles. Click for more on Corcovado.

We're Back from Costa Rica

2008-07-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

We have returned home from 2.5 weeks of family vacation in Costa Rica. I'm in the midst of sorting through a ton of photos but thought I'd share a few to get the ball rolling again. The monkeys were plentiful, the beaches beautiful and the birds were kind to show us their feathers and faces. We saw Toucans at our house, Macaws on the hikes and even the famous Resplendent Quetzal. More on those to come... Check out the video of Meghan holding the snake. It's a Boa Constrictor! Yes, I know it's sideways but I'm new at this whole video editing then and forgot and turned my camera sideways when filming.

When it's hot, you eat Ice Cream

2008-06-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

It was so darn hot this weekend we did nothing but hang out at the pool and then eat ice cream. I keep telling myself I need to get ramped up for some hiking in this humidity (Costa Rica will be at least this hot if not more.) But, alas this has not happened beyond trekking around the air conditioned mall. What I really wanted to try out was my new Ergo Carrier. The darn airlines charge so much now for luggage that I had to buy a new carrier for Nathan so I wouldn't bring my big baby backpack. I'll have more pics of that another day. Anyway, so we went to get ice cream tonight and both Meghan and Nathan thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Yes I know we let Nathan eat SORBET (non-dairy) at 7 months. He particularly enjoys the mango flavor.

Meghan can swim!

2008-06-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

Since summer has started, Meghan has been in the pool practically every day. She has always been a fish in the pool, but she is now adding some style to her swim and working on mastering 'big circle arms' as we call them. Just this past week she started working on breathing properly. While this video doesn't quite show that she has mastered these skills, she is at least mostly drown proof and LOVES to play in the deep end. And remember, she is only 3. I often find myself thinking she must be older than that to do what she is doing, but she keeps me on my toes with her accomplishments. We have enjoyed these days with her and are looking forward to spending hours in the pool on our upcoming trip to Costa Rica. We're getting excited as we leave this July 4th! Can't wait! I will post more about that trip later

Beautiful Butterflies

2008-06-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

This past week I took the kids to the Brookside Gardens Butterfly Farm. As usual, they were amazing to watch and a great way to prepare for our upcoming trip to Costa Rica. I took some shots of Meghan with the butterflies, and I couldn't help but think of how much she's changed since the first time we took her as an infant and the next time where all she wanted to do was play with the rocks and got filthy dirty. Here are a couple of shots from this year, and previous years down memory lane... This year, little Nathan just rode in the backpack. I'll have to take him back with an extra set of hands so I can get some
special shots with him.

2008-06-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

Last Weekend we went Blueberry picking at the local Butler's Orchard. It's pick your own and you pay for them by weight. Luckily they don't weigh your kids. the field and has been enjoying them all week in pureed and self-feed form the rest of the week. I just love fresh blueberries.
I even found time to make a fresh blueberry pie this week that was super yummy!

Fun Times With Meghan

2008-06-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

I took a minute to do a photo shoot with Meghan at the local Brookside Gardens. She was remarkably cooperative for these pictures.

Fun Times at Dutch Wonderland

2008-05-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

National Arboretum Azaleas bloom

2008-05-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

We toured the lovely azaleas when Grandma and Grandpa visited in May

Make a Smilebox scrapbook