Pennsylvania Farm Bed and Breakfast

We just got back in town from a Bed and Breakfast in PA with Greg's parents and his brother's family. It was a working farm where the kids could run around and play and feed the animals. It was so great for us all to get out of the city and have some open space to run free! We took a ton a pictures so I had a hard time picking what to blog but I decided to pick some family pics and two of the kiddos. Abigail was so fun to watch run around after the kittens...she just loved holding them and talking to them and she also loved to swing on a swing under a big tree.....Reese was also hilarious with the animals...he just wanted to see them all but once he got up close he wanted you to hold him. In the picture of him you can see he fit right into farm life.....he was so dirty all weekend...and so was Abby...for "keep 'em clean mommy" I really had a hard time:) no really I just couldn't wait for bath time....and they couldn't wait to get dirty! Reese's favorite animal was the pony...in the morning first thing he wanted to feed the pony and he and Abby fed him lots of carrots! This morning before we headed home the kids got to do the "chores" on the farm and this was my favorite part....them getting to see what needs to be done and gettting to do it was great! I think this is a great idea for a vacation the kids just loved it!

Crazy Monkeys!

Here is a video of these monkey like things called Gibbons....they were going crazy and people were everywhere trying to see these guys swinging all over...the craziest thing was they would be shouting and climbing around and stop and look right at you...it was weird! Abby and Reese really wanted to put this video on the blog so enjoy!

The Amazing Zoo Adventure!

So we headed to the Zoo yesturday morning pretty early because I heard that the earlier you go the more you catch the animals awake and eating.....and man oh man did we see some animals....not only were they eating but they were all outside and some were going crazy! The weather was beautiful about 75 and the animals were loving it! As you can see in the picture with the giraffe we got really close and the kids were amazed! Then they have these cables up in the air that the orangutans can climb from building to building and they go right over the walkways where the people are....and today was the first day we had ever seen them on the cables....it was so great they were right over our heads maybe 45 feet! I must say I am always bumbed when we go to the zoo and we really don't see many animals well this time made up for all of it! I highly suggest coming to the National Zoo early morning on an over cast day:) Stay tuned for a video I got of the Gibbons (a kind of monkey I guess) going crazy....it was hilarious! Oh and by the way that first picture they are acting like gorillas....you may not be able to tell:)

Nasty!

The kids have this birdfeeder that they made in Texas with their Poppa and they love to fill it up with bird food and watch to see how the birds enjoy it....well we realized the other night that some "other" of God's creatures are partaking of the goodness.....I was totally grossed out taking this picture but the kids think it is sooo great! Can you believe how weird this is?....who would have thought that at night we are overtaken with nasty slugs?....I'm not sure I will venture out at night on the back porch again:)

Sugar High Anyone?

Well I know when Maw Maw and Poppa are in town....my kids have sugar running through their veins!!:) No really they are great about not giving them too much but Poppa sure likes his icing and sometimes the kids like "his" icing too! Here in the pictures you can tell they have helped each other eat....aaahhh.... how sweet they are sharing!:)

The More the Merrier!

You are probably thinking how many pictures of the kids swimming is she going to blog about....well it is not about the event it is about the company that I like to blog about! My parents left Sunday and we were very sad:( but we had to pick ourselves up and get ready for company again because Maw Maw and Poppa came today to visit! They got here this morning and we headed out to the pool (of course) the kids are way into the pool and when family comes that's the first thing they want to go do with them! The weather has been crazy humid and sticky but tomorrow it is only supposed to be in the 80's...hot dog! So tomorrow is a zoo day for sure.....keep posted you can never see enough cute pictures of our kids right?....humor me please:)

West Wing Tour

Greg has a friend Emily that used to work at Townhall.com with him that now works for the Speechwriting team for the President. She took us on a tour of the West Wing and we got to see all the "closed to the public" stuff in the White House. It was great we saw all kinds of pictures of the President, where he eats, and even where all the staff goes to the bathroom...but we were not allowed to take pictures inside so you won't get to see where the President goes to the bathroom...sorry:)The best for me for sure was seeing the Oval Office...wow I was so shocked we even got to see it.... I thought it was fake for a few seconds and then I realized I really was looking through the door at an office that dozens of President's made huge decisions! In the pictures we are standing in the Coridor between the President's private residence and his office....this runs right alongside the Rose Garden....he walks this every morning to go to work! Reese is standing at the door where hundreds of world leaders have walked through...amazing! We are so blessed to get this experience and I am so glad my parents got to go with us!

Pirate Cruise

On Saturday we went to Annapolis, Maryland to go for a Pirate Ship ride. We got there and all the actual "Pirate ships" were booked so we went for the next best thing....a cruise ship with a Pirate Show. The kids learned a few pirate words and actions and in the picture Abby was trying to look mean like a Pirate...pretty good I'd say!

Merry-go-round!

After we swam at the water park they had a free merry-go-round and we decided to ride a few times. The kids would have rode this silly thing a hundred times but mean old mommy stopped them at two:) I am so glad we got to do so many fun things with my parents the kids love to spend time with them and this visit we made a ton of great memories!

Read to me again Granny?

Granny and PaPa did their fair share of reading to the kiddos this week. I think they had to read this silly "Big Red Barn" book about 30 times! Reese loves to point out all the animals and Abby is all about teaching him if he doesn't know the animal:) Good big sister!

Water Mine Water Park!

Well we have done tons of stuff this week so get ready for a ton of blog entries....on Friday we went to the water park and the kids were so very excited! Abby went on a bunch of water slides and she talked me into going with her....I thought it would be pretty fun but as you can see in the picture I wasn't having too much fun:) The water was all up in your face...well at least Abby had fun but I made her go alone the rest of the time! Also Reese has fun keeping Granny and PaPa on their toes...PaPa was our personal photographer so he didn't make many pictures at the park but he sure got some great shots...thanks Dad!! Granny went on the lazy river with Abby alot and they were relaxing in the tubes...well kinda:) as you can see the kids didn't stay put very long!

Swimming!

We all went to the pool after lunch today and the kids loved showing Granny and PaPa what they can do! Abby was swimming like a fish and Reese has no fear...he was jumping in and going under water no problem! I know the kids love it when
Granny and PaPa come to town and they love to show them both what they have learned!

Way too Cute for Me!

These guys are so funny! When they woke-up today PaPa took tons of pictures and he got some jewels for sure! These all capture the personality of both Abby and Reese...I just had to share these and hope each of you will be able to experience the joy I experience everyday...yes oh yes that seems cheesy but hey what can I say I love these guys!

Yeah They are Here!

The kids and I went today to pick my parents up from the airport and they were very excited! They just love it when they come to visit! They also came bearing gifts and both the kids got "Cars" PJ's and you would have thought they both got gold! I think it will be hard to change them in the morning...they will never ever what to take them off! :)

Wiggles Concert!

My parents came in town today (Granny and PaPa) and we headed to the Wiggles concert....well my dad and Greg didn't want to go :) but my mom and I took the kids and they loved it! As you can see Reese thought it was awesome and he just loves Wags the Dog. Abby was so into it she just stared at the stage.....she really liked the Big Red Car! Well if you have no idea what I am talking about you must not have kids:)...Wiggles is a group of 4 men that dance around on stage to silly songs and it is a huge hit with the preschoolers....and I even like them....unlike some of those silly kid shows!
Well we have a great week planned with my parents so check back in to see all the fun we have!

Puppet Show!

The other night Abby and Reese wanted to do a puppet show for us! They both just love to hold the puppets up in the air and tell everyone hello! They love to put on music and make the puppets dance! I think the both love the stage....they both are big hams!

Sprinkler Park

In Arlington they have the greatest parks and some even have water sprinklers where the kids can run around and get cooled off! The kids love this park and when we get tired of the pool this is a great place to go! Reese was cracking me up with that bucket of his....he kept trying to fill it up but the sprinkler was shooting the wrong way....and sadly he never figured out exactly what was going wrong! Abby was all about filling her bucket up and pouring it on me....and no I didn't have a suit on....I learned my lesson though...come with my suit on next time too!

Wake-up!

This is a picture right after they both woke-up from their naps. They love to sit on the couch together and drink their milk...I just love it when they cuddle....it's precious!

National Zoo

Tonight we went to the zoo to check out some animals....well we tried but sadly most of them were either asleep or eating inside so the kids just had fun running around and playing on the big pizza play thing! I thought these pictures were so cute and the one of Abby and Greg is definetly framable!
We were really proud of Reese tonight...he is really learning to obey. He can now run around with Abby and comes when we say...well unless Abby isn't listening and he follows her:)
They are so great together and everyday are playing more and more....today I was making lunch and we couldn't find the kids and Greg found them sitting on Abby's floor playing with the dollhouse!
We hope to head back to the zoo sometime this week since we have been having wonderful weather....tonight it was 83 and no humidity....that's what I am talking about!

Reese getting a Hair-cut

Reese is not a huge fan of getting his hair-cut as you can see:( Abby took this picture and she was very proud! Thank goodness Daddy can cut hair because one time in college I cut Greg's hair and he says I did a terrible job....I think it wasn't that bad...:)