Weekend Sun

Gabby has a new dress up outfit. Our friend Marella brought it back from her visit home to the Uk. Little Red Riding hood went to the park and I got to be Granny!
Within an hour of Clay getting home on Friday afternoon the playhouse was put together! We have a very happy little girl!
Kisses! Elliot loves the playhouse too, I taught him to ring the door bell and it has a play phone that makes noise- he loves phones (he calls Grandpa ALOT!)
Sunday morning we went to the oceanfront to watch 2 of Clay's British friends finish the marathon. Marv finished in 3hr 3min and Arnie (above) finished in 3:15. Very inspiring to watch!
BANANAS for all the runners!
Sand sculpture, complete with King Neptune (we call him Triton).
My cute boys in plaid shorts.
Elliot conquered his fear of the sand, and played with Gabby all over the beach. Toes of all were tickled by the Atlantic too. We had a wonderful weekend of 76* weather and lots of good family fun!

Geen + Blue!

Today has been full of green and blue. St. Patrick's Day so everyone is dressed in green, and blue from the beautiful sky! It was a perfect day to be outside, we packed a picnic and headed to Trashmore. I walked/ran the loop while Elliot napped for a few minutes (since then he has wanted nothing to do with sleep!) and Gabby ran alongside me or rested in the stroller. We played at the castle park, and ran up the big mountain. Once home we played in the back yard, I attempted to put together the new playhouse we bought- but realized that with both children outside and the assembly requiring a drill, I decided it would be better to stick with our original plan of Clay doing it when he is home from Manasas this weekend. So, here is our afternoon outside!

Dance!

Tonight we had a dance party! Normal for the kids and I to do this. Elliot has gotten some real moves just recently, it is pretty much a squat... his legs are strong! Gabby dances around in circles. Just a fun way to end our day, although we often turn on music in the morning when I get them dressed too.

All of us have come down with the sniffles and sneezes, and I know I have a bit of a sore throat to go along with it. The sun has finally started to warm us up here, yesterday was gorgeous and today was warm but cloudy. We played in the backyard (what a project that is going to be. We will be making it a better area for us and the kids... the previous tenant had a big dog so the grass needs some TLC.) and ate watermelon! Inside we made molasses cookies- our favorite!

It's a goofy video, but I know some of you love to see it! Next to come will be a video of Elliot playing ball, he is so into "fetch" as Gabrielle calls it (and tells him to!).

Painting

I got a burst of creativity a few weeks back. The end result was a few cute kid shirts. Our friend turned 2 and is very into airplanes so we made him a special shirt, complete with and A on it for his name. Gabby and Elliot got matching frog Prince and Princess shirts! I have a few more I would like to get done but it hasn't happened quite yet... here's to hoping I can get them made while the kids sleep in the evening. Yes, we are working on sleep training Elliot! It sucks, not gonna lie but it is time and will be worth it. He has slept with us since our trip home to WA and since then I have had a million excuses to not do it. I do love the snuggles, but it is time! We no longer have neighbors on 3 sides of us and we aren't sick, now is the time (although a trip home at the end of the month will be a challenge with the time change and travel).

*we are now accepting visitors! we bought a mattress set that is in the toy room so when visitors come we have a place for them to sleep (no more sharing the trundle with Gabby). the mattresses will be Elliot's when he is a big kid, when we convert his crib to a bed. notice the airplane bedding, deal of the week! found it at Target, comforter, sheets, shams. I'm no fool, I grabbed the one with the $20 sticker while the rest all had $60 on them! oh and our first visitor to the house comes this week, yeah for Mindi!

bookworm!

MR. E wanted in on the action, he "helped" dad put the bookshelf together!

I've got a book worm for a daughter, and I love it! She has a huge collection of books and knows ech and every one of them. Yesterday on our drive home from Washington DC we stopped at Ikea and got the bookshelves and dresser we have been needing. Clayton put them together last night and Gabby was SO excited to have all of her books out, instead of piled in rubbermiad containers. She sat in her room reading to herself for a good half an hour! It all started when she was young, when Gabrielle was 7 weeks old I held her on my lap and read stories to her, she was so content and quiet for 3o minutes!

the sun came out, and it was warm!

Typical of Elliot on our walks, he stops and tries to pick up EVERYTHING and he goes every way but the way we are going! I forget that it is all brand new to him!
For the second day in a row the sun has come out. This is something we have been wanting and waiting for. Too much time has been spent cooped up inside, trying to stay warm or sick. Yesterday we got a chance and took it! To the park I went with both kids while Clayton slept, preparing for a week of working night shift. After a morning nap from Elliot, and a picnic lunch in the fireplace room for Gabby and I (she laid out a blanket and tea cups for us, and pretend food. I brought left over enchiladas and avocado) the three of us got ready for the day (yes we hang out in our jammies way too late some days, my excuse today is that I was not wanting to wake Clay up so I didn't go in the room at all). I made sure the kids both had on long sleeves, then their wind breakers. Once we got outside it was GORGEOUS! We ended up chasing away the teenagers at the park (good, we don't need my parrot learning swear words). Elliot just walks all over the park, me one step behind to try and keep him from whacking his head on any more things and to intercept the bark or leaves he tries to shove in his mouth!

We had just started our walk around the lake/pond, Gabby on her tricycle when Clayton found us. He had woke up and decided to join us. We made it to the other end of the pond where the other playground is. Gabby right away found friends to play with. The dorky boy twice her age with the wolf shirt was eager to play. Clayton joined them for some tag even. All of a sudden it was 2 hours later! What a beautiful and fun afternoon. Both kids are now napping, surprisingly Gabby has taken naps 4 times this week- WHAT? She hasn't napped in at least 6 months! I LOVE living in a neighborhood, even if it isn't perfect it feels good to have families all around us! The pond is pretty ugly, clayton wants to get a row boat and clean up the litter (just an excuse to get a boat I think!) but there are tons of birds there, mallards, cormorants, seagulls, a heron and a BIG white goose that Gabby has named Bessie.

A picture of me b/c I never have pictures of me. Gabby took the picture!

Here is a corner of G's room, her Piggy corner. She was born in year of the boar. Love how it is all coming together. Pig bank she got when she was born from our neighbor. The pigs hanging on the wall are from my friend Krista who got it in Hong Kong for Gabby. The lamp is a new present from Auntie Mary, love how the red ties in with the Japanese red stand they are on.

It's cold outside

Another trip to the Dr today. Still Elliot has a double ear infection. Starting a new round of different antibiotics. Let's pray these work! I want my happy boy back. Screaming during the night is making us all tired. Notice his curly, fresh from the bath hair? LOVE it, when dry it is mostly straight.
Notice the carrot stain around G's face. She is a carrot eating machine.This little boy loves to get close to the camera.
Playing house? The bassinet has had the legs taken off and found its way into the "toy room." Looking at this picture I remember how tiny Gabby was when she first came home. Elliot was small too, but not as little and tiny as I remember Gabby feeling- bringing home my first baby she seemed so tiny!
Elliot has become interested in the shopping cart. He also loves wheels, spinning them around and around.
Morning snack was homemade soft pretzels. YUM.
We took a trip to the craft store. Gabby picked out more bird houses so she could have a "bird city." These are mini houses to go with her fancy bird castle. She loves painting them, picked out the colors for each and did it all by herself.
Gabby wanted to hold Elliot, on her lap. She only weighs like 7 more pounds then him.
We are trying to keep busy and active in the house with the outside weather being so awful. It snowed for the 3rd time today in less than two weeks. We are having major wind too. Elliot's cheeks are dry and red from the cold. Gabby and I have cracked lips and hands. Anybody else ready for Spring?