4th of July Fun

Daddy the 'camp director' had a fun filled weekend for us to celebrate the 4th! Friday night we went to Yards park for sprinkler playing, live music and a picnic. Every once in a while you find something in DC that isn't advertised to tourists, and it is so relaxing to be able to enjoy a little bit of DC with no crowds. This park has water sprayers and huge grassy lawns overlooking the river. Friday nights they have live music and no one is there!

Irby LOVES the water.

The littles devising a plan to run through the fountains (eventually they did!)

Charlie hitching a ride.

Rolling (wrestling) in the grass.

Saturday we went to the beach about 45 minutes away from us, Chesapeake Beach. We went in the evening 4-8, and it was such a gift to not worry about sunscreen or heat.

Sunday hike in Rock Creek Park.

Monday: Parade and fireworks (for those of you who know how little Irby reacts to fireworks, you will understand there were no extra hands to take pictures. Everything was fine for the big show by the monuments, then passing through our park on the way home, the close up fireworks were a little to real, loud, close...we had a great 4th though. Irby smoked some boston butts and we had some friends over...but we sure missed being with family!)

Grandcamp

While Irby and I were with his family in Italy 2 weeks ago, the boys went to my parents house to play, and had a GREAT time.

Willie and his bride Sylvia, and the Thompson clan.

Irby and me at the reception (a beautiful villa on a hill where Galileo wrote letters!)

Charlie (above), Griffin (below).

C&G.

On our way to Asheville we stopped at a little restaurant on the Blue Ridge Pkwy (Mt Pisgah Inn). It was fun, beautiful and I was even able to sort out something the babies could eat besides saltines! (Usually they get a half smashed soy-butter and jelly or tofutti sandwich and fruit, and they are starting to have major opinions about not getting to eat all the yummy stuff everyone else at the table is eating...)

Now the rest of these are out of order.

Blueberry picking last week with friends.

Ice cream to celebrate Tigey's birthday (stuffed animal) with cousins Stephen and Sam in Asheville.

Griff had enough of us in the car!

Charlie digging in. (found another place they can eat out! New cupcake place has a vegan cupcake - no eggs/milk!).

Griffin above at Yard's Park (sprinkler park by the river and Nat's Stadium).

Strawberry Picking below!


Addis and Irby picked no strawberries, just played in a huge puddle the whole time.

Griffin especially loved the strawberries.

Easter

We had a great Easter a few weeks back. It was such a blessing to get to spend Easter with both some old friends and some new(er) ones. We enjoyed an egg hunt in the Brown's yard!

The 3 boys checking out their loot.

Charlie and Griffin.

I've got Griff and Charlie is on the ground. Both are WORN OUT!

Irby and his best bud Addis.

Curious Charlie.

Griffin finds a 'ball!'

Griffin, ready to plow through some candy.

Ansley, Ellie, Anita, Louisa, Benton, Addis, and Irby enjoying the picnic lunch.

Griffin, Addie and Charlie at the 'kids' table.

Is He Really 4 Already??

A few pictures from Irby's 'pirate party.' We had a last minute change in theme upon the arrival of the most incredible pirate ship from Ahnie and Papa. I mean if you moms of boys (maybe they have girl stuff too?) haven't discovered Playmobil, it is THE BEST and most entertaining stuff out there. Anyway, the party was wonderful and simple, he invited 4 friends and they just played, did a few pirate activities (Big Irbs led those...), smashed a pinata to pieces and did all sorts of boy fun. Kiki was here to party with us and she was also a great help with C&G.

Pirate ship cake

Loic, Addis, Irby and Francis playing soccer.

Irbs showing off his pirate tattoo that Aunt Kiki brought the kids for the party. I think Irby looks like Anne Caroline in this picture. Not that beautiful Muff makes tough pirate faces, but for some reason I see her!

First Day of School

Irby's first day of school in DC! He went to school in AL, but we have had such trouble finding a good place up here, and we finally have found something other than all day, every day public DC school for him. We actually have a decent public elementary school on our corner, but the PreK3 and PreK4 are 5 days, 8:30-3:30, and I just don't think we're there yet. Anyway, he is going on Wednesdays now, and I think he will start Tues, Thurs, Fri mornings in the fall. The program he is in now is affiliated with the school he'll go to in the fall, so I think it's a good transition. It's also spanish immersion, and he is picking up so much! I walked in to pick him up last week to hear him say, "Quiero un bicho, por favor......gracias......ADIOS!" (I'd like a bug(sticker) please, thank you, BYE!) I was totally shocked and it kind of made me feel like my 3 year old is a CIA operative. He is loving it. I'm not expecting him to come away fluent in Spanish, but I love that his mind is being stretched in this different way.

We were in the nursery last week at church and here are Charlie and Griffin having a snack with their friends. I couldn't believe they all sat so still in their chairs and just ate...I guess food is pretty exciting!

This is the view Irby has when he leaves for work each morning. It is one of the highlights of the morning to line up and wave to Daddy (except that there is usually a meltdown or 2 when it is realized that he actually left).

A day-trip to St. Michaels. We had sunny weather and had a great lunch at a place our friend Jodie recommended to us. The boys held still long enough for a brothers picture and are even looking at the camera! Then we just walked around town, looked at boats, played in the grass. I was a great treat to get out of the city.

Spring come quickly, we are growing very weary of the cold!!

A Glad Heart Makes a Cheerful Face

Proverbs 15:13

Quite literally...and with a blue sharpie. Any tips on how to get sharpie off skin?

Nothing makes my heart happier than these boys. Here they are all ready to get on the bike. Everyone's got their helmet head, very important as we bike through downtown some times to get to church!

And we also had a very happy weekend with Ahnie and Papa. GOOD NEWS: I actually took some pictures!! Here are 2 from a beautiful day at the zoo.

Christmas Finally

I know I've said it before, but I am resolving to get pictures on here at least close to the time they actually happened. Muffy, I need some pictures from Montgomery, do you have any? I didn't even take my camera out while we were there...terrible.

If anyone is wondering what to get Charlie for his birthday or Christmas next year, an empty bag seems to be the thing. I think Charlie had collected about 7 and carried them all around very proud of himself. This was our trip back through Asheville from Montgomery at Nana and Doc's.

Griff, showing his stash of apple pieces. He's my big eater, and always tries to hide some of his food for later.

Charlie after his haircut.

Griffin sporting the haircut, Charlie sporting the baby-mullet. I personally loved the baby-mullet, but Irby made me chop them off! It was a freezing cold day, so all 4 boys got their haircut in our basement.

Christmas PJS!!

Eating lunch watching the tree decorating. I have a picture of us chopping the tree down and both Irby's showing off their saws, but I can't find it! Irby was very excited to put the star on.