Cool in Shades

Obsessed with eye wear!! And protected too!!

She barely fits!

She is getting BIG! The Dora couch is nearly outgrown!!

Duck!

 I was watching my friends' kids last week and the ducks came by for a swim.

They loved watching the duck peck its butt......any reason for some 2 and 4 year old's to say "butt"!!

Trix are for silly kids!

Arrrrrrrggggg!!!!

Okay so I apologize in advance for the crappy photo, but this is all a drunk friend could provide at the end of our fun outing last night!!! Note to self.....take photos early when people are sober!!

At least we sort of captured the moment....you get the idea!

Anyhow we attended a pirate themed Strike Group event last night and we knew in advance that most people were serious about dressing up. The Admiral and his wife were totally decked out in pirate attire, and he highly resembled Johnny Depp! Long dreadlocks, open chested ruffled shirt and all!

So we did our best to dress ourselves. I sported a pirate hat (borrowed from a friend's son) and Mike got a last minute pirate scull wrap and eye patch from a party store! So it worked!!

Another great night out!!

Beachin' It! Start of Summer 2012

It was officially beach weather last weekend! So we headed to our favorite spot to let the kids dig and play in the sand. Next time we go we will for sure be in swimsuits!

I was not the only one with this idea, as the beach was pretty busy! The water was FREEZING but there were a good handful of kids playing in it!

 I should come up with a nickname for Mike's new work Blackberry.....because it comes with us EVERYWHERE now too! So you can do work at the beach...who knew :)

My Beauties!!

Okay, so I am one VERY VERY lucky friend. 

I have the most talented friends (Danielle & Janel) who have an eye for photography and love using my kids as test subjects! They finally started their own business......"Pics by 2Chicks Photography" so I guess now I have to fork over the cash for their awesome services.......but its well worth it!

They used the girls to practice on at the park near our house yesterday for an upcoming Spring photo session they are doing next month.

Obviously the results are PRICELESS! Now to decide which to frame/enlarge first????? 

 These two are my favorites of Abby! My hands forming a heart around her and then her leaning on the chair below..... Just perfect!

 Maddy kept wanting to steal the spotlight during Abby's turn, so we prompted them to kiss....it worked!

 

 Maddy has matured so much since our family photo shoot last August....she was hamming it up in front of the camera yesterday! The pigtails were an added piece of character for her!

OPEN SEASON!!!!

Swim season that is! Or it will be once the upcoming warm weather heats it up!!

Its supposed to be in the low 80's here all next week.

Ahhhhh.....I just love seeing my beautiful blue sparkling backyard again. That green cover is a bit drab!

These Girls!

 They are very much into snuggling on the couch after waking up these days. 

And at 6:45/7:00am, that sounds good to me!

 They also love to snuggle on each other

 And they love being silly together. 

Thanks for fogging up the window Madelyn!

 And happiest when they have time with their dad!!!!

What, these glasses??

Can this kid get any sillier??!! She LOVES to be a ham in front of the camera these days!

Mario Kart Girl

Okay, so as much as I'm not a huge fan of time spent playing video games, we did buy Mario Kart for our Wii this past December, partly for me, partly for the girls. Abby liked it at first, but the few times she attempted it, it seemed a bit overwhelming to use the wireless steering wheel and stay on course while driving her car in the game.

But yesterday she asked to play, after not playing for about three months, and took to it like a PRO!!!

Last night was one of those "crazy things kids say" moments.

I was helping her select the race type and get it setup for her to play by herself and when I chose the Penguin/Water course, she complained "Mom, I can't do that one". So of course like any parent I said "Oh honey it will be fine". And her response to that......

"Well it won't be fine when I fall off the edge into the water"!!!!!! (Insert me laughing!!!!!!!)

Where does she learn lines like this??!! I laughed about her remark all night to Mike, because it took some forethought for her to know that the course was challenging since "deadly" water was on one side and would make it harder for her to do! The other courses are more road-like and have walls/fences left and right to bump off of. 

Low and behold, she rode the course just fine and was very proud of herself in the end!

Only falling into the water once or twice!!

U.S.S Dwight D. Eisenhower-Tour

Lieutenant Smith.....AKA "Daddy" gave us our own private family tour of the aircraft carrier this afternoon. It worked out well since the majority of the ships crew was all on leave for the extended Easter weekend.....Not Mike of course, the Admiral is always "working".

We met him at his floating office and climbed aboard!! Literally!! Many flights of very narrow stairways while each holding a kid....awkward and probably dangerous. But it worked.

 U.S.S Dwight D Eisenhower

 The floor insignia through the strike group's hallways. They are a beautiful bold blue color with the gold specks, known as the "Blue Tile". And were amazingly clean and shiny! Mike informed me because its the Admirals hallways, not to be used by just anyone. The other walkways are a boring slate gray paint, like the rest of the ship, so it stood out!

 

The girls did a great job traversing the corridor ups/downs over the thresholds.

 

 Upon arrival at the dock, the first gang plank is for the ships crew.

 

The second gang plank at the rear of the ship is for the ship's Strike Group! That is where we entered.

 Another sign you are entering the Admirals area......The 1 Star drapes! 

Awesomeness starts on the other side!!

 First stop was to daddy's room on the boat. Its a 2-man room, so there is one set of bunk beds, a sink and some storage for them to share. Oh, and this chair that the girls enjoyed climbing into.

 Abby playing peek-a-boo in daddy's "rack" (aka- bed), behind his blackout drapes

 

Next up was daddy's office on the ship. A narrow space with a few computers, phones and chairs, and a couch, oh and 100 wires/cables strung above. Abby's first question....."Why do you have computers and phones?" Guess we didn't explain that daddy's new job doesn't involve flying, but instead a bunch of paperwork and communication this time around. BELOW: Maddy of course went straight for the telephone...."Hello"....Before Mike ripped it from her hands :)

 Next up was a visit to the Flag Room, Admirals' staff only of course!

There is a full kitchen, couch area, TV and more.

 Right off the Flag Room (dining room) is the Admirals personal office, bedroom and bathroom that he has all to himself. This is a shot of his desk and couch.

 And here is his entertainment center/tv below!

Not bad when you are living a good chunk of the year/life at sea when you have that many successful Navy years under your belt!!

 Then we made our way up to the flight deck.

While docked there are no planes aboard so the deck is empty and seems endless.

 Still can't get this kid to obey photo rules of standing still with a smile. This was close enough.