Jeff, Betsy, Josh and Katelyn

Valentine's Day Surprise

2012-02-14T20:37:00.002-05:00

When Mommy came home from teaching tonight, this is what she came into the house to find! Josh and Katelyn stood by the door and shouted, "Surprise! Happy Valentine's Day!" Katelyn looked so pretty and the boys were so handsome in their suits! Daddy grilled steaks, asparagus and potatoes. And we ate in the dining room too - this has only happened three times in almost eight years! It was such a lovely night - THANK YOU!!!!

Happy Heart Day

2012-02-14T20:30:00.002-05:00

Josh picked out the valentine's he wanted to make - super heroes! Each one said, "You're a SUPER Friend!" He cut out half of the capes and wrote his name on each one. We were really proud of him! And he decided to add a star sticker to each one too. He was excited to bring them to school today.

We joined Josh and Katelyn for a Valentine's Day chapel and then Josh had a little class party.

The boys sang, "Skinamarinky Dinky Dink...I love you!" It was cute and complete with hand motions!

New Favorite Playground

2012-02-06T19:19:00.000-05:00

We have a new favorite playground. It's near Four Corners and it's all bug themed. Josh and Katelyn had a really fun time. Josh worked his way across the spider web four times taking different paths each time. Then he told me which was the easiest way - it was very impressive. Katelyn made her way across the web too with some help (mostly because Mom was nervous). It's a smaller playground, but no kids get lost there - it's great!

Finally some winter

2012-02-05T20:45:00.002-05:00

We started our Saturday morning with National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. We hope none of you missed it! :) We enjoyed our ice cream on top of yummy waffles - delightful!

Then we headed to Wisp to take Josh skiing. We actually were there with him for a few hours. His legs did get tired in the ski boots...and he liked to make "ski angels"...but he said his favorite part was going down the big mountain. Jeff took him down the bunny slope four times - it was really fun being there all together! And Jeff and I enjoyed getting back on the slopes too, so hope to make it up a few times before the end of winter.

YiaYia and Pop-Pop joined us at Deep Creek for the weekend. They were happy to see some snow fall on Saturday and overnight - they have never been there without snow! (Even in April!) Katelyn had fun with them while Josh was skiing - we're so glad they could come too!

Is it spring already?

2012-02-01T17:45:00.002-05:00

Today was another beautiful day in the 60's. So to celebrate, we went to Uncle Wiggly's for ice cream after school. It will be normal February weather soon, so we had to take advantage!

Date with Daddy

2012-01-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

Daddy took Josh and Katelyn to Lowes for their Build and Grow Workshop. Bailey, Ania and their Daddies were there too. They built dinosaurs and got new patches for their aprons. After building, they had a fun lunch at Chick-fil-A and then went to gymnastics with Daddy in the afternoon. It was a great Daddy Day!

Movie Night at Church

2012-01-27T09:16:00.001-05:00

Church hosted a family fun night to watch Toy Story 3. Jessie, Woody and Buzz were there - though Katelyn informed me that they weren't the real ones and refused to have her picture taken with them. This wasn't Disney afterall. :) There was popcorn and candy and friends - it was a fun evening together.

Parker, Josh, Molly and Ellie (and Ania's feet)

Buddies at the Playground

2012-01-25T09:14:00.001-05:00

We headed to the playground since the weather was so nice for January. Some friends met us there - thanks for a fun afternoon!

Madison, Katelyn, Luke, Jack, Kirby, Avery, Josh, Jax and Max

Sledding

2012-01-21T10:07:00.000-05:00

We had our first snow of the season in Baltimore. There was only about an inch of snow, but the layer of ice on top made sledding possible. We had a really fun time!

Port Discovery

2012-01-20T09:51:00.003-05:00

We visited Port Discovery for our first time for their Target $2 Night. It was a fun night and we hope to check it out again during the day when it's not as crowded. There was a lot that we didn't see. They have a really cool climbing gym in the middle of the building that takes you to all of the floors. It's a lot of fun - but easy to lose your kids in. :)

Daddy joined Josh and Katelyn
Ben and Bailey

Ania had a lot of fun!

This was Josh's favorite part. Hopefully this will pay off at home!

Surf's Up Dude!

Making music with water

Betty, Bailey, Josh and Katelyn inside a bubble!

Josh running the conveyor belt to fill Clifford's bowl.

Climbing High

2012-01-14T20:34:00.005-05:00

Jeff took Josh rock climbing today and it turned into a family affair. We thought the event might last an hour or so, but the kids kept wanting to climb and we were there over two hours! It was really fun and sparked our enjoyment of climbing. Now that we know it is something that we can enjoy as a family, we'll probably start to do this more often.

Katelyn originally was just going to watch Josh, but then decided she wanted to take a turn. One climb turned into five! She climbed about ten feet on her own before she wanted to come down. Katelyn enjoyed the bouldering walls a lot too.

Our friend Gwen climbed beside Josh a few times too. She has climbed this a lot in her five years and was a great encouragement to Josh. Josh enjoyed Gwen a lot and they worked their way up to the top! It was a sweet experience for him - he was so excited and proud!

Here is Katelyn on the bouldering wall. Bouldering is done without a harness.

Like father like son!

At the end, Josh and Katelyn got a chance to climb together too!

Thank you Lori, Bob, and Gwen for all of your help climbing today! We had a great time!

Gymnastics

2012-01-13T23:13:00.003-05:00

Josh and Katelyn have started gymnastics for this month. They had class together earlier in the week and today was an open gym day. It was fun to play with them rather than watching them through the glass. It is amazing the difference a year makes. Last year, Katelyn was in a Mommy-and-Me class and jumping on the trampolene was challenging! This year she's jumping high, pulling her feet onto the bars while hanging, and jumping into the foam block pit. Josh is having a great time and seems to be constantly looking for the next highest obstacle to jump off of!

Check out these pigtails - so cute!

2012-01-08T23:09:00.002-05:00

Thank you for the new dress Nana!

Swallow Falls on New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T00:11:00.002-05:00

It was hard to believe that just one year ago the falls were totally frozen over and we were able to walk out onto the ice! The snow was melting away while we were there and the falls were really flowing this time! We bundled up for the wet and cold and enjoyed being out in creation for a big hike. Happy New Year!

Josh was climbing all over the rocks and trees - it was amazing to watch him. He has really good balance and picks good holds for his hands and feet. Daddy is going to take him to the rock climbing gym soon!

We caught Josh deep in thought at the water's edge:

Deep Creek

2011-12-30T00:18:00.001-05:00

There was snow at Deep Creek when we first arrived. Enough for a little sledding and lots of snow balls:

By the following day, most of the snow had melted, but there was still some packed snow on the roads to make a good sledding path:
As you can see though, the sleds ended up veering off the road. Here are Josh and Ania waiting for a tow:

So the kids decided that it was easier to just run:

Josh, Katelyn and Ania make some snow angels:

Josh gives Ania one last pull:

We ventured off behind the house to go exploring:

Ania, Katelyn and Josh hold Baby Wesley:

Christmas with Granddad and Grandma

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Our final Christmas celebration was with Granddad and Grandma Squires. We had a really great time visiting, decorating (and eating) cookies and exchanging gifts.

Granddad and Katelyn with their new hats:
Katelyn and Josh did a great job decorating cookies that Grandma had baked. Lots of sprinkles were used. And we lost Katelyn's hair clip, so she wore her hat to keep the hair out of her face...and the icing:

Time for some silly antlers:

Mardi was a in a very good mood and let Katelyn pet her for a really long time. Katelyn has found a friend:

Christmas at Nana's

2011-12-26T23:49:00.001-05:00

Next stop for Christmas - Nana's House! We celebrated with Nana, Uncie, Unco, Aunt Cassi, Grant and Jackson. The kids had to wear decoder glasses to find their gifts that Daddy had labeled. After presents, we went outside for a candy cane hunt and then enjoyed Aunt Cassi's sherbet punch with some cookies. It was a fun celebration!

Jackson sporting his decoder glasses
Unco, Grant and Josh opening gifts

Katelyn LOVES this shirt from Uncie

Uncie and Katelyn being silly

Katelyn shares her stash of candy canes after the hunt with her flashlight

Jackson and Katelyn snuggling and watching a show!

Christmas Day

2011-12-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

Josh and Katelyn were excited to find the gifts they asked for from Santa on Christmas morning. Josh received a Transformer and Katelyn received a new bunny!

Josh and Katelyn picked out gifts for Mommy on their own this year. Katelyn was so excited to see the Mickey Mouse pajama pants being unwrapped. And Josh picked out the new slippers.

Gigi gave Josh a new dinosaur and robots...our toys are changing from Fisher-Price to much scarier things!

We went to Aunt Jodi and Uncle Dave's for Christmas dinner. Here is Aunt Jodi and Baby Danny:

Katelyn and Josh playing with Baby Jack:

The "big kids" - Josh, Josie and Katelyn:

And the "bigger kids" - Dana, Betsy and Natalie:

Here is a clip of singing Happy Birthday to Jesus:

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T00:36:00.001-05:00

We woke up in New Jersey at Gigi Gallo's house on Christmas Eve. We had a fun day of preparations for Christmas.

We started by decorating the Christmas Tree:

Then it was time to play Shepherd and Sheep with Gigi's cane:

Baking a birthday cake for Jesus with Gigi:

Sprinkling reindeer food on the front lawn:

Putting the cookies and milk for Santa by the fire place:

Placing Jesus in the manger:

Christmas is here!

Nativities

2011-12-23T00:23:00.000-05:00

We have quite a few Nativities around our house. You never know how Josh and Katelyn are going to rearrange the people and animals known to the scene!

Josh spontaneously constructed a Nativity in the bath tub. It was very sweet.

Did you know that it wasn't just Mary who rode on the donkey's back? A sheep hitched a ride also.

Josh and Katelyn love the magnetic Advent calendar we use throughout the month. This is how the scene unfolded. Everything pretty normal in the end except for a cow in the loft!

Family Christmas Fun Day

2011-12-17T00:14:00.000-05:00

Aunt Cassi, Grant, Jackson and Grandma Squires visited so they could attend Katelyn and Josh's Christmas Programs. Thursday was a fun day with two programs, cookie making and the Miracle on 34th Street Lights!

We Three Kings

2011-12-16T23:48:00.001-05:00

Josh's Preschool Christmas Program told the Christmas story. Josh's class performed "We Three Kings". Jeff and two other dads also debuted their talents in the program. Josh was excited for Daddy to be a king too!

Jingle, Jingle Little Bell

2011-12-16T00:03:00.003-05:00

Katelyn's preschool class had their program in the morning during school with another 2's class. It was a really sweet five minutes of various songs. Katelyn was shy at first, but then we started seeing her mouth moving to the words. Here is a clip from the program.

Pictures of Christmas

2011-12-15T20:41:00.001-05:00

Josh made a "gingerbread house" at school. He and Katelyn have slowly been eating the decorations off the roof through the week.

We went to see the train display at Kenilworth.

And here is Jeff's winning door for his office door decorating competition.

Thank you Ben for loaning the deer! :)

Quiet Moments

2011-12-14T09:35:00.000-05:00

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

2011-12-11T14:35:00.000-05:00

We had breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning at our local firestation. We went last year and had a good time, so we thought we go again. Daddy did crafts with the kids, while Mommy waited in line to see Santa. When the time came for Josh and Katelyn to sit on Santa's knee, Josh jumped on, but Katelyn wasn't so sure. So Josh relayed her list to Santa and took full advantage of his listening ear.

After we met with Santa, we made our rounds on the fire trucks.

Then on Sunday night, Santa made his way to our neighborhood for the annual bonfire. Katelyn was feeling braver now and joined in the fun. Josh asked for a transformer, rocket ship and fire truck. Katelyn wants a bunny. Hopefully she won't be disappointed when it's stuffed! :)

Sweet Saturday

2011-12-10T14:30:00.001-05:00

It was annual candy making time at the Castellucci's! Josh and Katelyn both fully participated this year and are perfecting their technique. First lollipops and then dipping pretzels.

Josh with his finished product Katelyn is looking fierce!

Thank you Jed!!!

Spritz Cookie Time of Year

2011-12-09T14:18:00.002-05:00

We made Christmas cookies with Yia Yia and Pop-Pop. Josh and Katelyn chose to make Christmas Trees, Reindeer and Snowflakes.

They went with the more the merrier decorating technique! :)

Cute Cousins

2011-12-06T16:39:00.003-05:00

Christmas Tree Time!

2011-11-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

We made our annual trip to Doyle's Christmas Tree Farm the weekend after Thanksgiving with Kate and Jed. We found our trees in record time and just really had a fun afternoon complete with milkshakes from Chick-fil-a! (That's a normal Christmas tradition, right?!)

Josh and Katelyn were eager to decorate the tree. This year they are full of anticipation of what the Christmas season holds - it's going to be fun!!!!

We Are Thankful

2011-11-24T11:28:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Shrewsbury this year with YiaYia, Pop-Pop, and Gigi Gallo. It was a beautiful day and very restful with lots of football and food!

After dinner through the month of November, we added leaves to our Thankful Tree. It was fun and encouraging to listen to all that Josh and Katelyn were thankful for - ranging from their toys to their family and friends. They even added prayers in there for when their friends were sick. This will become an annual tradition.
(The snowmen were added later - they have nothing to do with the tree!)

In the stocks...

2011-11-17T22:18:00.002-05:00

We spent a weekend in Williamsburg with Yiayia and Pop-Pop in October. It was a nice fall weekend and we enjoyed spending it exploring!

We started in Colonial Williamsburg with the kids in the stocks...

...and then the kids wrestled in the square.
On Sunday, we took the ferry to Smithfield, VA...home of the famous ham. :)

Josh and Pop-Pop crossing the James River

Josh and Katelyn with the wind in their faces

We stopped by a cotton field. Josh talked about the combine that harvests the cotton.

And then we hit the stocks in Smithfield. They are everywhere in Virginia...punishment or cheap babysitting?

A Day at the Zoo

2011-11-14T21:36:00.000-05:00

We've been checking the weather for some good days to hit the zoo before winter arrives. Luke and Macy joined us, and we had a great day! When we arrived, two zookeepers were pulling this python out of the cooler - 14 feet long and 140 pounds.

Josh jumped across the lilly pads about 15 times - that is all he wanted to do.

At this point, the girls were baby birds and the boys were dinosaurs.

Besties

Hanging around

The funniest part of this was that no one was looking where they were going and they kept running into gardens and people. They were really cute!

Yeehaw!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

2011-11-12T20:06:00.003-05:00

When there are lots of photos to post, I often get overwhelmed and don't post for a while. So finally - here is our trip to Disney World!!! We had a wonderful day. Josh and Katelyn LOVED it. Even Katelyn, who was sick with a fever off and on all day, gave big smiles and cheers when she was awake. :) We HIGHLY recommend Disney World - you'll have a great time!

Family Photo on Main Street in front of the castle. Josh and Katelyn wore their ears all day!

Our first stop was a photo with Pluto. Katelyn said, "He is soft and cuddly."
Shooting Aliens to defeat Zurg

Uncie and Jackson in action

Josh and Katelyn LOVED seeing Buzz! Josh told him how he defeated Zurg.

Grant, Jackson and Josh on the Dumbo ride

This is Josh's face after going down Splash Mountain with Jeff! He convinced Mommy to go on the ride afterwards - she got soaked!

And a major highlight of the day - Jenelle, Chad and Grace came up from West Palm Beach!

Grace and Katelyn had fun together - there was lots of giggling. Grace just joined right in with the cousins and was one of the family!

We got to see Minnie and Mickey - they spent a bunch of time with us and played around with the kids. It was really cute and really a highlight of the day!

We ended the day visiting the Princesses - Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle and Cinderella. The princesses were so sweet and asked Josh and Katelyn questions. They really liked it and grinned the entire time.

Hay Maze

2011-11-09T21:11:00.002-05:00

We made a family trip to Valley View Farms hay maze on the last night it was up. You can see the Christmas decorations mixed into the bits of fall that were still left. Josh and Katelyn had a lot of fun running through the hay maze a bunch of times - it never got old yelling into the tunnel at the start of the maze! Afterwards we wandered through their Christmas displays. It was a great family evening!

Field Trip to the Science Center

2011-11-08T20:46:00.002-05:00

Josh's class took a field trip to the Maryland Science Center. We spent our time in the dinosaur and body exhibits which was a fun change. The boys were asking to play with the water in the Kids' Room though...maybe next time!

Parker and Josh working on a skeleton puzzle.

Skeleton completed!
Measuring the width of the dinosaur print.

Mrs. Crabtree participating in an experiment!

Josh and Mrs. Pilotte inside a beating heart!

Wedding Bells in Texas

2011-11-05T21:19:00.001-04:00

Our travels continued into November with a quick trip to Dallas for a wedding. Jeff, Kevin and Chris were all groomsmen in Tyler and Liz's wedding. Jackson was the ringbearer and made it down the aisle in record speed! It was a sweet celebration to be a part of!

Grant, Jackson, Katelyn and Josh
All dressed up!

Uncie and his favorite niece

Wrestling is a part of every wedding reception, right?

Halloween Preparations

2011-11-01T14:29:00.002-04:00

With all of our October travels and illnesses, we were a little late in the game for decorating for Halloween. However, with just a few hours to spare before Trick-or-Treating, we were able to get in some last minute pumpkin painting and sidewalk decorating.

Josh and Katelyn with their masterpieces

A "scary" spider

Josh and Katelyn spent the day with YiaYia and Pop-Pop who got about 8 inches of snow in the storm on Saturday. They insisted on still wearing their boots!

Trick-or-Treat 2011

2011-11-01T14:20:00.002-04:00

This was the most fun trick-or-treating with Josh and Katelyn. Both were excited to go and they knew just what to do! We had a really fun night.

Bunny Katelyn

Super Mario Landon - he wished he could pick the dog instead of candy!
Jake Justice Josh - he saluted spontaneously for this photo!

Snow White Bailey was there too!

Batgirl Macy and Batman Parker came by to join the fun too!

Our Sweet Katelyn is 3!

2011-10-30T09:44:00.003-04:00

August 27, 2008 - Katelyn still has those cute cheeks and little, button nose

Josh welcoming everyone to Katelyn's Dora Birthday Party
Happy Birthday, Dear Katelyn...

Our 3 year old!

Grandma and Granddad Squires gave Katelyn these little puppies. She slept with them last night and carries them around wherever she goes. Thank you!

Happy, Happy Birthday Katelyn

2011-10-27T21:41:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Katelyn's actual birthday as a family. She opened a few presents and we headed to Friendly's (or Happy's as Josh calls it) for dinner and ice cream. We had a fun time together!

Birthday Celebration at School

2011-10-25T21:21:00.000-04:00

Mommy got to bring in cupcakes for Katelyn's birthday. She shares her birthday with another classmate, so it was a week of cupcakes!

Mrs. Cummings gave Katelyn a big birthday hug. We love her!

Mommy and Katelyn
Katelyn praying before chowing down.

Attempted class photo with the birthday girl. Macy scooted as close as she could to Katelyn.

Mrs. Cummings has the kiddos line up as a "choo-choo" by putting their hands on their shoulders. As soon as they start moving, they just run - there is no order!

While waiting for music class, Mrs. Cummings sang songs with the children. They all sat and listened so well!

The Cruise

2011-10-20T22:09:00.001-04:00

I didn't get a lot of cruise pictures and will post some when I get them. The first night of the cruise was rocky - there was a storm and 20-30 foot swells. But when we woke up the next morning, the sea was calm and we all felt better.

Each night on the cruise we had dinner in the dining room. We had an ocean view and we watched the sunset. The dinners were amazing. The food was so good...we still miss desserts after every meal!

Katelyn enjoyed the dinner entertainment.
She and Josh are still singing, "Hot, Hot, Hot!"

Josh and our waiter, Glenn. Glenn was thoughtful and kind. He paid attention to what everyone liked and even had the kids' favorite fruit (each plate different) waiting for them after the first dinner. We couldn't have asked for better service, and honestly, we were thankful that we got to spend five evenings getting to know him.

Turtles - Grand Cayman

2011-10-19T21:46:00.001-04:00

Our second port day was on Grand Cayman Island. It was beautiful and peaceful.

We started the day at the Cayman Turtle Farm. They breed Hawksbill Turtles (for all you Diego fans!) and there was one there that was 65 years old and over 500 lbs. They have released thousands of turtles into the wild and it was so cool to be that close to these creatures.

These baby turtles are just two weeks old. They were so cute and the kids fed them. I don't think we stopped saying, "Gentle. Be careful, " the entire time, but no turtles were harmed!
There were larger turtles that we could pick up too. No...we didn't get go in the tanks with the really big turtles and let them give us rides!

And the kids' favorite part was the wading pool where they swam with the turtles and picked them up. It was really cool. They were probably in there for 30 minutes.

Katelyn thought the turtles were, "so cute."

Grant gave a big smile!

Paradise - Grand Cayman

2011-10-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

We found paradise! The water was beautiful and warm - we could have stayed there all day!

Uncie and Joshy

Daddy and Katelyn
Jackson and Katelyn found a shady spot to play in the sand.

Jackson and Aunt Betsy

First Port Day - Jamaica

2011-10-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

I'm finally getting back on the blog to post about our cruise vacation! We had a great time - enjoy the pictures!

Our first day to port was in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We negotiated with a taxi to take us to the Dunn's River Falls and spent a few hours hiking up the falls. It was quite an adventure! Josh was very proud that he climbed most of the way himself - he still talks about "climbing up the waterfall."

This was not a secluded activity - it's a popular tourist destination. We were there with a few hundred of our closest friends. However, thankfully we were also there with the guides who always seemed to be in the right spot just when you needed a hand.
Katelyn scared off the sharks at Margaritaville!

As you can see, Josh was ready to get back on board. I think both kids fell asleep while we were in line on the way back to the ship!

Works of Art

2011-10-04T15:18:00.002-04:00

Jeff made the cup and bowl. Betsy made the pumpkin (sitting on our front table in the first photo) and the pendant. We are so pleased with how they turned out! Now you go out and try it too!

First Hot Chocolate of the Season

2011-10-03T13:02:00.001-04:00

It's chilly out - that means it's time to break out the cocomotion and start making some hot chocolate!

Adventurous Date

2011-10-02T13:11:00.000-04:00

Jeff and I went on a surprise date on Saturday to McFadden Art Glass. I first discovered Jeff's interest of glass blowing when we watched it in Maui on our honeymoon. When I found an online deal to attend a glass blowing workshop and actually make some products, I couldn't resist. It was a fun surprise for Jeff. Glass blowing is pretty cool to watch - and even more amazing to do! We highly recommend it and hope to go again someday. Heating up the glass

Rolling the glass in color
Putting on the final touches...

...and here is our finished product. Yes, we made a new sink for our bathroom at home!

Just kidding! This is the sink that the owner Tim made. We will post pictures of the items we made later after we pick them up. They had to slowly cool for 14 hours. More to come...and we'll use our camera and not the cell phone to show you!

Brave Josh

2011-09-27T12:36:00.000-04:00

This was Josh with Dr. Fragetta on his first check-up.

Josh had his 4-year check-up this week. He was very brave and had to get 5 shots! It was a sad thing, but he recovered quickly and even waved good-bye to Dr. Jim.
Josh chose to go to Friendly's (he called it Happy's a few times) for a post-shot treat. It turned into a good afternoon afterall!

Hershey Park Happy!

2011-09-25T00:33:00.000-04:00

We went to Hershey Park with Pop-Pop and Yiayia on the last day of the season again this year. Thankfully it didn't rain this time! This year Josh was a Reese's PB Cup and Katelyn was a Hershey Kiss. (She declined a picture.) It was a fun day - we hit ZooAmerica this time around, Josh rode on some new rides, the kids had their first Dip'n Dots (the future of ice cream, right?!), and we ended the day with kettle korn! Josh went on his first grown-up ride with Jeff - the Flying Falcon. We can't believe he's big enough already! He really had a good time.

Katelyn's favorite ride of the day - the Frog Hopper.
We couldn't get a picture of the Dizzy Drums to do justice, but Katelyn slipped off the seat as soon as the ride started. Josh made many attempts to lift her up, but they were both laughing too hard. It was pretty funny to see her head pop up every once in a while!

Family Log Flume!

A ride around the park...

...while Katelyn took a little R&R.

Josh got Yiayia to go on a ride with him - the rocket ships!

And we ended the day on the carosel! Thanks Yiayia and Pop-Pop!

Bunnies and Emotions

2011-09-23T08:35:00.000-04:00

Katelyn wanted to show off her bunny crown. Josh is learning about emotions at school and wanted to show those off too!

Let's Go O's!

2011-09-18T18:49:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day for a ball game. This was Katelyn's first baseball game and the first game that Josh can remember! Both kiddos were decked out in O's gear.

On the way in Josh took a turn seeing how fast he could pitch.
Yes...Katelyn totally hit the woman in the corner taking her picture!

Next stop...the playground! Josh and Miles take a slide.

Three cutest O's fans!

We liked how Katelyn decided to watch part of the game! :)

See you next season O's!

Magnet Ball

2011-09-16T23:00:00.001-04:00

Josh started soccer this week. The first half of the hour is a clinic where the coaches attempt to direct the 4 & 5 year olds in drills. The second half is a scrimmage where everyone runs after the ball. It's pretty entertaining. So enjoy these pictures of kids in t-shirts that are way too large for them. And know that at least 75% of the kids have asked their parents when soccer is over and when they can play on the playground that is right next to the field...all within the first 30 minutes. :)

(Josh is the kid right behind the boy with the ball in the middle of the picture. They may be passing partners - someone is out of position.)

At one point, we heard the coach say to Josh, "Way to move!"

The picture is fuzzy, but it was the only one we took that truly captured the game. Josh is in the pile of kids somewhere.

Here is Josh showing off his new shin guards. Katelyn got a pair too and was eager to get them off. Her face says it all!

GO RAVENS!

2011-09-11T10:06:00.002-04:00

Katelyn's Cubby Conference

2011-09-08T21:12:00.002-04:00

Today was almost Katelyn's first day of school. Today we met Katelyn's teachers for a mini, 15-minute cubby conference. Katelyn liked playing with the toys and talking to her teachers. Macy was there before us for her conference, so the two girls liked checking out their cubbies and being at school together. Next week comes pictures of Josh and Katelyn with their school bags - and hopefully no rain! Oh, and Katelyn chose her outfit - so cute!

First Day of School for Josh

2011-09-07T17:49:00.002-04:00

Today was Josh's first day of school. He is in a 4's/Pre-K class with 9 other boys. It's going to be a wild year! Half of the class are other boys Josh already knows (including his buddy, Parker!) and the rest are new friends to be made. Tomorrow we get to bring in snack to celebrate his birthday again...this should be the last celebration of Josh's birthday month!

Cars Party for Josh

2011-09-06T21:17:00.004-04:00

We celebrated Josh's birthday with his friends this weekend. He asked for a Cars Party, so that is what he got! We had Lightning McQueen and stop sign cupcakes and dinner was served at Flo's V-8 Cafe!

Katelyn shows off her tattoo from Ramone's House of Body Art

Fishing for car parts at Mater's Towing and Salvage

Miles enjoyed cruising around the house!

Blowing out the candles...no, he's not biting the cupcake yet!

Macy and Katelyn cheesing it up with their red icing lips

School buddies

Bouncing in Radiator "Springs"

**Note: Most of these ideas were not my own - there are tons of ideas for Cars themed parties online. I just executed!**

Beach Highlights - Hanging Around

2011-09-03T11:36:00.002-04:00

Katelyn and Josie playing Ring Around the Rosie - kind of

Heading to the donut shop

Katelyn ready for a bike ride

Betsy got to see some of her former Towson University Field Hockey teammates. Here's Megan in her sister's wedding.

And Perks and Jessie too! It was such a treat to spend time together!

Beach Highlights - Boardwalk

2011-09-03T11:06:00.003-04:00

We loaded up the big kids into the wagon to head to the boardwalk.

Josh, Katelyn and Josie

Mack and Manco's Pizza!

Josie laughed at the ice cream Josh got on his face. She couldn't see her own face!

What a cute flip-flop family :)

Danny and Jack getting in on the action!

We went out for a bike ride on the boardwalk one morning. Josh pedalled the entire time!

That afternoon we went to the playland for rides. Grandma enjoyed the train around the park.

Katelyn couldn't wait to go on these balloons - they went in the air and spun like the tea cups.

On the ferris wheel

Pop-Pop teaching Josh to play his favorite fair games

Josh LOVED the swings!

Beach Highlights - Sand and Surf

2011-09-03T10:22:00.001-04:00

Our vacation to the beach was delayed a day and a half to wait for Hurricane Irene to pass. But we made it and were so thankful for our time down the shore. It was a beautiful week - high 70's/low 80's all week and the surf had come up so far that the beach was easy to walk on and wide. This allowed for easier use of the wagon and lots of room to run after the soccer ball!

Cousin Josie and Katelyn

Daddy, Josh and Pop-Pop

We played soccer a lot - the kids just ran and ran!

Josie and Natalie - Josie spent one entire day at beach opening and closing the wagon door.

Josh loved the water!

Happy 4th Birthday, Josh!

2011-08-27T21:23:00.003-04:00

4 years ago at 9:02 we welcomed our first miracle into the world.

Josh asked to have lunch at Arby's today.

(I had to include this picture. Josh wanted me to take a picture of just him and Katelyn kept inching into the frame. Sibling dispute ensued.)

He loves his roast beef...

Then on to Dunkin Donuts.

Time to open some presents!

And then dinner at Red Robin. Josh wasn't sure about the singing, but still enjoyed his sundae.

Happy 4th Birthday, Josh! We love you so much!

Rainy Day Fun

2011-08-25T23:17:00.003-04:00

Seems that we'll be having a few of these over the next few days, so we'll have to get creative indoors! Josh enjoyed completing a worksheet his new preschool teacher's sent him. He even shared the stickers with Katelyn - impressive.

Katelyn really enjoys coloring. Here she is "making a rope."
We made a fort in the family room.

Thanks for the flashlights Granddad. We've been charging them on the window sill.

This is a funny story...

Katelyn actually did this first, but we didn't get a picture. She took the toy pan and put it on her head like a hat. And she said, "Look Mommy. I'm a pot-head!" It took Mommy by surprise so much, that she started laughing. Josh didn't waste a moment and grabbed the pan and did the same thing, saying the same thing, and getting the same laugh. We're a little worried about what Katelyn is teaching her big brother already! Say no to peer pressure, Josh!!!

Earthquake Damage?

2011-08-25T09:09:00.002-04:00

Nope...just a battle scar from his sister. But Josh is still talking about the earthquake!

Beautiful Evening

2011-08-23T22:02:00.003-04:00

The weather has been so nice that we were all eager to be outside in the evening.

We've all seen this before...

...but tonight Katelyn had her turn. It was rather short lived. She was so focused on telling Josh which buttons he should push on the dashboard that she quickly lost interest in being behind the wheel. She seems destined to have people driving her around so she can control the radio. :)
Posing with her boots...this is her first choice in footwear these days.

Family Birthday Weekend

2011-08-21T21:50:00.005-04:00

We spent the weekend at Deep Creek with the Squires-Roberts family celebrating the August birthdays - Nana, Unco and Joshy! It was beautiful all weekend, so we played outside and took a long walk on Saturday morning. It even included walking through a house being built at the top of the hill - shhhh...don't tell!

Grant, Josh and Jackson

Katelyn puts up the biggest fight to get her picture taken...and then steals the show.
Happy Birthday, Dear Nana, Josh and Unco...

Nana made a giant dinosaur card for Josh - AWESOME!

Granddad and Grandma gave Josh a giant truck-loader crane. It's taller than he is!

Thank you Granddad!

Unco shared his birthday present with Katelyn and she thought he was funny - fruity pebbles!

Other fun things

2011-08-13T20:14:00.003-04:00

We went to Rita's for Italian ice.

Katelyn dressed herself!
Katelyn started drawing faces. This is her self-portrait, can't you tell?

Josh and Katelyn took a bubble bath with the jets.

And we enjoyed fresh carrots from the Farmer's Market. Josh and Katelyn think its fun to eat carrots with stems on them, just like rabbits. It's a little trick we've picked up along the way to get them to eat their veggies!

Day with Friends

2011-08-09T20:09:00.002-04:00

We spent the day with Mia, Charlotte and Baby Gabrielle.

Gabrielle is SO cute!

Intruder...

2011-08-08T22:27:00.001-04:00

We arrived at Deep Creek on Friday to this. Someone had obviously broken into the garage. After investigating, we found nothing taken from the garage. The trash bags had been ripped, but that was the only other damage. We were puzzled by why someone would break-in through the middle of the garage door and still not take anything.

Upon further investigation, we noticed how there were tears in the seat of the riding mower. And not just tears...
...but puncture marks as well! So, this was our final conclusion...

...A BEAR!!! We can only conclude that the bear smelled the trash in the garage and tried to get in. Next on our agenda...a new garage door!

***On Saturday morning, Betsy was running with some friends back up the hill towards the house. About midway up the hill, a black bear crossed the road in front of them! The bear took a look and kept on walking...but the girls were not going to cross the bear's path! They headed straight to a neighbor's house and got a ride home! It was a weekend full of wildlife!***

Special Quilt

2011-08-05T22:01:00.001-04:00

Katelyn and Josh had a special visit with Gigi Squires at Granddad and Grandma's house. Gigi completed her quilt for Katelyn - what a special gift! Katelyn was excited to receive this gift and covered up with it all weekend. Josh brought his quilt from Gigi too, so they took a picture of two of Gigi's masterpieces. THANK YOU GIGI!

Josh had fun playing with Granddad's iPhone. :) Who needs toys?

Puzzle Time

2011-08-01T21:36:00.000-04:00

Katelyn and Gigi Gallo worked on a puzzle together. Katelyn was very pleased!

Do you think you could trace a truck under these circumstances? Super Pop-Pop!

Prigel Family Creamery

2011-07-29T01:00:00.000-04:00

We visited a local creamery with our neighbors. There was a short tour of the creamery facility, then the main event: ICE CREAM! I think Josh now understands that the cows don't actually produce ice cream themselves, but the cow's milk is used to make it. :)

The kids and the Jerseys

Josh and Katelyn were asking for ice cream the ENTIRE tour. They were not interested in learning about the process - they only wanted to taste the product! They both chose strawberry ice cream on cones - they are branching out! There were eight piglets at the farm. Unfortunately, their mother died giving birth and they are now bottle feeding these piglets with the help of volunteers. They were super cute and wrestling around like little puppies do. We reminded each other of the huge, smelly hogs we saw at the fairgrounds a few weeks ago - they don't stay cute forever! (Plus, I don't know that the HOA would allow a pen in the back!)

Dinner with the Dunns

2011-07-28T01:00:00.002-04:00

Mr. and Mrs. Dunn came over for dinner. Josh enjoyed having his teachers at his house - we'll see how he does when school starts and he has new teachers! Josh played Yahtzee and read a story with Mr. Dunn. He showed Mrs. Dunn his drawings and we all played catch in the basement. Josh was so excited they were here - it was really cute! And Katelyn had a lot to tell Mr. and Mrs. Dunn - they were impressed by her vocabulary. Is anyone surprised? :)

Josh greeted Mr. and Mrs. Dunn with a silly Ireland hat with bells. It was no surprise that Mr. Dunn wore a silly hat too! There were also lots of laughs that Mr. Dunn brought his favorite vegetable for dessert - ICE CREAM! Josh tried to correct him that ice cream is a treat, not a vegetable, but we're not convinced Mr. Dunn understood. Josh said, "Every time he says it's a vegetable and every time we tell him it's a treat!"

Philly Photos

2011-07-27T22:17:00.002-04:00

Katelyn, Josh, Jack, Josie, and Danny

Zoo Day

2011-07-26T17:41:00.002-04:00

We spent the morning at the zoo today and it turned out to be a great day to be there! Josh and Katelyn enjoyed showing Pop-Pop and Yai-Yai the sites. Josh was very interested in the map this time and was our navigator. He was often referring to the map to make sure we were going in the right direction. It was one of those things where you felt like you were witnessing child development - that he has crossed over into a new stage of processing the world and exploring it. Josh was very cute and serious about his job!

The best photo of the bunch...or should I say pride?

Babies

2011-07-24T17:20:00.000-04:00

We spent the day in Philadelphia with Big Baby Josie and Little Babies Jack and Danny. By the end of the day, Josh and Katelyn no longer considered Josie a baby, so I think she's lost that nickname now. Jack and Danny are 4 months old now!

Katelyn and Danny

Betsy and Danny
Natalie and Jack (I can't believe the only picture I have is with spit up!)
Natalie has some more photos with Josie in them, so I'll do another post with these cute kids!

This little guy is just like his father...

2011-07-21T13:38:00.003-04:00

Here is Josh in July of 2008:

July 2009:
Yesterday, Josh asked me to draw him a picture of "The King" from Cars. We couldn't find his King car or his Cars book, so I drew it from memory. I told Josh that I couldn't remember King's number, so I wasn't going to put one. Josh said, "Wait! Let me think." He furrowed his brow and put his finger on the side of his head while he thought. Then he said, "It's a 3 and a 4." I took his word for it and drew a 34 on the car:

Today we went online to print out some pictures to color and I found a King coloring page. Wouldn't you know that Josh had the right numbers, just the wrong order. I couldn't believe it! Turns out that Josh has a memory like his fathers!

Katelyn

2011-07-20T16:53:00.003-04:00

This was Katelyn 2 summers ago...

...and here is Katelyn now.

It looks like she's ready for preschool this fall...just not sure I am!

Vacation at Eagle Bay

2011-07-18T13:53:00.002-04:00

Mommy, Josh and Katelyn drove from Baltimore to Eagle Bay, New York in the Adirondacks for a vacation with Stacey and Kate. Daddy, Jed and Greg flew up midweek for the rest of the week. We had a great time and are so thankful to get to go! Mrs. P and "The Captain" were amazing hosts - THANK YOU!!!

We walked up to the local ice cream shop a few times during the week. Josh and Katelyn thought that the twist ice cream was really cool.
On Saturday, we took a family canoe ride. Josh declared this his favorite part of week! Katelyn kept saying, "I hope we don't fall in!" You can see her hanging on tight. The seas were not rough so the chances were slim of any danger!

This family of ducks was around each day. Jed demonstrated a very important nature lesson on Friday when he started to chase the ducks. There was an attack complete with a dive in the water - it was very entertaining. For the rest of the weekend, Josh and Katelyn would play this game - Katelyn would say, "Mommy, you be the mommy duck, I will be the baby duck, and Josh will be Jed." Then Josh would say, "I'll try to get the baby duck and you chase me. " Then I would say, "Stay away from my baby" and chase Josh. Giggles followed.

Josh on Vacation

2011-07-18T13:44:00.003-04:00

Highlights for Josh were playing with the trucks in sand, practicing swimming, riding on the little jet ski over and over and over again, jet ski ride with Kate, and a canoe ride with Mommy and Daddy.

Josh and "Captain" - Josh would do anything the Captain wanted!

Jet ski ride with Kate - "We went around two times!"

On Saturday morning, Josh and Mommy walked to The Donut Shop for fresh donuts. It was a long walk and Josh didn't complain once. You can tell in the next photo that Josh actually had fun!

Josh got braver each day and would go out further in the water. Here he is with Daddy while in the little jet ski...

...and in the deep water collecting golf balls!

Katelyn on Vacation

2011-07-18T13:32:00.004-04:00

Highlights for Katelyn: Playing in the sand, playing in the shallow water (she declared up to her waist too deep), driving the boat, eating twist ice cream and playing with the stuffed animals. When we were talking about the wild animals in the area, she repeatedly said, "I hope no coyotes get us!" We reassured her that she was safe.

Katelyn and "Captain"

Katelyn took a ride on this moose everyday

Katelyn would only ride in this on the grass, not the water!

Climbing on a rock at the playground

It only took 20 minutes...

2011-07-11T22:38:00.000-04:00

...from the time that we arrived in Eagle Bay for the kids to be in the water and Katelyn to be down to her diaper! (She doesn't like the feel of wet clothes...this becomes a theme.) There is a great sandy area on one side of the deck where Josh and Katelyn can play in the sand and the other side is good for playing in the water. Perfect setup!

Josh went down the slide in his clothes too on the first night!

Weekend Fun

2011-07-10T22:31:00.000-04:00

Josh was invited to his first bowling birthday party on Saturday for a friend from school. He looked really cute in his bowling shoes and had a great time. Looks like our Wii bowling paid off!

On Sunday we joined Madison, Avery and Baby Hannah at the steam engines in Leakin Park. We had another fun afternoon!

Sweet Baby Hannah missed the entire day sleeping!

Daddy is in week six of recovery - halfway there!

Summer Learning

2011-07-08T21:47:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday we went to the Science Center with Mia and Charlotte (and sweet baby Gabrielle too!) Josh LOVED the dinosaur exhibit and we'll make sure we spend more time here next time.

Be sure to notice Katelyn's protective glasses :)

Water play - always fun!

On Thursday we headed to the fairgrounds for the 4H fair.

Macy and Katelyn are checking on the swine here.

(Be sure to ask Josh about the HUGE pig that ran towards the kids - it's a funny story!)

Katelyn really liked this calf. Can you hear her giggle in this picture?

Katelyn is our animal lover.

Watching the cows get showered.

Parker, Macy, Jack, Katelyn, Josh and Luke

Fun in Shrewsbury

2011-07-06T21:19:00.000-04:00

We visited Pop-Pop and Yai-Yai twice this week - a visit with Gigi and a trip to the fair!

Katelyn sporting her new hat on a bike ride.
Gigi catches Josh in a squeeze.

We love you Gigi!

Enjoying a popsicle on a hot day.

This was Josh and Katelyn's favorite ride at the fair - of course it was the first one of the night!

"We couldn't stop laughing!" ~ Josh

Josh spotted the pirate ship when we were on the ferris wheel.

Somehow Mommy was lured onto the ship with him!

Josh also talked Pop-Pop into fishing.

Katelyn was treated to a solo ride with Yai-Yai on the carousel!

Star Spangled 4th of July

2011-07-04T20:55:00.002-04:00

We spent the 4th of July weekend in Deep Creek with our family.

We loved spending time together!

Aunt Cassi gives Katelyn a manicure.

Jackson and Katelyn coloring some 4th of July pictures.

On the sofa behind them is Daddy icing his Achilles repair and Uncie resting his ACL, MCL and meniscus repair. Brothers stick together!

We gave Nana an early birthday present - we revealed her 60th Birthday Cruise!
She was too excited to cry!

We headed over to Granddad and Grandma's for a picnic and fireworks.

This is our take on barrel racing...tractor firework racing! The object is to avoid all of the fireworks set up around the yard - Josh did a great job.

There were lots of tractor rides at sunset.

Granddad took the grandkids down the driveway - Josh talked about it for days!

Happy Birthday Granddad!

(Grandma will now be asked to make carrot cake for our family events - it was so good!)

It's finally starting to get dark.

Nana, Josh, Grant (he's 7 years old now!), Aunt Cassi and Jackson

Mommy and Katelyn snuggling to watch the fireworks.

Granddad outdid himself this year - it was a great show - THANK YOU!

Afternoon at the Fair

2011-06-24T23:40:00.000-04:00

We joined Ben, Betty and Bailey at the Falls Road Montessori School Toddler Fair. It was a fun afternoon complete with firefighters, reptiles and pony rides!

Josh takes a turn putting out the "fire"

Katelyn's turn!

Firefighters Bailey, Katelyn and Josh

None of the kids hesitated to hold the reptiles - and the mom's did a good job of not projecting their discomfort with the snakes on their children! :)

Katelyn was the first one to hold this cobra (okay...a hognose snake!)

Josh's turn - he also pet geckos and a bearded dragon!

We completed the experience with Josh and Katelyn's first pony rides. They were both very excited and Josh rode without anyone beside him.

Yeehaw!

Crabby Birthday

2011-06-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Kate and Jed's birthdays with a crabfest at their house. We rarely get crabs at our house, so it was a treat for us and the kids. Josh LOVES crabmeat and Katelyn is developing a taste for them too. Thanks for a fun day - Happy Birthday!!!

Katelyn's favorite toy of the day

Ready to open some claws!

Happy Father's Day, Jeff!

2011-06-19T09:39:00.000-04:00

We love you so much!!!

summertime

2011-06-14T21:59:00.000-04:00

We're taking advantage of all that summer has to offer. We spent the day swimming with some friends - Josh was in the water for almost three hours straight! And then we went miniature golfing with Grandma and Pop-Pop after dinner. We felt like we were on vacation!

Catch and Release

2011-06-12T21:12:00.002-04:00

It only took one day to remember why we don't have a pet. Daily maintenance and...poop. Mater had a little vacation with us, but we decided everyone would be happier if we released him. So, at the suggestion of our local animal expert, we wrote Mater's name on his shell so we might be able to identify him on a future visit. We said our goodbyes, gave him some final pats, and he made his way from our yard into the wooded area behind our house. Mater did not waste any time! And Josh and Katelyn haven't asked about him since. :)

Mater successfully went under the bridge that Josh made for him!

Katelyn looking cute in her sundress!

A Day on the Beach

2011-06-11T23:13:00.002-04:00

We spent the afternoon at Sandy Point State Park for a picnic and a few hours at the beach. The water was really warm, which made for a fun time for everyone. We are looking forward to more sand and surf this summer!

Mater the Turtle

2011-06-09T22:23:00.003-04:00

After dinner, we headed to the back yard to clean up and Josh shouted, "I found the turtle! He's right here!" The turtle was in the grass near our deck steps. Apparently he liked hanging around our yard. We decided it would be fun to keep the turtle around, so we called our local marine biologist, Aunt Kate, to find out what we need to do to have a pet turtle. :)

Josh named him Mater. :) Until we get some garden fencing to make a little grassy area for Mater to live outside, his home is the turtle sandbox under the deck. Mater really enjoyed the lettuce from our garden. We'll keep you posted!

Morning Visitor

2011-06-09T08:47:00.003-04:00

We found a turtle under our deck this morning on the stones while we were filling up the kiddie pool. Hopefully he'll find a good hiding place when the kids are playing in the yard later! Reminders not to touch the turtle every 5 seconds were required during the 5 minute span we were watching him - I don't know if I'll be able to keep that up all morning, so he better get out of here!

Update: When Daddy found out there was a turtle, he wanted to keep it. But Mommy went out and he had high-tailed it out of there. We'll be on the lookout!

At Play

2011-06-08T21:45:00.002-04:00

We had a visit with Pop-Pop's Aunt Lila and Uncle Dan from Utah. Josh and Aunt Lila went for a little walk in the yard while he pushed the seeder around. :)

Later Josh put on his "Diving Gear." Basically, anything he could velcro or clip on - he has a very important job to do!

Last year, Katelyn couldn't hang on the rings by herself or see over the bar on top of the swing set. She's getting so big now!

Tonight

2011-06-05T19:40:00.003-04:00

We planted the cucumber plants that Josh started growing at school. This is only half of them. The other half are in Shrewsbury in Pop-Pop and Yia-Yia's garden.

(You can tell that this is pre-bike ride, huh?!)

Josh asked for a photo to be taken of him with his horsey and duckie.

Katelyn hanging out with Daddy...

...while he is recuperating from his Achilles Tendon repair. :(

Deep Creek Weekend

2011-05-29T09:49:00.000-04:00

We headed to Deep Creek for Memorial Day weekend with the Erdmans.

Here are the highlights.

Lots of mower rides for the kids. Wouldn't it be nice if they always waited so patiently?!

Photo op on the top bunk before bedtime.

Starting our bike ride in Ohioplye, PA. We biked about 8 miles with a hike midway. This has become one of our favorite places to go when we are in Western Maryland.

Katelyn was very focused on running on the trail. She was on a mission.

There was lots to stop and see...

...and explore!

A favorite part of the day - playing in river!
We discovered that we have water babies - it will be a fun summer!

We cooled down from the hot day with some ice cream. Katelyn, Josh and Parker wanted chocolate. Macy wanted pink - it didn't matter what flavor it was, as long as it was pink!

Last Day of School

2011-05-25T09:40:00.000-04:00

Katelyn and Mommy joined Josh on his last day of school to help with an ice cream party. (Tough job, but somebody has to do it!)

We arrived during playground time to find Josh camped out in the shade digging with his BFF Ryan.

Mr. Dunn kept coming up with an extra person and had to recount. Can you see who is throwing off his count? :)

Ice Cream Party time complete with dinosaur sprinkles. Mr. Dunn even let them have seconds...life is good!

Reading time after snack

Josh checking out what book Mr. Dunn is reading.

Safety First...

2011-05-23T09:37:00.000-04:00

Walk with the B-Hive

2011-05-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

We went on a walk with the Lightners on a nice evening. The kids did a great job on the mile stroll and held hands whenever they weren't running! It was very cute. About a block from the house, some little legs were getting tired, so they hired some packmules. :)