Category Archives: Uncategorized

Mani/Pedi’s

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This is the second week that the girls have been off of school for winter break.  For the second week, Justin and I are trying to do some special outings with the girls. This evening it was the older girls turn time with Mommy for mani/pedi’s.  The girls picking out their polish (Avery rolled her pants up in the car in preparation for her pedi…and yes that is Emerson with straight hair!)img_0151img_0152

The fact that you can barely see Emerson in this picture cracks me up….but it is the three of us!

We tried out a new salon and the customer service was great.  Both girls got a drink and a peppermint patty. They had a choice of water or ice tea.  Emerson choose the ice tea and then when asked if she wanted sweet tea or unsweetened, she matter of factly responded sweet.  I don’t like ice tea and frankly I had no idea she knew what it was.  Anyway, I think they both felt pretty special and had a great time. 

Sunday Hike

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Saturday night Justin got the idea to go for a hike with the girls via our backyard. We got off to an early start to the gym Sunday morning so that we could go on our hike right after a normal time lunch (a.k.a. noon and not our normal lunch time of 1:30 even 2:00 on a weekend). I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to adequately explain the feelings Justin and I have when we are in the woods right behind our house. These trees are enormous and you can the panoramic view is so peaceful and breathtaking. Literally three minutes after walking outside our back door, it feels like we are in isolation. Yet because we know we are not, it is so magical.img_2222
The girls were on a log that wasn’t steady and the second picture is right before they all fell off.img_2218 img_2216
While the tree branches and paths are clearest during fall and winter, there are still branches and trees to maneuver through, which is still a little scary for the girls, especially Avery and Harper. We made it through to the bike path and then crossed over to the path that leads to Meadowlark. The girls were feeling confident and wanted to walk all the way to Meadowlark. We figured why not. Avery kept saying “I’ve got this”. We approached the back side of Meadowlark and while the girls were still doing well, Justin and I were a little fearful that there would be a meltdown at some point making the way back home difficult. So we decided to turn around saying we made it to Meadowlark (which we did sort ofJ). One or two of the girls may have popped a squat along the path (starting them young)! Then we stopped once we reached the bike path again for a refuel with granola bars. img_0091We walked back home via the Hillington entrance path.img_2226 img_2229It was so much fun! The girls did awesome and we can’t wait to go on a family hike again!

Show Me Your Nuts

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Last night at 7:30 we were finishing up dinner and having the girls take turns of presenting their artwork portfolio and Tuesday folder information.  In Avery’s Tuesday folder, she pulls out a homework assignment due TODAY to find acorns!  Seriously! The girls get off the bus at 4:30 and it gets dark at 5:15 and this homework is due tomorrow!  Are you telling me I’m the only parent who looks at the Tuesday folder information Tuesday evening AFTER I get home from work!

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Nonetheless, Justin pulled out the flashlight and Avery and him bundled up and went outside in the backyard for a few minutes and came back with their little snack bag filled with acorns.  That’s my girl and guy:)

So this morning Justin overhears Emerson talking to Avery while eating breakfast…”Avery, show me your nuts.”

Yes, I am 37 years old, but some things never get old!

Quattro Gumba

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Saturday afternoon we headed to Quatrro Gumba Winery and Brewery where we met the Russo’s.  We enjoyed good beer and pizza.  The kids had fun running around and playing with one another.  Allison and I even snuck away for a half hour for a wine tasting.  Jamie and Justin held down the fort with the five kids and apparently many onlookers thought they were a couple:).  We tried to get a good picture of the five kids….while I took 15 pictures, not a single one were they all looking in the same direction.  They were still cute though because they represent kids being kids.  (Notice Owen and Emerson’s hands):)img_4305 img_4313img_4320

This Girl

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Seriously, she makes my heart melt…her smile, her sense of humor, her laugh, her personality…EVERY single thing about her I LOVE.  Seriously, how did I get SO lucky!!

Witches and Princesses

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Halloween 2016

  • Avery dressed up as a witch.  Her hat and her broom didn’t last very long and the purple and black tights didn’t even make their way onto her legs!

  • Emerson dressed as Rapunzel and experienced the blister problems that arise out of wearing high heels for the first time and having bangs that won’t cooperate.

  • Harper dressed as Sophia the First and stuck close to Daddy as she was scared of the witches!

_mg_4446The witches…_mg_4444-3

Maddy girls and Mei Mei…_mg_4449Gladwells in their Ghostbuster attire…._mg_4451

We had the pre trick-or-treating cul-de-sac party with pizza and drinks.  Then the kids took off for trick-or-treating!   Justin, Ludmilla, and I all went this year and we made it to way more houses than we did last year.  I was really proud of the girls, especially Avery who walked the entire way (and didn’t take a turn sitting in Harper’s stroller).

Apple Picking

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Apple picking has been on my long list of “fun things to do” for the last few years and finally Justin and I decided Saturday was the day. We started looking up orchards on Friday to find out that peak apple season for many of the orchards is in September (oops!).  We came across one Macintosh Fruit Farm in the Shenandoah Valley that still had a variety of apples in season and looked like it would capture the girl’s attention for a few hours. We arrived in time for a late lunch.  Justin and I had the BBQ sandwich, Emerson the cheese quesadilla, and Harper and Avery a hot dog.  I love how big Harper’s eyes get when she eats a hot dog!_mg_4315

The food was actually pretty good and reasonably priced.  After our bellies were full, we made our way to the orchards. The girls had fun looking for apples…._mg_4318and posing…._mg_4331 _mg_4329 _mg_4328

Justin had fun trying to get apples high up in the tree.img_4337

The girls enjoyed watching.img_4333

We enjoyed using the fruit picker as a prop.img_4349-1

Harper got tired and wanted to be held pretty quickly. We settled on some piggy back rides instead.img_4353img_4356

The girls played on the playground, checked out the ponies, and checked out the horses._mg_4369

We bought eight pounds of apples! Sunday we made homemade applesauce with some of the apples and we also decorated pumpkins with felt and stickers.  It was a great weekend and it was neat that the girls and Justin and I all got to experience our first time apple picking together!

Emerson’s Bang Trim

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Avery and Emerson LOVE art work! So when I found some scissors, cut up paper, and markers in their room, I was a little annoyed that they had taken those items into their room as they know art work activities are to occur only in the playroom.  And when I found a little snippet of hair on the ground in the room while I was cleaning it up solo, I assumed that they cut their dolls hair (not that I thought that was okay).  Fast forward a day later…I was looking at Emerson and noticed that her hair was looking as though she had bangs.  I took a closer look and realized the hair I found was HER hair!  I asked Emerson about it and with a straight face over and over she told me she didn’t do it.  She tried to blame it on Avery a few times so I asked Avery about it and it was clear to me that Avery had no involvement.  We took a break from discussing it again until later in the evening.  I told her we would talk just the two of us after she put on her pajamas.  Instead of going to her room to put on her pajamas, she came and found me in the laundry room and asked if we could talk now.  I got down to her level and said of course. It was then that she admitted what she had done.  When I asked her why she lied, she said she was afraid of getting in trouble.  I told her that I was proud of her for telling me the truth now and that she was being brave and I appreciated that.  I also made it clear that she is never to cut her own hair again.

Here is a picture of Emerson (fake smile) after she cut her bangs. emerson-hair-cut-10-16

Here is a picture of me at age 4 AFTER my mom took me to the salon to fix my long hair that I had cut myself!stefanie-haircut-age-4

Justin keeps telling me she is my child…you think?!?!