Brookside Gardens

Posted on 2016-05-082018-04-10 by jesslee

Saturday we met up with friends at Brookside gardens in Wheaton Regional Park. We saw all kinds of wildlife and talked about all kinds of poop. Specifically turtle poop.

Nature searchers at their best! Looking at turtles and tadpoles and polliwogs.

We also saw a fair number of brown water snakes. Moxie was super brave. Frankly, so was I.

It sprinkled a bit and Mox wore Strider’s shirt like a dress/robe. She loved it.

Mox and Enid watch geese and their goslings from a safe distance. Also the snakes.

Keen really wants Thomas’ apple. That’s about all she can think about.

This was just seconds before the littles ran toward the pond and the three year olds took off their pants and underwear and started running. #dadsdoitdifferently

Next we went to the butterfly exhibit. First stop: rotting fruit tray.

They land on you. If you are super sweet.

B-fly watching is serious work.

It was a good day. The kids got in the bath immediately upon returning home and bedtime was a breeze.

Again: did I mention how brave I was about the snakes?

Sunday Cindy-day

Posted on 2016-04-262018-04-10 by jesslee

Well, we went and visited the horses again at Wheaton Regional Park.

Keen continues to have no fear and only love. Moxie has all the love and slightly more fear.

This sweet horse has a little nerve damage and so her tongue hangs out.

Moxie got to ride Cindy again. This time the young woman who lead her around talked to her the whole time. This made it extra awesome.

They didn’t fix the stirrups though–but Mox didn’t mind.

Passover

Posted on 2016-04-252018-04-10 by jesslee

On Saturday we had a wonderful Seder with our dear friends the Wilsons and the Hartmans. It was absolutely spectacular. Food, wine, asking the four questions, all kinds of things. The kids sat at a kids table and I learned the hard way a tablecloth, though cute, probably didn’t make sense for folk keen’s age. For those keeping count that was 6 adults, 3 three year olds and 3 one year olds.

Artist

Posted on 2016-04-202018-04-10 by jesslee

She’s an artist. Her prefered medium: Head & Shoulders.

Sunday afternoon

Posted on 2016-04-182018-04-10 by jesslee

This Sunday our super friends the Hartman’s invited us over for a BBQ. They are the kind of folks who say “don’t bring anything.” And mean it. Anyway the girls and I went over and Mox and Z played “ninja swords” and Keen and J played baby stuff. There were bubbles and spritzers and hot dogs. What a perfect afternoon!

Sweet Frog

Posted on 2016-04-152018-04-10 by jesslee

Every once in a while, and likely more often as the weather gets hotter, the kiddos get to go to sweet frog. It’s pretty magical.

Mox gets to pick two toppings and keen just is amazed to be a part of it.

Mini-Nut

Posted on 2015-12-262018-04-10 by zsmd

As many of you know: Moxie has a serious obsession with ballet. She took a class (cutest thing ever) and was very serious about her dancing. This year we got tickets to Maryland Youth Ballet’s Mini-Nutcracker performance. It is the highlights of the longer ballet complete with Mouse King, sugar plum fairies, and, yep, Nutcrackers. Mox took her class with her bestie Riley and we got to sit with them at the show AND go to dinner together. At the end Moxie and Riley got a pizza with nutella and strawberries on it. WIN.

We dressed up in our nice clothes (for the second and likely last time)

Both kids needed to blow off a little steam after sitting quietly and enjoying the show for a solid hour.

YES!

Sisters

Posted on 2015-12-262018-04-10 by zsmd

As Keen gets older she both becomes more fun AND a bigger threat to Moxie’s happy existence. Now that Keen can crawl, climb, and sometimes walk (a little) she has become more of a playmate AND more competition for resources. So far they play well together most of the time and we only catch Moxie trying to choke Keen occasionally.

Dual Slide Masters

“All the princesses are in the tower!”

No room in the bed left for parents.

Making silly faces during snack time.

Playing the piano together. (heart melts)

Christmas Decoration

Posted on 2015-12-262018-04-10 by zsmd

This year we got a REAL tree. We also decorated it, hung ornaments in the yard, put up a wreath, and hung stockings. It was legit.

Moxie got an awesome Playmobil advent calendar that looked like a weird forest/farm scene until the last couple days. Santa, an angel, the sled and reindeer all came at the end.

Our stockings: all made by Teresa Lee were hung on our wall (using pens). Keen’s was sent directly to Wichita for the inaugural Santa visit.

All kinds of crazy ornaments. Moxie picked every. single. one. She also tried to hang ALL of them on the same branch.

She was quite proud of herself.

Keen tried to kill herself and the tree.

Stepping Stones

Posted on 2015-12-262018-04-10 by zsmd

This year for Christmas we convinced Grandma that a homemade thing was the same awesomeness as a store bought gift. We made stepping stones for her garden. Jess looked up the directions, Ron bought the supplies, and Strider punched in the letters. Keen and Mox provided the footprints and gem placement and Carmen got to wash concrete off kid feet.

They turned out well…hopefully.

We will do this annually so our family can see how giant our kids’ feet are and remind them to buy us shoes. We think next year we might have to get a bigger pie plate for Mighty Moxie Monster Feet.