Aubrey's Breakfast

Aubrey's favorite meal is breakfast.   Here she is with pancakes, cereal and apple juice, and she ate it all.

 

Twin Summer Picnic

We had a great time at the twin picnic again this year.  
The firetruck made a visit to the park and it was a hit!   Alex and Aubrey love firetrucks.

  
Of course, the playground was a lot of fun too!

Even this silly picture of me.
(Dave says I rarely put silly pictures of myself on here, so here we go)



I think we might have a gymnast amongst us.

      

What a pose!

Wait For Me!

 

"Daddy, wait for me!"

New Bikes

Dave and I recently bought some new bikes.   Dave bought his about a month ago and mine was just delivered about a week ago.  We are both excited to have new bikes.

 

(Notice that they are almost both the same except where mine is painted black, Dave's is white and vice versa.  Pretty cool if you ask me!)

Marissa

Marissa has decided to go back to Arizona and take turns living with her Mom, her friends, and her sister, Jessica.  She left a week ago and we all miss her.   We had a lot of fun while she was here and we are glad that we were able to spent time with her.    We really wish her the best with her upcoming decisions. 

Thank you Marissa for staying with us for a while.   Thank you for spending time with Alex and Aubrey while Dave and I escaped for a bike ride, or a movie, or even our first two nights away since Alex and Aubrey were born.  Even more than just watching Alex and Aubrey, we loved having you here.  

Mustache

Marissa gave her Dad a set of mustaches for Father's Day. 
We finally pulled them out just the other day.  Aren't we cute!

 

 

 

 

Second Detour to Monticello

After visiting Hanging Rock State Park, we stayed overnight in Lynchburg, VA.  Then the next day, we took the one hour drive up to Monticello (Home of Thomas Jefferson) in Charlottesville, VA.  I had been there once before but it had been 15 years.   It was great to go back and see it through my more mature eyes as well as the kids eyes.  The excitement in Marissa's eyes was extra special too.

When you buy tickets to go to the Monticello House and Grounds, you are given a time for a thirty minute guided tour of the house.  I have to admit that I wondered how Alex and Aubrey were going to do on the tour.  As I was up at the counter buying the tickets, the ticket seller told me there would be a family tour that was leaving in 30 minutes.  She asked if we would be interested.  Of course, I took those tickets.   The family friendly tour was great.  The tour guide had props for the kids to hold and talked to the children.  It really kept their attention.  He provided a lot of information for the older family members as well.   Plus since everyone knew it was a family tour, the stress level of keeping the kids still was much less. 

It was hot outside, but there was a nice breeze and it was a little cloudy.  It was a great day to be outside (especially compared to some of the unbearable weather we have been having.) 

Marissa wanted to go on the "Slavery at Monticello" tour.  I didn't think Alex and Aubrey would cooperate (and get anything out of it), so the three of us opted to go to a coloring area that they had for the kids.  Alex and Aubrey were so content just sitting there and coloring.  I think they were still tired from the hike the day before.  I have to admit that I enjoyed just relaxing on a chair.  Marissa and Dave said it was an informative tour with a very entertaining tour guide.  Marissa thought the tour guide was cute so she enjoyed it for that reason too.  : )

 

 

 

Detour to Hanging Rock Trail

On the way back from Dave's Mom's house in NC, we stopped and took a 1.3 mile hike up to Hanging Rock.  (It was then a 1.3 mile hike back to the car.)  Alex and Aubrey did great.  We are glad that Marissa went down with us to visit Nanny (Dave's Mom) so that she could join us on the hike.
 

 

 

 

What a view from up top!