epic post: april - june

And now I'm all caught up!

April 1

Beck Compound

Little Rock, AR

Celebrating this little guy turning 2, Easter, and being with family all in one glorious day!

April 2

Downtown

Hot Springs, AR

Admiring the wall art.

April 3

Lake Hamilton

Hot Springs, AR

There's a hallway that connects with the living room on both ends. Needless to say, it makes a great running course for the kids. I called them into the bathroom (yes, I was going to the bathroom) and this is how they were. Pants on their heads shouting about looking for ghosts.

Mid-America Science Museum

Leena's obviously the dinosaur in this duo.

April 4

Burns Park

N.Little Rock, AR

This is a crazy fast slide (you can see Edwin's hair blowing in the breeze) that shoots down a rocket ship. Fantastic playground.

April 5

Kiki's House

Good ole' classic bath time fun.

April 6

Monterey, TN

Park lunch stop. There was a combination of brand new, really cool playground equipment and super old, rusted equipment you thought was surely going to collapse. They wanted to play on the old stuff.

April 7

The Old Country Store

Floyd, VA

We had a late start then spent the morning in this great mountain town before finishing our drive home. Love the face I captured on Leena during lunch. 

April 8

Living Room
Richmond, VA
Home sweet home. We are probably eating ice cream and watching Parks & Rec before bed.

April 9

Sunroom

When the husbands work at night sometimes it's easier to multiply the number of children and the number of mothers.

April 10

Pediatrician

The sucker gang at Edwin' two-year check up.

April 11

Terrace Ave.

Across the street back yard (I have no idea what this picture is for). Not ours for much longer though!

April 12

LGBG

There's a great Origami sculpture exhibit throughout the garden (still going on now). This little bison is my favorite.

April 13

Front Yard

Naked finger painting on a nice day. I swear I always start this thinking they will only paint the paper. Seriously.

April 14

Across the Street

Winning the community clean up day pile. By a long shot. Andy cleared out about 3 giant trees and then some from the extra lot across the street in preparation for selling it.

April 15

LGBG

Springtime tulips and cousin time!

April 16

Kitchen

Trying everything to get Leena to stop picking her fingernails. Water beads to make a stress ball and bracelets as a reward. It didn't work.

What did work? Andy's new mouthpiece he wears when he sleeps! No more snoring/apnea/sleeping in separate rooms and we both sleep better! It was expensive, but I would've paid double.

April 17

LGBG

Going to the garden a lot these days so we don't miss a bloom. I love tulip magnolias. Reminds me of my old back yard in Brooklyn and always makes me smile.

April 18

Car

On our way to school. And no it's not a costume day.

April 19

Richmond Metro Zoo

Using our membership for the first time and loving it! I'm not sure feeding the giraffes will ever get old.

Bryan Park

Flying a kite with Gramps.

April 20

LGBG

Again. Springtime tulips and a  couple of goofballs.

April 21

Neighborhood

One thing I love about these photos is how they chronicle the crazy weather. One day she's in pants and a fleece. The next she's riding her bike in a leotard.

April 22

Attic

My next quilting project started. (And now that it's July I can tell you that this one promptly got put on hold and has sat there for three months so far.)

April 23

Neighborhood

Riding bikes with all our bling.

And in our nap pajamas...

April 24

Attic

Rearranged! Got that LuLaRoe mess out of my life and now have a pretty awesome sewing station on our GIANT desk. A one hundred percent better use of the space!

April 25

Sunroom

Birthday dinner for Robert and a little bit Edwin. Party hats and a monochromatic meal. Oops.

April 26

Front Yard

Nothing like a kid blowing a dandelion. It might always be the sweetest thing.

April 27

Driveway

Now we are trying medical tape on all her fingers. Also, didn't work.

April 28

Otter Cove

First boat ride of the season for us and looking for all the bald eagles.

April 29

Otter Cove

I was in Richmond celebrating Molly's upcoming marriage and Andy sent me this epic snot bubble photo of Edwin. Skill to make the bubble. Skill to capture the bubble. I'm impressed.

April 30

Cyborg Room

Playing library story time. I guess they are both the librarian.

May 1

Front Yard

 No giant yard to mow across the street equals no need for a riding lawn mower anymore. This isn't  an ad, we already sold it. It's now just a photo for the day documenting the more mundane things we have to deal with.

May 2

Attic

This looks like a giant mess of fabric strips, but it's actually the beginnings of a wedding quilt for Molly and Kha. A last minute decision, which means I've been neglecting most other household chores that don't immediately effect survival.

May 3

Burnside Farms

Haymarket, VA

A very worthy day trip to the tulips at the Burnside Farms. Especially when it means meeting up with one of your oldest friends and her newest baby. It was beautiful (and blazing hot) and probably now a new spring tradition.

May 4

Neighborhood

This is actually a cheater photo from the day before. Those paying attention would notice because Leena is wearing the same thing, which I guess doesn't actually have to mean anything. We had a trip to Ortho OnCall on our way back from the farm because when your toddler has been saying her arm hurts off and on for a week and a half, you decide it's time to finally check it out and they say it's broken. Nothing like feeling like the worst parent ever, but then also thinking man, this kid is tough.

May 5

Larkum House

The new faces of potluck. They don't outnumber us yet but it sure feels like they do.

May 6

Neighborhood

"Par!"

May 7

Terrace

They dropped the giant tree that was basically growing into the driveway across the street. Good thing I knew that was happening because it shook my house. Otherwise we would've grabbed our blankets and found a door jamb to stand in.

May 8

Sunroom

Two things to notice: 1. A new member of the family, Moana the fish. 2. No more cast for Leena. The follow up orthopedic said it was just nurses elbow so she probably bruised the bone pretty good. Worst parent ever? Not as bad as I thought.

And because I've been working tirelessly....Quilt front completed!

May 9

Henrico County

Training. Or just seeing who can shoot the straightest line of water into the sky.

May 10

Front Yard

Finally taking a photo of Edwin with his birthday quilt. You can tell it's already been washed a couple times and he really wanted this moment to be captured also.

May 11

Terrace

Hiding by the new fence across the street while Andy and I have sellers remorse because this yard is flippin' great.

May 12

Terrace

The new stump for marking occasions, like watching friend's kids starting at 6 am.

All dressed up with a wedding to go to. Molly and Kha's wedding, that is.

Friends returning the favor by having ours for a sleepover (I think we still owe them another favor) so we can fully enjoy the reception. And Andy sure did.

May 13

Ben and Katie's 

Exactly the kind of help Katie wanted: toddlers throwing dirt at her.

May 14

Front Yard

Crazy storm moving in. This photo really captures how strong the wind was. JK. It's a dumb photo, but it's all I got.

May 15

Front Yard

I cleaned out the front bed, like big time. Sometimes I just feel the need to declutter everything. If you saw it now you would laugh because it looks like a jungle again.

May 16

QA

Getting ready for the next project! Picking out fabrics is my favorite part.

May 17

Tuckahoe Library

Catching up with the Bott's after too long. Bro and Edwin reading a story and Bro can't stop showing his affection (even though his face doesn't necessarily show it right now).

May 18

Living Room

Major bird watching going on right now. I love the way he's standing with his back arched and his belly out.

May 19

Pigtails and Crewcuts

Andy couldn't stand the hair in his face any longer so he took him to get a summer cut.

May 20

Gallmeyer Farms

Super muddy strawberry picking was super fun even though it didn't yield a huge bounty.

May 21

Attic

Working on that quilt. This one is a wedding gift for our neighbors, Ben and Katie.

May 22

Attic

We finally decided we should get a new boxspring because we kept slipping to the middle of the bed and touching each other at night. Or maybe because we felt twenty years older with constant back pain. So we got the kind that you can fully take apart (and assemble) making going through doorways and up stairs way easier.

We literally sawed the other one in half and folded it to get it upstairs so now we have to take the screws out so we can fold it and get it back down. Maybe we should've just gone with the above from the beginning.

May 23

Kitchen

Last day of school tarts for the teachers.

May 24

Front Yard

Summer time and the livin's easy. Because you can wear whatever you want, including that leotard from the 80s that was your friends when she was little.

May 25

Schemmel House

Cousins cookout with water play. Yes, please.

May 26

O'Donohue House

First feature of Edwin since he became a man. I think that's because it took me a full week to get used to his new do. And a great Memorial Day cook out with one of Edwin's classmates.

May 27

Kitchen

Getting ready for Indy's birthday party so I had Leena write on the envelope of the card she made him. For those who can't interpret her preschool writing it says, "To: Indy, Love: Leena". Yes I am having a proud parent moment right now.

May 28

Kitchen

Managed to drop an egg and crack it on the cabinet handle. Is it an indication of how my day is going to go?

I think so.

Then redeemed with the popsicle gang of awesome neighbors and a Memorial Day potluck.

May 29

Attic

Piecing progress.

May 30

Bathroom

No privacy for the one on the toilet. Kid yelling at you through a toilet paper bullhorn.

May 31

Cyborg Room

Trying fingernail stickers to get the picking under control. Note: they fall off almost immediately making the child upset that their sticker is gone. It didn't work. At least she has shorts on her head.

June 1

Crump Park

Halftime orange slices.

June 2

Front Yard

Cutest little plumber you ever saw.

June 3
Gelati Celesti
Maybe our best family photo.

June 4

Terrace

Again, sellers regret. Chris and Ashley tore down the wall between the kitchen and living room. Way better. Don't mind the kitchen cabinets scattered about.

June 5

Schell House

Ice cream sandwiches after dinner. Definitely requires licking all the drippings from your wrist to your elbow.

June 6

Richmond Zoo

Katie's first time. She looks disgusted. I love it.

And Leena looks like a pro. Not just at feeding giraffes, but at life in general.

June 7

LGBG

Living that splash pad life like whoa.

June 8

Crump Park

Leena talking to all the lambs. Edwin is not so fond of getting close to animals (except for dogs) so far in his life.

June 9

Schemmel House

How to get the kids (and maybe yourself) to go to the gym on a Saturday morning? The promise of a donut afterward.

June 10

Costco

New indoor summer activity: try on glasses at Costco.

June 11

Front Yard

Playing tag. Looks like Andy just lost.

June 12

Front Yard

Daddy/daughter errand time. If Leena gets that excited to go to Lowe's maybe we've set the bar too low?

June 13

Kitchen

Did some real adult shopping maybe for the first time in my life. Nice leather bag (because I hate to admit it's a purse) is a far step above the $5 army surplus canvas bag I carried for probably twenty years.

June 14

LGBG

Family outing to Flowers after 5. Leena took our picture and it's not that bad!

June 15

Front Yard

We got some new birdseed. The kids love it. I hate it.

June 16

Kitchen

I volunteered to make this shop sample for QA. I'm going to toot my own horn because I think it turned out pretty good for my first bag.

June 17

Back Yard

Practicing for our upcoming camping adventure. And by that I mean I needed to make sure  I could get the tent up and it was still functional. And pass a morning with the kids. Check, check, check.

Father's Day dinner at the station with all the dads, but especially this one. Our number one.

June 18

Pocahontas State Park

Camping for one night adventure begins! I think the preparation took more time than the actual event, but it was worth it. Paddle boarding...

S'mores-ing...

Hammock-ing...

June 19

Pocahontas State Park Pool

So how did a night of sleeping in tents go? Better for the kids than for me. Will we do it again? Absolutely! But the biggest question: Who is that handsome man lurking behind the kids? (And thanks for joining us at the pool for the morning, Schells!)

June 20

Living Room

Me versus four kids. Everything seems to be under control. Phew.

June 21
St. Matthew's
Summer playdate at the school.

June 22
Garage Mahal
Andy cleaning up and kids pumping air into their heads. Whatever keeps them entertained (within reason).

June 23

Attic
They (Andy and the kids) made me a thread and bobbin holder!

June 24
Otter Cove
Swinging. Yep, that's what's happening.

June 25
Otter Cove
Reading stories with Bitner.

June 26
LGBG
More splash padding. Can you tell I'm losing steam with my captions?

June 27
Front Yard
When we went to Little Rock in April, it seemed like every other house had a swing like this, including Mimi. We got one and it is fantastic! For all ages, except I get motion sick real easily apparently.

June 28
LGBG
We go to the garden all the time if you haven't noticed so it's hard to believe that there were still areas yet to be discovered (by us) like this archway/jungle gym. I'm sure it's not meant to be hung on, but it sure kept them busy.

June 29
QA Parking Lot
Someone's trash. Our treasure. Or at least, our find.

June 30
Front Yard
So excited to see a tiny watermelon on the vine in our garden. We didn't attempt much this year, but maybe we will get to enjoy a little bit of fruit from our yard!