Vader lives Here.

Darth Vader lives in Maryland.



You've been warned.

He's SO proud.

He's so proud of the latest piece of decor for his room that I couldn't help but snap a photo on my phone and share it on Facebook.

I'm pretty stoked too because it means that we're only waiting on one more item to be ready before it can all be hung up on the walls and presented as a completed room! ♥

An Egg Hunt {or two}

We weren't going to go outside today. While the kids were still napping, it was raining. It stopped before Ellie woke up, but at that point, Noah was already back into his costume and Ellie was on her way to being so as well. But a knock on the door from the kids' favorite new friend, Josef, sent them scrambling to get dressed to join in a little play time fun and an Easter egg hunt at his house.

They were so excited. But as soon as Ellie saw the slide in the backyard... Easter egg hunting for her was over.

Until we moved the hunting party to the front yard.

Checking out the treats.

Like mother like son! :D

And, waiting for them when we got home, another package from the Oklahoma crew... with more eggs to hunt and open. Thanks ya'll! ♥

Need to Remember

It feels like, half the time these days, I only remember to grab my camera when we go outside. It's not that we haven't been doing things, but it's that I've been so busy doing them that I forget to stop and take a photo... and enjoy the moment. I'm hoping to redmedy that soon. I'm also hoping that I'll be back to regular posting soon too!

But, until then, enjoy the photos from our time outside today in the semi-warm weather!

Lazy Sunday

We didn't leave the house today.

And the only person who changed out of their pajamas? Noah... to change into his Captain America costume.

My favorite thing that happened today? Ben and Noah making cookies.

Yumm-o.

Washington DC | The Cherry Blossoms

There are several items on my "unofficial bucket list", both in general and for while we are here in Maryland. One thing that I've always wanted to do {particularly since my Oklahoma Close-up days in high school and college} was to see, first-hand, the Cherry Blossom trees in Washington DC in full bloom.

Today, we did just that.

The kids were definitely most excited about the prospect of riding the "underground train". We almost didn't go, due to the rain that we were having here, but we did anyway and hoped that it wouldn't be raining in DC.

When we first got there, there was no rain, lots of trees in full bloom, and, of course, lots of people, especially around the tidal basin.

But the blooms! Oh. Perfect. And the petals falling all around you while you walked? Magical. {I might have also used the word romantic to Ben... who totally made fun of me.}

Just after we had someone snap this photo for us, the sprinkles started. Which was fine, of course. We hadn't planned to spend long walking around. So we headed back towards the Metro station.

But along the way, had to stop for a quick snack. In the rain.

We even made it back to Largo in time for lunch!

The Sun Shines 24 Hours A Day.

One of the kids' favorite things from their Easter package? Their new sunglasses. They both wore them all morning and even took them outside when we went to ride bikes and scooters.

Because when you are cool, the sun shines on you, twenty-four hours a day.

We also finished up our paintings for the stairwell down to the playroom. Ellie's is on the left {and should be turned to the side} and Noah's is on the right {and is upside down}. I'll give you one guess who Noah told me he painted. ;)

Thursday {in ALL phone photos!}

The kids seem to always know when a package in the mail is for them. And they get SO giddy about it too. An Easter package arrived for them from the crew in Oklahoma and oh-my-goodness, were they just so anxious and excited to get to open it.

Thanks for our goodies! ♥

Truly, the big event of the day, was when we had our neighbors over for dinner... and Ben noticed a TICK on my neck! I about died. We had seen a couple out in the yard {and on a couple of the neighbor kids} this past weekend, but I hadn't seen any on the kids or myself. Until tonight. How he made it to my neck and how I didn't feel it {even after he, ahem, attached!} is beyond me. Brett kindly took a photo with his phone... I told him it was going on the blog. Ben is convinced that the kids will both have one before the end of the summer - we do kind of live in a forest, after all. But I'm hoping not. One is more than I can handle!

{Wordless} Wednesday

Pain'ing

The kids and I have been working on the decor for their rooms. My first priority has been Noah's room, mostly because I already know exactly what I want to do in there and Ben wants to be the lead designer Ellie's room. But Ellie has been feeling a little left out of all the "pain'ing" that has been going on, so I let her work on a canvas for her room while we were outside today. We've also been working on some for the playroom, so the kids have really been getting lots of extra art time... particularly pain'ing art-time.

I don't think either of them are complaining. ♥

Oh. my. soul.

Creating {Together}

Ellie and I left Ben and Noah at home this morning to go do a little shopping and while we were gone, Ben sent me this photo:

They finally put together another one of Noah's Lego sets from Christmas. Personally, I wish I could have seen them chasing each other all over the house with it!


I know I still haven't posted photos of our actual house and rooms. And I think my current plan is just to photograph and show the rooms as I finish them. One room that I am most anxious to finish? Noah's Superhero room. I had always told myself I wouldn't do a character room for the kids, but holy cow, this has been fun. Today I covered two lamps for his room.


He. was. ECSTATIC.

Riding Down the Hill

At least the kids are wearing their helments.

Friday Fun

We've been attempting potty training around these parts. And by attempt, I mean Ellie sits on the potty and won't use it, but as soon as her underwear is back on, she has an accident. She hasn't peed in the potty once. But likes to bring me her wet {or otherwise} diapers after she soils them.

{sigh.}

After an unproductive potty morning and fun times cleaning the floor, I decided it was a McDonald's picnic in the living room for lunch type day. And who can resist when a sweet little four-year old politely asks for a happy meal?

Not me, to be sure.

After naps, we went outside to play and per Noah's {polite!} request, I drew them a race track... which lucky for Ben and I, wore. them. out.

♥

Overheard | This Week

While in the car, listening to Shine FM {our local Christian radio station}:

N: "Mommy, I want to listen to VeggieTales."

Me: "We'll listen to VeggieTales in a little while. I like this song."

N: "What's this song about?"

Me: "It's about when Jesus comes back to Earth."

N: "Oh yeah! And when He does, I'm going to go play with him and give Him a big hug!"


***

E: "Hey, I have an idea!"

Me: "Oh yeah? What is your idea?"

E: "It's a idea!"

***


Every night, before they go to bed, I ask the kids what their favorite part of the day was, my favorite answers from this week:

E: "Playn' wif tha kids."

N: "Playing Nerf guns with Daddy. And snuggling with you."

Wordless Wednesday | Outside

Eight.

Eight Years.

Seems like more, seems like less. And it is has definitely flown by. Particularly this past year. We had a very low-key anniversary this year, but it was great, none-the-less. Dinner at Outback {and the kids behaved} and Downton Abbey {after the kids went to bed}, all with my favorite guy.

I couldn't ask for more.

Happy 8th Anniversary, my Most Dearest One.

I love you, most.

"Let's Go Ou'side!"

We finally got to really play outside this afternoon. The kids were ever so happy to get to ride on toys and play with the sidewalk chalks. We even were visited by some of our neighbors - the kids were so happy to meet a new friend, making it the highlight of their time outside.

Orange Soda Friend

Ben and Noah went grocery shopping this afternoon while Ellie and I stayed home {and she slept!}. Ben sent me this photo of Noah talking to his orange soda.

Gotta love that silly kiddo.

Philadelphia | The Liberty Bell & The Franklin Institute

Back in mine and Ben's BC {before children} days, we took a little trip or a getaway for our anniversaries. Among my favorite trips were DisneyLand and our first Anniversary trip to Ft. Worth. Since having children, our trips have turned into date nights and last year, into a stay-cation. This year, since we don't really have any babysitters lined up yet, I decided that we needed to do a little family day trip for our anniversary. So this morning, we headed to Philadelphia, PA. It's only about an hour, hour and a half north of us and was a relatively easy drive with the kids {Noah was anxious to get to the museum and asked if nearly every building on the way there was it}. I loved it because all before 9 am, I had been in three different states, two of which I had never stepped foot {or tire} in before today!

Our first stop was Independence Historical Park. We parked, got the stroller loaded up, and eventually made it over to the Visitor's Center. After realizing that you don't have to have a ticket to see the Liberty Bell {just Independence Hall}, we got in line and tried to stay warm. Once inside, we walked through the exhibit and then made it back to the Liberty Bell itself.

Seriously, it's one of the coolest and amazing things I've ever laid eyes on. And I love that my own eyes are looking at something that our own founding fathers looked at as well.

I'm pretty certain the kids were not nearly as impressed as I was.

We headed back to the car {and unfortunately found a parking ticket - those darn signs are so hard to understand sometimes!} and started the trek over to The Franklin Institute. Admittedly, I probably didn't do the best at planning, making sure we knew exactly where to park, but we made it there. And ate lunch there as well. :/

Attached to The Franklin Institute is The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial. Both of the kids were in awe of the statue.


One of our favorite parts of the trip was the Dinosaur Exhibit. We had originally only purchased tickets for Ben and Noah to go through, but upon asking the lady who admits people through where the exhibit ended so we would know where to meet them, she let Ellie and I go through for free! It was most definitely because she thought Ellie was cute {she said so!}. I'm glad she did because the kids were so very excited about the dinosaur bones and their {slightly terrified} reactions to the "real" dinos were priceless.


While Ben and Noah went through the train exhibit, a tired Ellie and I stood in line for the planetarium. I don't think I've been in one since my planetarium course in college {yeah for my Monday night girls!}! Definitely another highlight of the trip for everyone.

After the planetarium, we went back to the train exhibit and amazingly enough, I found an awesome little spot with some pretty natural light to grab a couple of portraits of my mostly-happy-to-oblige kids. The only thing I could have asked for was my reflector {which I had left in the car - boo}!

Another highlight of the museum was the "Air Show" - I'm not sure who enjoyed themselves more, Ben or Noah!

The last exhibit we saw before we left for dinner was the heart exhibit. The kids {nor I} really wanted to climb in the big heart, but they did enjoy playing in these veins. Personally, I alternated between being completely freaked out at how disturbing it is and completely grateful for Daddy-Man's amazing cardiologist.

We ended our little day trip to Philadelphia with dinner at Maggiano's. The food was superb, dessert was divine, and the kids were well-behaved and actually ate their dinner - we couldn't have planned it better if we tried!

We dressed the kids in their pj's once we got back to the car and by the time we made it home, I was the only one awake! ♥