May

Here are some fun pictures from a trip to the park. 

 Jen gave Rachel this cute dress.

 I'm always trying to get a cute picture of them together!

 On Memorial Day Weekend we went to Chincoteague Beach 

with the Johnsons and the Stevensons. We've done this for a 

few years in a row. The Roanes couldn't make it this year.

Anney and Amy represented the Johnson family. The kids

loved the beach! Seems like 4 and 2 are perfect ages for a 

fun couple hours at the beach. Sadly, our camera didn't make

it to the beach with us.

Easter Eggs

Dying Easter eggs is one of our favorite holiday activities. Rachel loves it, and Cole got in on the action too this year. He's sporting a pretty sweet alligator tat from a friend's birthday party.

April

In April we...

 Wore lots of cute clothes.

 Went to the zoo.

 Saw cute baby lions!

  Tried to take pictures with Roxie and Mason.

 

We went to the opening of a Cafe Rio in Maryland
and actually got a cute picture of the kids!

 Slept soundly.

 Enjoyed every last lick of ice cream.

 And had fun doing it.

Rachel's ballet class

Rachel took a ballet class in the spring through park and rec. She really liked it, although her favorite part was when they got to run around the room. But doesn't she look sweet in her little skirt? The skirt was her second favorite part of the class. 

Cole

I was looking back through our old pictures and found these cute ones of Cole from March 2011. 

I wish I could sleep like this!

 He went through a reading stage. This was his little reading corner.

 Cookie time!

 If only he knew how close the the ground his little toes are.

Ratto visit

Matt's parents came to visit in February. The weather was chilly, but we still ventured outside one morning to go to Gravelly Point. It is an area right next to the Reagan airport where you can watch planes fly right over you as they take off. Cole liked watching the planes and Rachel liked running around. I enjoyed dreaming of hot chocolate.

We also went to the Air and Space museum. They had a plane the kids could go in, which Rachel was pretty pleased with. She was getting tired of just looking at planes.
We also got delicious fish and chips, cupcakes, bbq from our favorite bbq restaurant, Willards, and pecan pie (not all on the same day). I recently realized that I can ask for extra whipped cream (I always want more than restaurants serve) and it has really changed my life. Matt brought the pecan pie home and this is the whipped cream they gave him when he asked for extra:

It was heavenly. Why did it take me so long to realize you can ask for more?

January and February Happenings

Cole discovered Dad's cowboy hat.

And an oven mitt.

And read some books in our book corner.

Rachel got covered in mustard. I wish you could see it better, it is all over her face and dress. I have a tendency to get mustard all over me whenever I eat a hot dog, so I know where she gets it from.

Matt and I traded babysitting with some of our friends and got to go to Myrtle Beach, SC without the kids for 6 days! This was the view from our lovely Mariott Hotel.
We saw tons of "Bargain Beachwear" stores there. Finally we went in one to see if there really was nothing over $5.99. Spoiler alert: there were quite a few things over 5.99. Afterwards we saw the fine (very fine) print on the sign that said "certain sections only". Every store has certain sections with everything under 5.99, right? What made this store special? At least we satisfied our curiosity.
The trip was so great, I'm really happy we got to go. Matt's parents visited at the end of February, but I'll leave that for a different post.