Leesburg Animal Park Christmas Wonderland

Every Christmas we try to do one activity as a family that is out-of-the-ordinary.  This year we took a trip to the Leesburg Animal Park for their Christmas Wonderland.  It was wonderful.  The kids started in the craft room and made Christmas ornaments.

Then they went outside to see all the Christmas lights and play on the train. 

They had so many things to climb on!

We always love to feed the animals!

 

 

Happy 10th and Happy 6th Rita & Ellen!

We tried something new and rented out the sportsplex for Rita and Ellen's birthday in November.  Easiest birthday party ever!  The kids played soccer and dodge ball and then went in to have snacks and celebrate.  The staff was super helpful and lead all the games.  They also helped with the younger siblings. 

Happy birthday girls!

Thanksgiving 2015 recap

We had a wonderful thanksgiving trip to the Midwest to visit friends and family.

First stop was our college friends the Baileys!  We stayed at their house for a few night in Ohio on our way north.  They have four precious daughters and the kids had a BLAST together.  We told a lot of stories from college, had great food, and shopped. 

 

Pam does a much better job taking photos and she did a great recap on her blog. 

TO SEE THOSE PHOTOS CLICK HERE.

 

The babies Janey and Marta

 

John rounding up the troops!

Then we were off to Michigan to visit family for a few days.  These are the only two photos I got but my sister in law blogged about it on her blog.

 

CLICK HERE to read her blog - much better photos.

12 hour car trips are always a test of patience but also build great memories.

Happy Thanksgiving memories!

Happy Halloween 2015

Pumpkin Carving Class at Ritz Carlton with a torch!!

Chef Phil had so much fun with Sam and his friends.  Sam learned some great techniques.



And then our old neighbors texted me and said we were in the Washington Post the next morning!!

Halloween night - all ready to Trick or Treat!

The girls were bugs!

 

The bugs and a shark

 

Marta - our sweet ladybug!

 

 This age is so much fun. 

They slowly figure out that knocking on doors = candy.

 

Grace and her friend Caroline got quite a haul!!

More November 2015

Adrienne is engaged!  We couldn't be more thrilled for her.  Adrienne helped us during my 6th pregnancy with Marta.  She was a life saver and we loved getting to know her. 

Especially Ellen loves her!

Grace serving in volleyball.  She played a great season of volleyball and had a winning team! 

Marta (in the yellow sweater) loves her weekly class called Little Lambs.  She is only one but she loves snack and story time!

Our morning routine always includes puzzles.

Rita had an awesome soccer season with a winning team. 

We loved it when they played in the rain and Coach Todd used the Hello Kitty umbrella.

Team Party at the pizza shop!

Rita is with with her best friend Charlotte and Greta.

Grace tried out for cheerleading at school and made the Middle School Cheer Squad.

We were so proud of her for practicing and performing her cheer by herself in front of the coaches.

She wasn't sure she was going to make it when the coaches made all the girls leave the gym.  But when she walked back in, she saw her poms on the ground with the nametag below. 

She just beamed!

Grace with some of the her cheer team.

Clara and Marta are such fun little buddies at lunch.

Clara makes everything fun around the house.

I was able to go in for Ellen's Thanksgiving feast in Kindergarten. 

What a treat!

After Halloween, we always enjoy smashing the pumpkins on the overpass! 

We kept laughing and laughing.

November 29 marked Rita's 10th birthday.  Instead of cake this year, she got a beautiful assortment of cookies from the local bakery.  We celebrated her birthday a few times this year!

What a great number - 10!