The Anderson Adventures

Week by week

We have a pretty set routine during the week. On Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays, DD is in preschool. Now that the weather is nice, DS & I will walk to pick her up & we'll go through historic Roswell on our way home & people watch. DD will tell us all about her day... what she did & who she played with. Once home, we will have quiet/nap time. Then we'll play some & DD will help me get dinner ready for the boys.

On Wednesdays, DD has gymnastics. Afterwards, onn nice, sunny days, we will play in the park & have a picnic lunch. If the weather doesn't co-operate, we'll go home & read quietly or play dressup.

On Fridays, we have a regular Friday playdate with 3 wonderful women & their wonderful children.

Weekends are another story. There is no set agenda... but we try to have fun family time (in between running errands). Last weekend, for example, the kids & I headed to North Carolina to visit Grandma Helen, GrandBob, Biffy & Benji.

We went to the Apple Festival & DD flew a kite for the very first time. After a few false starts...

DD gets the kite up & running!

while DS looks on in anticipation...

Freedom...

This weekend, we cut DS's hair. Before...

...and after. Totally rocking the mohawk!

We also took a family trip to BerryPatch Farms. We looked at the farm animals, picked out some pumpkins & went on a hayride.

The perfect pumpkin!

Posted at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A brief visit

Grammy & Grampy Anderson & Auntie Lisa came for a very brief visit on Sunday. It was the first time that Auntie Lisa had met DS.

I wish we had family closer. DS is one... and there are members of our family who have yet to meet him. We're lucky though, DD & DS do get to see lots of relatives... Grammy, Grampy & Lisa. This weekend, the kids & I are going to NC to visit Grandma, GranBob, Biffy & Benji.

Posted at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Too cool for school

Last week, DD chose this outfit to wear to school (many thanks to Grandma Lynda for the t-shirt & awesome legwarmers!).

Her face still has the rash from a really high fever she had. Earlier in the week (Sept. 13), she looked like this.

DS seems to have caught the rash, but not the fever. Go figure.

He is such a happy boy.

Posted at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Holding Hands

I love baby hands... so dimpled & chubby. Over the past three years, I've taken numerous pictures of DD's hand in my hand.

The other day, I went to hold DD's hand and she linked fingers with me. It struck me as such a huge thing. Her hand is now big enough to hold my hand.

I've started the same tradition with DS.

One day (too soon), he will hold my hand. For now, I am content that he takes my fingers when he wants to be close.

Posted at 05:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The first of many first weeks

It is the end of DD's first week of school. The first week of many more first weeks of school to come for both DD & DS. I was more nervous then she was... I don't know why! She's in Mrs. Douglas' class at Roswell Presbyterian Preschool. It's great that she already knows 5 of the kids in her class. Jack, from th summer Creative Play & Carson, Stuart, Tate & Sara Anne from her preschool class last year.

DS was noticibly less happy with DD's return to school...or maybe he wasn't happy about having his picture taken. Hmmm... maybe it was the squishing grip DD had on his chest...

Posted at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hats

DS loves to explore the kitchen cabinets. Most days, when I am preparing dinner, he will be opening & shutting them, getting out the pots & pans, dishes, tupperware & colendars.

Of course, DD has to get in on the fun!

My little darlings!

Posted at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MawMawwwwwww

I have no idea where DD picked up this expression. All I know is that at some time during our recent trip to Canada, she switched from Mummy to MawMawwwwwwww. It was really sweet & cute for about a day. I know I will miss her saying it when she doesn't anymore, but right now the "awwwwwww" in THAT tone (those of you with 3 year olds know the tone I mean, kinda half whine half demand) is driving me insane... please, nobody tell me "AWWWWW, how cute!".

DD & DS sitting pretty on their first flight together (Canada, Aug. 19th, 2011).

The last time I was in Canada with DD, she was just a year old.

DD & Nathan are just so darn cute... awwwww!

DD is so much more comfortable with Naya & Lilly.

Growing up, my sister & spent alot of time at Dayton Park. It had a run-down wooden structure that the teenagers hung out on, a smaller playstructure with a wooden bridge (I remember a friend broke her arm on it, but not the friends name) & an overgrown baseball diamond that was turned into a skating rink in the winter.

DD & DS spent alot of time in the much improved Dayton Park. It has two awesome playstructures, swingsets, a splashpad, a huge field & a community garden. Each time we went, we met new people & chatted with the children & parents. It was so lovely to be able to walk 5 minutes to the park.

While in Canada, Grandma took us to visit Aunt Audrey & Big Dave. They live in Iroquois, which is only about an hour drive from Ottawa. We ended up taking the scenic route... it took almost 3 hours. However, it was a lovely drive along the St. Lawrence River and well worth it once we got to the "farm".

DD & Nathan on the playstructure.

DD takes the time to go apple picking.

The chase is on!

DS just watches, amazed at the crazy antics of his sister & cousin.

Taking a break... Nichole, Nathan, DD and DS.

Grandma & DS.

Grandma with her best friend, Auntie Audrey.

Rachael & Grandma took us to the Papanack Park Zoo... it was an adventure! I had no idea there was such a cool place so close to Ottawa!

DD loved feeding the animals (with some encouragement from Auntie Rachael)...

...and cousin Nichole.

After feeding the animals, we had a picnic lunch & the kids got to run around on the playground. We then spent some more time watching the monkeys & lions, tigers & bears (oh my!).

It was so wonderful to see family. It's so hard living so far from them!

Posted at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Party Pictures

On Sunday, we celebrated DD's third birthday at the East Roswell Sprayground. The kids had so much fun playing under the fountains.

Bailey

The birthday girl enjoying her gummy fruits. She loves these & will ask for them by asking for a "goody bag". It took JB & I awhile to figure out what she meant by that, but now we know!

Uncle Jon places a party hat on DD while Sidney, Cousin Bailey & DS look on.

Getting ready to blow out the birthday candle.

The first thing DD did once I took off the candle, was smash her face into the cupcake to take a big bite of the icing... the result...

It seems that most of the kids had the same idea!

Kara and Bryson Bjurmark

Brian, Samantha & Winston

Ian Wood

Billy Russell

Maggie & Bea Daly

Alex & Luke Clement

Wendy & Pierce Edwards

It was a wonderful party! We are so lucky to have so many good friends!

Posted at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Happy Birthday Evelyn!!

My darling daughter turned three today. THREE.

This photo is from the very first time I held her in my arms... it's not a very good picture, but it captures how I felt perfectly. So much love, awe, fear, pride... I still get choked up when I look at it today.

How can something so small take over your life so completely??

How can something so small complete you so completely??

My darling daughter. Perfect then...

...and now.

She loves gummy bears & skittles, but always asks for a banana when we shop at Target. She'd rather wear pants then skirts so she can "go on the bars" at the gym, but she still loves her princess dresses. Her favorite color is pink, but she'd rather play with trucks & trains then dolls. She is rambunctious & busy & full of life... but she always has time to sit still for a cuddle. She is my world.