Family Comes to Visit

We've had lots of good things around our house lately and there will be lots of blog posts to catch up with once I've got all the pictures edited.  But to start with my mom and sisters came out for a visit.  Mostly they we're here as slave labor, I mean, they generously offered to help me pack up the house for our upcoming move.  They got so much packed up!  I did treat them to a morning out at Longwood Gardens.  And it was lots of fun just to catch up with my sisters again.  I'm so glad they could come visit!

Spring is Here!

It seems like spring has taken forever to come.  Last year for Easter our tulips and daffodils were already in bloom and this year they're finally showing up.  I love seeing all the blooms and everything coming alive again.  We went this last week to Longwood to see their Spring Blooms Festival with Shawna and Aubrey.  It was so beautiful!  I'm really going to miss having Longwood as a getaway from the city.

Orchid Festival 2015

I've really, really, really wanted to go to the Orchid Festival at Longwood.  It started a few days before I was due with Evelyn, but it's too far of a drive while I was that far along.  And then Evy's been too little to go out in public.  Finally this last week, I thought I might have this parenting-two-kids-thing down enough that I could venture a trip.  I had my friend Shawna and her daughter Aubrey come with us.  It was a great day to go and see the festival.  Orchids are one of my favorite flowers and it's so amazing to see the creative ways Longwood has them on display.  Thanks for going with us Shawna and Aubrey!

Longwood Christmas 2014

I'm going to miss our Christmas tradition of going to Longwood.  It's one of the things I look forward to every year.  This year Longwood had a birds theme and it was so fun to see all of the variations on that theme.  Nathan loved seeing the lights and would point out, "Red lights!" and , "Green lights!" to us.  It was so fun to see his enthusiasm.

Fall at Longwood Gardens

This time at Longwood we tried something a little different.  There's a couple hundred acres of meadow in Longwood that we haven't ever explored.  But the beautiful fall colors were calling me to go take a look.  We hiked around until we found this leaf strewn path that just demanded to be played in.  Nathan did so quite obligingly.

It was also Longwood's mum festival while we were there so we did see that as well while we were there.

And don't forget the trains.  We had to stop to see those too.

I seriously love seeing the wonder in his face.

What are we going to do when we move away and can't go to Longwood anymore?

Weekend Fun

Awhile back, Brad was busy studying for his Boards Part II and NERB exam.  We decided it would be best to give Brad some time home alone to study.  Well, my friend Kylie was home alone for the weekend while her husband was out of town.  We decided to hangout the for the weekend.  On Friday, we took our boys to the Philly Zoo.  Both of the boys loved it.  It was a pretty awesome day at the zoo.  All the animals were out to play.  Nathan got face to face with a lion and was chasing and roaring after him.  The monkeys and orangutans were swinging on their playground.  I've always wanted to see polar bears swimming and I finally got to see it!

On Saturday, we went out to Longwood Gardens.  The boys were very good for the excursion and loved pointing out water.  We also took Nathan and Russell to the Children's Garden.  The boys got soaked in all the fountains!  They loved it!  Good thing we both brought extra clothes for the boys to change into.

I'm glad we could spend our weekend with our friends.  I love seeing these two boys playing together.  And it looks like the solitary study time for Brad paid off.  He got the results for Boards Part II and he passed!

Spring Blooms Festival

Last year I missed all the tulips at Longwood.  This year I was determined to see them.  Nathan and I made a little trip out to see all of the spring flowers and we enjoyed our little mommy and son day out together.

We're So Glad When Grandma Comes

We're so lucky that Brad's mom was able to come visit us a few weekends ago.  I was still getting over being sick with a nasty flulike bug and Janet was getting over having pneumonia so we kept our plans pretty low key.  Nathan loved playing with Grandma.  Janet had been worried that Nathan would be a little standoffish after not seeing her since Christmas, but from the moment she walked through the door to the moment we dropped her off at the airport Nathan wanted to be playing with Grandma.  Nathan especially loved being Grandma's special helper when we made banana bread.

We did make one venture out to Longwood.  They have their orchid festival going on which is my favorite.

We took Nathan to the children's garden where they have lots of water works for the kids to play in.  Nathan had the time of his life.  I brought a long sleeved bib hoping to minimize him getting wet.  It was no use.  He was so in love with playing in the water that he was soaked all the way to his shoes.  Good thing I still brought an extra set of clothes.

"Look Mom, no feet!"

We're glad Janet could come and spend some time with us.  We love her visits!