Spring Break Zoo Trip!

Today, my friend Whitney and I decided to take the kids (hers: Annie and Gabe, 3 and 2) to a cute little zoo about a half hour from Roanoke called the Natural Bridge Zoo. It's the kind of zoo where you can feed/pet a lot of the animals, and we were a little nervous about losing the two-year-old boys at most points during the trip, but everything (including a picnic lunch) went pretty smoothly.

"Charlotte! Come here and stick your head out of the hippo's mouth like it's eating you!"

Feeding the goats

Charlotte, talking and gesticulating, which is all the time ;)

Jonah liked the idea of feeding the animals, but not the actual physical interaction with the animals.

Taking bear pictures (with Gabe running through the foreground)

For two seconds while Whit was grabbing our lunches, I got all four kids on the hippo. We will love this pic when they are teenagers.

Of course, the water pump by the picnic area was extremely exciting for the boys.

Jonah, practicing his alligator wrestling

No, the children did not make it home awake. I know they're tired when Charlotte gets up from her nap to use the bathroom and goes back to sleep. Hope y'all like the pictures!!

January

Coloring together (before Jonah started eating the markers) 

He'll make a great dad. :)

So, we took the rail off of Jonah's crib. And this is how we found him sleeping the first night.

And this is how he's been sleeping lately.

Charlotte decided to play with Daddy's work keys.

See? She wrote her name and drew a picture of herself, just like Mommy and Daddy's school ID badges.

We went to this free indoor event in a mall this weekend. Here, Charlotte and Jonah are riding the Thomas train together.

So big, it deserves its own post!

Charlotte gave the Chik-Fil-A cow three high fives and a hug on Saturday. After three years of having to check on weekdays to make sure that the cow isn't in Chik-Fil-A before the whole family comes into the restaurant, finally, she has conquered her fear.

While Daddy's Making Dinner

Jonah reading, "Hulk 'Mash!!"

Charlotte got a little toy poodle out of the treasure box today. Here is its elaborate setup in the hallway.

Catching Up a Little...

New haircut, new dress, new boots - ready for church on a COLD Sunday....

Blowing bubbles in below zero temperatures to see if they would freeze...they did as they were blowing away :(

Our menu for the week, Mom. I know you're always looking for something to make for dinner. 

New Year's Eve Hijinks

I didn't even think about how appropriate his shirt was until I rewatched this video...haha!

This last one wasn't taken today, but it's a bonus video for you all for being so patient with me this semester. Happy New Year, y'all!

Christmas Pictures

So, I've been looking at all of the pictures on my camera, and there are a lot. <sigh> Hopefully now that my class is over, this will get easier. We'll see.

The traditional family Christmas picture

Charlotte being Charlotte 

Hanging out

Charlotte with her press-on nails

My dad handing out the gifts

Wii U Party

Jonah bonding with Uncle Charlie

Jonah says, "Merry Christmas!"

She liked this much more than it seems; the ideal time for the photo had passed

What's this?

Group dance session

Charlotte dancing with Granddad

It was great to see you, Mom, Dad and Charlie. We love you and hope you had a great Christmas!!