The best thing about Florida...

One of the best things about Florida is that people come visit all the time!  We live close to disney and such.  We recently got to have dinner with Nick's old advisor and another professor from his committee.  We were close to both, often having lunch with them, and they came down to Orlando for a conference.  It was great to catch up.  Nick's Aunt Tracy and Uncle Bruce also came down and spent a couple of nights with us before visiting friends nearby and going to the beach.  And a graduate school friend came down with her family and we all went to Legoland.  We actually got Florida resident annual passes, so we will be going a bunch more, especially once the water park opens,

First, some catch up stuff.  I like country music, so I sometimes play it in the car instead of kids place live.  Both the girls have songs that they love.  Sam loves the new Miranda Lambert one, Mama's broken heart.

Zoey loves Florida-Georgia line's Shine on.  It is not my favorite song, but it is really cute when she pipes up with "Shine on" from the back seat. She did not sing along that much in the video, but you can get the idea.

Sam is pretty creative.  She recently used a basket for a crib while playing baby.  

Of course, Zoey wanted in on the action.  They shared for a bit, but then I pulled out another basket and blanket.

Here are the picture from Aunt Tracy and Uncle Bruce.  Both girls loved playing with Uncle Bruce and took very well to Aunt Tracy.  In fact, she often had to hold both their hands as we walked.  They got in Sunday evening and the girls (and Nick and I) got spoiled by generous gifts and we all went to Red Elephant.  Monday, Sam had the day of school so we had a huge breakfast and went to feed the ducks and swans, walk around downtown and then had lunch.  Zoey had a nap, Nick went to work, and my parents joined us for a pulled pork dinner.  Tuesday we had a leisurely morning after Sam went to school and when they set off we picked up Sam and went to legoland.

Uncle Bruce feeding the birds.

 Sam feeding a duck that looked silly from molting.

This swan got super close.

Aunt Tracy had to hold Zoey, but she did throw bread.

Such fun.

We had such a great time.  Please come visit again.  Or hopefully we can make it your way!

Legoland was such fun.  I got a quick picture before they said one rider to horse and we had to go to the lower level to find 2.

Sam posed but Zoey said this guy was too big!

Riding on shoulders is a current favorite.

 The duplo areas were fun.

Zoey now will go up to things and say "Mama, look at me!  Take picture!"

Her silly pose.

Sam and Nick did this ride.

 He also took both girls on a truck one.  I rode the old cars with both.

And Sam and I rode this up and down ride.  She actually liked it.

The mini city was neat.  Technically a Vegas one, but Sam loves all things Parisian.

This was the local area.

St. Augustine, which Sam just read a book about.  We thought it was about the person at the library, but Zoey was about to pull things down so I did not look closely enough and it was about the founding of the city.  Very complex book with some advanced concepts like slavery, but we got through it and she passed her AR quiz!

She loved learning about the election and recognized the white house.

We also saw a neat ski show.

This weekend was super busy.  I ran by to get the veggies and then Mom, Dad, Sam, Zoey and I went to the place Sam takes ballet, Kelly Rec, for their open house.  Last year I won a drawing, but this year we just got the general free stuff.

Zoey said the saw was too big, but Sam went right up.

Sam took part in the ballet class demo.

She changed and got her face painted.  We then had to rush home and get Zoey a short nap before setting off for a friend's birthday party.

Zoey has been getting some gifts.  She loves "prepents".  A recent favorite has been the hello kitty light from my Aunt Eunice.  She carries it around and says it is crying and needs a bottle.  

I cannot believe she is two!  Time has flown, even faster for Zoey since we stay so busy.  I try to enjoy every moment.  Her party was today, but that post will come later.  Happy birthday to a sweet, clever, busy, cute, adorable, amazing girl.  We love you munchkin!

Rodeo Day

Sam's teacher is amazing and does such great things.  Here is Sam's 3 little pigs.

The best though was Rodeo Day.  They went all out.  Zoey and I came for the whole day (7:45-10:45).  My mom joined at about 8:30.  I was there to help, but Zoey was a handful, but there were a lot of parents.  This day was perfect since Sam wears her pink cow girl boots most everyday anyway.

The kids started the day like they usually do, by getting a sheet of paper to draw/write on.  Sam drew herself as a cowgirl on a horse.

 She had drawn this one previously and it was filled with popcorn.

They had made vests with rodeo numbers on the back.  Sam picked 5, which is my favorite number.  She is my mini-me.

The whole class.

This was by far the favorite of my girls.  Panning for gold.  The girl in the pink hat is Sam's current best friend, they are the only 2 girls in a class full of boys.

Zoey could not understand why she did not have her own horse on a stick.  Sam's teacher offered to let us borrow one from the afternoon class, but I was worried she might ruin it.  The day involved a lot of battle when Sam wanted or needed her horse back.

Sam doing the course.

What a fun day!

Valentine's Day

 I think you can really tell how busy we are by how often I update the blog.  It has been crazy lately, but I wanted to actually get something up for the last few weeks since all of Zoey's birthday stuff will need to be posted soon.

For Valentine's day we went to a cute photo booth playdate.  Zoey was not happy about the head band.

She cooperated a little better after I took it off.

She was actually ok with the head band before the photos when swinging, but really wanted it off a few second later.

Sliding is so much fun.

Sam with all their gifts.  

Sam wanted to take a picture of me.

My friend and I switched off kids for a few hours to give each other a chance to get stuff done.  It works well since her house is right by Sam's school.  Nick is also Zoey's best friend.  They had such fun but were so busy, so a few photos. They both loved the karaoke machine, but they ate the microphone.

They loved the sand table.

And they pretended to night-night.

More to come soon!

Happy birthday big girl!

Wow, I cannot believe my little girl is 5, a whole handful, half a decade!  Yikes!  She is a wonderful young lady.  She is amazing and definitely precocious.  She can read most anything and really enjoys it.  She can do addition and subtraction, even 2 digit numbers.  Her vocabulary is astounding.  Her imagination is impressive too.  She is also an amazing big sister.  So sweet to Zoey and so helpful to me.  I could not ask for a better kid.  

We tried to make her birthday very special.  You will notice the shrug she is wearing that she bought with birthday money.  

First was a special dinner on her birthday eve.  Since Nick has to work Monday nights until 9 or so, we all went out the night before.  Sam picked her favorite restaurant, Red Elephant.  She was delighted by the birthday dessert.

We let her use bread knives, but she really wanted to use the real knife.

A picture on the way out.

Then to Nana's and Papa's for a few gifts.

A few presents were waiting for her birthday morning.

Then Nana, Zoey, and I joined her at school for birthday cupcakes.  

Then, she ate a quick lunch in the car and I surprised her with her first professional manicure.  She was so cute.

Her purple glitter nails.

 We rushed home to open presents before Nick had to go to work.  Then, Nana, Papa, Zoey, Sam and I went out to Bob Evans.  They send free birthday kids meal cards and they sing to you.  She loved her smiley face sundae.

The singing.

 Happy birthday to a delightful, amazing, wonderful, incredible, astounding daughter!  I am estatic you are mine.