Ok we have no socks in this post. (It is too hot). But we do have a box. We got a bunch of things all at once from Amazon in a big box. So our dollies now have their own house in our living room. As you can see it has been expertly decorated (Caroline had her friend Ruthie over earlier today to help). Sadly the table for the dolls doesn't fit in the house. But, I am told that they are sitting in their back yard. I'm not sure why one of them is sleeping on the roof.
We made a family trip down to the Botanical Gardens (right by the Capitol) this morning. There are inside an outside portions. I had been inside during the winter but hadn't been to the outside gardens before. So we made the trek downtown. The inside jungle area has a very high ceiling, with a walkway near the top. So Caroline and I went around while Jack stayed with Anna. Caroline was particularly impressed with the large leaves on the tropical plants. We then went outside and enjoyed the rose garden on a particularly lovely day where it was only about 85 degrees out. Hooray for being able to be outside without needing a shower 2 minutes after you step outside!
(As an aside, Caroline does have eyes under that hair. She has decided that she is tired of bangs so we are growing them out. She's in the hard--I can't get them to stay back because they are too short but they are too long to see stage).
We went out west yesterday for a fun time with our friends the Robertsons. We went peach picking (and blackberries, squash and tomatoes). We now have all sorts of peach recipes all over the kitchen. The girls ran all over the peach orchard and pulled down a good number of peaches themselves. (Caroline bruised the ones she had in her own little bag beyond recognition but she had fun). We had a picnic afterwards overlooking the Blue Ridge. The kids got in the red wagon. The girls ran around. All in all it was a great time.
Of course, we got home late and no one had naps. So things devolved a bit at our house in the evening. But the hilarious part was when Caroline hit her head (no, that isn't the funny part) while I was trying to fill the baby bathtub in the bathroom upstairs. I turned off the water (I thought) and urged downstairs to apply frozen peas to the bump. Imagine my surprise when I heard a squish, squish when I walked into the bathroom later when the peas had remedied the bump. Yep, water not totally off. Baby bath overflowing all over. That's right--1/4 inch of water all over the floor. On the bright side, I used a soapy cloth to get the last of it up. Our bathroom floor is now REALLY clean.
All in all a fun day.
Anna, after realizing she could reach the playmat friends with her feet went on a kicking spree. (We will teach her not to kick her friends later--after she learns to sit up, eat food and, all importantly, how to control her appendages). After all that excitement she passed out but continued to occasionally wave an arm or leg in the general direction of the elephant and lion in her sleep.
The girls sure do like their Daddy (and what's not to like?). He is perfecting the art of dual story time here.
This picture reminds me of Saturdays when I was little...time with Daddy outside "working". I think Caroline is actually getting more done than I ever did. She hasn't taken 18 breaks or tried to hide a book outside so she can read it when she is supposed to be working. :)
This week was VBS week for our church. Caroline has had a blast. They have been learning all about God's promises, like He cares for us or He saves. The theme was an island one (Promise on Adventure Island). So I contributed by making the slightly off center life preservers at the top of this picture. (I thought of Scott because making them involved covering things with colored duct tape). I also helped iron the transfers onto the shirts. Caroline confirmed that they were "pretty." She has also learned that friends can lower people with Hirt legs down from a hole in the roof. That story required a little clarification at home that it is only appropriate when Jesus is on the first floor. (Baby dolls at our house have had some seriously hurt legs subsequently). She had a great week and is very upset to lean that fun "church school" won't happen every day.
Caroline and I decided to start our Olympic watching run by inviting over some friends. I got blankets out on the floor and the three little girls all laid out and watched. They didn't make it all the way through, but it was fun through the "C" countries. The next morning Caroline and I had a rather unorthodox breakfast of popcorn and mango pie while watching more Olympics. I think this is going to be a fun time!
