Field Trip Friday

Oh, how I loved our field trip today!  We went to the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the girls loved it.  I was surprised at how much time they spent in each gallery.  It was Anna's idea to bring notebooks to record "our findings."  They sketched their favorites in each room.  And when we came home they proudly showed daddy their own artwork. 

It was relaxing and a wonderful way to spend the afternoon with my girls. 







We ended up staying much longer than I thought they'd want to. So we ended up having lunch together in the Cafe. I only have applesauce and some crackers for Abigail, which she was fine with. Anna was delighted to be in such a fancy place for lunch.











My personal favorite in the museum. I think she looks a tiny bit like Abigail.



And... my favorite picture of Anna today. Love this one!



If I've learned one thing from our Friday Field Trips so far this summer it is this... a four and and eight year old can be stretched more than I thought. They're interested in so much more than I ever dreamed. I'm so very pleased with how much they've enjoyed the diversity of our trips. I suppose I never thought of these museums as activities for children. But they are. I can hardly wait until next Friday!

Vacation (part 1)

What a wonderful vacation together.  It was short, 5 days, but we soaked in every minute.  I adored just the four of us for 5 whole days.  When we're all together I'm so happy. 

This year we did some old favorites (storyland) and tried some new things (canoeing)

North  Conway, New Hampshire is a quaint mountain town.  We loved Main Street. 





Exploring the country stores... the girls could have done this for days!



Filled with syrup, penny candy, jams, and everything country. Do you know what they picked out? Although I don't have a picture, huge, homemade, scented bath balls and fizz in the tub! Girls!





And then this store. So cool.



Anna found a "grab bag" and just had to have one. I told her what it could possibly be filled with (cheap little stuff) she still had to have it. Did she see all of that penny candy once again? But she knew what she wanted and was delighted.





Just outside of town we found a road side stand for berries. So good!





Scott really found a great place for us to stay. The girls had their own bedroom and slept together. Adorable. We had a kitchen (necessary with Abigail's EE) and it was spacious.









Breakfast in the lobby was wonderful and a late afternoon "snack" quickly became enough for our dinner.  And we loved our late night swims in the pool. 

I can't forget another favorite part of this town... Lickity Split Ice cream.



We were a bit nervous stopping for ice cream since we've never done that as a family (with Abigails' EE). I was a bit edgy the whole time. I don't think I can ever relax at an ice cream place with Abigail. But she did just fine with her Italian Ice we brought for her. At one point she looked at Anna's cone and said very sincerely, "hey, that's not fair..." So we make it a family rule, only ice cream in a cup with a spoon so it looks like hers. It really IS unfair looking at Anna's huge chocolate cone.





They at under a playground each time!

This is the view from Lickily Split!







Lovely!

Movies

We love summer!  Every. Single.  Day!!!  I love that we have an empty calendar and get to decide what we want to do.  I love the Daddy has two full weeks off, lots of Fridays and on the days he works, walks in the door by 3:30.  I love listening to and watching sisters play.  I love that they have so much time together.  I love the pool club.  I love Field Trip Fridays.  I love reading to my girls oh so much.  I love every day! 

This weekend we had a first for Abigail.  The MOVIES!  This was her first time to the movie theatre.  Finally a G rated movie.  Winnie the Pooh was darling and perfect for her first time. 

Anna did not want my camera to come along and was certain that we would get in trouble for the two quick shots I took.  So I took the little camera and almost forgot how to take a picture with it.  Funny!





Anna laughed out loud so much during the movie that Scott and I kept shhhing her. She loved it! I'm so grateful that she's so "young". Abigail took the movie very seriously but loved it too. She loved her own little cup of popcorn (special non allergic that I brought from home) and a cup holder to keep it in. It's so much fun being with my girls.

The Cutest Tennis Player Ever!

Oh my goodness!  Abigail was so adorable at her very first tennis lesson.  We signed her up for some lessons this summer since she's old enough for the "tiny tots" class.  She looked (and was) so little on the court!  She was the only one and we were thrilled for her that her first lesson was one on one with a wonderful teacher.  Abigail didn't hesitate at all!  All morning long she kept telling me "mommy, I'm going to kick that ball so hard!"  "Abigail, that's soccer, you're going to play tennis today...." 

I dressed her in clothes that I had.  Imagine that this 4 year old was wearing a tennis skirt that I bought for Anna years ago size 12-18 mths?!  Tiny girl! 

Here she is right before her lesson...








Anna was so happy and excited for her little sister.




Tiny little girl on the court for the first time


A real first time hit! A bit blurry but I have to include a real hit!


Learning from her "coach"


She was beaming when she came off the court. "I loved tennis mommy! Thank you for taking me" (with all the enthusiasm she could have)


It was so hot that afternoon. Since tennis is at our pool I took her right in to cool off after. In the dressing room she couldn't stop thanking me for taking her. She loved the attention and doing something that her big sister does


Anna's turn. Even though she had lessons last summer she was hesitant to go on the court.




Her lesson was an hour. So while I took Abigail swimming (and watched her from the pool) Scott stood by the court.


Scott and I had so much fun watching our girls experience a sport that is so much a part of our lives.  Even though I could never learn Scott is a great player, and we both want the girls to love a lifelong sport.

New Favorite

A vacation photo.  (MUCH more to come!)  This is taken through the slats of a fence. Anna is going up in the roller coaster. (for like the third time!)

Friday Field Trip

We went on another Friday Field Trip!  Can you guess where we went? 





The New England Air Museum was cool (says Anna). Our Friday Field Trip starts at our awesome library. We pick up our passes for the day. (FREE field trips) And Anna picks out a ton of new books for her "summer stack". I've got to take a picture of that someday. She devours books. Yesterday she read 3 chapter books in one day! So our weekly library stops are necessary.

Here were are checking out the planes.









The girls got to go in a plane. It was funny. They know to look thrilled when the camera is pointed toward them, but I could tell that they were thinking, "okay, I'm done."





A fun place to visit. I'm already looking forward to next Friday. After counting up all of the places that we can go this summer (that are offered at our library) we might have to fit in more field trips in the fall. I wish school didn't start til October!