Go west, young girls

We spent last week trekking around Northern California on our yearly pilgrimage to visit with family and friends. 

 First stop, Fremont and running through the sprinklers with our friends' son Ian. 

Andy and John about to hit the town in Shannon's convertible Lexus. It made Amalia think we could take the top off our car, too. 

 Settling down to watch Despicable Me. 

Day 2: Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. As always, Andy pinches every penny. We have season passes to Six Flags so didn't have to buy tickets. Plus, we made the girls pose next to this dolphin trash can instead of springing for pricey souvenir photos.

 I was alit upon in the butterfly garden. 

Day 3: Penn Valley. First thing out of bed, the girls discovered some potting soil under the deck and "borrowed" the neighbor's flower pots to plant flowers for Grandma Kathy.

 Block party. 

 Day 4 morning: Kayaking on Lake Wildwood. 

 About to head out on our great adventure. 

 Hanging out at the lake. 

 With Grandpa Colin and Grandma Kathy. 

 Sporty Spice. 

For those who have been to our D.C. house, you know how much it pains me to acknowledge that the above picture is taken in Andy's parents' back yard.

 Day 4 afternoon/evening: Foresthill. Percussion with cousin Chase. 

 Taking percussion to the next level. 

Duet. 

 Hair-braiding love from cousin Hannah. 

 Chase may have met his match. 

Day 6: Roseville. Hanging poolside with cousin Ryan. (Yes, I skipped Day 5. It featured a 2-hour visit to urgent care for an Amalia ear infection. On the upside, Andy went golfing with Colin, and then Andy and I went out for dinner and a movie, courtesy of some babysitting grandparents.)

 Cousinpalooza.

 Andy, Stacey, Kathy, and Charlie. 

 The whole fam damily. That's Ryan and Joey posing in the front. 

Amalia learned how to swing without assistance. Only a couple of tumbles head over heels and she got the technique down. 

 I'm tempted to make this one a caption contest. I have no idea what Kathy is doing here, but thought it was a funny picture. 

Some of Kathy's candles were those trick ones that keep relighting. When I asked Amalia why they were doing that, she said, "Because they want to sing 'Happy Birthday' again!"

Day 7: Woodside. Visiting friends at "The Shire." This picture doesn't do it justice, but this swing is hanging from a gorgeous, huge oak tree. The girls loved it.

 Caged monkeys (or two girls on a trampoline). 

Piper and Lily enjoying fresh strawberries, which has a whole different meaning in California than in D.C.

My girls' first exposure to an iPad, or as my friend Amy calls it, "baby crack." 

No more homework...

Today was Lily's last day of kindergarten. Technically the school year goes through Monday (extended at the last minute due to snow days), but we'll be well on our way to California at that point.

They had an awards ceremony this afternoon. Lily got three: Remarkable Reader, 50 Books, and Attendance. The only one she missed out on was Math Wizard. Andy's taking it pretty hard.

If you ask Lily, she'll tell you she received four awards, with the fourth one being for Manners. Yesterday, she came home with the above box of chocolates from her teacher, the cover of which says, "For Lily, my only kindergartner with manners." Apparently one of her classmates had brought in chocolates from Russia and when they were handed out, Lily was the only one who said, "Thank you." (She may have just been being polite because she doesn't really like chocolate.) Anyway, she ended up with the rest of the box and a really nice note.

Back to today: after the awards ceremony, there was an ice cream social. Lily's go-to combo: vanilla with sprinkles.

As I watched these girls eating ice cream on the cusp of becoming 1st graders, I couldn't help but think about the women they'll someday become and the kinds of things they'll do in their lives. Oh, the possibilities.

Mother's little helpers

Just when I think my eardrums are going to bleed from all the whining, tattling, and tone-taking, the girls surprise me with moments of sweetness. Two recent examples:

Last week both girls were put on antibiotics due to another round of ear infections (speaking of bleeding eardrums). When we filled the prescriptions, I splurged and added cherry flavor to Lily's Omnicef to try to stave off her strong gag reflex. This led to an instance of her using her big-sister power for good: When I was trying to give Amalia her Augmentin, Lily piped up in a chipper voice to say, "Amalia, my medicine is so yummy! And I'll bet yours will taste even better!" 

(Now isn't that a helpful big sister?)

This morning, I knocked over a ceramic bowl in my bathroom and it broke into several not-fixable pieces (picture the "Mom always said, 'Don't play ball in the house'"/broken vase episode of The Brady Bunch). Tonight at dinner, Amalia asked me about the bowl, which I confirmed did indeed break.
Amalia: It was delicate.
Me: Yes.
Amalia: I'll fix it, Mommy.
Me: Oh, sweetie, thanks, but I don't think it can be fixed.
Amalia: Yes, I'll tape it!
Me: No, that won't really work.
Amalia: I'll buy you a new one, Mommy. A box-bowl. A box-bowl isn't delicate, so it won't break.
(I think she meant a bowl made out of cardboard, but I'm not sure.)

Family resemblance

Last weekend we drove to Ohio to attend the biannual Wallace Family Reunion, which was actually held in West Virginia. 

Andy quickly peeled off from the relatives to take Lily mini-golfing. 

Then we paddled around the pond for a bit. 

I convinced Amalia not to jump in only by telling her that she wouldn't want to get stuck in the muck.

Andy decided to chase this duck around for a while. 

Amalia sporting her new Tarzan suit, courtesy of Grandma Carol. 

Back in Shadyside; showing off her newly acquired hula hooping skills. 

On Sunday we went to the Children's Museum of the Ohio Valley, also, ironically, in West Virginia. 

When we looked at the website the day before to see what there was to do at the museum, they listed "Stand in a Bubble." To which Little Miss Hyperbole replied, "Oh my gosh! I've always wanted to do that! And this is my chance!"

Amalia, too, got to live the dream. 

This is why we didn't let Lily change Amalia's diapers when she was a baby.

Administering antibiotics to Simba. Can you tell she's had a few ear infections?

Spinny rides!

Amalia=insatiable

The Mad Hatter

Pussycat Doll?

Teamwork

Brick by brick.