While Mark and the girls headed off to the Leesburg Christmas Parade…
…I met up with P, Kristin, and Mary for a girls’ day/night in DC. We had such a great time hanging out, talking, laughing etc. We shopped around in Georgetown, had a great dinner at Papa Razzi, shopped around some more after dinner, and stayed in the fabulous Renaissance Washington thanks for Mary’s Marriott employee hook-up. It was an awesome time with wonderful friends!
Tonight was my turn to take Nina on a date night. Her school was having a Holiday Shop which is a place for the kids to go and shop for inexpensive gifts for their family members. They have high schoolers escort the kids around with their envelope of money and who they’re buying for, then they help them pay for the gifts, and then they take them to a table to have the gifts wrapped. It’s really a cute idea. Since Nina was shopping for Lyla, I did the shop around with her, and she found a couple cute things to give her sister for Christmas. My favorite thing she picked was a necklace that said “World’s #1 Sister” – perhaps it would be more realistic if they put on the back “depending on the day…” After shopping, we went out to dinner together – fun night!
This evening was the performance finale for Nina’s dance class. A few months ago, we enrolled her in a little hip hop class that met at our neighborhood community center. She really enjoyed taking the class, and tonight we got to see the routine that they had been working on. It was really cute. This is Nina with her dance teacher, Miss Jasmine. After the show, we went over to the new Sweet Frog in our neighborhood for some yummy treats. It was a good way to spend a cold and rainy evening!
When we were in Asheville in early October, one of Shenley’s friends took some family pictures for all of us. Bo was supposed to be with us on the trip, and we thought it would be great to have someone take a nice picture of all of us to give our parents for Christmas. Since his plans to go to NC fell through, we didn’t have a complete group for the photo but went ahead with the pictures anyway. Here are some of our family.
Remember that show, Club MTV where all the club goers and spring breakers were dancing and trying to get in front of the camera? Well, I have a feeling that would be right up Nina’s alley if there were still such a thing. But for now, Club Simpson will have to do. Here’s Nina and Lyla’s dance rendition of Move It Move It by Will I. Am.
The rest of the time we were at Hartfield was beautiful weather each day. We spent most of the days outside – the guys doing some golfing, the kids playing in the yard and in the playhouse, making tie dye shirts for the four girls, and doing some kayaking. One indoor activity the girls enjoyed was an in-house spa day where they got their hair and nails done, some make-up on, and a massage. Must be nice!
We had a great Thanksgiving at Hartfield this year. We all met up at the house on Wednesday, and of course, the cousins were so happy to see each other! Thanksgiving day was a sunny, beautiful, and relaxed day. We took our time getting things rolling and just enjoyed the beautiful day, being outside, and hanging with family. As is tradition each year, Mark, Garland, and my dad sit out in the yard and shuck a bushel of oysters to go with the meal (you can see them in the far right corner of the picture).
The kids kept busy just playing in the yard, in their favorite tree, and in the play house out back. Also, the Golden Retriever from down the street, Oden, came over to play with the girls. He kept them quite entertained for awhile – chasing them and playing tug.
Uncle Bo arrived just before noon, and all his little nieces were very happy to see him. Layne did start walking the night they arrived to Hartfield, but she isn’t quite ready to take off running down the sidewalk yet.
As always, the “big girls” were attached at the hip. All the girls play really well together though, so we feel very fortunate that they love spending time together so much.
At one point in the afternoon, my mom had the idea of getting everyone together in a football game. It started out pretty well, and all was good when everyone was scoring touchdowns.
The game quickly went south however, when Lyla and Ryleigh didn’t keep scoring enough. They both started shedding quite a few tears (didn’t I just do a post about how Simpsons don’t like to lose?), then when on a breakaway, Ryleigh got tripped up from behind, and the team of Mousey, Poppy, Lyla, and Ryleigh fell apart. Lyla and Ryleigh were sobbing on the sidelines, and the game was over. The adults all got a good laugh out of it, and we’re quickly reminded that drama follows little girls everywhere – even into football games!
Aside from the tears during the football game, we had an awesome day. It was really nice to enjoy some fun time with family, beautiful weather, and good food. What a great Thanksgiving!
I’m thankful for these two little girls who have added so much to my life…
I’m thankful for my husband who, at this moment, has been on the phone with Sprint for two hours trying to get my phone problems fixed for me, who fixes me an awesome meal after taking care of the kids all weekend while I was at a CXWORX certification class, and who gave me a great massage last night to work out all the soreness in my muscles (from the afore mentioned class that kicked my booty pretty well this weekend). And that’s just mentioning things from the past few days…
I’m thankful for family, some of whom we’ll spend the next few days with. I’m thankful for the love that’s shared, the support that’s given, the friendship, the camaraderie, and the easy way we all get along and have a lot of fun together.
I’m thankful for great friends who I know I can call on at the drop of a hat, who keep me laughing, and who I can’t imagine doing life without.
I’m thankful for good health, a beautiful home, more provisions that we need, and a country where I can live in freedom and with opportunities that so many others can’t fathom having.
I’m thankful for a year of “craziness” that taught us a lot and gave us a new perspective on the things that really matter.
I’m thankful for a God that loves me and sent his son to die for me so that I can live with purpose, peace, joy, and contentment.
I hope your Thanksgiving is a time you find much to feel thankful for. Pictures from Thanksgiving will follow in a few days after much eating, relaxing, and some good family time.
For American Education Week, Nina’s class did a special presentation yesterday. Families were invited to the class for a craft making activity, then we went to the gym to see a Thanksgiving presentation that the kindergarteners had worked on.
We have been really happy with Nina’s transition to a new school. She really enjoys being a kindergartener! Lyla is happy to visit the school and wave at all the kids from the street that she sees there. She loves going to the bus stop every day to pick up Nina after school, and Nina’s teachers are always so nice to include Lyla in crafts and activities when we visit the class. When we’re at home, Lyla still loves playing cars. She’s accumulated quite a collection! Just today, a little girl up the street gave Lyla a Lightning McQueen hat that she didn’t take off for the rest of the day. She loves Cars (the movie) as well as playing with all her toy cars.
