New Years!

Midnight came and went and the New Year rang in without us as we lay asleep in our beds. We didn't go out partying this New Years but we did have a fun day playing with the kids and having a special New Years Dinner. Mike was able to spend all morning with the girls while Marcus and I went shopping. In the afternoon we took the kids swimming.

We then came home made pizza and ate it picnic style in the family room with sparkling grape juice and cookies while we watched Harry Potter. The girls think it is a real treat to be able to eat dinner and watch a movie at the same time. It didn't take long for the kids to start getting tired, they were all in bed and asleep by 6:30pm which left the rest of the night to ourselves. Or more like 2 hours before I was exhausted and in bed asleep too.

Enjoying the pool!

Eating our New Years dinner!

Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve we went to our friends annual Feliz Navidad party and ate way too much delicious Mexican food as always. After rolling ourselves home from the party we let the kids open one present before going to bed. Christmas day was nice and relaxing . The kids all slept in until 7 am, we then opened presents and ate breakfast and spent the rest of the day having fun playing with all the kids new toys and enjoying the fresh new snow outside.

Opening present

Raquel & her presents

Natalya and her presents

Marcus and his one present

Raquel playing with the train table that Santa brought for all the kids.

Helping dad shovel the driveway.

Natalya trying to take Raquel for a sled ride down the street.

She finally figured it out that the sled doesn't work on pavement.

Merry Christmas!

First Snow

We had our first big snow of the winter this week and the kids have had fun playing in it. I'm thankful for a dad that loves to play outside with his girls, while I get to stay nice and warm inside with Marcus. This year we were smart and finally got the kids snow boots, pants and warm mittens. It helped so much in keeping the girls warm. Raquel stayed out for hours with Mike and our neighbor Tom sledding and playing in the snow.

Sledding down our street with dad!

Grandma's Visit!

Grandma Clinger came for a quick visit this week. She came Friday night and left Tuesday morning but we packed in as much fun as we could while trying to stay warm. Saturday we took the kids to see the local kids theater group preform, "A Christmas Carol." We ate at a yummy French bakery for lunch and went swimming at night. My mom taught me how to make her yummy rolls and cinnamon rolls again, hopefully I got it right this time. We will see if I can make them by myself for Christmas dinner. My mom also taught me how to make fondant so that I could try to make homemade chocolates for the first time this Christmas. The fondant turned out great and I made yummy vanilla and cherry chocolates to give out as Christmas goodies this year.

The girls really enjoyed having grandma come visit and they really loved being able to open Grandma and Papa's Christmas presents early while Grandma was here to watch. Raquel asked me the next day if she could open the rest of her Christmas gifts too. Natalya, Raquel and Marcus got cute outfits from Grandma & Papa along with puzzles, a mobile and seat. Mike and I got a cute new hand held video camera. We will now be able to download, edit and post videos easier. Thanks Grandma & Papa for all the wonderful gifts!

Grandma and her favorite grandkids!

Marcus showing off his new seat

and part of his new outfit.

(His shirt got wet so he is sporting the sleeveless look)

Swimming

If you haven't notice our family loves to go swimming. Raquel gets to swim twice a week for swim team but we try to take everyone swimming and have fun as a family often. Here are a few cute pictures from some of our swimming adventures.

Gingerbread Houses

The first year we made gingerbread houses I went all out like my mom use to do and made the gingerbread and bought all the candy. Last year I just bought a kit and added some extra candy. This year we bought a kit that had 5 little houses in it, thinking that we each could decorate our own. It ended up that Raquel and I were the only ones that decorated the gingerbread houses this year because Mike was a work and Natalya was taking a nap. The houses were cute but very small and the candy that came with it even smaller, so it made it kind of difficult to decorate. We had fun making them and Natalya and Raquel had fun eating all the candy.

Our finished houses.

Enjoying the candy!

Natalya didn't mind that she didn't get to help decorate.

She was more than happy to undecorate and eat the candy.

Williamsburg

Mike was able to go to another medical conference in Williamsburg this weekend and so as always we turned it into a little family vacation. The kids all did really well on the car trip over. It helped that they each had one of our iPhones to play games and watch movies on the whole way.

Natalya watching a movie on the iPhone.

We always try to get a hotel with a heated indoor pool so that the kids can swim. After arriving in Williamsburg the first thing that we did was take the kids swimming. This was Marcus' first time swimming and it seemed like he really enjoyed it.

After swimming Mike had to head off to his conference and so the kids and I ordered pizza and watched movies the rest of the night before they fell asleep.

Getting ready for his first swim!

Having fun with Dad!

Enjoying the water!

After a wonderful breakfast the next morning (If you haven't stayed at a Hampton Inn, I highly recommend it) we took Mike to his conference and the kids and I headed to the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News. Last time we came to Williamsburg we came to this museum and really enjoyed it. We knew we wanted to come back and how could we turn down a free visit (free since I got the family pass from the Science Museum in Roanoke).

It was a little cold but the girls still wanted to see all the animals outside. Natalya really was too young to really explore the last time we were here and so it was fun to see her really enjoy everything this time.

Checking out the binoculars.

Trying to stay warm while visiting all the animals outside.

My cute 2 headed turtle.

Saturday we dropped Mike off for his conference, he actually had to walk the last few blocks because there was so much traffic. The kids and I went back to the hotel to get ready for the day and then headed to Colonial Williamsburg. They were having a Christmas Parade and we wanted to go watch. Mike skipped out on one of his lectures at his conference and came to join us at the parade. The kids had fun seeing all the marching bands, animals and floats but it was so cold that we were all freezing by the end.

Mike went back to his conference and the kids and I headed to a street fair in Yorktown. It was still very cold but the kids got to see Santa, play some old fashion games and make a pomander out of a lemon and cloves.

Showing off their pomanders

After a fun day in the cold we picked up dad from his conference and headed for dinner. After dinner we returned again to Yorktown to watch a lighted boat parade. We stood by a huge bonfire in the sand to keep warm and waited for the boats but everyone got to cold and sleepy before the parade started so we left and went back to our nice warm hotel to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Sunday was Mike's last day of his conference. It was a half day, so we picked him up and ate lunch and headed home to Blacksburg.

Science Museum

After our horrible day yesterday in Roanoke I really didn't have any desire to head back anytime soon. But Mike motivated me and after dropping Raquel off at preschool I headed back with the other two kids. First, we stopped at Mike's office to get a copy of the correct documents that I needed to prove Marcus was who I said he was and a few others just in case. I wasn't going to be turned away again from getting Marcus' card. The day was much better, no rain and the two kids slept the whole way to Roanoke. We found a parking spot right across from the Social Security building and I had remember the stroller today so it made it a lot easier to maneuver everyone. We arrived at the waiting area, took our number and waited for it to be called. Within 15 minutes our number had been called, all documents shown and signed, and a promise that a new social security card would be in the mail within a few weeks. What a difference a day makes! Out the door in 15 minutes and on our way to the Science Museum.

We again found a parking spot close to the building and made our way into the Science Museum. We got our family membership paid for and still had a little time before we had to head back to pick up Raquel from preschool so Natalya and I explored some of the museum.

Natalya definitely isn't as adventurous as Raquel, which made it a little difficult in trying to get her to try new things. I know that it will help having Raquel there next time to show Natalya all the fun things to do and explore. We didn't have lots of time and Marcus was starting to get fussy so we just took a quick tour of a few exhibits and heading back home. Today was so much better and I got everything accomplished quicker and easier than expected.

Playing the xylophone.

Natalya's favortie part was the puzzles!