Bring on the girls!

The time of year came again when the spring formal was upon us and the girls descended onto campus at Woodberry. It is a weekend of entertaining for Woodberry and its staff but also to all the families who host these girls for the weekend. This year was different for a few reasons...we were more imbedded than we were this time last year, and Harper was old enough to really interact with the girls so it was really going to be a lesson for her.

Some of our favorite boys of the 2010 class asked us to take care of their girls and they in turn took care of ours... Hatcher and Ellison were the ones to really steal Harpers heart. Harper would just sit on the mattress watching Ellison and Johanna get ready for all the events of the weekend and they would drape her in jewelry and talk to her endlessly. I think we might be in trouble later on.

All our football boys who will be playing for and attending great schools in the fall- Ed ("Eddie") STANFORD, TJ ("Tay-Jay") UNC-CH and Aramide ("AO") - UCLA. These boys have been the most loyal fans of our Harper and would come and say hello/hold and tickle her whenever they got a chance or whenever she would let them.

Ed and Abby

Eddie, Abby and Harper ready to board the bus to formal.

AO and Nancy

TJ and Elisa

Hatcher and Ellison.

I didn't take any pictures but Hunt and I too attending the formal which was really fun.

It was one of those full circle moments for a few reasons...

The same band that played all of our high school formals in Chapel Hill - "Liquid Pleasure" (very similar to a "Sexual Chocolate" type of band played. Now though, instead of jerry curl they were now all bald! What a rare moment to watch all these kids get on stage and dance with the band like all of our friends once did. Hunt did tell me that if I was feeling nostalgic enough he was sure I could get up there and dance with Kenny like I had so many years ago...then suddenly Dr. Campbell (headmaster of Woodberry) said "oh, please don't!" Not to worry, I wouldn't.

As I was walking up to the formal I felt more self conscious than ever...here were parents (which I was now- a parent) dropping their daughters off for their senior proms and I was all dolled up too but with this enormous belly.

At the end of the night when all the kids were returning home, Harper decided to wake-up so while I was getting her back down they all rolled in and quieted down and in true parent style - I opened doors and counted heads on pillows and new my crew was safe. Wow, what we must have put our own parents through every weekend. This is only a taste and is just the beginning!

It was fun and we look forward to what next year will bring for us...

Old MacDonald - Virginia Style

This April we made two visits to Yoders Market - once with Erin and Brian and once with Sarah and Sophia. We love hitting up their market for sandwiches and snacks and then wandering over to see the goats and other animals in "the yard". It took us a while but Harper has finally stopped looking at the pictures of the goats and calling them dogs. We are now 100% sure that they are goats and that they say "maw maw" (or at least they do in "Millie Moo's" book). Feeding our favorite "rasta" goat.

Harper really got the hang of feeding these guys...as well as the hand washing afterwards.

How can this guy even see?

These guys are not afraid...they stick their head thru these fences not even casting a worry about getting those horns back thru.

We all got turns feeding them-they will stand on anything for food.

Brian and Hunt helping Harper give the goats some snacks.

Harper and Brian getting ready to share their corn.

Harper and Sophia travelling down the road to Yoder's - what sweet girls!

There is so much to see goats, ducks, chickens, turkeys and peacocks too!

Harper seemed a little saddened by the chicken coop.

Sarah getting a little snuggle in with Sophia.

She had them eating out of her hands.

Look at that tongue! (Their eyes are so creepy!)

Sophia using her signs to talk about the roosters.

Easter 2010

Easter had so many celebrations this year and for that reason it has taken me so long to get all these pictures loaded. We had the Woodberry Forest Easter Egg Hunt, decorating Easter eggs and cookies with Sierra and Sophia, our home celebration of Easter, and finally the Easter Parade in Richmond, VA. We are wondering if Harper will like Easter better than Christmas, at least with the number of ways we celebrated. Harper in her Easter dress from Papa and Kat...as always she loves being with her "buddy" Watson.

Admiring someone's flowers in the "fan" of Richmond. We are trying to take every opportunity to work on our colors.

Erin captured this sweet moment with our little lady. I feel like this picture expresses what it feels like to be a mom.

Harper admiring the petting zoo on the median of Monument Avenue...these poor little guys were roasting.

Look at those rosy little cheeks, it was a little toasty out. We managed to stay cool with lots of water and lemonade.

After brunch at Stawberry Street and the parade, we needed a short snooze.

Waking up to a still bustling parade and lots more fun to be had.

"Brow-an" or Brian (Harper prefers her version! Brian might too!) and Hunt walking the Ave before it got too crazy.

Getting settled for our stroll.

Our Easter Booty!

The masterpiece cookies we made with our Woodberry girls...not sure where we were going with that bunny?! The flower and carrot turned out okay and they all tasted even better than they looked. Thanks Sarah and Em for pulling this dual activity off with the girls.

Sierra was the first to enjoy decorating and wearing her cookie...this picture does no justice. She was having such a good time with her cookie, and why wouldn't she?!

Sculpting our masterpieces, you must use all fingers.

Our end result of our "marblized" easter eggs. I guess we won't be display these at the Smithsonian or anything but the girls enjoyed their first dyeing party.

Em and Sierra working their magic.

Sierra waiting to dive in. Pure patience.

Harper and her favorite pastime - stirring!

Our family at the Woodberry Easter Egg Hunt.

Harper and I with one of our favorite girls- Miss Caroline Keating.

The Woodberry Girls of 2008 Club

Oh, my gosh! Elmo easter eggs, we cannot believe it.

Starting to get the concept of "loading up" and not just "opening up".

I think Easter and Christmas this coming year will be NUTZ! The lightbulbs have started going off-we get it now! Bye-Bye Easter, we are sad to see you go!