Whirlwind

The last month of the semester is always crazy.  So much going on and so much to get done.  Between finals, packing and just trying to spend time with our friends before we go our separate ways, it's a whirlwind.  And of course I get behind on the blog.  I was put in as the second councilor of the Primary Presidency at the beginning of the year.  It has really been a great experience to work with those wonderful women and to be in primary each Sunday.  We had a thank you ice cream social for all the great teachers in the primary out in Crozet (love Crozet, so pretty).  We also celebrated Cinco de Mayo with some fried ice cream, chips and salsa and pinatas.  The warm weather was a little slow to find us this year, so once it did, the kids insisted we live outside.  

Roasting mallows at the Primary ice cream social. 

Crozet, so pretty.

Jack enjoying ice cream with his buddy Charlotte, or as he calls her, "big Charlotte"

Me, Emily Crane (president), April Bean (first counselor), and Lorel Marshall (secretary).  Wonderful women.

Jack decorating his pinata for Cinco.

Yep that's right, I spelled my own daughters name wrong.  Didn't even realize it until I saw the picture.

Breaking pinatas.

Jack "hiking" home with is backpack on filled with toys.  

I love this picture.  We were jogging at The Park and the military were there training as they often do.  This officer, was nice and pretend to time Jack just like the other soldiers.  Jack felt like a big deal. 

Char tuckered out from all the play.

Being a mom can be fun

Some days all I can do is get through the day until the kids are in bed.  But luckily those days are few are far between and most of the time I am so thankful to be a mom.  Here is some of our daily fun in C'ville.  Jack and Char are getting better at playing together which has been really fun. One of our favorite places to go is the Downtown Children's Discovery Museum.  So fun and I usually get to treat myself to a gourmet mint cupcake from Capenello's Crazy Cakes.  Everyone is happy.

Smoothie day.

Jack thinks he is having a picnic but really he is having a tea party.

The Children's Museum.

A "beautiful flower" Jack picked for himself.  I wish I could say it was for me.

The Christenson family band.  I love that kitty piano.  One setting is all meows.

Chary

Charlotte is 15 months now.  She is at that age where she is just a little sponge taking it all in.  Her vocabulary is expanding.  She can say Pup! (puppy), da (dad), duck, ba (ball), and some sort of attempt for Jack which sounds like yakd.  Still no mom yet, although she will babble and say it. I guess she is saving the best for last.  She has more signs than she has words, like piggy, elephant, bye bye, nose, mouth, teeth, belly, and head.  She loves shoes, this is usually her first request when she wakes up, is to have me put on her shoes.  She loves jackets and necklaces too.  She could sit forever reading books.  Especially if that book is about a puppy.  Every night when we kneel for family prayer, Charlotte kneels, lays her head on the bead and jabbers her own little prayer.  I have also caught her folding her arms when we bless the food.  Her favorite toys include her baby stroller (which usually holds pup pup), books with annoying buttons and sounds, and necklaces.  She loves to mimic Jack and do what he does but she is also great to entertain herself.  She loves to sit on laps.  If you are sitting on the floor with an empty lap, I can guarantee Charlotte will fill it.  I believe she was 21 lbs at her last check up.  Average height and weight with a big 99% head.  She does seem to topple over quite a bit with that big melon on there.  

I believe she is eating an egg here.  Her first request each morning is to put on some shoes and sometimes a jacket.  This dinosaur jacket is Jacks that she claims as her own. 

She is also a big fan of cereal and insists on carrying the whole box around with her.

Gymnastics and Swimming

Jack has a lot of energy.  A lot.  So I decided to enroll him in some classes to help get his wiggles out.  First he did swimming lessons.  The class sizes are small, only four to a class, so he quickly became buddies with them.  For the most part he did really well in swimming and we are hoping to do another session soon.  Next was gymnastics.  He loved gymnastics.  He was so excited the first day that he had some difficulty listening and staying on task.  But by the second day he did great and the teacher was very impressed with how well his class listen and participated.  Jack was fearless and would try anything.  Charlotte loved gymnastics equally as well.  It was difficult to keep her from the joining the class.

Stretching with his class.

The rings were one of his favorite activities. 

Back bends.

His last day and getting his certificate.  He got to jump off Magic Mountain.

Dad got to come the last day to watch.

Charlotte loved gymnastics just as much as Jack.  The instructor was kind enough to let her run about the room.

Swimming lessons.  The kids would wait on a platform until it was their turn. 

Jack and his friend Emma who was in his class and in our ward.

Ivy Creek

We are so blessed to be surrounded by so many good friends.  At anytime there are always buddies to hang out with and we love it.  It will be a sad day when we have to leave.  We are also constantly amazed at how beautiful Virginia is.  We went on a hike and a picnic over Conference Weekend to Ivy Creek which is literally on our way to church.  We had so much fun that me and a bunch of the wives went again during finals week while our husbands studied away.  It is impossible to keep Jack out of water so I always plan for it and bring a change of clothes.  Charlotte appears to be following in his tracks.  Side note: one curse of Virginia is ticks with lyme disease.  I have a irrational fear of lyme disease.  Jack has had two ticks and just recently got another one.  While pulling it out, the head broke.  We panicked a bit but after a call to the pediatrician, we calmed down.Well Logan calmed down, I still check everyday for the bulls-eye rash, a symptom of lyme disease.