8 inches and still snowing!

We had a real snow here in Summerfield last night and today. We woke up to around 8 inches on the ground this morning, however..it was in the low 20s, and remained there most of the day. We tried to take Sarah Gray out for a little bit, but the blowing ice and snow was a bit much for her baby cheeks, so we didn't try to go out again until early evening when the wind had died down, and a light snow was falling. We spread out bird seed early in the day so we were able to watch all types of birds enjoy our backyard, and this evening SG and I spread out corn for the deer, turkey, and rabbits (see pic below)...so tomorrow we can track their footprints through the snow. We are looking forward to a sunny day tomorrow and sledding with the neighbors. We kept little Katherine inside today...she watched her sister through the window and wanted to go out so bad, so hopefully tomorrow she will get her turn on the sled !

My Nature Girls

We have been anxiously waiting a warm day to go and visit the Natural Science Center of Greensboro, and boy was it worth the wait! The girls and I headed over there around 1:00 on Friday afternoon. I really didn't know what to expect, as having been to the Nature Museum in Charlotte, I was so surprised at what this center had to offer. We first toured the inside, looking at really cool aquarium fish, including a moray eel and a small shark. SG even pointed out a Lion Fish (to my disbelief)--which she informed me she learned from "Elmo." We then toured a room full of snakes (I had the chills the entire time) but Sarah Gray and Katherine had their face up to the windows, watching rattle snakes hiss at them from behind the glass. A nice gentlemen let Sarah Gray touch a sweet turtle from Africa, as well as an albino snake, and then he took her into the sea creature explorer room, where she held a sand dollar, a sea urchin, and a hermit crab. We toured the center, looked an numerous "stuffed" wild animals, and viewed the dinosaur replicas, which included a life-size T-Rex. I don't think Katherine was too fond of it (see picture below). We walked a by a television that was playing a video of the "zoo" outside, and as soon as the camera panned to the lambs, SG went screaming and laughing down the hall, ready to go and see her best friends. The little zoo was wonderful!! Before we went to the "farm" we saw meerkats, gibbons, tigers, otters, macaws, giant sea turtles, (the alligators were not out), maned wolves and several other animals. SG felt like she was in an episode of Diego. At the farm, SG and Katherine were able to run around with the little sheep and billy goats, pet the donkeys and miniature horses, lamas, and pigs. Feeding time was at 3:30, so I spent the next 30 minutes watching Sarah Gray and Katherine feed the sheep and goats from a large bail of hay..they had so much fun! I could not believe Katherine even got close to those goats! What a great afternoon and well worth the $16. We purchased a family pass..so we will most likely be back next week!

Mary had a "Not so little Lamb"

So for anyone who knows my daughter Sarah Gray knows she is obsessed with little lambs. Starting with a baby lamb the Easter Bunny brought when she was 10 months old, we are probably up to about 10 now. And this doesn't include the little plastic ones she collects from here and there. The fact that we are surrounded by lamb farms here in Summerfield only fuels her obsession, as I have to literally stop the car on the road so she can look out the window and say hello to the lambs. She has always had this noise she makes, a sort of "baaaa" when she sees one, and no lie, this was Katherine's second word after her first, "uh-oh." This weekend, she and I made a trip to the Tractor Supply Company to get some dog food. I noticed when we walked in all their toys were 60% off. Scott had found these great pair of lamb slippers (they "baaa") for Christmas at the store..which she absolutely loves. She wanted to look at the toys..specifically a shelf full of extra, extra large stuffed farm animals. Sure enough, on the very bottom shelf, there was a lamb. Ok, so at 60% off $40, I was sort of leaning towards a purchase, but when she looked at me and in her lamb "shakey/baa" voice, she said "Pppllleease don't leave me in the store." I just died laughing and told her to load that lamb in the cart (it barley fit). This stuffed animal is quite large, and its not like we have the room for it..but she is just so in love with it! So tonight when I walked in her room to tuck her in..I just had to post this pic:

Goodmorning!

The other morning I was in bed, waiting until the last possible minute to get the girls up. Sarah Gray suddenly burst into my room saying "Alright mom, I'm ready to go to gymnastics!" Well, although gymnastics was not until 3 that afternoon...I was so so proud of her for getting ready by herself. She had dressed fully in the clothes I had set out for the next day, put on her socks and shoes, and had even put a head band in her head. I believe this is now something fun for her...picking out her own clothes and coming downstairs to surprise us with something she "designed" herself. Saturday morning we had a birthday party to go to at 10, and at 7 she came down, all dressed again. Although I made her change her shirt and put her hair in a ponytail, she is actually getting ready by herself at 3&1/2! It really does save me a lot of time, trying to get both the girls ready to head out the door. I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up. Here is a picture of her on Saturday morning (you have to love the shirt and tights)!

I am so glad I am not going to have to change my blog URL! As soon as I saw those little legs kicking, I knew it was a girl! We are so excited to welcome another precious baby into the world..our family is so truly blessed with so much love, it hard to believe its my life sometime. Little one's due date is May 28th. We have not discussed names, as we never had a 3rd choice to Sarah and Katherine...but I know she will come into a world filled with lots of pink and purple, bows, dollies, and ponies. We can't wait to meet you sweet baby girl.

Welcome 2010!

Well, as many mom's will do this year, my resolution is to start, and stay with a family blog. From the post below, you can see I attempted this activity about a year and a half ago. We see how far I got! I have also not updated my girls journals in about 4 months...and I feel like such a bad, slacker mom!! Maybe this blog will let me feel a bit better about documenting our family experiences, and the joys and laughs our girls bring us everyday. And was we await the arival of Baby Douglass #3, and the exciting adventures our "new life" in Summerfield, I am sure I will have plenty to share! I have never been big on making New Years resolutions, but for some reason, the start of this decade leaves me with much excitement of what is ahead! So here are my family resoutions for this year:

1. Join a church!
2. Less TV/more crafty activities with the kids.
3.Work on creating more creative, healthy/organic meals. Bake more! Eat out less.
4.Work on ways to save money: couponing, free, fun family activities, avoid Target!
5. Use babysitters more.
6. Learn to take better pictures (my personal goal).

Happy New Year everyone!