Daddy Daughter Date Night

What a precious couple!  For a special Father's Day event Chick-fil-A had a Daddy/Daughter Date Night event.  And knowing how much the Thornes love Chick-fil-A, especially Daddy, Andrew signed them up!  Mary Ellen dressed up in her prettiest pink dress for Daddy and off they went.  They came back with flowers, balloons, cows, necklaces, and lots of wonderful memories.  I know Mary Ellen will have forever memories of special times like these with her FIRST love...Daddy!  Happy Father's Day to a GREAT man and a WONDERFUL Daddy!

Big Beds

Oh, my big girl and boy!  I know this is probably long overdue considering they'll be 4 in September, but they have done well in their cribs up to this point.  Reason #1, they still fit in them and reason #2 they never climbed out of them.  So the containment factor has been a blessing to us!  But with potty-training progressing as it has there was a need  for them to be able to get up and  potty as needed at night or rest-time.  It has been a scary transition wondering how they would react to all that freedom.  So far, it hasn't been a problem.  You see, they like being with each other!  Which is the reason I think they never climbed out of the crib.  Where would they go, into the other ones crib?  In fact some mornings they tell me to go away that they aren't ready to get up.  Then they go right back to laughing and making up stories from their respective beds!  I was wondering when, if ever, the upside to the twin-thing would kick in...it now has!  As difficult as it was to have two babies, having two toddlers makes things so much easier.  They always have a playmate, a role-model, and peer.  Whew, about time!  So before we get their twin beds we are trying the toddler bed option.  Working out well so far and M&M are excitedly anticipating their big beds!

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend was so hot.  It had been in the 90's for several days and unusually dry.  I think we're in for a long summer if it's already this hot in May!  But Michael and Mary Ellen love to be outside.  They started out helping us in the yard while we planted a few shrubs.  Then finally we got the pool out. 

Nothing better than a cold popsicle on a hot day!

I'm afraid our $10 Walmart pool from last year is on it's last leg. Time for a new one. I guess a $10 investment each year in a pool isn't a bad deal.

We also had a great dinner group with friends from church on Sunday evening.  Fun family time on a great long weekend!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a special day this year.  We always enjoy Muffins for Mom at church and I love any day I can spend with my 2 favorite little people and sweet husband.  Andrew took Michael and Mary Ellen to the "store of Sumter", aka Walmart, and let them pick out my Mother's Day gifts.  Now I'm sure he helped wrangle their choices a bit, but he did let them pick.  I received an orange-cranberry candle from Michael and a pink camouflage cap from Mary Ellen.  I love them both and love those sweet little kiddos even more.  THEY are my greatest gift ever!

First Fishing Trip

Papa brought the "big boat" down to take Michael and Mary Ellen fishing.  They have been saying forever that they wanted to go in Papa's boat.  So a day-long fishing trip was in store.  And I had a whole day of freedom, which I enjoyed far less than I thought I would.  But M&M had so much fun! 

Michael and Mary Ellen checking out the motor before they left.

All four fishermen (and girl) in the boat before a morning of fishing on Lake Marion.

Mary Ellen the content fisher-girl and the patience pays off.  Daddy helping her with her first fish.

Michael excited about his first fish.  And he was content sitting up front with Papa fishing and helping with the trolling motor.  A precious picture of the two Michaels.  M&M are still talking about this trip.  I know they created such great memories and we look forward to many fishing adventures in the future!

One-of-a-Kind Hand-Me-Down

Papa brought a very special hand-me-down for Michael on a recent visit.  This is a .22 rifle that belonged to Papa Webster, Andrew's grandfather.  What a special thing to be able to hand such special items down through the generations.  Michael was over the moon excited about "his" gun.  He would have carried it around all day if Andrew would have allowed him to.  Michael's still a little small for it but I'm envisioning some great memories being made for Daddy and son with this rifle!

Easter 2011

Dying Easter eggs is always fun.  Michael and Mary Ellen love to pick out their favorite colors and are always surprised when those plain white eggs come out of the dye a beautiful color.  Their expressions are always priceless!

We had a Peter Rabbit theme this year for Easter with a big emphasis on new books instead of candy.  I did splurge and get the big chocolate bunnies they had been eying in the store for so long.  They loved getting to nibble on the ears for a few days and then they magically disappeared.  They never even noticed...whew!

I love picking out their Easter outfits for church each year.  I spent so many years dreaming of dressing up my children for Easter, so every year it is an event.  Having twins means you want them to match...don't know why it's just part of the twin thing.  But having boy/girl twins means they can't really "match", just coordinate, and it's more difficult than you'd imagine.  My solution is to have them in the same color and I usually go for a neutral.  This year I went way neutral and did ivory.  I thought they looked so sweet.  I love Michael in a sweater vest and thought Mary Ellen's small dot dress was precious!

Back from a wonderful morning at church.  M&M's awesome Sunday school teachers gave them these great Easter baskets with all kinds of very thoughtful gifts.

We had a fantastic lunch with friends, Jen and her two boys came over because her husband is deployed, and then hunted eggs in the yard.  They got lots of candy and stickers in their eggs and had a ball finding all of them.  Mary Ellen was surprisingly good at hunting and seemed to be a little cut-throat about it.  Michael was, like always layed back only putting the eggs in his basket he happened to run across.  It was a wonderful day and I hope in all the fun M&M are starting to understand that Jesus is the reason for Easter.  And what a celebration...He is Risen!

Strawberry Pickin'

The strawberries were beautiful this year.  This was our first year to pick them ourselves.  We went to Stafford's Farm as part of a MOPS Mommy-n-Me outing.  This big bucket was $9 and well worth it.  They were so yummy and I'm proud to say we ate them all with no problem.  M&M love strawberries!  It was funny that until I said they could, they didn't even try to start eating them when we were picking.  They were just dutifully doing their job picking the "best" ones...which weren't always the best ones...and filling up the bucket.  Fun morning and yummy strawberries!