Yay for cousins!!

A couple weeks ago we had a jam-packed cousin-filled week! Edy and Uncle Phil came to visit us for a couple days. We proceeded to wear the kids (and ourselves!) out while Dr. Phil attended his conference.

Within 5 minutes of Edy walking in the door (perhaps even less time), the girls went downstairs and transformed into this:

bee-yew-tiful princesses! They spent most of the week trading dresses -- I don't think they wore their regular clothes except to leave the house.

Many thanks to A. Terri for the sprinkler ball! We've used this many times already -- it's great for hot days.

Why, yes, Katie put her swimsuit on all by herself! How could you tell?

CLASSIC Katie mad-face.

Edy and Katie got along really well -- they had a lot of really cute moments together.

Also thanks to A. Terri for the matching striped shirts! It was easy to pick them out in a crowd when we went to...

Chuck E. Cheese!!! I think Katie rode the mini carousel about 20 times.

Edy was here for 3 whole days, and each one was jam-packed. We went to playgrounds, played in the backyard, went to Chuck E. Cheese, and even went to a waterpark (forgetting the camera, of course!). We thoroughly spoiled Edy... and then sent her home. :) Hey, that's what Aunts are for, right?

playing all week long is hard work! (Mr. Pickles is laughing b/c Katie is trying her hardest to get into as horizontal a position as possible)

We had lots of fun, and missed them both a lot after they left. Now Miriam is asking for a cell phone of her own so she can "walk around and call Edy whenever I want to."

friends forever!

Latest Katie-ism

"I'm not a pwintheth, I'm just a Katie!"

Oh, I beg to differ, babe.

Happy Birthday USA!

Picturefest!

Well, the girls were napping, Mr. Pickles was at a hockey game, and I didn't feel like reading anything or watching any movies, so I really didn't have any kind of excuse NOT to do all the blog updating I've been wanting to do for the past couple months. So enjoy all the pictures I've just put up. :)

Katie Two-face

taken by Miriam

another taken by Miriam

We're working on the whole "look IN the viewfinder" thing. She'll get it eventually. :)

Stwahbies!

A couple weeks ago we went strawberry picking at a local pick-your-own farm. They were SOOOO good. It was hard not eating them all in the field! The girls were actually excellent helpers this time. Now that Katie knows her colors, we could tell her to pick the pretty red ones, and not the white or mushy ones. Both the girls looked so cute surrounded by rows of strawberry plants. Of course, we forgot to bring the camera, as usual. But here's evidence of our haul:

mmm, I can almost smell them again.

Strawberry picking is hard work!

Mommy's little helper. We're hulling and mashing them for jam.

The results. Mmmmmmm. Jam and shortcake.
I have to say that that strawberry shortcake, with homemade sweet biscuits, freshly picked strawberries, and vanilla ice cream, was THE best dessert that I have ever had in my whole life, and that includes all chocolate desserts I've ever had. So you KNOW that's saying a lot.
The jam tastes awesome, too. Unfortunately, I didn't have the right pectin. I only used half the sugar called for in the recipe, b/c the berries were soooo sweet. So the jam was actually pretty watery as I was canning it. I haven't opened a jar yet, but I have a feeling it's going to make better ice cream topping than jam. However, this stuff with creamy vanilla ice cream will transport you to a happy place, so it's no real loss. :)

Another Steubie Trip!

Yep, this time it was for Aunt Katie's HS graduation in May. We had planned to come all along, but hemmed and hawed when she asked us if we could come, since we intended to surprise her. And surprise her we did! She shrieked when she saw us, which was very gratifying. :)

Her graduation ceremony was actually in the University Fieldhouse, where we graduated from! And since she's starting there in the fall, she gets to graduate in that building twice. :)

A slightly fuzzy pic of her receiving her diploma. She was one of the first students in the line-up, since she was one of the top ten scholars at the school. We're so proud of her!! And best of all (at least from Mr. Pickles' view), she's going to major in MATH!

The kiddoes were VERY good during all the speechifying. We came well supplied with coloring books and crayons. :)

MAXimum cool.

Katie with her best friend Lenore -- two lovely ladies! They've been best friends pretty much since birth. I first met Lenore when she was still "Nory," and our Katie-bear's age. And now they're going to be rooming together in college. Lenore has a GORGEOUS singing voice. I can't believe I didn't snap a shot of her singing the National Anthem!

Afterwards we went to Bucca di Beppo to celebrate. Guess which room we were in?

The littles found something to amuse them -- long stringy things! The room was also round, so after they got bored of sitting at their places they had fun chasing each other around the table.

The queen of the day arrayed in all her golden splendor! We love you, Katie2!

Girlie Stuff

A few weeks ago, while Mr. and Mrs. Pickles were painting the metal banisters (let me just point out that oil-based paint is THE most disgusting stuff on the planet. How did people live before latex??) the girls put on a fashion show. Dad B. might recognize some of their accessories as once belonging to their great-grandmother.

Very often I'll hear Miriam say, "Mommy, look at Katie!" and I'll turn around to behold Katie thusly attired:

QUITE the fashionable straight jacket.

And the crazy part is that Katie LIKES being tied up like a mummy.

Now that summer's here, it's time for.... (drumroll, please....)

...Summer toes!

Oh Shenandoah... I long to see you...

...since it's way too foggy to see much of anything!


We went for a hike in the Blue Ridge mountains with some friends last month (I know, I know, I'm really behind with pictures!). While we were standing in the parking lot getting ready for our hike, the sky just opened up and DUMPED on us. Fortunately the shower didn't last long, and we headed out while it was still sprinkling. At least it was cool. :)

Even though we couldn't see much of a view when we reached the lookout point, the walk itself was pretty. There were lots of dainty little wildflowers everywhere at our feet.

We bought an annual pass so now we HAVE to go back again! :)

Swim season!!!

First day in the pool! Yeah, I know, I'm a slacker -- this was taken a month ago, before I'd even got the girls swimsuits that actually fit. :)

This is where the pool lived all winter, so naturally all the grass died, leaving a lovely dirt patch. I was going to re-seed it until I realized how much the girls loved digging in the dirt. Or, as the case may be, the mud.

We've spent many afternoons in the pool already. We hope to get a patio umbrella this summer, which will greatly increase our enjoyment of the backyard especially in July. That and a lounge chair.

Manolo says, Super Fantastic!

Blinky Princess sandals. Can a 5-year-old BE more stylish?