eye of the tiger

"More, more music!" After seeing Rock Band for the first time, all of M's other video pastimes are SOOOO 2008. Playing her drum, or "dancing" with Mom has become the new rage.

what to do when our backyard is a swamp?

It's been raining here. A lot. We're all a bit stir-crazy from being cooped up in the house, so today we thought we'd break out to the Museum of Life and Science and check out the "wildlife" there. M is currently obsessed with all things animal and insect so it was a perfect fit.

Observing the goat in the petting zoo munch on some hay.


This way to the butterfly exhibit!

Watching the geese swim across the pond.

ultimate crafting

Linus & Madeline painting during a fabulously fun
and messy playgroup hosted by Abby.

friends

Wonder what they were chatting about...

happy bay!

We spent this evening in Fuquay-Varina celebrating my friend Rebecca's 30th birthday.


With M's next milestone only a couple of months away, we're starting to talk more and more with her about birthdays and what happens on someone's birthday. Tonight, M was so excited to wish Becca-becca a "Happy Bay" at her party.

pigtails

playing marbles

M and I met up with Gma L and Peyton at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. What a fun day! There were so many areas where the kids could play that we didn't make it through the entire place. The various activity centers appeal to a wide variety of ages and abilities, so I have a feeling we'll be frequenting Marbles many times over the coming years...

These girls love their trains!

Getting their craft on with some markers.

This is my kind of planting!
I think we need to do this in our yard --
the weeding would be so much easier!

family time

A goodly amount of Lingenfelsers came a-calling in NC this week since it was Spring Break for their schools in KS. It was nice to spend some time with Gma and Gpa L and to see so many cousins. Amy got to play some wildly entertaining rounds of UNO Attack with most of the kids, and Cameron and Nick taught Madeline how to play Whack-a-Mole. She definitely takes after her mother in that game... (always just a little behind that stupid mole)...

Cameron and Madeline ready their mallets for action
(yes, Madeline is double-fisting it)

more, more purple flowers

Madeline's only request when we go outside is "more, more purple flowers." Where the crocuses left off, the grape hyacinth has now taken over. I have hope that the purple streak will continue with some hastily added clematis in the front flower bed. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

dandelion for you

first trip to charlotte

The women of the NC Bartel clan headed west today in search of a store new to this area, a little place we call IKEA.

...the intrepid adventurers...

None of us had been to Charlotte before (and I dare say, we have yet to actually visit the city because the store is on the very eastern edge of the metro area) so it sounded like a good adventure. We all marveled at how quickly the trip passed -- this store is an hour closer than the next closest one in VA -- and despite being disoriented in a new store, we were pretty efficient in our shopping. Chelsea's Prius wasn't even half full... we could have gone back for more!

When we got back into Durham, we met up with the boys and the kids (you can put Curtis in whichever category suits you) for a grillin' good time at A&A's. And M got to try corn on the cob for the first time. She absolutely loved it. Thanks for a great day, everyone!

all gone

There was snow here earlier this week? Really?

games we play

M is finally old enough for us to break out some of the simpler games in our stash (Barrel of Monkeys, Cootie, Memory, Rock'em Sock'em Robots, etc.). She's still a long, long way from play-by-the-rules activities, but it's fun to watch her experiment with these new toys.

are we still in NC?

We had a surprise snowshower overnight that blanketed all the emerging blooms. Who knew M would get to wear a snowsuit so often this year?