So let me tell you about our weekend...

We took husband/wife selfies. His idea one hundred percent. I guess I was okay with it.

We made a couple trips to the park. Recently, S has been waking up from her naps immediately asking for tunnels and slides. 

I swear S does not feel cold ever. J, on the other hand, does not like to be cold. And he does not like to keep his mittens on. We may have a problem.

On Friday night, we had a great time watching Big Fish on Broadway. I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of the movie, but the show was really enjoyable. We rounded off the already awesome evening with a midnight run to Shake Shack. You could take me anywhere with the promise of Shake Shack afterwards. I love that place entirely too much. Their burgers just melt in your mouth. And I wasn't hungry when I started this post but now I'm starving.

I told them to strike a pose, and I got these.

I know I sound like a broken record, but these kids are really such a joy. They have been so sweet to each other lately, and S has really stepped it up and taken it open herself to take care of her Pato.

Probably pointing to an airplane. It's always the same-ish conversation.

"Oooh. Listen sound! Airplane in sky! So fast!" 

The talking stage is amazing. It's all going so quickly. C and I have recently been talking about when we'll send S to pre-school, and I promise I got all choked up at the mere idea of her being away from me for several hours a couple times a week! The tears started coming out and I decided that I wasn't ready to think about it too much. My list of "things I can't talk about or I'll cry" list is slowly getting longer. Please tell me it gets easier?

So, you know that moment when you realize your kids are way cooler than you? Well, that moment came a long long time ago for me. I'm done even trying to catch up. But, these kids seem to want to remind us of that point every day. Whatever.

And last but not least...winner winner sushi dinner. I could eat sushi every day of my life. Spider rolls FTW.

colonial garb is totally normal to me now

Four years here in Williamsburg, and we are still discovering new places. We finally made it a point to visit the Governor's Palace gardens on Saturday, and it did not disappoint! I kicked myself the whole time for forgetting the memory card in our DSLR, so the iPhone had to cut it. (Counting down the days till my upgrade next month! #firstworldproblems)

I was telling C that ever since I became a mom, I suddenly see the appeal of open spaces where I can just let me kids roam free. They were happy as larks just running around, picking up pebbles, and pointing at squirrels.

It's always fun to see people dressed up. I'm at the point now where I see people dressed like this in the grocery store and I don't even think twice about it.

We are not sure how much time we have left here in VA, but the end is somewhere in sight, and already I feel a little sad pull on my heartstrings because I know I will miss it here. Especially living just five minutes away from Jamestown and CW. Growing up in NJ and feeling like an East Coaster through and through (my heart is in the shape of a taylor ham-egg-and-cheese bagel), I never imagined I would feel so at home in the South. I feel so lucky to call this my home.

***

Start planning your VA trip, people. We have room for ya! And I promise to even put a non-Hershey-brand chocolate on your pillow. 

picking pumpkins...or the day my two became best friends

You know those days where you sit on the couch at the end of the day, and the kids are sleeping in their rooms, and you're pretty sure time did something screwy and the day was actually 30 hours long and not 24? (Pardon the run-on...my degree was in communications, not English.) Today was one of those days. 

The morning started off by taking S to the farmer's market and running some errands while we were out.  While in the car, I asked her if she knew where we were going. She said, "Car. Popeye? Tetas?" We've been talking about our trip to Texas next month, and I've had to remind her a few times that we can't drive to Texas right now. It was cute thought. (Oh, and Popeye is what she calls her Poppy that lives in Texas.)

So we got to the store, and for some reason, some people just rub S the wrong way, and today we met one of those people. S had been perfectly happy until one saleslady wanted to touch her and play with her. 

"She must be hungry, " she said when S started whimpering and covering her eyes.

"No, I don't think so. She's just shy sometimes."

"Huh. You don't get out much then do you?"

"We get out every single day. Every. Day."

I love when strangers assume things about my parenting.

Anyway...we still had to run to the post office and I wasn't sure how S would manage since she was going on twenty minutes of straight sobbing. It wasn't the angry-whiny cry. It was the "I'm really uncomfortable and sorta scared, mama" cry. I was able to distract her by having her point out letters that we saw. This girl is all about her letters lately and she is getting so good! Then she got sad again and I told her we would go home soon and see Dada. She then said, "Gaco?" I assured her that yes, we would see Pato, too. Finally, we got home and we told her she could help us get Pato from his room. She ran in yelling, "Gaco! Gaco!" She loves her brother so so much. 

We then hopped in our car, and took the ferry over to Surry to pick some pumpkins. It was suuuper windy and I actually thought one of my kids was going to get blown over. We all survived, and the only person who fell over was J, but that wasn't from the wind. He just falls a lot. I call him Mr.Bump.

As soon as we got out of the car, we just let these two run wild. They loved getting dirty and S definitely got pumpkin guts all over her boots. I think I also caught J poking at some guts, too.

And the moment C and I agreed these two had definitely become best friends:

I am lucky.

***

P.S. Pato had his first taste of ice cream today. It was a hit! (And that was the quietest I've seen S in a while. No time to talk. Just eat!)

Sleepy Hollow

Before heading back home to VA, we took the kids (and my youngest brother) to Sleepy Hollow. It was fun to explore the cemetery at the Old Dutch church and I think the kids thought it was one giant playground. They loved running around and squeezing in between headstones. We were probably the most irreverent ones there, so I would like to make a public apology on their behalf. 

I am so very sorry my kids trampled all over your graves. They sure did enjoy themselves. So...ya know...thanks for that. 

American flags were placed next to graves of Revolutionary War veterans.

While the leaves were not at their peak, the weather was crisp enough to make up for the lack of color. I would love to go back again at night someday for the full spooky effect. 

I should mention that the headless horseman bridge was a bit of a letdown. Did anyone ever watch the headless horseman episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" Well, let's just say THAT bridge was a lot cooler and Nickelodeon set my expectations way too high. P.S. That show was the bomb. P.S.S "The bomb" is not part of my regular vocabulary but I have to make exceptions for 90's tween shows. 

Oh, and if the day couldn't get any better, we got Shake Shack on the way home. I will challenge anyone who says any other burger is better. Because it's not. If I weren't already married I would probably marry a Shackburger. I told my brother to give me his best Shakeshake selfie and I got this. Well, no. I got another one, but this was the best shot. The other one had "too-cool-teenage-boy" written all over it.