Calm before the FL

We were in the big countdown for FL, ready for a vacation to the warm sunshine, especially with the snow we had this week.  We did a few fun things around town though before we left.  Picture proof below.

A couple kid updates of late:
- Luke is shortening all words in his high efficiency world.  For berries, he calls them "straws", "blacks", "blues" and "razz's".  Or else he just says the first letter of the word and makes us work for it, "Mom, I'd like an "h, d" with some "m" - that is "hot dog" and "milk".
- Claire has been wanting to sleep with her pink polka dot blanket that G&G Mackus gave her when she was a baby, but she calls polka dots "coconuts."  This coconuts description now extends to any shirt, rug, piggy bank that has polka dots on it.  Pointing emphatically and proclaiming "coconuts"!
- She is talking so much more and has lost so much of her baby fat, boo hoo.  Not a baby anymore.  She seems to be eating big breakfasts and sometimes big lunches and then hardly eats at all for dinner.
- Luke is still obsessed with Planes Fire & Rescue.  He loves the song "All in".  As soon as it is turned on he has such a giant smile on his face.  He knows all the words to the songs and he even sings them now.  He also hums along to the Octonauts TV show theme song and makes up words and sounds to go along with the music.

Isolene told me that Claire asked her to take this picture of her:)

Gorgeous sunset that night

Headed to the park with G&G

Kite flying

This scene is just adorable

Looking for turtles

Happy kid during hand washing

Luke has been really into climbing the trees in our yard lately, makes me a bit nervous!

Playdate with our neighbor kids - they ended up "fishing" off of the boat in the garage

Luke packed for FL about a week early and was ready to go!  He packed his school backpack with FL clothes so ended up taking Claire's girly backpack to school all week and didn't mind at all.

Missy Moo

There's that kid in a tree again!

Claire was quiet for a while so Luke and I went over to investigate.  She had put all the dog food from the food bowl into the water bowl and was pretty proud of herself.

Snow, boooo!!!!  We were definitely ready for our trip to sunny FL.  

Ok, I probably minded the most.  The kids were happy to go out into the snow again.

Claire insisted I join her outside at 7am after my elliptical workout, thus my shorts.

Feeding me snow, yummy.

We hit the Shedd Aquarium the next day.  We were so impressed by how much Luke knew about fish and water mammals. He named everything he saw, it was amazing!  That Kinderhaven preschool unit really taught him a ton on sea life.

We got to watch the Dolphin Show, it was amazing!

Picnic lunch was a good idea considering the crowds at the food court around lunch time.

Touch and feel area

Luke loved the aquarium, what a difference from the first time we went with him.  

Even MORE snow - no!!!

Enjoying a late-March fire - she likes to watch the flames dance

Claire had her dance recital on Wed

Twinkle toes

She was super happy to have all of us there for her dance class

Balancing

Look at that little tongue sticking out

Say cheese!  This face cracks me up.

Dancing with Daddy