spinning

It is finally spring -

and i feel myself spinning. SPINNING in delight with this little toddler:

SPINNING in circles around this high-energy six year old:

love the costume - thanks, Nana!

SPINNING in the dizzying array of options as I consider what to include in this post. I think it'll be a sort of 'catch all' as I have long since admitted that my best efforts to keep this blog updated are being thwarted by the pulls of daily life.

Easter Monday cupcakes - a request from the Big Girl

SPINNING in tangled webs of to-do lists as we prepare for our BIG MOVE! What's that? You didn't know? Yes, we are MOVING. OVER SEAS. Abroad. Might as well be over the rainbow. :)

We are moving to Hong Kong! The dream beyond dreams is becoming a reality for us. We leave DC officially in 2 short months. I'll be teaching kindergarten at Hong Kong International School. Jasper is currently job seeking and I have no doubt he'll land something fabulous. It's surreal to have this become REAL after years of saying "someday".

Ainsley's vision of our new home - not too far off! 

So - without further ado - here's what we've been up to for the last 2 months:

reading. LOTS of books for this little bookworm. Found her like this one evening as I prepared dinner.

EASTER

BLOSSOMS

cherry blossom festival - a DC TREAT

contemplating while gazing on the Tidal Basin during the cherry blossom festival walk

dc has been a good home to us

worn  out. clutching her "woof woof"

TEE BALL

our TEE BALL girl! So Sporty. Love the sunny afternoons and weekends this provides as we support Ainsley and therefore ignore any to-do lists for lovely chunks of outdoor time.

this reminds me of a photo of her dad in the same position

3 girls on the team

Big Sister's biggest fan.

friends and playtime at daycare!

STAIRS. Gotta hand it to her - her laser-beam focus on these angular delights is unmatched. up. down. up. down. repeat.

Metro!

my sweethearts! We are so ready to play outdoors after this brutal winter.

Forsythia in front of Brent Elementary

what would a sunny season be without this staple? we love the carousel on the National Mall.

no more chocolate!!???

painting pottery on a bad-weather day

twister!!!! such a happy gift. Thank you, Papa Rex & Grandma Dee!

i have no words

Then we were in the ER again with this pumpkin. Luckily a brief visit. Poor lungs. That viral-triggered asthma is awful. Nurse gave her a tiara.

Rough Winter. 6... or was it 7? ... snow days. Didn't see that coming.

our bookworm's favorite spot - under the table

ABear had surgery to repair her umbilical hernia. She was a trooper. Really brave. The recovery revealed her low pain threshold and dramatic flair (a refusal to try walking for quite some time). The magic blanket from Dasha pulled her through and never left her side. Now she sports a healed abdomen and a more cosmetically appealing belly button. We are all glad to be on the other side and that the whole procedure went smoothly.

games, movies, and ice cream - for 4 days

waiting to see Dr Chahine to follow up after ABear's umbilical surgery

JAkE

Sweet pup. We will miss you so very much! But we know you're going to a good home.

desperate for signs of spring...

a glimmer of sunshine to come - early March (then it snowed 3 more times!)

these 2 are trouble

a whole new world now that she reads and writes!!

climbing EVERYTHING

fun in the snow with neighbor Caroline

playing doctor - checking dolly's breathing - she has schema for that

cold but necessary afternoon a the National Zoo

look at those wild eyes. been indoors far too long!