Another fun vacation.

We just returned from 8 days of sun and sand in Aruba.  As always it was a great family time.  I love when we travel and it's just the four of us and we don't have any interruptions (tv, phones, video games, etc...).  It's family time that I hope the kids will remember forever.  It helps us bond as a family when there are no dishes to be done, laundry to be washed, or rooms to be cleaned.  Our day started off bright and early on a Monday morning, we left the house at 5:30 am and drove to NYC to catch our flight.

The flight was uneventful (even though Tyler hates the take off) and before you knew it we were in Aruba.  The kids couldn't wait to get in the pool, it's the first thing they did.

The next morning we headed to Linda's Dutch Pancakes, and they were just about the yummiest thing I've ever eaten!  We actually went there twice and I am already missing them.  The kids both got pancakes with candy, doesn't get any better then that.

The days kind of all blend together for me but we did so much.  We played on the beach and built sand castles.  Steve and I kind of have an unspoken routine at the beach, I play in the sand with the kids and he swims in the ocean with them.

We also explored the island a bit.  We went to a donkey sanctuary that was really neat and different.  It's always nice to get the kids away from the resort and see some of the more local culture.  They got to pet the donkeys, feed the donkeys, and learn a bit about them.

We also went to some fun restaurants and walked around the stores.  We saw a water show and the kids rode some bumper boats.

We also visited the California Lighthouse and saw some other beautiful scenery.

We even learned about how Aruba Aloe is made in the tour of the factory.

We also did a photoshoot while on the beach.  I bought one of my better cameras and my favorite lens.  I am quite happy with the results, even though the kids were intent on doing their own poses.

Yet another fabulous Teebagy vacation is under our belts... I wonder where we will go next time?

She's got the fever...

So Justin Bieber is the big thing in music for little girls these days.  Reminds me of my own obsession with The New Kids on the Block (which hasn't gone away).  I took Juliana to see the Justin Bieber movie "Never say Never" not once, not twice, but three times.  It was actually quite good and entertaining.

Here is a picture of her and her friends the third time I bought her:

Yesterday was his (Justin Bieber's) 17th birthday, Juliana and her friend Kerri had a little birthday celebration in honor.

I would definitely say she's got Bieber Fever!

So fast...

Today is presidents day, which of course means yet another day for my kids to NOT go to school.  We spent the morning pretty much relaxing as it was snowing a bit, then went out to do a little shopping and for ice cream.  Tyler asked why we were going out for ice cream as we walked into the shop since it's cold out, I said it's because we are sick of winter, so this day forward we will pretend it is summer, and that includes going out for ice cream!

This morning before we left Juliana spent time on Skype talking to her cousin Erin (and sometimes Grant).

And Tyler made his own breakfast, his specialty is scrambled eggs and toast.  He does it all himself and I might add does a very good job!

Just another reminder that my babies are growing up so fast.

Mornings...

Mornings around here can either be completely crazy with me running around barking orders at kids who move way to slow to get ready for school in time.  And other mornings the kids decide they want to listen and do all the things they are supposed to do (oh how I love those mornings), and they have extra time to do things.  Yesterday morning they played Legos at the island while finishing up their breakfast.  I love to watch them when they are getting along so great, it can really warm a mothers heart.

They can't all be great ideas...

Yesterday was Valentine's Day!  Every year I cook some kind of cupcakes covered in little heart sprinkles, but this year with a vacation on the horizon (that includes getting into a bikini, in public) I decided against the baked treats.  We always get the kids little gifts, this year we got them each a new shirt, chocolates, and cards.  They both had parties in their classrooms and got way to much candy.  Anyhow, last night I was cooking dinner and started to feel guilty about not making any special treats for them.  So as I was mashing the potato's I got what seemed like a brilliant idea at the time to put red food coloring into them, for Valentine's Day of course.  I should of thought about it more, because to me they looked like I had cut my finger open when I was mashing them.  Just not appetizing at all.  Next time I'll just stick to putting a little in their milk to make it pink!

Football and cupcakes.

Now there are two things that you don't always hear together, cupcakes and football!  Last Sunday was the Superbowl.  The kids were very excited as we were going to a superbowl party at their friends house.  As always I went with a lot of food, I sometimes drive myself crazy with how much I decide to cook for events, but it's what I do.  I am always trying new recipes, I made carrot raisin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting! I thought they were delicious, and I will definitely be making them again.  Even the kids all liked them (well Juliana only liked the frosting, but that still counts for something).

Ground hog day!

Have you ever seen that movie, where it was ground hog day over and over and over... that's how it has been around here.  One snow storm after another, after another, after... you get the picture!  Today actually is ground hog day!  The ground hog did NOT see his shadow.  Now I am not one that believes in superstitions or anything like that, but this year I choose to believe that there will be an early spring.  Yesterday the kids did not have school (surprise, surprise), luckily I hit the craft store the day before so we had some projects.

This morning we woke up to an ice storm, I am telling you, the fun never stops around here!  I must admit, the ice is beautiful, that doesn't make me like it anymore, but it's fun to take pictures of.

And finally, Charlotte has been loving all the snow, she loves to run around and bury her head in it, it's fun to watch since Lucy has never had any desire to run in snow... or run at all.