Lazy day at the pool

 One of Jolie's best buddies- our neighbor Katie

 Family movie night in our neighborhood gathering space

 Popcorn face Lena

 First pigtails

 Playing with Zoe at the pool

 M and L finally saved enough money (Well, close enough. Mom and dad took pity and got them. It takes a seriously long time for three-year-olds to save ten bucks.) for the mermaids they have been wanting!

One of Lena's many drawings- a family of penguins.

 Here are our last few weeks in a nutshell...we celebrated Daddy's birthday...

 mommy ran the Race for the Cure 5K with her friend Kinder...

 we went to the Founder's Day parade in New Albany...

 we went to Kalahari Waterpark in Sandusky...

 and ate lots of snacks...

 and Maddie refused to go on any slides (just the wave pool)

 we stopped by and visited with Grandma and Grandpa P...

 Maddie nearly knocked herself silly.

 Grandma Smart came to visit.  We went to the zoo,

 watched the animal show,

 rode the carousel,

 rode the train,

and wore Jolie out!

 Grandma taught us how to play Go Fish.

And we took her to our pool!

 This is by far one of the coolest milestones we have hit.  A few weeks ago Lena wrote her name...all by herself, with no help whatsoever!  She was drawing at the desk in our guest room on her own (as she often does), and she emerged and produced this picture!  It is "a volcano that is erupting, but it doesn't hurt you."  And she autographed her photo!  Awesome.

We have been enjoying the beautiful weather lately by playing outside with the neighbors a ton.  It was hot a couple days ago, so we had out the sprinkler and other water toys.  I think Jolie is going to love the pool this summer.  Her skin was ice cold, but she kept crawling back into the water.  She loves it.

Chris just got back from a week long trip to London.  We all missed him a ton.  M and L wanted to send a picture saying "I love you" in sign language, and the first picture is what we got.  Regardless, daddy got the message.  

We took a trip one evening to one of the twins' favorite parks.  They still- barely- fit in the big swing.  We first took them two years ago, and they have always insisted that they swing in it together.  Jolie especially loved the slide.  M and L took turns going down the small slide with her in their lap.  Her favorite part though was trying to climb it.  She just kept climbing and climbing, but never made it anywhere.  She looked like she was on a treadmill!  It kept her entertained for quite a while.

The kids and Chris sent me tulips for Mother's Day.  Lena was so mad that she didn't get flowers in the mail.  She sat at the table with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face the entire time I was arranging them in the vase.  I told her to ask for some for her birthday, and she seemed ok with that idea.  At least it will be easy to pick out her present.

 Jolie almost got her first juice box.  Too bad Maddie had already sucked it down.

Impromptu picnic and walk at Inniswood Gardens on a beautiful day.