Pumpkin Patch 2009

A beautiful, sunny, 80 degree day at the Hunt Club Farm Pumpkin Patch!

Happy 2nd Birthday Em!

Emma's birthday was a relaxing family weekend. Since we already had her party earlier in the month we just took it easy and spent time together. The Pungo Strawberry Festival was also in full swing, so we spent Saturday afternoon walking around the grounds, enjoying the rides, playing games and seeing the farm animals. Lily even went up on the Ferris wheel and loved it. Thanks to everyone who sent special gifts for our birthday girl. She loved everything and had a GREAT day! Can't believe our baby is TWO!!!

Strawberry Picking

May 17, 2009

A fun morning spent in the field picking strawberries with the Kreutzberg's!

First Dip

Our first dip in the pool this season!

I LOVE THIS!

Just can't get enough of seeing the girls with their Daddy. They're OVER THE MOON to have him back!

Dinner with the Kreutzbergs

Having an impromptu dinner date with some great friends is always the best! We enjoyed an afternoon at the park, pizza, salad, ice cream and drinks back at our house and a rousing game of hide-and-seek. Check out the sneaky hiding spots that Greg and Jeff found!
We all had a blast and the girls play so well together. I love all the pictures of their messy ice cream faces and grass stained knees, a true sign summer is here! Enjoy....

Another Day at the Zoo

A warm 75 degree Virginia day... and a perfect afternoon at the Zoo!

Bowling With Papa

Tonight we spent the evening bowling with Nana and Papa. Lily and Emma had never been before, so they had a ball learning how to roll the balls and see all the pins get knocked down. Lily had her favorite ball, which she called "pinkie" all night and Em loved resetting the pins, usually before we even finished the frame. We took a break during the night to enjoy some yummy pizza and beer battered fries. We had a great night despite Emma's cold and the -23 degree weather. (Yes, it really is that cold up here. With the wind chill it hit -46 degrees!)
Enjoy the pics....

A Fun Sunday Afternoon

We spent the afternoon at Birdie's Play Center in Chesapeake. Erin, Jack and Sylvia went with us to enjoy lots of jumping, running and playing. After we were all tired out, the crew headed back to our house and ate a yummy chicken dinner together. It's nice to have another friend, with children the same age as mine, that lives so close. Her husband is also gone, so she has been a real support for me and the girls. Thanks Erin! We love our dinners, play dates, days at the park and our many other adventures!

DD 27

A fun day at Red Wing Park... wish you were here Daddy. We miss you!!

Kangeroo Jacks

Tuesday, October 28th: Day 3 of April and Cailyn's Visit

Lots of jumping fun at Kangaroo Jacks in Chesapeake. April and I had a blast chasing the girls around and even enjoyed a little jumping ourselves.

Out of focus....but still a great shot!!

Hunt Club Farm

We had beautiful weather for our morning at Hunt Club Farm. The girls had a blast experiencing all the farm life. We enjoyed a hayride, the petting farm, the pumpkin patch and playing around on the playground and tractor. The best part, watching Lily and Cailyn having a hay fight in the huge mound of hay. Em's favorite part, all the special attention from Auntie!

DD13

Another trip to the VA Zoo, this time with Kimmie. The weather was sunny and crisp, finally a fall day! Here are some pictures from our fun filled day. There is also a video below with Emma learning a new word...

A Visit with Grammie and Grampie Prager

September 25-28th:
I know, I know....another slide show! We were just so busy the last few weeks before Jeff deployed. I know there are a lot of pictures, but there are some really sweet shots of the girls (if I do say so myself). There are also some really cool pictures of the Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach, VERY cool sand sculptures!! This should be it for a while with the slideshows... :)

Straight from Grammie Prager's blog:
"We packed a lot of activities into three days with Jeff and Irene. It was great to see everyone and the girls are growing like weeds. Friday Irene and I took a two mile walk with the girls and Kastor. The girls napped in the afternoon and we stayed home while Jeff and Irene went to buy some organizers for Irene's scrapbooking supplies. We all helped in the construction and then Irene disappeared into the closet to get things organized. AHHH!! We got a babysitter in the evening and had a nice dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (yummy). Saturday we took the gang to the Virginia Aquarium and had a wonderful afternoon looking at the fish and seeing how they are all fed. Sunday morning we took off for the beach to the Neptune Festival and saw some amazing sand sculptures and then tried one of our own. After lunch we went to the park to let the kids blow off more steam... then it was packing and getting to the airport. Enjoy the slideshow....."

VA Zoo

The few weeks before Jeff left, we were busy out enjoying lots of family activities around Hampton Roads (hence the many slide shows I've been posting). September 21st we spent the morning at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. The girls had a blast running around the Zoo watching all the animals with Daddy. They especially loved watching the elephants get their baths and the sleeping lions. The Petting Farm was a big hit too. The weather was warm and sunny, a perfect day to be outside with my family. We'll be going back again soon, the girls loved it so much we bought a yearly pass.

Sesame Street Live

On October 5th, the local USO sponsored a free Sesame Street Live concert for military families. We took the girls last year and it was a pricey event. It was wonderful to see so much support for military families!
Lily and Emma loved seeing all their Sesame Street friends up close and personal on a small stage at Oceana. The USO also provided free toys (the ones you buy at the show that are usually $15 or more), free Sesame Street deployment videos, stickers, posters etc... and lots of free literature. Jeff, Lily Emma and I, as well as Jack and Erin, had a great time singing and dancing with Elmo and the gang. Enjoy the pics...

Virginia Beach Buddy Walk 10-4-08

Our niece Breanna has Down Syndrome and every year the Parenteau family (and others) participates in the Buddy Walk in Portland, Maine to support the Southern Maine Down Syndrome Family Network. It's a great day with lots of fun family activities. Most importantly it raises awareness and allows families to network with one another.
We love you and support you Breanna! You have truly come so far in just 4 short year. The sky is the limit sweetie... we're so blessed to have you as part of this family.

So instead of just donating this year, we decided to find a local walk and join in on all the fun! Here are the pictures from our day at Mt. Trashmore. The weather was beautiful and we all had a blast. There were clowns, balloons, bouncy castles, face painting, lots of food and of course a wonderful walk. Enjoy the pics...

Here is some information about the walk from the Buddy Walk website. Maybe you can find one in your local area....

The Buddy Walk™ was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Today, the Buddy Walk™ program is supported nationally by NDSS and organized at the local level by parent support groups, schools and other organizations and individuals.
Over the past thirteen years, the Buddy Walk™ program has grown from 17 walks to more than 275 expected in 2008 across the country and around the world. Last year alone, 250,000 people participated in a Buddy Walk™! They raised more than $9.5 million to benefit national education, research and advocacy initiatives, as well as local programs. These funds enable NDSS and local groups to offer services that support and enhance the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
The Buddy Walk™ is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. It is a wonderful, heart-warming event that celebrates the many abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome. Whether you have Down Syndrome, know someone who does, or just want to show your support, come and join a Buddy Walk™ in your local community!

Sisters!!!

Why can't they act like this all of the time? I guess it's a good thing we got this on video!!

Daddy Days

The girls are really missing Daddy these days. He's been gone for a while getting ready for deployment. Unfortunately we haven't even had phone contact. Both girls are feeling blue about the lack of Daddy time. Even Emma comes running into our bedroom searching for Jeff and saying "Dada, Dada!" Here are some pics from a few weekends ago. It was a BEAUTIFUL 85 degree day with a cool ocean breeze. It was a nice afternoon and a refreshing change of pace from the extreme heat and humidity we've been having here in Virginia.

We miss you so much sweetie!

FAMILY FEET