Sam and Clare visit!!!

Dear Maya and Emi,

We have had the best month! Mommy's dear friend Sam visited from Australia for about 4 weeks--the first time we've seen her in 7 years! And then mommy's dear friend Clare joined us for the last weekend. What a wonderful time we've had!

Maya, you finished 1st grade! You had a stellar final report card and we will miss your teacher Mrs. Farrell so much. Then, after a week free, you started summer camp and are spending nearly every day swimming in the stream with your friends.

Here are some of the highlights of our time with Sam and Clare:

•  Hiking Bash Bish Falls
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Wandering around Hudson and Olana (while you were at school, Maya)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Wandering around Rhinebeck and having ice cream after the last day of school
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Walking/biking/scootering along the Rail Trail
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Visiting the world's largest kaleidoscope and hiking Poet's Walk with Aunt Kelsie and cousins
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Visiting the beautiful gardens at Wethersfield
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Having Japanese food and playing with sparklers (while you were at a sleepover, Maya)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Going to the library story hour (while you were at camp, Maya)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Hiking up to the cool cave at Dover Stone Church
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A surprise tropical birthday party that Clare and Sam threw for mommy (with baba's gyoza!)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A trip to the hot air balloon festival (you stayed home with Baba, Emi)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A belated 4th of July/early birthday party for mommy at Grandma & Papa Stan's house
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• And a bunch of other random photos of fun times we had, in no particular order
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, that was a LOT of photos and a LOT of awesome memories. Now mommy needs to sign off and catch up on emails and other work. Love you both! (And you both, too, Sam & Clare!!)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ***lots of photos in this post were taken by Sam, Clare and Baba!***
  
  
  
  
  

Red gates, pink tutus

Dear Maya & Emi,

Mommy is always proud of you two, but lately you've really been showing off your skills and smarts.

Maya, you and I went to your school's annual Spring into Learning event and you proudly showed off your project on torii--the red gates in front of many shrines in Japan. It was great to see you in your element and see how much you have learned in just a few short years in school!

Emi, you had your first dance recital!! The other mommies and I weren't sure what to expect when you and your 4 little classmates bumbled around the stage during the dress rehearsal, but during the show you all did really well! No stage fright, no tripping, and most of you remembered a majority of the dance moves to both your tap song "Boogie Woogie Piggy" and your ballet song "Bunny Rabbit Blues." It was truly adorable!

 

 

Well, that was a short post, but we're in a hectic season right now. Mommy and daddy are both very busy with work, and it's the end of the dance and school years so life has been taken up with all that entails. We have a super fun summer coming up, though--mommy's dear friend Sam is coming to visit us from Australia for a few weeks to start it off on the best foot possible. Maya you haven't seen her in person since you were just a few months old so we're really excited! Yay!!

Okay, time to sign off now. Love you both!

Blooming trees, blossoming talents

Dear Maya & Emi, 

The last month feels like it's covered about 4 months, and yet like it's sped by in about 5 minutes, too. Considering we started it off with snowfall and today have humid thunderstorms, hail, and tornado warnings, it really does seem like we're smooshing all the seasons together in one.

Here are some of the things we've been up to:

• Grandpa came to visit for a few days 

• Cousin Gracie and Papa Stan's joint birthday party

• Maya, you and mommy went to the Children's Book Festival, met a few authors you love, and you volunteered to sing and sign with John Farrell, internationally loved children's singer/songwriter (and your teacher's husband, so you know a lot of his songs!)

• Maya, you also did some photo location scouting with me which was lots of fun

 

 

• Emi, you're gearing up for your dance recital and got to take photos in your costume last week

• Since dance photos were quicker than expected and since you were dressed up Emi, we stopped by some blossoming trees for a pre-Mother's Day selfie. Over the weekend we visited Nanny and Poppy, Grandma and Papa Stan, and had a relatively relaxing holiday of it!

• Other than that we've been playing outside, inside, and online :)

Well, mommy's going to go read with you before bed. Love you both!