Throwback Thursday - Holidays 2013

Part of the problem with not doing the blog for a year is that I missed out on the documentation of some fun stuff! So, I'll try to cover some of it in some "Throwback Thursday" editions.

And so we go to Christmas in July. This past Christmas season, we had brunch with Santa! Liora actually spoke to him (a first) and since there was no enforced lap sitting and she had a lot of time to get used to the guy, she was very, very excited.

Kaya wasn't so sure.

The brunch was YUMMY.

Since Santa was wandering around, Liora got many opportunities to chit chat.

Which eventually resulted in this!

Christmas morning!

One of our favorite presents!

Or maybe this is the best present of all…sister love.

This holiday season, Liora and I also took part in our first mommy-daughter tea at the Ritz. This was a princess tea, with a ballet performance and special treats! It was very appreciated, since we drove there in a snow storm. Mommy got a chance to sip tea and relax my shoulders after gripping the wheel for 35 minutes and Liora got a front-row seat of the princesses in action.

Liora with the princesses.

Drinking her hot chocolate.

Mommy and Liora special day.

We made our annual gingerbread house.

And Lexy proceeded to destroy it, as she does every year. Doesn't she look so innocent?

The girls decided that their end-of-year charitable gift would be to help endangered animals. And so Kaya chose to help the snowy owl, and Liora chose the arctic hare.

And to round it all out, the girls enjoyed some fun times with friends, singing carols.

Next post will be more seasonal, I promise!

Happy Five Years!

Mommy and Daddy just celebrated our fifth anniversary this past weekend! To honor that special day, we took Liora and Kaya back to where it all happened, the Inn at Brookevile Farms in Olney, Maryland. We actually went a week early on Father's Day and had a yummy brunch. But before that, we asked the girls to reenact some of our wedding day poses!

Yep, we actually got married right on this spot. Liora has been asking a lot of questions about getting married lately, including "What did you say to Daddy?" and "What does it mean to say vows?" So we have been answering those questions, but we also thought it would be helpful to show her where we got married. Here, the girls said their vows to each other to always take care of each other and work together. :)

Then, we had a nice breakfast, sitting outside.

Pretty good photography on behalf of Liora. Just a little head cutting off.

It was very nice to sit and enjoy then setting. It was much more calming than the last time I was here! By the end of the brunch, the girls were holding hands and walking all around the patio.

Then it was back outside to pose by the flowers.

Kaya took this picture.

And this one!

It was so nice to celebrate our anniversary as a whole family. We hadn't been there since the wedding, and so it was really special to see the place again. It's been a crazy, wonderful five years!

Grasheims Gymnastics

Last fall, Liora started gymnastics at Dynamite. She quickly moved up from her play group to a pre-team track. Kaya also started parent-assisted gymnastics last winter. Then, Daddy started his own gymnastics! So, here's a rundown of how the kids are doing.

Kaya's favorite apparatus is trampoline. Isn't this the cutest jumping you've ever seen?

A couple of weeks ago, Liora had her first showcase! Here she is with her favorite coach, Kayla.

And Kaya with her coach, Ashley.

Here is Liora's routine from the showcase:

 Liora and her bestie got participating trophies, and then had to do some posing with them.

Here is Liora demonstrating her prowess on her favorite apparatus, the beam, a couple of weeks later, with her new coach, Patrick.

Updating - Some spring highlights

While I'm working on the blog, it's a good time to update on some highlights before we started posting again. (More of this to come!)

We had a nice bagel brunch with Saba:

Our girls became even closer friends:

Bath time is a very loving time.

Sliding partners.

A different night, this time hugs.

We visited the zoo, and got some cool panda hats:

(there are some tigers in the background)

This happened: Kaya ate a cupcake without hands or fork. (Gotta love google+ for the gifs it creates from your photos).

Graduation

Liora has one more year of preschool. But last Friday (May 30), the older kids in her class were graduating to kindergarden. The school includes everyone in that celebration. I can't say I exactly agree with that approach, but at least Liora had a rehearsal for next year and had an extra special part to play!

Liora welcomes everyone to graduation.

During the show.

So cute!

Running up to get her "certificate." Other kids got a diploma.

The kids performed many songs for us. This was my personal favorite, mostly due to the dance moves.

Taking a bow after the performances.

A bit blurry in her graduation hat.

Posing under one of her baby photos.

Gymnastics Fun

We had so much fun this weekend at Penny's fourth birthday party, held at a local tykes gymnastics place.

Looking serious listening to instructions for the next game.

Kaya loves the scarf!

Liora demonstrates her bars expertise. Notice the tongue sticking out? I had the same problem in gymnastics.

Rolling forward...

…and dismount.

Popping bubbles.

And hopping down the bouncy mat.

Liora's Soccer - Spring 2014

Yesterday, a friend of mine showed me a video. We gave them some of our baby clothes; her daughter Amelia was wearing a Grasheim outfit and trying to crawl. My memory jogged--we had the same video! Liora in the same outfit, trying to crawl. I went directly to this blog to share the video with my friend…and then spent the next hour reliving the wonderful memories we've created (and documented) over the past 4+ years.

Then the guilt set in. I haven't posted for a LONG TIME.  I had sort of given up on doing this. It takes a long time. It's a lot of work. I'm sort of busy. 

But then I said to myself, "Alison, get to it! Keep it up! Think of what you'll want to remember in four more years."

And so, here is an attempt at a new jumpstart. I'm not making any promises, but I'll try. :)

Liora did soccer this spring, joining a team at the local Y. We were the youngest and smallest team; most games we didn't score a thing. But she loved it this time around, and looked forward to practice and game every week. 

The big news is that she scored the first goal of the season, one of two for the entire season, and she did it WITH PURPOSE. I missed it, but Adam reports she took control of the ball and dribbled it down the field before making the goal. In other words, it was not a "goal by mistake." She can't wait for the fall season.

Here, she demonstrates her great kick!

At the last game, her sister was there to cheer her on.

Aren't they so cute?!?

Go team!

Actually, it was "go red rockets!"

We got special soccer cookies.

And a trophy celebrating her big year!

Our team of 4-year-olds.