Revisiting Our Favorite Places

After all of our fun at Butler's Orchard, we headed to Lancaster County Dutch Market to get something for lunch.

We then took our lunch over to the Kentlands to eat it at the park.

After we ate the girls had a great time playing and swinging on the playground.

Madison even opened her own Ice Cream Shop while we were there. After all of the pretend ice cream, the girls decided they needed some real ice cream, so...

we headed to Famous Dave's. The girls got ice cream and Clay and I split the world's best bread pudding.

The girls loved the big wooden bear inside.

High five for the good ice cream and amazing bread pudding!

Needless to say after our busy day Madison fell asleep on the way to the hotel.

Jocelyn fell asleep too, but it didn't look very comfy.

We got checked into our hotel and Jocelyn figured out a unique way to look out the window.

We ended our eating extravaganza with a trip to Potomac Pizza for dinner.

Butler's Orchard

We took the girls to Butler's Orchard. It is one of our favorite places in Maryland.

I could spend all day in their market/store, but...

we headed to the apple field to pick some Gala apples.

Madison was obsessed with getting the freshest apples. We assured her that apples don't get any fresher than pulling them off the tree. :)

Happy to have the freshest apple!

Jocelyn was ready to eat her apples.

YEAH for apples!

Picking apples is the BEST!

Look what I picked!

Where are we going now, Daddy?

Let's follow Mommy to the raspberry fields.

Madison gave Jocelyn a lesson on how to pick a good berry.

Then Madison supervised as Jocelyn tried to pick a good berry.

Madison was proud of all the good raspberries they picked.

Don't forget to pick the berries up high.

Time to pick some blackberries.

Good teamwork!

On the way back to the market, we stopped by the Flower Garden.

Madison wanted to take a picture of Daddy and Mommy.

So many flowers to choose from.

Running to see the sunflowers!

WOW, the sunflowers are HUGE!

Sunflower!

"Can we go yet?" Jocelyn wasn't as impressed with the flowers as Madison and I were.

We had to take one more picture of the beautiful flowers before we left the garden.

When we got back to the market to pay, we saw these gorgeous mums.

What a wonderful time we had today at Butler's Orchard. We can't wait to come back again.

Visiting our Maryland Homes

We decided to head to Maryland/DC for the long weekend.

Welcome to Maryland!

We lived in Maryland for 4 years while Clay was in medical school, but it has been almost 3 1/2 years since we have been back.

I have missed seeing the Maryland flag.

We took the girls to the Kentlands to see the apartment Clay and I lived in during our first year in Maryland.

We also stopped by our first townhouse in Germantown, Maryland. Madison LOVED getting to see the house that she lived in as a baby, but was sad that we couldn't go inside to see it.

Peanut Butter Play Dough

Today we made Peanut Butter Play Dough using equal parts of Peanut Butter and Corn Starch.

Jocelyn loved the way it smelled and...

tasted!

Preschool Open House

Madison's new preschool is unique in that it operates as a training center for high school students enrolled in the Early Childhood Occupations Program. This means that not only will Madison have her full time teacher (Mary Kincaid) and full time teacher's aide (Sharon Dement) in the classroom, but she will also have the high school teacher (Penny Cooke) and the high school students coming into the classroom to help.

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The preschool is also designed to integrate children without disabilities with Special Education students. Madison's class is made up of 8 regular education students and up to 4 special education students. Madison is one of the two special education students in her class right now. She will be receiving her Speech and OT therapies in the classroom this year rather than being pulled out like she was last year.

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Today was the Open House. It was very exciting to see the HUGE classroom and meet all of her teachers.

The girls loved the fact that there was a piano in the Music Center.

Madison quickly began cleaning in the House/Drama Center.

It didn't take her long to find a playhouse in the Block Center.

Madison had to go back and visit the piano one last time before we left.
Madison LOVED her new class and teachers. She can't wait to get on the bus and go next week.
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I will still be homeschooling the girls in the morning, but then Madison will head to her preschool for the afternoon. Clay and I felt that she still needed the socialization of school, plus she will be receiving her Speech and OT therapy at school. Academically I will continue to be working through Kindergarten curriculum with her in the morning. It should be a busy but FUN school year!

Puff Paint Pink and Purple Purses!

Madison LOVES to paint!

Here are the finished puff paint pink and purple purses!

Here are the close ups of the ones I made for the girls.