Fun at the pool

Photo dump and update

She is really into babies right now (that's the head of her fave baby doll in the lower left hand corner)
Dolls
Just made this dress for Zaphira
Arr matey! Zanthias is REALLY into pirates right now.
Baking bread.

Sorry for the delay-here's what we've been doing all month! We've been trying to get outside a lot more. We've started a garden, complete with what (we hope) will be a pea tepee with flowering groundcover inside for the kids to play in.
He has added some new words-water, bye poo, super Z, and robot.
Zaphira is walking faster and faster and will soon be running, I'm sure. She is trying to talk, and has made her first two signs (milk and more) Drew has been super busy at work, getting home late and having late calls every night =( The kids and I have been going on lots of playdates and excursions.
We were going to have Zanthias in a preschool program this summer, but the teacher fell through, so we're poking around to see what classes and things are available. We were all sick for a couple of weeks, but finally feeling better.

Birthdays coming up

With birthdays coming up, we'd like to put some ideas up here for family. The kids really don't need any new toys-in fact, we just went through the toy room and sorted out a lot they don't play with, so help us keep it clean! We are canceling our cable, and we'd like to work on building the library of DVDs and kids' books. We have a lot of books and movies already, so if you'd like to get something not on this list, please check with us first, or include a receipt so we can exchange it if we already have it!
DVD wish list- we have a Blu-ray player, so you can get those if you like, but regular DVDs are fine too.
Book wish list- We'd really like to increase the number of Spanish or Spanish/English books we have. We don't have many of those, so feel free to choose your own!
Craft supplies are definitely something we can use. Zanthias is really getting interested in creative processes.
If you'd really like to buy toys, here are wish lists for Zanthias and Zaphira. Please let these be a guide in choosing your gifts!

We are working toward a Waldorf/Montessori mix for the kids' education, so anything that falls along those lines (natural materials, tools sized for little hands) would be much appreciated. We would love to get a lot of love and use out of anything you buy for the kids, and we feel that buying less, but buying quality is the best way to do that. The best toys will be saved for their children. Wouldn't that be a great thing-knowing your great-grandchildren are loving and enjoying the same toys you bought for your grandchildren?

And if none of that suits you, how about a donation to Heifer International in their name, or pay for a music class or skiing lessons or something of that sort?

We really appreciate you, and want this to be easy and fun for everyone. If you wonder what's got us thinking this way, please read this article concerning the real cost of those plastic made in China gifts.

Nice warm day

Getting outside, since we've all been sick all week =( And yes, Zanthias has a new haircut (courtesy of himself-he had Daddy's beard trimmer and whacked off enough that it all had to go-no need to mention it, it gets everyone upset!)