Early May at home

Even though the month is only half over, we've been busy enough that we're beginning to stockpile photos ... and we wouldn't want to deny you, our faithful reader(s), the joy of seeing what we've been up to.

We made homemade doughnuts in a doughnut-maker:

We went hiking in Staten Island. Elizabeth decided that hiking and nature-viewing wasn't good enough for her, so she created a mission to pick up trash along the way.  

We went to the New York Botanical Gardens (next to the Bronx Zoo) for the first time since we purchased our membership in December. It was quite flowerful. 

This is my favorite photo from the trip

This is Kate's favorite photo. This is a grass bench. The grass was very wet and I guess I look dainty when I support my weight with my arms.

We went to Chuck E. Cheese's in Staten Island for a birthday party

And we had a picnic in the park for Mother's Day!

Cookie of the Month: May -- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

The grandpas (and grandmas) all enjoyed the favorite cookie of Pop-Pop McCracken this month: The Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie. 

We got peanut butter all over our chocolate (and chocolate all over our peanut butter) this past weekend, as the kids combined two of America's favorite convenience foods to make one delicious batch of cookies. The kids were getting over being sick and had been cooped up a bit too long it seems and were rather rambunctious when making these delicacies ... Henry even spilled warm butter all over his hand. But we think the cookies turned out well and we hope the grandpas enjoyed them.

And here are the photos...

Spring Break in the South

For Elizabeth's spring break this year we took a road trip south to see some good friends who moved from NYC to Atlanta (Decatur) recently and who just had a child. Aside from having very sick children for the whole trip, we had a good time seeing friends and getting a taste of warmer weather.

Our trip started on a Saturday with a surprise Bridal Shower for step-sister Breanna:

  

   

We then continued south through Virginia, stopping along the way to feed some wild beasts at the Virginia Safari Park.

  

We spent the night on the border of Virginia and Tennessee. I risked life and limb to take this photo, standing in the middle of State Street in Bristol, VA/TN

We then continued south to walk around and have lunch in Asheville, NC

  

We then finally made it to Decatur, where Henry was healthy enough for the first few days to go outside of the house and Elizabeth was healthy enough for the last few days to go outside of the house. Here are Henry and Wes at Leapin' Lizards, a bouncy play place. Both kids had roughly equal levels of exertion, yet my child seems to have an overactive sweat gene

Elizabeth's first day out of the house ... to go to Stone Mountain with daddy.

Henry didn't want to come inside for a group photo ... and then feels bad about it.

On the way back up we stopped at Toccoa Falls

And then we stopped in Richmond, where Elizabeth spread her germs and Henry and I ate questionable cookies....

Finally, Eastern in Leonardtown (the kids are still/again sick, even though it's Elizabeth's half-birthday)