Hattie & Clara Open First Bank Accounts

Kate had a day of continuing education in Chapel Hill, so Paul spent most of the day with the girls up at North Hills. Both have been accumulating lots of cash in their piggy banks, so we decided it was time to get those into savings accounts. We stuffed all their change into purses and brought them up to Wells Fargo. A very patient banker and teller helped tally up all the quarters, nickels and pennies (even staying 45 minutes past closing...theses things don't go so fast since they've jettisoned the old coin counting machines). 

The reward for their patience? Lots of bank lollipops. 

We had plenty of more fun goofing around the rest of the day without Mama...

Pastries for Parents at Hattie's Preschool

Paul and Kate spent an hour with Hattie and her St. Mark's preschool class for Pastries with Parents. Hattie was proud to show her parents around.

Piano Lessons for Clara

Clara started piano lessons with Ms. Meredith this spring, and she's taken to it with gusto. It's once a week, and only for 30 minutes. Our goal is to set the hook...really get her interested, and see if it takes like it did for Kate (who took lessons all the way through high school).

So far so good. She's enjoying the lessons and practice...even dispensing the occasional tip to little sister Hattie. The early feedback from Ms. Meredith...Clara's a natural (and we all know she loves that kind of feedback).

Will Hattie be interested in a couple of years?

Clara's Field Trip to NC Zoo

The whole of Douglas Elementary Kindergarten made the 90 mile trek to Pittsboro to see the sights of the NC Zoo.

Kate went along as chaperone.

Paul asks Clara about the highlights that night. She wanted to talk about the fancy bus that had it's very own bathroom with BLUE WATER when you flush. Wow!

 

Sleeping Beauty at Raleigh Little Theater

Hattie has been locked out the past two Christmases. That time of year when all the good plays and ballets and tea parties happen. Clara gets to go. Mama gets to go. Ga gets to go. But Hattie usually gets stuck with Daddy.

Last Christmas was the first time she was really aware that she was being left out, but even that awareness wasn't enough to overcome the natural short attention squirminess of a three-year old.

But now she's almost three-and-a-half, and Kate had great faith in her maturity when buying tickets several weeks ago for a local production of Sleeping Beauty.

And Hattie delivered, sitting (mostly) patiently for the full hour and a half, standing proudly with Clara to have her picture taken with the cast when it was over.

Hattie's really hanging with the big girls!

She was awarded with a post-show cupcake at Sugarland.

Lazy Saturday Morning in Bed

Hattie Playing Soccer w/ Coach Scott

Like her sister before her, Hattie is now a Coach Scott soccer girl.

She looks so old in soccer shorts, running kicks and a ponytail! 

She's been twice now, and is loving it. 

On the second practice, Clara was able to join. She was a special alumni coach for the day's drills.

Clara's Distinguished Art Award

Clara was honored Monday night at Douglas Elementary for her submission to a Wake County art competition. The theme was how we can make the world a better place.

Her 3D art featured Mama, Daddy, Clara and Hattie with the title "We Can Be Nice Friends to Everyone." She was one of three kindergartners to take home the distinguished Certificate of Participation. 

Hattie ate many cookies and muffins at the reception that followed the awards ceremony.

Easter Fun, 2015

Easter started with a family Easter egg hunt. Rather than pack the eggs with candy, the bunny decided to leave them empty (a new egg hunt theme we've noticed this year) and let the girls trade them in for their basket at the end.

We gussied up for church and snapped a few Easter dress pictures before rushing downtown.

Then the famous First Presbyterian Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn of the North Carolina State Capitol, with perfect weather. Many of these eggs were filled with candy AND Bible versus. One was more popular than the other.

Then our annual family photo opps...

 Then into church to put flowers on the cross before Hattie and Clara go to the nursery (Clara's too old, but she went in with the offer to be the teacher's helper...which gave Hattie the cover she required to do nursery, which she consider beneath her dignity) and the rest to the sanctuary.

Then a quick trip to Harris Teeter for provisions, and more family pics at the house...

 And neighbors Lucy and Maggie join in...

Then Easter lunch at the Kuss's with their kids' wonderland backyard..

We finished with dinner at the Bakers with our church crew. A fun Easter, indeed. We were all wiped out by the end.