Weeknight Fountain Fun at Rockville Town Center

During the week, we walked to Rockville Town Center after dinner.  Benji ran into some friends and went to hang out with them.

Tamar and Daniel and I watched the fountains at Town Center, which are designed for children to run through and enjoy.  Daniel really wanted to run through them but didn't want to get his clothes wet, so he asked me if we could return the next day.  I said that was fine but that he could also run through the fountains today if he wanted to take off his shoes and roll up his pants.  Tamar was similarly entranced but also reluctant.

Eventually Daniel couldn't resist, so he took off his shoes and rolled up his pants and gingerly started playing in the fountain.

Tamar decided to join him.

They started chasing each other through the water.

Then the real fun began!  They both got completely and absolutely soaked.

Daniel just decided to enjoy the water.

I saw him running towards another (younger) kid who had a water gun and I was worried that he was trying to borrow the toy.

I should have known better!  He wanted to help the kid fill the water gun without getting soaked.  What a good person!  (notice Tamar in the background, also having a blast)

Then, of course, he had to help his new friend TEST the water gun!

Eventually we decided it was time to walk home again.  Daniel asked me how he was going to dry himself off and I suggested that he roll on the nearby astro-turf.  Here he is, playing with yet another new friend they met that evening.

Benji reappeared at just the right time and we walked home after all this fun.  Needless to say, both twins slept VERY WELL that night!

Weekend activities

The kids had a busy weekend. 

We ran into several of their friends at the local farmers' market. I made the kids wait in the shade while I waited in line for freshly-baked pastries.

Cuddling Finn the dog is always a daily activity!

The kids also made a large and extensive blanket fort last week, which I let them leave up until Sunday evening. It's a good thing all the blankets that Grandma Pauline crocheted for them over the years are strong enough to stand up to the challenge!

Tamar and I started organizing our craft supplies so they are easier to use.

We painted on shells, inspired by Tamar's favorite YouTube artist.

Last week, Benji started teaching himself some songs on the piano (by watching YouTube videos).  He's been practicing a lot!  (sometimes even before breakfast, or putting on his shirt, or brushing his hair...)

I finally put up some art in the kids' areas upstairs.  These are (2) a beautiful print called "Rainbow Dogs" that Grandma Susan bought for Benji years ago, that the kids love, (2) two prints of "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" from the classic British "Bunnykins" series that my parents had framed for the kids, and (3) a sweet embroidered picture that one of Aaron's aunts made for him when he was a child (I think I'm getting that right). They are all treasured and now they're all on the walls for the kids to see every day.

Photo-bombing is another daily activity!

And a bonus picture of the twins on the way to camp last week because I don't know why Daniel wasn't in more weekend photos. This was from last Wednesday, which was "Wacky Hair Day" -- Daniel didn't want wacky hair but Tamar asked me to spray temporary hair color on her hair; pink on the left side and purple on the right.

[end]

January 2021 (French toast, board games, buddies, piano lessons, Lego "welcome" sign, view from my office/the guest room, virtual school room at home, new dishes),

 

from March 2020 (swim lessons, helping at home, hanging out at home and in the neighborhood)

From March 2020 -- so much was happening!  The twins started swim lessons just before the pandemic began and everything shut down.

Below, Daniel fills separate cups with snacks for his class at school (we were on "snack duty" that week). 

Making his own PBJ...

After the pandemic shut everything down, we still stayed in touch with friends by using video chat visits.

Someone loves everything his big brother does.