Classic Hilton's

My adventures at the Orange Conference, Day 1. *Note this and following blogs will focus largely on my experience at the event, not the teachings. Those will come later! So I've been feeling very grown up lately. I was invited to attend the Orange Conference. Orange is the ministry philosophy behind our preschool - college ministries and I adore it! Anywhoodle...grown up feelings. So I drafted a small army to cover me at work (aka take care of the three kids, dogs, and house), and last night attended the opening session of the conference. I met up with a couple other volunteers from Cumberland, but before that I checked in, walked around, viewing the exhibitors, and had a cup of coffee. See? Very grown up.  Then we got seated, the conference started, and I was immediately transported back to high school! We opened with slammin' rendition of DC Talk's "Time Is Tickin' Away". Balloons fell from the ceiling. Orange balls were tossed into the audience (and I

Big things are happening in our house these days!  Grayson's ever expanding vocabulary now demonstrates his growing comprehension of the world around him. For example, at first he would say "punky" (monkey) when we said it, purely mimicking  Now he can point them out in pictures (photos and drawings), by sound, and even by silly behavior. He knows when he is telling a joke and how people relate to him. Today he got in the car after school and told me, "I jump!". It was the first time he's told me what he did at school (as opposed to answering the yes or no questions I usually ask him).  Madi is crawling! I was waiting to announce this for when she starts doing the traditional hands and knees crawling, but I'm not sure that day is ever going to come, and the point is that she is mobile! She roles and scoots and has now officially mastered the forward motion! She is now capable of seeing something she wants and successfully going after it!  Meanwhile

...we had a really great day of celebration!  We started this morning with a girls only tea in celebration of Nana. Her birthday is the 16th, so we are quite accustomed to sharing our parties. Madi tore through a scone like there was no tomorrow and Brooklyn had so much fun dressing up with the hats and purses. It was a wonderful time and a delicious spread from Tea Leaves and Thyme! Birthday or not, I enjoy spending time with these people. The afternoon was spent mostly by myself. The adults were all out and about, doing their own things (Ray's "own thing" happened to be participating in a friend's flash mob marriage proposal at the Botanical Gardens!). Grayson and Madi took great naps. Brooklyn played. I worked on my meal plan/grocery lists for the April and even snuck in a 20 min yoga session!  We spent some time out in the beautiful (albeit yellowish green) spring weather, and then I went grocery shopping - by myself! Heaven!  Jenna brought my favorite Oli