Exploring in our backyard

This evening we played and explored in the backyard with Daddy. Here are some of our finer moments caught on film.

Artistic weekend

In honor of FestivALL this weekend, we created our own work of art. After we enjoyed seeing pieces of artwork created by West Virginia State University students downtown on Saturday, we decided to paint some of our own on Sunday. We just loved all the activities of FestivALL this weekend. On Saturday, we visited the Smoke on the Water Chili Cookoff. Sunday we enjoyed the Ice Cream Social at Stonewall (in Mommy & Daddy's old stomping ground -- West Side) for a 1/2 hour before the rains came. So Mommy helped us top off our weekend of art by painting ceramic magnets and creating a suncatcher. There are many more activities this week in Charleston for FestivALL. To see a complete and fun schedule, visit http://media.cnpapers.com/festivall/ Mommy's friend, M.K., is one of the designers of this fun piece.

Belle's birthday highlights

Happy 3rd Birthday, Belle!

Belle celebrated her third birthday today, with family & friends and some unexpected guests. Typical Belle, not afraid, just picked up our unexpected guest (locust on her arm!) and wanted to share his visit with them all. Lilly & Mommy were happy to see him from a distance.

Lilly helped her celebrate her day with cake and fun in the water.

In small spaces

It's been a tough a few days in the Beckner house. Mommy is really busy with work this week ( an event on Thursday.) Daddy has been busy too. We've also had a lot of excitement with a visit from Granddaddy (who is in from Florida) and our extended family. We've had fun playing with Jesse, Ka-Ka, Aunt Dodie, Jonah, Aunt Grace and their dog, Hendrix. It's been so much excitement, though, it's been tough for us to settle down at night and go to sleep.

We've also been unusually rotten -- well, Lilly has. Tonight, while Mommy & Daddy changed out of their work clothes Lilly climbed into her bottom drawer and emptied it. She thought she was pretty funny. (as she says, "I funny.") During this adventure, I discovered the Easter card that Grandpa gave us and started dancing to the chicken dance. Mommy was glad that I quickly put it away though.

I'm pretty excited that my birthday is just three days away. I'll be three! Lilly keeps saying she's the same age as me. "I free," she says as she hold up all her fingers. Silly Lilly! She's such a baby! I'm such a big kid. Now, if I could just get that potty training down.

Accident-prone

It's official: Belle is accident-prone! I thought we'd escape the rest of her twos without another injury, but she snuck one in just a week before her birthday. She ran to get her shoes from the bench in our entryway, tripped on the rug and I believe caught her left ear on the corner of the bench. I didn't see the accident take place. I just saw her facedown on the floor, bawling. She didn't cry long. It bled a lot and I realized a trip to the ER was in our near future. I called Daddy to return from the store "Now!" And called Granny & Pawpaw for reinforcements as I didn't want to wake the crank monster known as Lilly from her afternoon beauty rest.

I thought for sure Belle needed stitches. But the wonderful staff at Women's & Children's ER (whom Belle entertained with her witty conversation) told us it was a clean cut and could easily be glued back together! Wish I would have known that -- I know I have superglue somewhere in this house!

So now the rule is running is forbidden in the Beckner household (outside okay; inside -- absolutely not!) Any offenses of this rule are punishable by spanking. Belle nearly suffered the same accident tonight because she was running. I think three more gray hairs popped out in my head this weekend.