March for the Animals

Dear Family and Friends:

Nathan, Sela, Onyx, Mishu and I will be walking in the March for the Animals on April 20. This is our 6th year participating in the walk.

Would you please consider making a gift to support the Maryland SPCA? As a local, private non-profit shelter, the Maryland SPCA receives no government funding or money from national animal welfare organizations.

On behalf of the more than 3,000 lost and homeless animals that are placed into homes by the Maryland SPCA each year, I thank you, and more importantly, Onyx and Mishu thank you!

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Maryland SPCA.

Rena

Onyx and Mishu were both rescue dogs - and Onyx is from the MD SPCA where she was named "RUNT"

I survived the kids first sleepover party!

The kids had a wonderful time with their friends at the house Saturday night, and I survived an evening with 4 energetic kids!
On Sunday, we went to a superbowl party at Aunt Sherry and Uncle Saul's house. The kids picked out their own clothing. Nathan didn't want to take a bath and informed me that he didn't need to because he didn't stink anymore. When I inquired why, I learned that he had sprayed himself with bathroom spray. He wasn't too happy when I made him shower anyway. Sela has a mirror in one hand and she wasn't too happy with me after I made her take off the bridal veil, long white gloves and about 50 necklaces and bracelets.

Terrific Weekend

We had a terrific weekend visiting with our good friends, Anne, Mark, John, Luke and Grace. They have an absolutely beautiful new home and, according to the kids have some great toys! I enjoyed actually having a few minutes to talk with Anne and visit with Grace - she is such a doll! And, Mark was terrific with the kids. They even forgot the great toy they got to use while there, the driving jeep!

The kids ran around in their big backyard and played ball for a while before jumping on Mr. Mark.
On Sunday, we spend a lazy morning at home. We washed the dogs, then washed the bathroom and did several loads of laundry! :) In the afternoon, we attended an interfaith concert where many choirs from both churches and synogogues sang. The kids were very excited to see Cantor Marge and see her sing.Sela not only picked out her own outfit, which she loves to do, but also choose the matching purse!

Playing Dress Up!

Aunt Sherry and Uncle Saul sent Sela a trunk with dressup clothing for her birthday. The kids loved playing with it last night!!

Wonderful Cold Weekend

Last week, we got some snow. Here is a picture from my office taken during the storm:

Unfortunately, it was late when we got home, so we didn't get to play in the snow.

We had a long weekend, and had a great time. It was very cold here over the weekend, with the temp in the teens and twenties. On Saturday, we ran errands and did some cooking before taking a long nap and then watching the Maryland Terrapins BEAT the #1 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels!!! GO TERPS!

On Sunday, we had lunch with Bubie Ruby, or as Sela calls her Bubie Rub-ee. It was wonderful as always to spend time with her.

On Monday, I took the kids to a movie. We saw VeggieTales: The Pirates who do nothing. The kids enjoyed the experience. I think though that their favorite part was the popcorn and soda. We spent the rest of the day hanging out at home. Here is Nathan enjoying one of his favorite snacks - a strawberry yogurt milkshake:

Birthday Trip to Florida

We took a wonderful trip to Florida last weekend and met Auntie Mary, Juliet and Mr. Rob. The weather was terrific and the kids got along and played very well together.

At breakfast the first morning the kids even got balloon animals.
We were able to spend time in the pool.
The kids needed a rest after their busy morning in the pool. They were exhausted! The purple mark on Sela's cheek is a bruise which she got only minutes after we entered the hotel room when she fell into the dresser.
My handsome boy in his "soccer" shirt.
Sela loved the full length mirrors on the closet doors and would go and look at herself and say "I pretty". Here she is modeling one of her new birthday gifts, a nightgown with princesses.While in Tampa, we visited the zoo. No surprise the kids LOVED it!Nathan even got to feed a giraffe!On our final day, before returning home, we took the kids to the mall to the play area where they climed and ran around. It was a good plan because they were terrific on the plane ride home!

Happy Birthday to my baby girl!! Who isn't such a baby anymore!

Happy Birthday Sela!

We woke up early to sing Happy Birthday to Sela this morning and she told me "NO, STOP" and then added, not in her usually mumbling voice but very clearly, "I WANT MY BUBIE". I know she misses her Bubie and PopPop, but I think she really didn't like our singing.

It is hard to believe that my baby isn't such a baby anymore. She is grown and developed so much in the year since she has been home. Here are pictures of her from this morning:

We are looking forward to going to Tampa this weekend and celebrating her birthday with Auntie Mary, Mr. Rob and Juliet and then coming home to have yet another celebration with family and friends.