We're Back!

We're still here! I'm sorry it's been a looooong time since I last posted, and I really appreciate the emails and verbal comments from people who have missed us! My lack of posting was a combination of a few things--1. It was a very snowy, cold, boring winter, and there wasn't much to take pictures of 2. We got a mac computer and it took us a very long time to transfer everything, including pictures, over to it and 3. Once I got out of the habit of blogging, I kept forgetting to do it! So, here are a few pics to catch up from the winter, and then I'll post more pictures from our recent trip to Florida.

Quinn started reading this winter, sounding out words on his own and being able to read some simple sentences. It has been so much fun!! We don't work on it much because I don't want him to burn out, but we point out words here and there. Here, he's listening to a book on cd.
This winter, Quinn was into only 2 things: Transformers and what I'll introduce below. Once the weather warmed up some, we got him a big boy bike which had Optimus Prime on it. Transformers have been a whole new world for me. I knew absolutely nothing about them, but my little resident expert has taught me a lot, and now I can talk Autobots and Decepticons with the best of them! :) I bought some DVD's of the 1984 and 1985 cartoons because he prefers those to the more recent incarnations.
Quinn's other love is Playmobil figures, another blast from the past. They haven't really changed at all since we were kids! We got him this 4-foot-tall castle on a whim for Christmas because it was an incredible midnight-madness sale at Toys R Us. (Andy, the best daddy ever, didn't get home until 1:15 A.M. that night!!) It has turned out to be the best purchase we've ever made. This winter, Quinn literally spent hours playing with his knights and pirates, setting up battles, switching out their weapons, etc. I joke that they are like Barbies for boys because my contributions to his play are to make sure all their shields, weapons, capes, etc. are coordinated and all knights are accessorized well for battle, since everything is switchable. :)
(and yes, that is a Transformer band-aid on his cheek!)
And finally, Quinn shoveling snow in his Optimus Prime mask. I feel like this is all we did, all winter long--play in or shovel snow. I'm soooo happy it's now spring!!