Jane returned to school this past week. Grandma and Grandpa Fraass were here, and after that, our friends Libby and Seann came. We haven't seen them since they visited us in Massachusetts when Jane was one! They were friends from our time in Wisconsin, and it's awesome that they made the trip. Libby and I have been penpals, email buddies, and text friends over the years, but seeing each other in person is obviously the best!!
Alice is excited about eating food but seems most excited about having a water cup. Food seems to be throwing off her sleeping a bit (but who knows if that is the cause). We're trying to get back into a good routine. The good news is she takes good naps at home and goes down for bed easily most nights. I remember the lesson from our childbirth ed classes that was most important: sleep begets sleep!
Sisters
We happened upon a protest outside of City Hall one Saturday
We visited Chepstow in Wales, which had little phrases in their pavements (that's sidewalks to you).
Libby, Jane, Alice and I
The River Wye in Chepstow
A museum we found whilst in Chepstow
The pictures have uploaded randomly, so we'll be jumping around. The three Fraass ladies packed lunch and picked blackberries at the Downs (big park/open area) in the middle of town one day before school started back up.
Jane in a blanket fort on the couch
I was lucky enough to be invited in.
Got a nursing dress!
Happy girl
Blackberry day. Alice doesn't get any yet.
Jane wanted us to have a ball at Arendel, so we put on dresses and waltz music.
At the bus stop one day
We knew Grandma and Grandpa were bound to arrive one afternoon, so we waited at the bar in their hotel. And took some pictures.
And arrive they did! Alice had just mastered sitting up a few days before their arrival, so she showed off in their hotel room.
Grandpa and his granddaughters!
Jane and Wendy doing some painting
Jane at the Bristol Aquarium
Jane very unenthused about having her picture taken. "Just get me my brownie sundae."
Alice, on the other hand, was very enthused about her track suit!
Still a little small for the swing, but she smiled a bit.
Sandy foot
A new outfit
Sisters snuggling
Alice isn't so sure about oatmeal yet.
When I think, "Hey, I styled my hair and it doesn't look bad. I should take a picture," I should not declare my intentions because I inevitably get photo-bombed.
The pictures never do the sunsets justice.
Alice has had two little rashes after eating two unrelated foods, but the common denominator that we've noticed is the presence of olive oil. Something to keep watch over.
Libbbbbbbbbbbbbbbby!
Hey Jane you wanna move your hand....? .... No?.... OK cool......
At the M Shed, a museum, on an old bus
We rode on the John King (boat) again. This time I got to visit the engine room.
Another Chepstow pavement phrase. "Lively ladies giggling on a bench."
This is what happens when two people are taking pictures simultaneously. I love it though. Chips(?) in the background!
On a street in Chepstow
Along the Wye River
Being a lion, like the one on the armrest of the bench
Chepstow Castle
Jane saw a classmate of hers here. She wasn't phased by this at all, but I think it's truly bizarre. Visiting another country, run into your friend. Totally normal.
Libby and me (and Alice in there somewhere)
Seann
Leading us around the castle
Libby petting a dog at the castle
Andy the Archer
Why not? oh oh oh...
Wye not?!
Very cool bench at the castle
Route 66 American Diner. We went there and got everything on the menu. Just kidding, we got Sunday Roasts that day instead.
Jane, Alice, and I returned to Cheddar Gorge with Libby and Seann on Tuesday. Andy had to work. We climbed up the 257 steps and then up the tower here to get a good view.
Jane is ever on the lookout for blackberries. We climbed a lot and I had Alice on me, so we didn't attempt the ~3 mile hike you can do from this point, but we set a timer for five minutes and walked just that far in. It was pretty, but jagged rocks on the ground and would have been a tough three miles.
We also returned to the cave we visited last time, but no new pictures from it. I venture to say that not much has changed since our last visit.
Goats! Seann did a great job driving us around (plus helped us run some errands). Thanks for driving us!
Alice messing around with her water cup
While we were getting ready to go this morning, I came into the living room and was informed that Jane had been baby-fied and Alice had grown up to a six-year-old.
I'm pretty sure they switched back to normal before we left the house this morning.
