Big birthdays and Memory Lane

About a month ago, I took a quick trip up to Quantico, VA to celebrate Alison Raper's 40th birthday.  Josh offered to watch the girls, so I left on a Saturday afternoon and came back Sunday night.  We spent a half-day at the spa and had lunch in Old Town Alexandria.  It was a surprise and she didn't know I was coming, nor did she know about the spa day. It was a fun little getaway.

Here's the birthday girl with all of us

 Angela and me at the spa

 Alison and me at the restaurant

While I was there, I took a little trip down memory lane.  We were stationed in Quantico in 2003 from January through September while Josh was at TBS and Initial Flight School.  It seems like forever ago and also like yesterday.  The town where we lived - Stafford - looked like a different place.  There is now a Target!  And a Chili's!  And a lot of other stuff!

Here are some pics I took (with my iPhone, so they are crappy) of our apartment complex.  Not much has changed there.  I picked this apartment because it was the ONLY place that allowed us to have a big, huge dog (what is up with the apartment discrimination against big yellow labs??)

More partytime

Last weekend, the girls' friend Reed turned one.  They got all dressed up for the party and had a great time.  We also had some fun playing throw-the-baby-on-the-bed and try-on-daddy's-hat.  Good times, I tell you.  But really, how cute are they? 

 

Partytime

After a rough start to the birthday celebrations with Piper's trip to the hospital, the girls had a great birthday party with lots of their little baby friends (and some of our friends too).  We had a get together at our house and celebrated with the Koupals and Nana, the Cromwells, Halls, Larsons, Whitsetts, and the Arnolds.  It was lots of fun and a great way to celebrate both their birthday, and our accomplishment of surviving the first year with twins. :)

 Ready to go in their party dresses

 Party table and Jacksonboy

 Hanging in the playroom

 Grady and Ellie Katie having some grub in Josie and Piper's chairs

 With their cousin Kloebelle

 They completely devoured their cupcakes

 Emma and McKenzie came

 Kleigh and Piper

 The Cromwells and the Larsons

Grey with his signature camera smile