Out with the Old

We got new couches yesterday. For those of you who have been in the presence of our previous furniture, you know it was a long time in coming. We had a hand-me-down hand-me-down couch (we are at least the third owners) and a Walmart futon. The couch was hard to get out of--it was comfortable, but when you sat down, you sort of sank into it and really felt like you needed to launch to stand up. Our futon had seen better days and some of the metal bars at the bottom were no longer attached and we had a sinkhole on one side. So, thanks to a great deal at our local furniture store, we got a new couch and a loveseat delivered yesterday. We're still getting used to walking in the front room and not seeing our old stuff. It looks like someone else must live here with (gasp!) nice furniture in the house.

Roy passed his magistrate exam this week. We are very happy! Now he's official. He had to go to training in Richmond (6 hours away) every other week in April and May for training. To explain how distracted he was for this last week of training and the test, let me just say that he forgot to pack some essential items. How you could forget to pack your toothpaste and deodorant, I understand...but your pants? Seriously? I have laughed for a week. Not an exaggeration.

Here's what we've been up to lately:

Sam has been learning how to sit up in the Bumbo chair. He's getting so big so fast and is such a good baby that it hardly seems like we have a baby anymore. He's quite anxious to eat food and sits at the table with us drooling. Okay, so maybe the drool is a result of teething, but he is quite vocal anytime the person he is watching takes a bite. Abby plays baby with him and pretends to feed him with her baby doll gear and he knows just what to do. So we'll be posting some cute food-all-over-my-face pictures soon! Look how cute and grown up he looks. Oh, and he is, of course, watching Abby play. He does that all day long.

Abby loves painting and art right now. I'm not sure if she ended up with more paint on the paper or her hands, face, and hair. Thank goodness she's wearing Roy's old junk shirt.

Okay, really, how could I not share this precious picture?

Or this one? Unposed and beautiful!

And while Abby enjoyed the baby pool, Sam and I hung out playing with his animal attached to his bouncer. We are so grateful for the good weather we have been getting. It's been hit and miss, but as soon as it is warm enough to be outside, there's nothing I can do to keep us in. We all love to be outside! Doesn't Sam just have an award-winning smile? Seriously, both our kids have smiles that just melt me.

The kids have lion bath towels that they love (read: Abby has dictated that they love them and Sam goes along with it). We just had to get a picture of them in their towels.