June--a month of celebrations

June is a wonderful month in the Droste Bertele household...

The 16th is our wedding anniversary...such fond memories of friends, families, and Evermay.

The 18th is my birthday (ahem)

Then Father's Day follows.

The 26th is Terence's birthday...


Let's just say we celebrated...all of June!

What a month it has been!

Graham and Julia had their first trip to Italy !!!
We visited dear friends who were so loving to our babies and fed them (and us!) wonderful food ....
Bruschetta, parmigiano, mozzarella, prosciutto, pasta, zabaglione, ... these babies became true foodies on the trip!
I will post photos soon.

Bow wow wow

Julia's new word, that is...
it's a book, it an apple, it's 'wooooow' (emphasis on the ooooowwwwww), and Oh Boy...
Graham? He chirps in once Julia and I have a 'clap' at her talking...he's holding off for full sentences, that boy!
All in all...babies are well.
More photos to be posted soon...just Too Darn Busy chasing babies and, frankly, cooking for them! These babies are eaters!
More later
Therese

Walking, walking walking...and walking some more!

It's all about walking and exploration now...every day, we break Graham and Julia loose from their gated community to explore the house.

Oy. Hand me the Motrin!

Let's just say that late 19th century brass student lamps, with the aged glassware to match, plus the lamp cords, and every other thing on the planet that babies love to play with and get into...makes for interesting treks around the house.

Yet the babies handle it all with amazing grace.

Julia is working on a stack of Euripides books, Graham has perused the Sotheby's catalogue and is showing interest in our opera books (when he's not distracted by the piano).

All in all, who needs gyms? Nothing like 13-month-old twins to keep a person in shape.

The original "bear"

What a great day! We went to the Air and Space Museum--Graham pointed at the planes, Julia kicked her legs and was just excited to be out and about.
Then, we went to an outdoor sculpture garden with a BIG fountain that the babies loved...it was next to the Natural History Museum...where Graham and Julia met many many Big 'Stuffed' animals!

Among those was a "Grizzly Graham Bear" ... as ever, Julia did not take the threatening Big Bear too seriously...and Graham put up with his sister's ongoing antics to steal his binky.

All in all, Graham squealed with delight...loving all of the stimulation. Julia loved the walk along The Mall and outside best of all!

So many museums, so little time!

No more Pasta Bolognese...

Ravioli is so much easier to clean up after! But Graham and Julia really took to a great pasta Bolognese dish on Sat and Mon nights...needless to say, each night was bath night!

It's a picnic!

Given the heat here in DC lately, last night served as a perfect opportunity for an outdoor dinner. When we returned from our walk, Graham and Julia and I dined Al fresco.

Or course, Julia wanted to show off her 'how-to-tear-a-tablecloth-off-the-table-while-leaving-the-dishes-intact move' ... needless to say, I thought she needed more practice so kept pushing her stroller away from the table!

When Terence came home a bit later, we all played outside for awhile...

It really doesn't get any better than this!