The first post of 2020

My oh my what a month it's been!

We last left off with Scott returning home to Paraguay and the girls staying in Virginia for a few more weeks. Scott has been busy at work and bored at home. He sure does miss his girls when we are away!

He did drive out of Asuncion to Villa Hayes, a little town about an hour's drive.

He admitted there wasn't a lot to see or do.

But he took some lovely pictures!

He also created this play structure for the girls out of boxes... he's not even sure what it is.

Mackenzie, Finley and Mommy have been trying to meet up with as many friends as possible and soak up as much family time as we can. We've gone to Reston to see some friends and continue to get together with cousins when schedules permit. Kiersten was able to attend My Fair Lady at the Kennedy Center with Scott's siblings and spouses one weekend and they had a great time. 

Playing with Grandpa Jackson and Dean.

Joined Aunt Carey, Grace and Dean at a trampoline park.

Saying good-bye to Uncle Brenton.

Playing with "snow" at our friend's in Reston.

And then on their back patio.

The happy seventh wheel!

Playground just our girls.

Making beautiful music.

"Wanna build a snowman?"

This past week, Kiersten went on her first solo trip in almost 4 years! It was her first time away from Finley and her first "real" business trip. Yup, you read that right. Kiersten is starting a new ... career? ... Well we'll just call it a new source of income that is very different from what she went to school for and what she's been doing in the past. Day Trading. We're hoping to be profitable in this first year so only time will tell. Anyway, she flew out to Utah to get a 2 day, intense coaching on how to be a better Day Trader. She was able to visit with friends and family while there and also snuck in a snowboard trip to Sundance on her last night. It was a great and revitalizing trip. She is refreshed and home with her girls. Many thanks to Grandma and Pop-Pop Hammond for watching them.

After a snow and then mechanical delay, Kiersten unexpected spent the night in
Denver before continuing to SLC. Thanks for the digs, United!

Kiersten got to have dinner with her Grandpa on Wednesday.
He's enjoying some creme brulee.

And the trip to Sundance!

What a beautiful time!

It was a great day for boarding. Lots of fresh snow.

The Mackenzie Update:

• Maybe it's a phase or maybe it's because we're still on vacation but her stubbornness has really come out to play the last few weeks. We are trying to manage it with grace and without crushing her individuality or spirit or ours.

  

  The first snow in Virginia and a properly large snowball!

• Standing up for herself. While Mommy was away, she went to play at a play area and made friends with some bigger kids. At one point she got nose-to-nose with one and scared him off. She's a tough cookie our girl!
  
• Learning her letters. Grandma Jackson got her an awesome dry-erase letter learning notebook and she loves it. Learning is fun!
• Good helper. She really is a good helper with her baby sister. We're so proud of this little girl!

  

  We've got ourselves a girly-girl!

The Finley Report:

• Standing more and more. She is still a little shaky but put some shoes on her and she's good to stand for longer and longer stretches. Still won't step but she did manage ONE!
• She is very grunt-y. She'll look up at you, lift her arms and grunt. Sitting in her chair, she'll point at something and grunt. You'll be holding her and she'll want to touch something so she'll lunge that direction and grunt. She'll learn words eventually, right?
• We've got a climber on our hands. She loves the freedom she now has to climb up AND down the stairs. But now she wants more. She has learned how to climb on to a small play chair and sits there quite happily and pleased... until she falls off.

  

  Crawling under chairs at a restaurant. She was thrilled!

• Apparently her first time away from Mom wasn't as good as we could have hoped. She whined and cried a lot and didn't sleep well. She's happy to have Mommy home and back in her usual routine.

This is our last full week in America until this summer (most likely). What will we do? Where will we go? Tune in next week!