Boonshoft

On Black Friday we spent a fun day with the kids at Boonshoft.  It is a children's museum in Dayton and we even got to bring Brendan and Riley too!

 

 

 

Dawson pretended to drive a space ship

 

We changed tires on the car at the car repair shop

 

Rang up orders at the grocery store

 

Enjoyed climbing a three story tall play structure

 

Smiled for the camera

 

Daddy helped us change tires

 

Locked everyone up in jail for awhile

 

We spent a lot of time playing with the recycling truck.

 

 

It seems like the hit of the day was the play structure, even Brendan was begging to climb it over and over.  Although Ava saw some Mummy cats in the Egypt room and decided she really wanted a Mummy cat.  Hmmm, interesting pet I guess?  Only my Ava! 

 

Gobble Gobble!!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!  We had a fun, exciting, loud, crazy day at Meme and Bob-Bob's house with Meme, Bob-Bob, Aunt Margie, Brendan, Riley, Uncle Patrick, Sara, Nana and the five of us of course. 

 

The kids spent the day playing bar, learning left right center with Nana and watching the parade too!  Daddy, Mommy and Brendan ran a 5K turkey trot that morning, a good start to the day!

 

 

 

This drink looks delicious Mom!

 

Carter wrote a sign that said something like: "This bar is open only to people who work here."

 

Not exactly the best business model.  But everyone in the house was provided with shot glasses of water that day!

 

After our yummy delicious meal we watched the movie Planes.  Mike and I thought it was not as good as Cars but the kids really liked it and wanted to watch it again.

 

Meme spent the whole movie tickling Dawson and inciting snowball fights.

 

Thanksgiving 2013 - As I am scarfing some cranberries!

 

 

The kids table.  If you are wondering about Dawson, we were too.  Turns out Thanksgiving food looks completely inedible to him.

 

 

We are so thankful for all of our family! 

Ava - Our Shining Star

Today was Ava's Thanksgiving feast at preschool.  She was very excited and has been talking about it and singing the songs for weeks!

 

 

 

 

The two classes were dressed as pilgrims and Native Americans.

 

Daddy made a surprise appearance!  We didn't tell her that he was coming and the smile on her face was about a mile wide!

 

We dined on smiley potatoes, chicken nuggets, fruit salad and corn.

 

Dawson kept repeating, "I really like this food Mom!"  Hmmm, is he trying to tell me something?

 

He had a hard time keeping quiet during the performance, and was highly agitated that no one wanted to talk to him about trains.  Seriously, people.

 

I wanted to take a cute picture of her, but she insisted on keeping the nuggets on her lips.

 

Mommy and Roover

 

Happy Early Thanksgiving!

 

I have to say, my favorite part of the whole performance was when the kids were singing a song about turkey being good for you and me.  She said you and pointed right at Mike! 

 

 

 

 

Dawson's Heaven

Today while driving home from Columbus we happened upon Dawson's heaven.  It's called the Buckeye Diner Express, and basically it's a restaurant inside an old train.

 

 

 

 

 

Guys, we are in a train.  I have a picture of a steam locomotive.  Mommy and Daddy have diesels.  Where are the couplers?  Why isn't it connected to the coal tender.  How do you fix it?  Can I fix it?

 

After a quick lunch of hot dogs and fries, the lunch of champions, we ventured outside.  Although Dawson's lunch was delivered and he looked at it and said "I'm done!"  I think he was just so excited to go outside, he couldn't even think about eating!

 

 

There was a bell for the kids to ring

 

 

And..... at this point it is about 20 degrees outside and we've just spent the last 45 minutes in a drafty cold freight car, so Mommy is checking out the interior of the car.

 

 

Dawson was obsessed.  He was a non-stop chatterbox all the way home.  He had to talk about the train.  It amazes me how much this little kid is obsessed with trains!

Fun Times in Columbus

I just had to take a quick minute to show the personality differences between our oldest two and the youngest.  We had a minute to burn in our hotel room and Carter and Ava were coloring and watching television.

 

 

While Dawson is investigating the heating/cooling unit.  I asked him "Dawson what does this say?" pointing to the stop sign.  He immediately answered "Stop."  Well then do you think you should be touching it?

 

He is just so curious and he wants to know how everything works!

Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo

 

We just returned from a FUN weekend with everyone on the Labbett side of the family.  Our adventure:  go to wildlights at the Columbus Zoo! 

 

 

I really don't know where Mike took this picture, but I liked it so I added it in.

 

Buffalo!

 

We were there before dark.  It was a super chilly night, and we rented a stroller so we could see a little more.  I felt like Ava and Dawson were a little warmer in the stroller with a blanket on their legs.  All the kids were wearing snow pants, sweatshirts, coats, mittens and hats. 

 

The train ride for my little train lover.  It was funny that he saw the train and everyone stopped to go in the barn.  He was not happy with that turn of events.  But we did make it to the train shortly after, and took a ride all 17 of us!

 

After our ride, this kid heard the train riding shortly after and we had to wait to watch it pass.

 

Hi Daddy!  and Ava's thumbs up

 

The kids lounging on a moose

 

We also went to a dinner for Copeland, and we were able to see the zoo's polar bear mascot. 

 

All the cousins!

 

Hugging our Meme

 

At this point we were all cold and tired.  Dawson had been asking to go to sleep and it was chilly!

 

It was so beautiful with so many lights to look at.  We definitely need to go back to visit the zoo another time!

The last few weeks of being Two

Dawson at his finest:  a little chalk snack sampling in the afternoon.

 

 

"The green chalk had an oakey aftertaste.  I really prefer the smooth finish of the pink."

 

Ava:

"Mom come quick, Dawson isn't being responsible!"

 

Dawson:

 

"It's permanent.  But I be careful."

 

 

Race for Education

Today was the Race for Education at Carter's School.  I was so happy that they do this instead of selling junk.  There was a DJ playing music while the kids walked, ran and even danced around the track.  Parents were encouraged to run alongside their child.  Unfortunately I had Dawson with me and we weren't able to stay the entire time because I had to pick up Ava at preschool. 

 

 

 

 

But I did stay long enough to see Carter boy and take some pictures.

 

 

 

What a fun event!

Favorites

I haven't done this in a while, so I thought it would be fun to write a post about their current favorites.

 

 

 

Polar Express - See Dawson in the locomotive pulling the whistle?  Carter and Ava are making tickets.  The kids have always loved the book and movie, but this year, Dawson is REALLY getting into it.  He begs to watch it, I think I've seen it twice in the last week.  Mike reads him the book almost nightly and we spent about three hours today playing Polar Express.  He was Santa giving out the first gift of Christmas, punching tickets, driving the locomotive, you name it and this kid was on it. 

 

 

Ava has been heavy into arts and crafts lately.  She will sit and color for an unbelievably long time.  Our play room is generally covered in a sea of scrap paper, hole punches, crayons, and scissors by 9 am.  She amazes me with how much she is learning in preschool.  She comes home and describes bible stories in detail, and sings new songs for me every day.  She is truly loves school so much! 

 

Another big hit for Dawson and Carter:  sledding!  and the Lion hat!

 

Now that Carter is at school, he has less time for playing.  But he has loved playing polar express with his brother and sister, sledding in the back yard and this weekend he really wants a movie night with desert.  Done and Done! 

Enjoying the Snow!

There was extreme excitement in our house this morning, it snowed!  Unfortunately we were busy with school and gymnastics, but we hit the slopes as soon as school was out.  Dawson was so excited about the snow, he was dancing around and singing snow! snow! snow!  Ava was convinced that Santa must be coming tonight.  But I was able to change her mind!

 

 

 

 

 

Carter loves speeding down the hill. 

 

Ava had the shortest interest in playing in the snow.  She was only out for about twenty minutes before she came in for hot tea.

 

Speedy!!

 

Dawson has grown up a lot since the last time we played in the snow.  Before he was falling in the snow, couldn't walk up the hill without help and only spent a few minutes outdoors.

 

So, so different this time.  He was running up and down the hill, and zooming down it so fast.  The hill slowly turns from snow into ice and I can't even explain how quickly he was flying down the hill.  Dawson was also playing in the snow the longest today.  I had to drag him in, but his hands were turning red so he really needed to be warmed up!

 

 

 

Ava loved eating the snow!

 

Today Ava was talking to one of the teachers at child watch at the YMCA.  Ava mentioned to Miss Sandy that Carter was in kindergarten.  Then she proceeded to tell her that now that now Carter is in kindergarten I make her watch Dawson all the time.  HA!  What a crazy kid!

Weekly Tidbits

 

Another busy week here.....  This picture was taken last Sunday at the top of the McKinley monument.  Look at the beautiful sky and scenery, it's so beautiful up there!  What happened with the kiddos this week:

 

 

Carter lost his second tooth!  We were in the pool swimming and sure enough out it popped.  It had been pointing at me for most of the day, so I knew it was going to come out soon.

 

 

Dawson is loving his bike.  I'm not loving the cold weather.  But he has been crying and crying to ride the thing.  I even volunteered to bring it in the basement, but the kid wants to be outdoors.  I've been freezing my tush off every day!  But he's getting really good at riding and that's all that matters!



 

 

 

 

 

Ava went to a birthday party at a skating rink.  I felt like she was growing up before my eyes.  When we got there she didn't want to put on skates.  But slowly she got braver and braver.  We started out in skates on the carpet and I walked her around the rink a few times. 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time we were leaving she wouldn't let me help her and was skating around the middle of the rink!  It was a dual party for a five year old and his eleven year old brother, so there were plenty of older kids there as well.  Ava, I'm so proud of you for trying something new and being so brave!