Natural History Museum

Dawson has been begging to go see the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum.  We love going to Museums, so we gladly obliged and made it during Christmas break so that the entire family could join.  Of course, I took plenty of pictures but the kids did too!

Dawson was a little disappointed because from the commercial he thought that the dinosaurs were going to walk and move, but they did not.  He still had lots of fun checking out the dino footprint.

They loved testing out the earthquake simulator.  

They were also interested in the moon rock because a Curator told them that it cost millions to retrieve.

Balto!

Ava was fascinated and ended up choosing a Balto stuffed animal (of course) and book from the gift shop.

We all had a great time looking at the dinosaur fossils.  

I carried their devices in my purse so they could take it out and take pictures.

Ava dino footprint fun

Carter dino footprint fun

They loved excavating for dinosaur bones.

We also went to see a planetarium show.  Dawson was a riot!  He was yelling out answers to the man's questions (the earth is made of hot lava or magma), shouting questions and asking Mike a thousand questions a minute.  He was clearly very engaged and excited about the planetarium show.

Playing with polar bears and ice

Microscope

Megalodon tooth!

The kids took selfies with Steggie, while Dawson was climbing up the back.

A fun day with our family!  

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

As always, our kiddos were spoiled rotten.

They surprised me and decided to look in their stockings first.

Wait is there a floor?

Carter received a kayak, and he was in love.  Thankfully it was warm out, so he took it down to the neighborhood pond for a little spin. 

While his little brother did his best to play in the water and get stuck in the muck.

Thankfully Daddy was there to save him and search for a missing boot in the pond.

After Christmas dinner we went over to Aunt Pam's and visited Dad's side of the family:  Grandma Jackie, Aunt Pam and her son Alex, Aunt Lee and Uncle Joe, Desi and Johnny.  It was so nice to all be together!

Silly Pic!

What a wonderful day!

Christmas Eve

One of my favorite traditions we have established the past couple of years is attending the Children's Mass at our church on Christmas Eve. 

My three cuties in their Christmas finery.  Can you believe it was warm enough that Ava could wear her dress without a sweater?

Do you see the sweater that Dawson is wearing?  It is a hand me down from Carter and he wore it the year that Dawson was born, 2010.  I love it because I also have a picture of tiny Dawson around two weeks old wearing the matching sweater.

Dawson played the part of the camel.

Carter was Joseph.  The paracord necklace really came in handy!

Ava was Mary holding baby Jesus.

It was also a wonderful treat to have both sets of Grandparents join us for Mass.  Thank you everyone for coming, we loved having everyone!

Gold for no money down.......and more stories

Ava's current stuffed animal collection.  Each one has a different name and birthday.....although I think some of them change on a day to day basis.  But she likes to be snuggled down with all of them.

This is all the snow we have gotten this year.  The kids made sure to get out and shovel it for me.  They are really excited about the prospect of some real snow.

Ava's Big News:  She is the student of the month for December!!!  She was chosen because she demonstrates the character trait of respect.  She told me it was the best day of her life.

I just found little cardboard box Nativity sets for the kids to decorate.  They were sitting together coloring and putting on stickers and Ava was explaining the Christmas story to Dawson.  "And then Dawson, they brought baby Jesus gold.....for no money down!"  I was howling with laughter!  Where do they get this stuff?

For Christmas we got Shadow a new dog bed.  She was was too big for her old one.  The kids LOVE this dog bed.  I find the kids regularly laying in the dog bed, when Shadow is no where to be seen.  Carter proclaimed today it was the only comfortable bed in the house.

Mike went to the grocery store this afternoon to pick up ingredients for dinner (we hadn't planned on being here, but Carter got sick.)  As he was walking out the door with Dawson I heard him say "Dad, since Mom isn't coming can we get cookies and bacon?"  The other funny piece of this story is that they came home with "Christmas" cookies to enjoy with our Christmas movie.  After I pointed out the star of David on the package we enjoyed our Hanukkah cookies with our movie. 

And the countdown begins, only six days left until Christmas!  I think Mike and I are just as excited as the kids, our favorite holiday!

Ava's Holiday Sing

This week was holiday sing week.  It's so nice to see the children singing holiday songs.  During the holiday season each grade chooses a charity and during the holiday sing the grand totals are announced and presented to the respective group.

One thing that we notice about Ava on stage is the focus.  She may not be smiling in these pictures but she is staring intently at the choir teacher and it is very clear that she is singing loudly to each song.

This was my favorite song: a Christmas country western line dance.  Ava was so disappointed that her new arctic fox from the Columbus Zoo couldn't join the holiday sing.  She asked us to take videos so she could show her stuffed animal, which we gladly obliged.

Great job, Ava love!

December Memories

There are so many fun celebrations and parties in December!  The kids have had a blast at school recently.

The boys in front of the school's Christmas tree and nutcrackers.  Dawson had pajama day at school, so he was rocking the polar bear shirt with too shirt pajama pants.  I swear this kid has clothes that fit but he only likes them "skin tight" which means his size fours are his favorites.  It also means that most of his pants are flood length.  Carter was dressed up nicely for his holiday sing in a plaid shirt and jeans (which is pretty rare.)  I came to eat lunch with him and he had gotten muddy knees on the playground.  It made me smile because I know he had a good time on the playground that day!

Still with the beautiful weather.  Look at the amazing sky, Dawson and I have been walking down by the pond with Shadow nearly every afternoon.  I'm in love with these fifty degree days and sunny gorgeous skies.  Of course, this little smiley face dosen't hurt anything either.

Polar Express Day/Grinch Day

Ava had a Polar Express Day and she wore her pajamas and a bathrobe to school.  The second graders had Grinch day.  The kids were encouraged to get dressed up like a who from whoville, but Carter wanted none of it.  It was great to see the kids/teachers dressed up with really high hair and braids everywhere.  I did convince Carter to wear a pajama shirt with two dinosaurs and a Christmas tree.  It was nice because his class performed a reader's theatre version of the grinch for Ava's class!

This week I went grocery shopping with my little buddy.  He was in the Christmas spirit and sang jingle bells loudly for the entire grocery store to enjoy.  Now, this video is  a short seventeen minute clip, but he sang jingle bells for a good half an hour straight!  Thanks for making me and everyone else in the store smile!

Columbus Zoo Lights

This past weekend we went to Columbus to visit Uncle Patrick and Sarah.  We also got to spend time with her niece and nephew and 20,000 of our closest friends.

We finally made it to the other side of the zoo to see the aquarium and reptile house.  I think the kids were pretty impressed with the manatees.

Big smiles while waiting for the train.  Don't you love Dawson's choice of a tasteful white undershirt worn on top of his striped long sleeve shirt.  #PickedMyBattle  #ThisWasn'tIt

The boys on the train

Mike and I took a selfie.  It made me laugh because Dawson's face is peeking through and photobombing us.

I love seeing all the lights, it really gets you in the Christmas spirit.  Although the sixty degree weather was a little confusing, but well appreciated.

Enjoying the show

On the way home the kids passed out.  I don't know how she sleeps like this!?!? 

The next morning I had to wake up early for church and as soon as Dawson heard me at 6:40 he popped out of bed to work on his fools gold excavation kit he got at the zoo.  He really is an early bird.

Thanks Uncle Patrick, we had a great time with you!

This girl has a LOT to say!

Ava's writing skills have just exploded this year, and I'm finding little notes, stories and cards everywhere.  Here are some enjoyable examples:

To Mom.  I miss you at school.  I love to play cars in the bathtub with you.

Proceeded by twelve lines of X's and O's.

One of the sweetest cards I have ever seen:

To Dawson From Ava.  I hope you have a great birthday.  This year you have been so good to me.  I think you will have a great Christmas.  You will have been on the good list this year.  Happy Birthday Dawson.  

Continuation of the birthday Card:

You are on the good list with me.  Good list Dawson Shadle Carter Shadle Ava Shadle Mom Shadle Dad Shadle

I adore love notes between siblings.

The bad and naughty elf that came to victory.

Illustrated by Ava

The bad elf had a plan he would find a naughty elf and everyone will be bad.

and the naughty elf thought that too.

That made everyone to be bad and they did.

Ava loves to write!