Our Week with Riley

Last Saturday when we left Sidney from our fourth of July extravaganza, we brought one fun cousin with us, Riley!

Whew, this was a busy week.  Here are some of our adventures:

We took her to the dollar theatre to see Rio 2.  The kids loved the movie but enjoyed the candy the most.  While we were in the drug store picking our candy, Carter was pointing out various options to Dawson.  When he came to the necco wafers, Dawson yelled "I want those!  I want Holy Spirit Candies!"  Yup buddy, I guess they do look like a host!  In the theatre he told me "Holy spirit tastes good!"  Hmmm, guess I have more work to do in the area of religious education!

We also went to the Akron zoo and splurged on stuffed animals for all.  Ava got a purple tiger named Twinsie (because it's a twin to byger) Riley got a fox named Foxy Glamorous Grace (not sure, there may be more names), Carter got a leopard called spotty and Dawson got a Komodo Drago named Cuddle Bean.

Another cousin picture

Poor Dawson, he had another nap meltdown this day.  It's hard for a 3.5 year old to keep up with the big kids.  He was walking around the zoo begging to go home to take a nap.

Skymax was also on our list!  Riley loved jumping.  She was starting to do front flips, that looked more like front rolls.  When we left all four kids were sweating with red cheeks, success!

Then we went down to Columbus to return Riley and we got to spend some time with Uncle Patrick and Aunt Sara.

They have a great park behind their apartment that we enjoyed.

Thanks Aunt Margie for all the pictures!!

Little Greenbriar School House

Another Fun Hike!

We saw Uncle Jay's favorite insect, the millipede!

We traversed mountain streams!

I was nervous about bears because this was an isolated hike, so we sang the whole way!  Mike and I tried singing 99 bottles of pop on the wall but the kids declared it "annoying."

Then we explored the school house and graveyard.  The kids really wanted to play school, so we did!

Cade's Cove

Cade's Cove is one of our favorite areas of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.  There is an eleven mile loop through the cove that is scattered with historical cabins, churches, mills and barns of the late 1800's and early 1900's.  It is closed two mornings a week for bikers to explore without motor vehicles.

On the way to the cove we saw our only black bear.  I was so excited that the kids got to see a bear from the safety of our car!

Mike and I biked the cove while Grandma and Bo took the kids on a short hike through the cove.  

Then after our bike ride, we met as the cove was opening to cars and drove to the Village area.  

Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Bo, Dawson, carter and Ava in front of a nearby stream.

In the Village we explored a mill, barn, smokehouse and much more.  The kids were able to watch the mill in action and see corn being ground up for corn meal.  We even purchased some corn meal to make homemade corn bread!

The kids were so excited to explore Carter Shield's cabin.  Nothing too exciting, but they obviously loved the name!

Gatlinburg - Sugarlands Visitor Center and Cataract Falls

We just wrapped up a fantastic week in Gatlinburg that we spent with family.  We went with Bo and Grandma, Uncle Jay, Aunt Tiff and cousin Andrew.  We had a fantastic time and nobody wanted to leave!  Poor Ava sobbed on and off for about 45 minutes once we got into the car to drive home.  But we made it home safe and sound and here are some pictures from our first day.  We visited the Sugarlands Visitor Center and hiked to Cataract Falls.

Investigating a tree stump

Ava had a ball hiking with her Bo.  He likes to hike quickly while Dawson has the three year old meander.  So Ava would take off with her Bo.  She nicknamed his Bo Bo and Bo-ey on this trip!

The Five of us at Cataract Falls

The kids had a ball climbing on the rocks and exploring the area.

Lots more pictures to come!!

Pictures from the Week

(Read in your best Oprah voice)

You're getting underwear and you're getting underwear and you're getting underwear!!!

You would think it was Christmas day!

But Dawson was very excited about his dusty underpants!

Pretty Roover, we had so much fun this afternoon making clover crowns and necklaces.  She also spent a lot of time practicing riding her bike without training wheels.  I really think this is going to be her summer to master it!

Carter and I played baseball, he is doing such a great job hitting the ball when I pitch it to him.  I'm having so much fun playing modified baseball games with the kids!  

Our first falling out of a tree injury.  Poor kid, I didn't see the fall but I heard the thud.  He did recover pretty quickly, but even with ice he has quite the egg on his head.  

Safety Village

This morning Carter had his graduation from Safety Village.  He had a blast this week and he loved telling me all about fire safety, bike safety and watercraft safety.

Carter, Ava and Dawson 

There was a cookout afterward with hot dogs, popsicles and cookies.

What a fun week!  

T-ball!

This past week was a t-ball marathon.  There were three games scheduled, and them one more was added due to a rain cancellation.  It was the first full week of summer vacation, so we didn't have any other obligations.

His t-ball skills have improved so much!  He was playing pitcher in this picture and throwing the ball to first.  He was throwing the ball to other kids while they weren't looking, and after a little talk he will now stand there, arm back waiting for eye contact.  Sometimes he stands there for quite awhile!

The funny little move he does with his leg while batting!

The ever dramatic I missed the ball so let me lay here curled up in a little ball.

Throwing and 

Catching!

We are having a ball watching you play and so are these wacky little kids!

Dangerous Dawson

Two new stories, soon to become legends about Dangerous Dawson:

• After dinner Mike and I were sitting at the kitchen table and the kids had moved onto the porch.  I heard Dawson say to Ava "This is dangerous, but I do it anyway."  Of course I had to look and he is in a modified L shape hand stand with his hands on the chair and his legs up on the house. 
• Now for the scariest story of all:  I heard Carter say "Dawson that is really dangerous."  I was putting away laundry in my bedroom and peeked out into the hallway.  Dawson had climbed up the railing over the foyer.  His head was hanging out over the precipice, his stomach was resting on the railing and his little toes were pushing himself up.  He was a breathe away from falling off the balcony.  Clearly we had a strong discussion about this dangerous behavior. 

I know that I've said it before, but please pray for this kids safety!!

The Rest of our Weekend

Saturday was also Carter's first t-ball game of the season.  He was so proud of his t-ball uniform and he loved his hat and shirt with his name on it!

 

 

One of my favorite moments from the game:  Carter was playing pitcher and he caught the ball.  Instead of immediately throwing the ball to first he stopped to dust off his pants and then leisurely look around while everyone is yelling "throw it to first!!"

 

 

 

 

Then after the game we stopped for our first ice cream of the season!  Birthday Cake Ice cream for all!

 

Mike and I also finished our first half marathon on Sunday morning.  Great big thanks to Grandma and Bo who kept the three monkeys happy.  Yay!!  I'm so proud of both of us and I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience.  We are already planning our next!

Pro Football Hall of Fame

 

This past weekend Mike and I ran in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon.  The race expo was held at the Hall of Fame and included free admission.  We were able to take Bo and Grandma with us to see it and pick up our race bibs for the next day.

 

 

 

The kids weren't too interested in much of the information on the history of the NFL, but they did like trying on the helmets and shoulder pads.  There were also casts of the hands of NFL players and it was interesting to compare hand size and leg size (geez, those guys are big!!)

 

Carter helmet head

 

 

 

Dawson did pretty well, I don't think his legs broke until the we went upstairs to see the second level.  And by the way, his legs break at least three times a day.

 

 

Ava with Terry Bradshaw's locker

 

Ava and I hanging with Troy

 

And Bill Cower getting his victory shower.  Dawson choose to jump in this picture as well!  I think the kids also liked looking at the super bowl rings.  Ava and I were looking for Steeler's rings and Carter said in a sad pathetic voice "Where are the Browns?"  His Daddy told him next year buddy, next year.

 

Then Mike and I picked up our bibs at the stadium and we were ready for our race!

If you agree to let Tracey host a birthday party

 

And now, in the grand style of Laura Joffe Numeroff, an ode to my wonderful husband:

 

 

 

 

If you agree to let Tracey host a birthday party, she's going to want a bounce house to go with it.  When she walks into the backyard she is going to want to rake all the leaves that have accumulated over the winter.  While raking the leaves she is going to realize that we haven't mulched the beds in the back of the house since we moved into the house (2012).  So you are going to have to go to Home Depot for some mulch, and screen to replace the screens with holes in them.  While she is at Home Depot, she is going to walk by the blinds and finally decide to replace the two blinds in the sun room.  While you are trying to replace the blinds with three ever so helpful helpers hot on your heels (see picture above), she is going to remember that she needs to bake fifty cupcakes for the party, so she will start making a mess in the kitchen.  When the cupcakes are done, she will remember she wants to try two new icing recipes for you to try.  After the cupcakes are decorated, she will remember she wants cupcake balloons for the party.  And of course, a craft!  While she is scouring stores and the internet for these things you are going to shake your head and wonder why you ever agreed to let Tracey host a birthday party in the first place.  And chances are, when August arrives, she's going to want to host another birthday party!

 

 

 

A couple of cute kids

 

I took these pictures last week, when Carter was at school.  We were just hanging out chatting on the floor with the beautiful light I just had to take a picture.  It reminded me so much of these pictures:

 

http://and-i-found-you.blogspot.com/2011/03/baby-blue.html

 

Dawson is hanging out in his big brother Carter's camo sweatshirt.

 

Almost FIVE Roover Girl!

St. Patrick's Day Shenanigans

 The leprechauns visited on St. Patrick's Day, but the laundry has been trying to kill me this week so I haven't had a minute to look at any of the pictures. 

 

The leprechauns made us a rainbow centerpiece out of legos!

 

The trap.  Ava's trap is in the middle with the Trojan horse on top, Carter's is on the right and Dawson's is on the left.

 

They did not disappoint!  Stickers, markers, and some Hershey kisses treats!

 

The Leprechauns also tried, but did not succeed in trapping the kids in their rooms.  Carter thought it was hilarious, but not poor Doc!  It turned him into a puddle of tears and he didn't know how to get out!

 

 

 

The leprechauns also peed in the toilets again, but Carter may be getting too smart for his own good.  He told me "I think it's just artificial dye in there."

 

I love having fun on St. Patrick's Day!  I can't wait to see what the leprechauns do next year! 

St. Patrick's Day Parade!

This weekend we went into Pittsburgh to spend time with family and enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Parade with everyone.  Carter and Ava spent most of the parade down on street level while Dawson enjoyed the view from inside the parking garage with a cookie in hand!

 

We saw so many things:  Irish Dancers, green fire trucks, Star Wars impersonators, zombies, Irish Santa, SWAT trucks, dogs, goats, horses and unicycles!

 

 

Uncle Ron visited with his motorcycle and all the kids were enthralled.

 

Dawson's favorite part of the parade were the Star Wars people!

 

A picture of Daddy and Dawson enjoying the parade.

 

Daddy's favorite:  The Ghostbuster car, although I was just informed it's called Ecto 1.

 

 

 

My St. Patty's Day Cutie.  It was freezing, but they wanted to stay front and center instead of getting warm in the parking garage.

 

Ava's favorite was the horses in the parade.

 

 

 

Here's Carter in his German Irish Hat.

 

Carter fell in love with the BMX bikes and he really wants to try it!

 

Meme's Caption:  A Chester Cluster

 

The cousins were all sitting in a McGann truck to get warm. I see Emma, Megan, Riley, Ryan, Sara and Brendan.  It was a sauna in there and it felt really nice to get in and warm up.  I spent at least half an hour in there after it cleared out with Dawson on my lap. 

 

What a fun, crazy morning!  Carter was glued to the parade for the entire three hours.

 

 

 

Ava was also really interested in the parade, while Dawson spent time trying to warm up in the truck or running away from the family or eating cookies.

 

Erin Go Bragh!