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!

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!

 

 

 

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!

Cruising!

We just returned from a wonderful cruise with the Labbett/Chester side of the family.  Thank you to Grandma and Bo who wonderfully handled these three crazies and their myriad of classes, parties, preschool and playing responsibilities.  The kids did miss us of course, and hearing Ava crying on the phone about missing us was a little traumatic.  We all made it through the week and had a great time, but seeing Ava run to me at the airport for the longest hug/snuggle was the best.  Dawson also gave me a long hug.  Carter on the other hand, very nonchalantly said "hi Mom and Dad."  Funny kid.

 

 

 

 

Anyways, pictures of our cruise.  Mike was going to be all over that shuffleboard.  But we didn't play once, I didn't see anyone play at all!

 

The (cess) pool

 

This was taken when we first got on the cruise around 11:30 and the ship didn't depart until 4.

 

Our first stop was in Key West.  Mike and I checked out the beach, and he snorkeled.  I swam and read, relaxed and maybe even slept a little.  This picture is on top of Fort Zachary.

 

 

 

Fort Zachary is a little underwhelming after visiting the Castillo this summer.

 

But the very very very BEST part of the trip was our excursion in Cozumel.  Paddle Boarding and Snorkeling was THE highlight of our trip.

 

We paddle boarded for about an hour.  There were six people in our excursion and we were all up and standing within fifteen minutes in the water, not too bad!  Mike took a crash and burn approach and fell about five times.  I was a little more cautious and only fell twice. 

 

I felt like yoga really helped my paddle boarding skills, because it is all about balance.  I can't tell you how amazingly gorgeous it was.  It was an overcast day and it drizzled a little bit while we were there.  But the water was absolutely crystal clear and we could see all the way to the bottom at least ten feet or more.

 

At the end of paddle boarding, we saw dolphins about fifty feet out.  We tried to approach them, but they swam off. 

 

I don't have any pictures of snorkeling, but it was gorgeous.  They feed the fish, so as soon as you jump in the water the fish come looking for food.  I've never been surrounded by so many fish in my life!  Mike and I love snorkeling so we were free diving and trying to get to the bottom.  We saw so many different kinds of fish, a sting ray, sand crab and I held a sea urchin.  We had a blast and are already dreaming of our next vacation to Cozumel!

 

We also indulged in the most delicious plate of nachos I've ever had in my entire life!

 

Happy Birthday Sara (on Monday)

Happy Birthday Bridget and Riley (on Friday)

 

Everyone:

 

Bridget, Margie, Riley, Bob Bob, Meme, Mike, Tracey, Aunt Jeanne, Aunt Patty, Patrick, Sara and Brendan

 

Mike had a stare down with a brontosaurus.

 

Our verdict?  I don't think cruising is our type of vacation, but I loved spending time with our family, getting to enjoy the beach and celebrating my sister's accomplishment!

A visit to the lake

This past weekend we went with friends to their house at the lake, and had a blast!  Port Clinton is such a nice area and the kids had friends to keep them occupied and the adults got to enjoy good company.  Couldn't have asked for a better weekend!

We took a boat ride out on the lake, caught some perch, almost lost Mike in the water and let Dawson fall asleep on me.

Carter boy loved the fish finder.

Dawson cuddled his Mommy and then fell asleep.  He was so scared when the boat took off and was yelling at the captain "BE CAREFUL!"

Then we went to the African Safari Park and the kids got to feed the animals from our car.  There were deer, giraffee, bison, camels and alpacas.  I have to say, it did a number on our car.  We had buffalo slobber all over the place!

It took awhile for the kids to warm up to the idea of animals sticking their head into our car.  Dawson and Ava hid behind me for awhile panicking at these big creatures.  

Thumbs up Alpaca

There is also a walk-through area to look at more animals.  There are white alligator, capybaras, lemurs and so much more!

Crazy Ava!

The kids also got to take their first camel ride.  Look it is Ava!

And Carter!

I was absolutely shocked that baby Doc got on the camel by himself, but he loved it!  He looks so tiny on this big animal, but he just wanted to pet it over and over again. 

In addition to all this fun stuff we went on golf cart rides, spent a chilly day at the beach digging in the sand and topped the night off with s'mores at the campfire.  It felt like we were back on vacation again!  A great way to end the summer, and now back to school.

Florida Vacation - One more from St Augustine!

After the Castillo we stopped by a pizza place.  It was conveniently located on our route, and as we walked in it was decked out in Steelers gear! 

Mike was in pizza and beer heaven, despite being surrounded by the Steelers decor.

TERRIBLE TOWEL!!!!!

Roover 

It was so very delicious pizza too!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself!

Florida Vacation - Castillo De San Marcos

On the way home from Miami we decided to swing by Saint Augustine, FL to visit the Castillo De San Marcos.  I had visited this as a kid when we lived in Florida, and I knew that Mike and the kids would be interested.  

Lots of pictures in this post, there were so many good ones!

Isn't it beautiful?

Outside of the Castillo

The bunk room, don't those beds look comfortable?

Peeking into the prison

There were so many carvings on the wall, this is just one picture.  One carving said Alexander Carter and the other said Cleveland, Ohio 1880.

Nine wooden forts were destroyed by pirates before the Spanish commissioned the building of a stone fort in the 1600's.

Carter and Dawson near the cannons.  Dawson was very upset because he wasn't allowed to climb on the cannons.  Mike was very upset because we couldn't come back the next day to see the cannons being fired.

Mommy and Ava in the sentry house.  Silly Girl!

Very nice re-enactment soldier who posed with us for a picture.

I thought this was such a cute picture of Riley girl!

Mike loved walking through the castillo and he was convinced he was going to get a picture of an orb.  It was a fun place to talk to the kids about history, because it belong to Spanish, British and American forces at one time or another.  A very fun place to visit, and it was great for the kids to run off a little steam after a long car ride from Miami.  After this place we took the A1A highway to our hotel on Jacksonville Beach.