Phone Pics

Dawson's first ride in the wagon as a big boy!  I think he likes it!

Bunny Helmet Head

Dawson at church on Sunday.  I'm a sucker for a cute boy in a polo shirt.

The baby latches on this cabinet were installed incorrectly.  Dawson is the only baby that has figured this out, and is constantly in this cabinet pulling out my pots and pans.  So I have taken to taping the cabinet shut during the day.  But then the little stinker sits and tries to peel the tape off!  Maybe someone will fix the baby latches soon **hint hint**.

Today we made a chalk neighborhood on our driveway.  I couldn't keep this baby out of it!  Well, there goes the third outfit of the day!

Crazy Tuesdays

Tuesdays around here are nothing short of jam packed.  I wake up at six to shower and get ready before the kids get up.  Then at 7:30 the kids are awake and its breakfast, brush teeth and out the door.  We drop Carter off at preschool at 9, then head to Mighty Max at 9:45.  At 10:45 Mighty Max is over and we head back to preschool to pick up Carter at 11:30.  Then lunch, naps, play, dinner and then at 6:45 its soccer practice.  When the kids finally go to bed tonight at 8, I think I'm going to want to join them!

I also did the math today about car seat buckling/unbuckling.  Here it goes:

Load car at home                  3
Unload car at preschool       3
Load car at preschool          2
Unload at MM                        2
Load at MM                           2
Unload at preschool             2
Load at preschool                3
Unload at home                    3

For a grand total of .......... 20 TIMES!!!!!!

I could be a professional at this rate!

But here are some cute pictures of Ava and her friend Elliana (neighbor across the street)  who is also in her preschool class:

Ava did so well in preschool today.  She loved singing and dancing to all the songs, in fact I had to sing Open Them Shut Them about a hundred times since we left.  She was able to sit and follow directions well, and was able to name all the colors except red (which she called pink, no big suprise there!)  I think all those library story times have really served her well.  What a fun day we've had so far!  Poor little Dawson just gets to come along for the ride, but he did well hanging out in the stroller and playing in my lap.

1st Soccer Game

Today the Rangers had their first soccer game.  Carter had a blast chasing kids back and forth.  The team we played had obviously had plenty of experience, so they were pretty tough opponents.  But our kids had a blast, so that's all that mattered.

Rainy Day escapades

Heard Around the House

***Updated with two new stories.  Boy, this girl is on a roll today!*******



This morning Carter and Ava were jostling each other to get in the van first.  I was strapping the baby in the car seat and I heard Ava tell Carter  "Don't push me bro.  I'm a lady."

Sibling rivalry plus Daddy's lessons on how to be a gentleman plus Daddy's brotherhood of dudes = one funny little girl.


This evening at the dinner table we were talking with Carter about his day at preschool.  During a quiet pause Ava looked around and said "So, I want to go to preschool today."  Don't worry, silly girl you will get your wish next week when we go to Mighty Max.


I was helping Ava on the toliet and she started unrolling the toliet paper.  I stopped her and said please don't do that.  Later I started unrolling some toliet paper for her and she looked at me and said "That's despicable.  You go to time out."  I really have no idea where she got the word despicable from, I do not say that in my daily speech.  We have watched the movie Despicable Me but that was ages ago!

Hocking Hills - Part Deux

Rock Climbing 2011

Rock Climbing 2003

Family Photo 2011

Family Photo 2003

Conkle's Hollow

We also visited Conkle's Hollow this weekend at Hocking Hills.  Be prepared for a lot of pictures, it's such a beautiful place.  It's hard to believe there is anywhere is Ohio that looks like this!  It was a half a mile walk back to a little waterfall.  Carter boy walked the whole way!

Here is a picture of Dawson at the cabin.  It looks like he is giving a thumbs up!

First Day of School!

Carter started preschool this morning!  Despite our bumpy exit last year, he seemed excited and happy this morning to be going.  After a minor upset over

shoes, we made it to school. 

Carter and Ava on the bench outside school.

(Who would have ever guessed we would have needed coats on the first day of school?)

After school I let these two play in the muscle room for a bit.  They have a great tricycle that lets Carter pull Ava.  They both love it!

This is Carter doing his work job.

After school report:  he liked the hamster and playing with playdough.  The girls were making pizza, but he decided to make Texas Caviar instead!  They read The kissing Hand.  I asked him if he would like to call someone to tell them about his first day.  He picked Aunt Margie!  So they had a little conversation about preschool.  All in all, a good first day!