Daddy snuggles

 

Dawson our little snuggle bug!

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!