October Highlights

We had a relaxing month, but somehow I have lost most of the pictures!  We started out with our church's annual Family Camp, finishing the weekend celebrating N's 4th birthday.

A week later we celebrated Z's 11th birthday.  He is growing up so fast!  (I remember hearing "old" people saying that to my mom and dad all the time growing up, and I thought it was so weird.  Now I find myself saying it more than I like.  As if I needed more proof of my rising age-status, my daughter told me tonight, "Mom, you are just like that lady--on the verge of being old."  Well, as long as I am only on the verge!)

The weather was just beautiful this month, maybe even a little too hot for my liking.  But it made for great days at the park and apple picking.

September Highlights

The highlight of this month, by far, was our vacation to Florida. The kids had never seen the ocean before.  We went to a resort on the ocean that also had a water park underneath it.  It was such a blast!

The view from our room.  I don't get too queasy with heights, but this was a bit much for me.

Pretend sleeping ...

... and the real thing.

A giant maze.  It took us 38 minutes to complete it.  Unfortunately, we unknowingly lost a flip flop along the way and had to go back in!

We saw Guy Ferrari out shopping!  ;)

Our last night.

Later in the month, I took the two youngest to a Disney on Ice show.

After the show, I tried to get a picture of them but they wouldn't stop jockeying for position.  Seriously, this is the best one I could get!  After I gave up, I turned around and the ushers were cracking up.

With such a busy month, we somehow found time to squeeze in a Cards game.

August Highlights

If July could be called our month with friends, then August was definitely our month with family.  My mom and dad took the kids at the beginning of the month for ten days--yes, you read that right, ten days!  They swam, rode the gator, and had sleepovers with their cousins.  Oh, and let's not forget the unmonitored levels of soda, candy, and popsicles!  All in all, they had a great break from mom and dad.

And I should also mention that mom and dad had a great break from them!  Besides sleeping well, eating while our food was still hot, and getting to leisurely walk around Pier One, I painted for four days, we cleaned out and reorganized our basement HVAC room, and did house project after house project.  To top it all off, we installed new 6-panel doors throughout the house.  Do we really know how to live it up with the kids gone or what?!?

I was able to spend a couple of nights in OH, too.  I really enjoy going back home to the flat open fields where the kids can run and play ... and I can ride a bike down the road without having to get off and push it up a ginormous hill!  I like living so close to a big city and everything it has to offer, but there is something about the freedom that comes with growing up on a farm that I wish my kiddos could experience.  Thanks, mom and dad, for giving them a week of "country life!"

While home, my Aunt Mary and cousin Madison were in from North Dakota too.  It had been seven years since I had last seen them.

And as a special treat to myself during the OH trip, I was able to hang out with my best friend Brooke for a "birthday brunch."  (Move to StL already, Brooke!)

Near the end of the month, Tyler's mom and stepdad came out for a visit.  Here we are in one of our favorite spots:

Early birthday presents from grandma and grandpa were also enjoyed.

To end the month, we started back to school.  This is P's first year and she was eager to get started!  (Ok, a full disclosure: I didn't take official first day pics because we were in our pj's most of that stormy day.  So let's just pretend that these are from the first day.)

And someone else wanted to join in on the fun.  =)

Other news from this month: it has been confirmed by a second doctor that Z needs to get braces already.  He is missing a couple of baby teeth and one adult tooth.  No biggie except that two of his adult teeth are coming in at a 60 degree angle, aimed right at his top front teeth, and about to cut through the roots.  He will need minor oral surgery and then a couple years of braces.  He can totally blame me for the bad genetics on this one!  And sadly, if I remember correctly, S is missing the same baby teeth so we may be down this road again in a few years.

With no one left in diapers, me trying to get rid of every baby item in the house, and braces on the horizon, it appears that we are officially moving into the next stage of family life.  Is that college I see creeping up around the corner?  Say it isn't so!

July Highlights

This has been a busy month! StL weather has been remarkable; the first non-miserable summer we have had here. We were able to be outside almost every day and spent a lot of time hanging out with friends.

For Independence Day, we watched fireworks from our house and did some of our own.  This is the first year we didn't make the parade.  They moved everything to Forest Park and all parking was offsite; I didn't think the kids would be able to handle the long walks.  I also didn't think I would be able to handle the long lines waiting for a bus to commute into the park!

As a late Father's Day present, I built a fire pit for Tyler.  Our un-level yard proved to be a nuisance again!  But sitting around the fire eating s'mores with the kids made it worth it. Tyler and the girls also set up the tent and camped out for the night.  Z. and I took the less adventurous road and slept in the comfort of our own beds!

On S's 7th birthday, she wanted to go to a workshop and build a bug house.  She is so easy to please!

The day after her birthday she wanted to wear this dress to church.  Formally her Aunt Holly's dress, circa 1990.  Now we just need to teach her how to clog!

For her birthday party, she wanted to big soccer game in the common area behind our house.  It was so hot that day!  It was also very warm in our house and I attributed it to the 20+ people in it.  However, after everyone went home that night I realized that four of the five vents on our first floor were closed.  (Sorry everybody!)

Instead of little pizzas from Pizza Hut, we do a reading program through Six Flags where the kids earn free tickets.  Just Z, S, and I went and we had a blast.  The wave pool was a favorite, along with the log flume, shazaam, and the Scooby Doo ride.  The lines were so short that we were able to ride all of our favorites at least twice.

My attempt to get a group shot at a park.  This really is the best one I could get!

Hanging out with friends at a going-away party.

S. with her best friend.  Even with mouths full of pizza, they are so cute.

Hanging out with my senior year college roommates.  It was so nice to catch up with them.

I was able to spend some time with my good friends Kristina and Jenny.  Kristina and I sat at a picnic table and talked for six hours.  What did the kids do that whole time?  They found plenty to keep busy!

In the midst of a major toy clean up, S. tried to see how tall she could build a tower without it falling over.

Good news from this month: N doesn't need glasses!  (At least, not yet.)  I was so incredibly glad.   And bad news from this month: S broke her left arm on July 31. Here she is after we received the news from the doctor.  =(