Random Pictures (Sep/Oct)

 Here are some random pictures from my ipod.  Most of these have been on Facebook, so if you follow me, you've seen them.  But they give a good synopsis of what's been going on at our house.

Above, I took Nick and Emma to the Museum Center on a beautiful day.  This is one of my favorite pictures.  Above right is Nick at swim class - he loves to have his face in the water.

Right is Emma after her first bangs haircut - which was due to her second self cut.

 Left and right are pictures from taking Emma and Nick to the park one day.  They enjoy the swings too much - I wish they would run around more!

 The two pictures on the right are of Ryan.  The first one is from my birthday dinner.  The kids think bike racks are places to jump over and under while I sing the ABC's (to minimize time that I have to stand there).  The second one is of Ryan in his new robe - he doesn't use it a lot, but it's been too warm here to need it.

 The picture on the left is Ryan's rendition of Dancing With The Stars.  He and Emma's baby danced a very strange dance.

Right is a picture of Nick at Emma's gymnastics class.  He loves to climb up the wall ladder and stand there!

 Left is a picture of Emma's new winter coat with the new hat and gloves.  She was very excited.

Right is another gymnastics picture.  This time open gym and both of them climbed the rope ladder - this is Emma's favorite thing.

This last picture is from last weekend.  I took Nick and Emma to Michigan so I could run the Detroit Half Marathon.  It goes to Canada over the bridge and back through the tunnel.  I really enjoyed the race - my favorite so far.  This picture is what Nick wants to do the entire time we are at my parents house - namely, play Nanny's purple phone.

Zoo time with friends

Nick, Emma and I went to the zoo two weeks ago with Emma's (boy)friend from school, Ethan and Ethan's mom and sister (Megan and Leighton).  It was a little chilly in the morning, but ended up being a beautiful day.  I've never seen a penguin get as close to the fence as Emma had one.  We got to enjoy the day and all the animals we saw.  We didn't realize it when we were there, but one of the giraffe's was having her baby at the time.  So we'll have to head back soon to see her.

Go Blue!

 For my birthday this year, Kris and the kids got me tickets to see Michigan play Purdue.  4 tickets each with $5 concessions was incredibly inexpensive.  So my wonderful mom came down to spend the day with Nick, while the four of us headed to West Lafayette.

Purdue has a beautiful campus and at one point or another both Ryan and Emma said they were going to go to college there.  We said that would be fine with us!

 Since the game wasn't until 4:00, we spend part of the afternoon at the BWW watching the Penn State game with the Michigan Alumni Association.  We thank them for our face stickers!  We tailgated for the rest of the afternoon - which meant the kids and I went to the park while Kris watched the game on his ipod in the car.

We had a great time at the game and were happy with the outcome of the game!  Go Blue!  Ryan enjoyed it, but Emma was bored within minutes.  They liked the band and cheerleaders though!

 After the game, we watched the band and walked around.  We were so late getting out that we happened to walk by when the team was coming out to get on the bus.  So we waited there to see - Denard!  Didn't get his picture because Brady Hoke was so close and my camera is not that fast!  Oh well!

It was a wonderful present and I was so thankful to spend it with my family!

Random Things

 Here are some random pictures from September.

Here is Nick - my big kid.  He was running around all day and just looked so big.  Of course, he wouldn't slow down for me to get a picture of the big kid!!

 Ryan joined Cub Scouts this year.  It's the first thing since 2 year old soccer, that he has got to do that was fun and not therapy!  Thankfully, also not a sport!  He is enjoying his time - and getting some bonding time with Daddy.  He has a few friends from previous school years in scouts with him and is really enjoying it.  Here are pictures from his first pack meeting.  He got his Wolf Badge!

Emma, as everyone knows, is our little Wisconsin fan!  She's giving her big 'Go Big W' here!  God love her.  We wouldn't mind her going to school there.  At least it's not OSU.

The picture below is from our girls weekend.  Jodie invited Amanda, Brooke and I down to stay in Lexington with her.  We had a great time at the wineries and out with some of her friends.  I was so glad for a weekend with just the girls!

Kings Island

 It seems like I'm always banking up pictures and then writing a bunch of blogs at once.  Sorry.  I barely have time to get the house clean.

Anyway, a month ago we had a great time at Toyota Days at Kings Island.  My mom came along to help and have fun!

The kids love it there.  Ryan was actually big enough to go on almost all the rides (we're talking big people rides).  First, we hit the kids rides while Kris gave out the annoying whistles that Toyota decided were a good giveaway.

 Nick and Emma loved all the kids rides.
 All of their favorite was the bugs to the right here.  It was simple - go around in an oval.  But it whipped you around the bend and they thought that was cool!

 Nick loved the bumper cars and went around in a circle backward the entire time.  Ryan went on the stunt car ride with Kris and I.  We tried for a ride with a loop, but it was closed when we got there.

Overall, we had a great day and got out of there just as the goblins all came out!  Plus we got to go home and watch football!

First Days of School - part 2

 Emma and Nick started school at the beginning of the month.  I can't believe I have everyone in school - well at least for 3 hours a week!  Emma is in 4-year old preschool MWF and Nick is in 2-year old preschool on Wednesdays.

They were both very excited about school.  Well, Nick didn't want to go - but he is a typical 2 year old and doesn't want to do anything I say.

  

 They both had a great day.  Both Emma and Nick walked right into the classroom, put their stuff away and went to play.  No crying, nothing.  I actually had to ask for a kiss from both of them!

I enjoyed my first Wednesday having breakfast with a friend and going to the book store - by myself!!!  I have spent the next Wednesdays either at home (*gasp*) by myself or running a lot of errands.  You get a lot more done by yourself!!

On Mondays and Wednesdays, Nick and I usually spend our time at the gym.  He has swim lessons on Mondays, where he has already been moved to Level 2.  I have been prepping for my 2 races this fall - the Hudepohl 14k and the Detroit Half Marathon.  I'm on track for both, with usually running 10 miles on Fridays.

This last picture was taken after that first day.  They were very excited to tell me about all the wonderful things they got to do in class - especially about playing outside on the playground.

End of Summer/Beginning of School!

 We have begun our end of summer and beginning of school time here in KY.  Ryan started school on the 15th of August.  Early, I know, but he gets out early this year, so we are happy about that. So far he is enjoying his class and teacher.  Although getting back into the homework phase isn't going so well yet, we are progressing.  Thankfully, doing his workbook all summer has helped him not lose too much information and understand that once he has his homework done he can play on the computer.

Before school started, we had an Emma free weekend.  She was up at my parents house for her Nanny camp weekend.  The boys and I spent the Friday at a kid zone.  The kids hadn't been there since before Nick, so it was essentially all new to them.  They really loved the ball pit and train tables as well as the post office area.  I loved that I only had to keep track of 2 kids!

We also took them to the party in the lot at church.  Fun music and bouncy houses as well as good food.  It made a wonderful night.

As a last ditch craft project the day before school started, Ryan and Emma made bag masks.  They enjoyed cutting out of magazines and gluing.  They have 'scared' me a lot since then.

 I took Nick and Emma to Michigan last weekend for the Woodward Dream Cruise.  It is one of my favorite events in Michigan.  Everyone brings out their old cars and cruises Woodward.  Nick asked if everyone was going to race and I had to explain that a cruise was the complete opposite of racing.  Of course, there were a ton of people who didn't have classic cars that felt the need to cruise, which really detracts from the event.  But we did a mile long walk from 12 mile to 13 mile, resting and looking at cars along the way.  At 13, there were 2 parks and the food.  The adults had some Polish food, while the kids enjoyed their hot dogs.  The kids enjoyed the park and some extremely expensive ice cream before we be headed back.  The weather was a beautiful 75 degrees, which was just perfect for the event.  We had a wonderful day and really enjoyed our time together!

Nick and Emma began our season of extracurricular activities this past week.  Nick had his first ever swim class.  For the first 15 minutes of it, he kept exclaiming 'I'm at swim class!'.  For the second, he kept asking to get out!  Of course, we got to go to the outside waterpark afterwards.  It was a beautiful day and we had the run of the park.

Emma started gymnastics this week.  She really enjoyed the challenges and paid attention a lot better than the last time she took lessons (about 6 months ago).  She is in a harder class now and I think preferred it.  She begins dance class in a few weeks.

Both Nick and Emma have preschool open house this week and begin school on the 5th.  They are both very excited - as am I!!

Emma got her pre-school hair cut this week.  We decided to get some bangs cut because even though we have waited for the fine little hairs to stop growing, she keeps getting more and they are always in her face.  I think she looks adorable.