MiniCircus

Pride

2011-11-21T17:07:00.000-05:00

Brian and I are occassionaly stopped by complete strangers who want to compliment our kids. Okay, so this actually happens all the time, really... Most of the time we just say thanks, sometimes we roll our eyes and let them know how it really is, and every once in a while we try to sell one or all to this person who doesn't know any better.

This weekend when someone would compliment my kiddos, I whole heartedly agreed with them. I even would expand on their compliment by adding some of my own. You see I was so very proud of each of them for being the amazing and perfect kids that they are.

Emerson received the most compliments this weekend, as she was the co-star of an amazing wedding. She was absolutely perfect in every way. She was a little lady at the spa and bridal luncheon, listened intently at rehearsal and was poised and ready for the wedding. She got all dolled up and looked like an angel. She smiled courtly and walked gracefully down the aisle. I was so very proud.

Avery had some important jobs too, one being program distribution which she took very seriously. She practiced how she would greet the guests and got to her post in plenty of time as to not miss anyone. I had someone tell me what a lovely, polite young lady she was, and I had to agree. Although she and I clash sometimes (often) she really is a wonderful girl and I'm so proud of who she is turning out to be.

Cole was thoughtful the entire weekend. He got along with his little cousins from the first second, acted goofy with Zane and showcased his mad dance moves at the reception. But what warmed my heart the most is what no one else could see. He visited the hotel gift shop and I'm sure he found tons of things that he wanted or needed... He even asked his grandma for some money (smart boy, she of coarse gave him some). He used the money to buy a book that he knew I had been wanting to read, the same book that he borrowed from his teacher and I gave him a hard time for reading it before me. "Here mom, now you can read it too". Wow, what a guy!! Yes, he is amazing, I completely agree!!

As for the littlest member of our family. We were told over and over again how cute she is, even when she yanks her ponytail out. And she sure is a cutie, I agree!! Unfortunately we weren't getting any compliments on her behavior, if we had, I would have certainly set them straight!!

Run, Julie, Run!!

2011-10-20T13:48:00.000-04:00

So I'm thinking about running a half marathon...

(pick yourself up off the floor, its not that amazing)

Specifically, I'm thinking about running THIS half marathon:
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wdw-marathon/index?page=walt-disney-world-half-marathon

Looks like fun, don't it?

The family and I will be at the Magic Kingdom in January so Brian can do the full Marathon. It just so happens that the half is the day before. I mean, I'm going to be there, I might as well right?

I can't even say that I'm thinking about doing the half, I have pretty much already made up my mind to do it. The only thing standing in my way of running the half marathon is the actual running part. You see, I'm NOT a runner, nor do I ever plan to be a runner. Now I'm not saying runner like a bad word here, I have all respect for you crazy people who get up at the whee hours of the morning to run umpteen miles. Its just not for me!! I just want to be apart of the Disney experience, to run through the castle and to have the characters cheering for me. I want to be able to say that I did it, even if my time is the slowest possible. I want to run Disney.

So back to the training part, I found out there might be a few things I need to overcome if I'm at least going to be respectable at the half. #1 being my inability to hold my bladder when I'm bouncy (or when I sneeze or laugh for that matter). Another being my desire to do ANYTHING instead of running in this shitty weather, and I guess choosing to start training in October for a January race will give me more shitty days than good ones...

Luckily for me, my wonderful hubby is super supportive of me, a little skeptical but supportive none the less. I've been running/walking/running/walking and I'm up to a mile now. I think I will be running officially on Thanksgiving, and registering for Disney soon. Fingers crossed...

Emerson and Tiaras

2011-10-07T10:25:00.000-04:00

I'd like to welcome to the stage contestant number 28, Emerson Marie Bautsch.

Emerson does not normally enjoy being the center of attention but seemed especially excited to be in a beauty pageant. And since she already had this stunning flower girl dress, her mom thought "why not". Emerson completely nailed the beauty portion of the pageant, walking gracefully and posing on each x. She earned a place in the top 7 finalist. She then had to answer a question on stage. She was the last to go and we are so proud that she didn't puke or pee her pants on stage. She also didn't earn the title of Little Miss Marysville... oh well... next time I guess!!

Emerson and a friend from her school backstage!! Don't they look lovely!!

I could tell she was exhausted from the stress of the pageant, cause when it was all over she just fell into her daddy's arms with tears in her eyes... She was so proud of herself and knew she couldn't hold it together much longer. What an amazing girl!!

Emi will always be a beauty queen in our eyes!! If you try to ask her about her pageant experience now, she will firmly tell you "I don't even want to talk about it"...

Where were you?

2011-09-11T10:27:00.000-04:00

Wow, 10 years ago, how much simpler my life was... I was just a baby, with a baby of my own. Cole was nearly nine months old and I was babysitting another little boy, a few weeks younger than C. Back then I could choose what was on the television and every morning I would watch (or at least listen to) the Today Show. 10 years ago today, I watched... Intently, with little interruption. Those 2 boys were very cuddled that day but very neglected. I'm sure I didn't interact with them.

I like to pass along news, but this day I hated to be the one to break the story to Brian and my mom, who in turn had to share the devastation with their offices. Information was hard for them to get, Internets were down and TVs were hard to find, so I was continuing to describe the awful things that I was seeing on the television to them. In horror. In disbelief. I was numb. That day and for many days to come. It was very hard to get back to life, to find it worthwhile to do anything normal.

I went to mass at my church and held a woman's hand. Her son was on his way to NY to help. I didn't even know her name but we both cried while singing "America the Beautiful" I left a scrapbook crop in the middle to stand out on her driveway to light a candle. The 6 ladies there stood outside for 10 minutes in silence before blowing out the candles and continuing with our photo albums which seems so much more meaningful now. Flags were half staff for a very long time.

And here I am, 10 years later... Life has gone on. But I still cried during "America the Beautiful" this morning. I held my daughter's hand and thought back to how much simpler my life was then. Before America lost its innocence. Before the towers fell. Today I am numb again.

You make me smile :)

2011-08-28T18:11:00.000-04:00

This weekend Cole's U11 soccer team went to a tourney in Bowling Green. They played in the U12 age bracket in the highest possible division. This is quite ambitious since they haven't played a real game on the bigger fields 8v8 yet. But we have a big State tourney in a few weeks and needed some trial by fire. This was the best way to meet some great competition. On the drive up, Brian and I briefly discussed how the boys might handle this tourney since they are used to winning and bringing home hardware. So we quickly told Cole that getting the big trophy was not our goal for the weekend, that there was a bigger and better prize waiting for them. This was just for practice and just to have fun and learn. We had no expectations.

Well those little stinkers didn't like that plan. They went ahead and won every game, proving that they belonged there. They played new positions, dominated boys taller and bigger than they are, and brought home the championship trophy. We are so proud!

Things that made me smile this weekend:

Sharing the World's best kettle corn with my great friend.

Seeing the little sisters in their cutie shirts.

Tailgating in the parking lot with my soccer family.

High fiving all the amazing plays and goals. What a team!

Seeing my cousin who is a Senior at BG come and support Cole! Luv ya Jess!!

Spotting a new soccer dad with the most amazing lens on his camera, I'm so excited to include his pictures in my annual photo book for the boys.

Watching my boy get switched over to guard a real wringer on the other team, and Cole shut him down!!

Finding a Culver's on the way home for a little snack.

And you can believe I was grinning ear to ear when Cole accepted his Championship trophy by kissing it and holding it above his head.

Bringing Joy Back

2011-08-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm back (again, get a life Jeremy). Since my last blog entry a lot of things have changed in my life, namely my attitude and perception. I have come to some realizations, found my own successes and am now content with the outcomes. My amazing hubby has helped me stay in check and my friends helped to pick up my broken pieces. Glad to be moving forward, finding myself and making my own niche. And this has been a great summer!

Just a recap so we can move forward!

Cole:

Big man stayed super busy this summer. He attended many sports camps including local soccer and basketball and soccer academy at UD. His baseball team won first in their league and won their end of the season tourney. He played on a 3v3 team and they won runner up. He spent some time at the pool tanning his body and avoiding the girls. He is now starting his fall soccer season. Their team is being coached by our high schools varsity coach and is playing in the Buckeye Premier League which has the best teams in all of Ohio and Kentucky. Lots of traveling in store for us starting with next weekend when we will go to Bowling Green for a tourney in which they will play in the u12 (they are only 10) age group in the highest division. Yes, they are that good!!

Avery:

Avery too spent a big portion of her summer at various camps. She attended gymnastics camp, cheer camp and an intensive with the Dayton Ballet. She loved the technique and style of dance that she learned there, we were researching new studios to give her more options. She will definately be going back to Dayton next summer for their program again. She celebrated her big 9 year old birthday this summer with out any fanfare, she is amazing like that! I wish I had her personality, never a care in the world, doesn't ever ask "what about me?". Love that girl!

Emerson:

Our little peanut has really come out of her shell! At the end of the season dance recital she was making new friends and having fun shining on stage. She enjoyed time at the pool most of all where she learned how to swim unassisted and jump off the diving board with no bribing on my end. She went to dance camp, soccer camp and gymnastics camp this summer, learning new things and making new friends everywhere she went. She is eager to start Kindergarten next week and welcome the school days chapter of her life. I'm ready too!!

Brin:

Brin is by far our most fearless child. She is constantly climbing or jumping, always testing out her boundaries. She still doesn't have a lot to say, at least nothing that we understand. She too loves the pool, has no problem jumping in sometimes when you aren't even looking and getting her face wet. She has entered the "its mine" and hitting to get it back stage. Lovely!

So loyal blog readers (Jeremy et al) there is no more need for concern. I'm seeing clearly now, loving my family and grateful for my friends that I have. See you again in 6 months.

Live and Learn

2011-04-14T11:50:00.002-04:00

Jeremy, it's all about me, you might want to skip this blog entry... in fact most of my loyal 6 blog readers may just want to skip reading this post, and tune back in a month or two when I decide to post again... if you are curious about the goings on in my demented head, then I guess you can read on... just don't say I didn't warn you!! A person can learn a lot about themselves in extreme situations. The past month, 3 months, year and a half, have given me some incredible insight about yours truely, all of which I have recently began to understand. I'm hoping to come out on the other side a stronger person, but right now I am completely disgusted by this shell of a person that I am. What have I learned, you ask? I learned that I am weak... weak... weak... I have not stood up for myself, stood my ground, or asked for what is fairly mine. I have allowed myself to be walked all over, to have my feelings trampled and my passions distinguished. I have been made to feel guilty for my strengths, and to almost hide my abilities as to make others more comfortable. I have agreed to halt my passions, my strengths, my abilities all to keep others from being jeolous. I have chosen my words so very carefully as to not hurt others feelings, keeping my own feeling inside. Yet somehow I have offended the very people that I am trying to tiptoe around their feelings. I have slinked to the side, to the background, smiling and keeping it in. I have watched as others persue my passion. And yet I am made to feel like the bad guy... Okay, so a bit dramatic, I agree. But when someone asked me recently if I had any regrets, it really made me think. And the only regrets I have are the ones about not standing up for myself, for not being more vocal about concerns, unfairness, my own desires. I don't normally feel like a weak person, but in this situation, when business is mixed with friendship, I was completely spineless... I do not regret walking away from it, at all period. I just regret that it didn't happen on my terms. And 15 months ago, before it all got completly out of control. Not the typical Minicircus blog entry, but I warned you. I'm hoping that by actually typing what I have been composing in my head for the past 2 weeks will get me some closure. And I'm hoping that I will begin to be strong... strong... strong...

My Favorite

2011-02-19T10:22:00.002-05:00

I NEVER ever thought I would have a post like this about this particular kid, yet here I am...
Cole is by far our favorite kid. He is absolutely amazing in every way. He is completely excelling at school. We had parent/teacher conferences this week and I was floored when a teacher (not his own) came in on our conversation when she heard the name Cole and said "oh, Cole, I just love him" and I think she meant it. He is a class leader, in the highest math and reading groups, and has improved in the areas that needed improving (namely self control).
Cole is mature well beyond his years. I sometimes have to remind myself that he is only 10, yet I talk to him and treat him as an adult. He is understanding when I am frustrated and tries to help out with the little girls. His appreciation for me and his dad has come out of no where and it makes all that we do a lot more enjoyable.
He is so very determined at all he does, but most especially at sports. This has come about slowly, but this year we are really seeing his drive first and foremost. He takes everything to heart and is upset at failures even if they aren't directly his fault.
He is Brian's best friend. They are buddies of the greatest kind, sharing sports, funny stories and frustrations. I love to see the two of them giggling about some crazy commercial and enjoy watching Brian coach him and Cole actually listening to his advice and applying it.
The main reason that Cole is my favorite child isn't what he does, it is what he doesn't do... He doesn't whine, all day long about nothing. He doesn't throw a fit when he doesn't get his way. He doesn't wander off in public places, nor does he climb on to the table or kitchen counters when he wants something that doesn't belong to him. He stays in his bed all night, eats all his food. He tells me with clear words when he wants something and says please and thank you most of the time. He doesn't expect me to carry him around when he gets tired. He doesn't scream and shout when I brush his hair, or tell me no when I tell him to take a shower. I love this kid, he is by far my favorite...

I shoulda known better...

2011-01-21T07:50:00.003-05:00

I shoulda known better... back, back, way back when I was preggers with Brin and I saw that lovely, oh so soft toddler size duvet cover at Pottery Barn Outlet, but it was only available in blue that I was having a girl and I shouldn't get it. But it was cheap and I figured that it was almost periwinkle and IF I did have a girl it could probably go both ways... Did I mention how oh so soft it was, and that it was cheap? I bought it, and cuddled it sometimes when I was still preggers.

When the baby was born, I shoulda known better than to put this gigantic oh so soft duvet cover in her crib to cover her. Being the fourth kid, I understand that they will latch on to any lovie that you offer to them at a young age. I basically hand picked the older three's lovies; Cole clung for his life to a little brown, nappy haired bear, Avery wore the ears out of a pink bunny blanket, and Emi sucked and sucked on the edges of her beary beary which she still carries around and makes us search for at night. So I shoulda known that Brin would become attached to this oh so soft blanket from Pottery Barn... Did I mention that it is also GIGANTIC??? She loved it so much. When I would take her up to bed, she would giggle when she held it. She is an absolutely amazing sleeper and I'm sure its due to the oh so soft blanket and not my amazing parenting skills.

Now that Brin is capable, she goes up and gets the blanket out of her crib, wants to bring it everywhere... But it is so large that she has to wrap it around herself to carry, she trips on it and has fallen down the stairs twice while toting it around. Its a nightmare to bring out of the house, it gets stepped on and dropped and we can't easily fit it anywhere! I hate the oh so soft, boy blanket... I tried to substitute if for a pink princess blanket that was almost as soft, but no luck. I bought her a bear just like Emi's, but nope!

Then my brilliant friend had an idea... why don't you make the giant blanket into little blankets... Duh! So we did blanket surgery yesturday. Right in front of her eyes, I folded the duvet in half and cut right down the middle. She about freaked. I turned it inside out and sewed up the opening, turned it right side out and gave it to her. She giggled and cuddled it. Yeah!! Then I took the other half and cut it half to make 2 even smaller blankets. She was so excited to have multiple blankets, and I'm so thrilled to have a more managable lovie for her... We are down to one binkie and I'm toying with it having surgery today, if the blanket transition was this easy maybe binkie transition will be a breeze.

A Little Birdie told me...

2011-01-17T16:37:00.002-05:00

Just when I was at the pit of dispair for the lack of appreciation from my family, most namely my offspring... I received this wonderful handmade self-esteem booster from a dear friend. I put it in my happy place, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!! Thanks a billion, friend!

I love it when awesome things happen...

2011-01-10T22:07:00.005-05:00

Cole is an excellent reader... With that said, he doesn't normally dive into a book unless he really, REALLY likes it. End of November, he had been staying up reading a series of books by Alan St. Jean. He read through book one and book two. And only minutes after reading book two, he expressed some frustration because he wasn't due to visit the school library until the following week. Being the wonderful mom that I am, I offered to take him straight away to the local library to get book three. We inquired at the children's desk about the book, she checked to find that it was already checked out. But then she adds "You know Mr. St. Jean will be here tomorrow night doing a book signing right?" How convienient is that? So while the girls were dancing at the Christmas walk, Brian took Cole to the library to meet his favorite author. Bri said he was very impressed with the author, how personal he was and how wonderful he treated Cole. Cole was impressed that he got to "touch" book four which hasn't even been published yet. I was disappointed that I had the camera with me so there were no pics of Cole and his author friend. Then the next day I receive a message about a visit that Alan St. Jean was paying to Marysville Public Library. He would be talking about his writing, signing books and answering questions... The best part is it fell on a night with no sports practices. Yeah!! Shortly after finishing book three (which we had successfully reserved at the library), we went to listen to Mr. St. Jean at the library. This time I brought my camera! While talking to the author, Cole said how he was excited to read the next installment and Mr. St. Jean asked him if he would like one when they are published.... "um, ya!!" So Cole wrote his address on a sheet of notebook paper which Alan St. Jean stuck in his pocket. We listened to a very humerous talk, and I really enjoyed seeing my boy's enthusiasm for storytelling. Today I found this package in the mail.

Hand written by Alan St. Jean himself. And after tearing it open Cole found a hardcopy of the latest book, hot off the presses. The inside cover is signed, "To Cole: Alan St. Jean 2011". Let me just tell you what an impression this author has left for me. I can only imagine how these events have encouraged Cole's love for literature. And for him to take the time to send a book to a young fan, to take the time to meet with him and others like him at schools and libraries. And heck, God bless him for writing a book that my son wants to read for more than 20 minutes!!

** I need to add that I actually purchased the book that was sent to Cole yesturday. But it was a purchase that involved me handing Mr. St. Jean a 10 dollar bill and him wadding it up with Cole's addy and sticking it in his pocket. I half chalked it up to a donation to the wonderful author, and thought if he did ever receive the book it would most certainly come from the publisher in softback. Never, ever did I imagine that it would come from the author, and so timely at that!!

This Socks...

2011-01-05T11:51:00.003-05:00

Back in November, when my life was completely running away from me, I stopped folding my family's socks. I didn't make a conscious decision to stop folding them, its just something that happened over the coarse of the few hundred loads I did during that time. Every load I folded, I pulled out each sock and tossed it into a basket to fold last. And then I never quite got to it... skip ahead to the next week's laundry day, I folded all the laundry tossing the socks into the same basket telling myself that I would have at least an hour of sock sorting, and I never quite got to it! By now my family is out of socks in their drawers and they are forced to search through this basket for matches. Avery comes down ready for school but has forgotten her socks, no problem, just grab some out of the basket. They have never grumbled or complained about hunting for matching socks, and I don't have to hear the whining about having to go ALL THE WAY upstairs for socks. It saves me oodles of precious time on laundry day, I can sort the socks straight out of the dryer and toss them in the basket, plus I don't have that pile of unmatched socks! It is working out so well I wish that I had come up with this plan years ago. One day I will write a blog about all of my time saving strategies in the home, but for now I just have this one tip that is working oh so well for me!!

Ring it in...

2011-01-01T12:14:00.003-05:00

We rang it in with our usual posse, minus one family plus another... all with standing invites for years to come (except the Eberharts who will start to receive formal, paper invites and a save the date notice in June). We have a blast just hanging out, playing games and consuming some beverages. The kids break off into their age appropriate groupings, sometimes intermingling which never ends well (only a little blood this year). We played some farkle party and had some laughs using the word farkle as verbs, nouns, adjectives etc. Congrats to Jeremy with his come from behind domination over everyone!

This morning, I have cleaned my craft room and made room for the scrapbooking to come out. It will be dusty and unorganized, but its coming out today!! My goal is to get a grasp on organizing it, and I'm hoping to attend an overnight crop on Jan 14. and look at me, 2 blog posts in under 24 hours.

Welcome, twentyeleven... I've been waiting for you!

2010-12-31T17:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I'm sitting here waiting for our New Years guests to arrive, feeling a little apprehensive for the start of a brand new year. Seems as though 2010 didn't live up to my expectations and I've taken the past few days to reflect and decide what the motto for next year will be. While setting the island tonight, I was thinking about how I should really send out a thank you to Brian's grandma for her generosity and I told myself, "just get past this party, then you can do that" and it occurred to me that this has been my problem all along. I have been living 2010 with the "get through this" attitude. As a result, many many things in my life have gone to the wayside, to be put aside and replaced by other things. I'm very sad to say that my scrapbooking as suffered this year big time. I don't respond to phone messages or emails like I should. And I don't get together with my friends or attend the Zumba classes like I wanted to. We haven't entertained like we like to. Why? Because I'm too busy. I have set different priorities, ones that don't necessarily put my family or my desires first. You might have noticed that this blog doesn't stay updated, and I love to write. It makes me sad....

So... twentyeleven... my two word motto is... "make time". I haven't exactly discovered a way to add time to my day yet, although won't I make a bunch of money when I do? My plan is to no longer just live to get through, I plan to make the things that I want to do important enough to do. I will make time to write thank yous. Make time to get my albums caught up. Make time to get together with my friends. Make time to play games with my family. Make time to keep my house in better working condition. Make time to spend quality time with my hubby. So obviously something will have to give. The most obvious thing to give up would be sleep and I think that will come into play. I also plan to weigh out all the commitments in my life, let a few things go and prioritize the rest. I can promise that scrapbooking will come before bows, at least for a little while. Friends will come before grocery shopping. Correspondance will come before Angry Bird (did anyone else get sucked into this??). Minicircus will come before facebook.

Twentyeleven will not make me sad next year on New Years. I have my sights set high this year, and I'm not going to maintain the coarse I was on last year. Yeah for a new year, new mottos, new goals and a happy me!!

Happy Thanksgiving all!!

2010-11-27T16:32:00.003-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving at my grandmother's farm in Ft. Loramie per our usual tradition this year. There were an estimated 119 family and friends gathered this year and as usual the kids clung on me until just before we were ready to go and then they were having so much fun with their cousins that they cried when we left... When will they realize that they need to go and have fun right away?? Food was yummy, cards were great and family was a blessing. So much to be thankful for!!

This one's for DAVE

2010-11-27T16:12:00.003-05:00

Okay, loyal blog stalkers, I'm momentarily off my hiatus from my blog writing. I've meant to get back on this, not to catch it up, cause that would be impossible, but at least get something new on here. And after gentle persuasion from a good friend during the Buckeye party, now is as good of time as ever.

We had a very successful Buckeye party today, successful because the Buckeyes won of coarse, but also successful because we had a great time with good friends all day and everyone stayed happy and healthy.

Nationals Dance

2010-07-14T23:37:00.004-04:00

Emerson in front of a trophy that is way bigger than she is!!

Avery had a blast with her friend at the hotel in Toledo, swimming and having a pizza party. But the next day was all business! We got up early to get ready to compete one more time. The girls danced extremely well on stage and we were all very excited about awards. The Cavegirl Cuties earned a National Top First Place ranking, Won first in their category and 13th over all their
division. They also earned a special judges award for terrific timing. It was a very successful competition!

Vacation in Northern Ohio (minus dance)

2010-07-14T23:24:00.003-04:00

Last year Avery's dance team brought us to sunny Myrtle Beach for a competition. This year her dance schedule brought us to lovely Toledo Ohio. We made the most of it by having fun in the hotel pools and Brian got to do some forced sightseeing while Avery waited out the awards. After Toledo, we trucked on over to Cleveland, stayed in a downtown hotel, had dinner at Hard Rock and gave ourselves a walking tour of downtown sights. We then headed on over to Younstown for the remainder of our vacay... more on that to come!

VBS

2010-07-14T23:09:00.003-04:00

The year for our Church's VBS, everyone who did not have a job in our house participated... I worked the nursery, Cole assisted me, Brin was in the nursery and Emi and Avery held their own in the respected classes. The girlies had so much fun doing crafts and learning new songs. Brin enjoyed playing with the kids in the nursery and refining her walking skills. Cole didn't find quite as much enjoyment, but he tolerated!! We enjoyed taco night on the last night and got to watch the girlies perform their songs and enjoy fellowship with our friends at church.

There is something about these cheese VBS songs that chokes me up everytime!! This was my favorite!!

little walker

2010-07-14T22:58:00.002-04:00

On June 13 our baby officially became a toddler more or less. She decided that after a weekend with grandma and grandpa Hoying, she would come home and just flat out walk across the room.. I couldn't believe it, so I made her do it again, and again... then I snatched her up and took her outside where Brian was mowing, sat her in the middle of the grass and she walked across the lawn like she had been doing it forever!! We are so happy that she is up on her feet and enjoy watching her toddle from place to place.

Picken' Berries

2010-07-14T22:48:00.003-04:00

As an annual tradition we grabbed our buckets, a few friends and headed out to the Strawberry patch. It was especially muddy, as it rained almost the entire month of June and borderline hot that day, but the berries were large and yummy. We picked until we had enough to deserve Strawberry slushies! Brin didn't enjoy her first taste of strawberries, but was cute non the less...

Dance Recital 2010- Avery

2010-06-01T11:11:00.003-04:00

It is so hard to believe that Avery has been dancing with Brooklyn for 5 years already... And they have come a long way from that first recital when they basically just looked cute on stage! This year they really shined!!All the performers for the recital posed for a picture before the rehearsal... such a lovely group on stage!

Avery during ballet

Dance Recital 2010... Emi

2010-06-01T10:56:00.003-04:00

Isnt this quite the line up!! I was so tickled to see Emi's dance team, they may look like little angels but they must not feel like them! I think the photographer must have told them that Elmo died right before snapping this picture!!

The little angels with their dance teacher, Ms Melissa. She was amazing with them and Emerson hopes to have her again next year.

The final pose on stage, again they look like a group of thugs!! Smile girls!!

Emerson did fantastic at her second recital. She enjoyed hanging out with the big girls backstage and even managed to let some sweet smiles out on stage during the dancing. She had some very touching songs this year and it was impossible for Brian and I to watch her without tearing up... She is ready to dance again next year!

I dare you to watch this without a smile on your face!!

Zoo Kids

2010-05-06T11:56:00.003-04:00

Levi and Emi outside of the Education Building

The zoo kids walking to see the animals!

On Fridays in April, Emerson attended a 3 hour long class at the Columbus zoo. Besides dance class, this was her first time in a structured atmosphere away from me. She had her good buddies, Levi, Dillon and Owen with her, which helped tremendously. She enjoyed telling me about the animals, snack and how much trouble her buddies got into. She thought the class was a bit too long, but toughed it out and finished the session with flying colors. She may be ready for preschool in the fall afterall!!

Star Systems...

2010-05-06T11:41:00.003-04:00

The next competition of the season was a huge success!! We were able to dance wonderfully, go to Buca with the girls and watch some wonderful Production numbers before the awards... The Cavegirl Cuties were able to score High Gold, took first place in their category and third place over all their age group!! We were so proud of them all! The girlies all got to take home a purchased trophey from the gift store at this competition!!

Dancing Queen

2010-05-06T11:27:00.002-04:00

The girls had dance pictures at the studio, which is always one of my favorite days. There is something bonding about applying makeup and fixing the hair of your child! Emerson allowed me to fix her hair with no grumbles... she did have a small pile of marshmellows and m&ms in front of her though. They always look about 10 years older in their costumes and makeup!!

Easter 2010

2010-05-06T11:18:00.003-04:00

We were able to celebrate Easter this year at our house, with both sets of parents and Annie joining us! We went to early mass and came back here for egg hunt, baskets and a yummy feast! Our old neighbors met us at church too, and came back with us for our festivities since they are still cooped up in an apartment since their move. It was a beautiful day weather wise, and a wonderful time to celebrate together!

Applause!!

2010-05-06T07:08:00.003-04:00

Avery's second competition of the season was an epic day... We performed in the morning, had time enough to jet over to the Spagetti Warehouse for lunch with the team before heading back to the competition for awards. They received a high gold ranking despite being introduced as the Cavegirl Cooties for their performance!

Spending our days...

2010-05-06T07:01:00.003-04:00

While the big kiddos are at school I get the pleasure of staying home with my younger 2 girls, EVERY DAY... Emerson kind of roams around, find ways to bug the hell out of me and get on my nerves, and sometimes can find ways to entertain herself. Brinley gets to play with her little friend Reese, whom is just 10 days younger than her. We have a playdate on Tuesdays and on Thursdays we all trek to the library for storytime, which Emerson loves. Although the stay at home mom thing can sometimes wear on me and I wonder if there is another option for me, I wouldn't trade this time for the world, mostly!!

It feels so great to beat a cat!!

2010-05-04T07:05:00.004-04:00

Today Brinley was declared the potential winner of the Shutterfly Contest, all I need to do is accept! I am so excited I can barely handle it!! It was a lot of fun getting votes and of coarse hearing people say how cute she is! I'm not sure how I would have handled it if Wofie had beaten out my beautiful girl! Thanks again everyone for your votes and kind words!!

Happy Birthday Brinley!

2010-04-25T17:39:00.002-04:00

We celebrated Miss Brinley's first birthday on Easter afternoon this year (her actual birthday was the day before). Both sets of grandparents were here as well as her beloved Annie, so it was a wonderful celebration! She enjoyed nibbling at her cake for what seemed to be eternity. I finally thought she had enjoyed quite enough and she was peeved that I had taked it away from her! She got a whole wardrobe of wonderful clothes for the summer and a sweet ride that Emi can push her around in for ever!!

OMG... Brin is a finalist!!

2010-04-21T06:22:00.003-04:00

Contest details

Posted using ShareThis

Okay, I really need your help... Brin is a finalist on the shutterfly contest out of like 37000 entrants... The scary thing is that the cat, Wolfie had like 250 comments and obviously enough votes to get him in the finalists... I can't be beaten out by a cat... so vote for Brin every day this week and please, please repost this to your blogs, facebook and twitter (there is an easy share this link on her page) I am so excited!! Thanks so much!!

Brin's 1 year pics...

2010-04-20T13:44:00.003-04:00

I can't celebrate a milestone with Brinley with out sharing her beautiful pictures taken by Jessi Weithman. We were able to use the dance studio for this session which offered up for a great backdrop. Thanks again Jessi!!

http://www.jessiweithmanstudios.com/

Brin at 11 months

2010-04-20T13:36:00.002-04:00

So I guess I'm pretty behind on the ol' blog here. I am going to attempt a quick recap to catch myself up... mostly to help with the scrapbook journaling which is even more behind...

At 11 months Brin is as cute as ever. She is officially crawling everywhere, has fallen down the basement stairs and is always trying to climb up them. She likes to pull herself up on the furniture and cruises around the couches. We had to retire our brand new IKEA coffee table cause she bumped her head so many times. And the darn thing broke on the way to the basement, so it permanently retired to the garbage dump. bummer... She has started on whole milk, and is eating very well. She prefers to be fed baby food, but will eat some table food that isn't slimy in texture like waffles and bread.

Vote For Brinley

2010-03-31T09:13:00.003-04:00

Contest details

I have entered Brinley's first birthday pictures into a contest with Shutterfly... If you think she is as cute as we do, then vote for her starting on Thurs... and while you are at it, tell all your friends!! There is even a link so you can post this on your blog and facebook pages... pretty please?? Thanks so much!!

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Spring Blast...

2010-03-22T11:47:00.002-04:00

Cole attempting to header the corner kick...

This past weekend we attended the first soccer tourney of the spring season in Middletown, Ohio... The boys had only really practiced a few times on the tennis courts and once on the field, but they came out sharp and ready to play. They passed amazingly and scored effortlessly.... The defense was top notch and they held their opponents to shut outs each and every game... Cole scored once in the first 2 games and each of the other players scored at least once during the tournement. I guess you can say that our team can play well in any position. They boys carried their shutouts all the way through the championship game which they won 3-0...

Before the championship game, they marched the two teams onto the field so we could applaud their accomplishments. It was touching...

They best part of the weekend besides the wins and the trophy was that I got to enjoy the wonderful soccer games in beautiful weather with out my girls. We stayed with my parents and they were gracious enough to keep the 3 girlies with them while we stayed all day at the tournement. It was blissful. I got to see every goal (except for the goal that Max was rumored to have scored) and didn't have anyone bugging me for snacks or to play at the playground. Did I mention it was blissful??

Encore!

2010-03-03T06:56:00.004-05:00

Avery competed in her first competition of the season this past weekend. She was a bit more nervous than last year, but her dance is a lot trickier and up till the day before the competition resembled a train wreck, so I was a bit nervous too! In all honesty we had no expectations of this first competition except that it would be a very expensive practice. The girlies looked adorable in their cavegirl costumes and they were one of the first 6 numbers to perform. I took my seat in the audience with Brian and the kids and anxiously awaited their show. They took the stage and looked very veteran. And their performance was nearly flawless! I was so thrilled and very shocked!! They looked very together and clean! After they performed we had to wait a few hours for the awards ceremony and we were able to see every other competition team from our studio dance and hang with good friends the Bogers.

Just a bit about scoring these competitions: each one is totally different, but they all rank the girls based on a number score. They get such and such out of such and such for different categories and then they compilate these numbers to reach a score. Then certain ranges of scores is given a name. This particular competition had a lot of different offerings of ranges. The highest was platinum, followed by high gold, gold, high silver, silver and bronze. Another competition had Top first place, first place as their categories. We never know what we are shooting for!

Anyways, at the awards the judges were pretty stingy with their scoring. They only gave out about 5 gold rankings and the rest were silver or high silver. It was crazy to hear the name of our groups followed by "silver" or "high silver" because we are always getting very high rankings. So we were absolutely shocked to hear "Cavegirl Cuties" followed by gold! Shocked and very excited. After they ranked all of the teams they take the top 3 scores in each age division and honor them with 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place... Just have to watch the video to see which our girls got!!

Avery with Elena and Emma.... they will be competiting in April in ballet with Avery, so they came to check it all out!

Here is a rare pic of all the competition teams from In Step... usually at these competition they are spanned over 2 days and we rarely get to see anyone from our studio... It was great having the whole studio on stage for awards and cheering for each other.

Avery's team won a gold trophy and a 2nd place one... our studio was also awarded with studio of the day!

Our Lenten Journey

2010-02-14T20:04:00.002-05:00

We had a lovely conversation tonight during our family dinner about Lent and what it means. We discussed making sacrifices for 40 days to help us think about Jesus and his ultimate sacrifice. We thought about what we could sacrifice during Lent...

The kids thought and thought... I offered up suggestions such as ice cream, or video games, or fruit snacks all of which the kids thought were impossible. They looked at me and said "mom, what are you giving up?" Being put on the spot and wanting to make a good example I said "caffeine" which I almost immediately wanted to take back, but I had already said it! Damn!! so I look at Brian "honey, what about you?" He quickly picks up his bottle of Bud Light and motions at the beer... This could be interesting... while he is chugging Coke in front of me, I will be kicking back a cold one in front of him, it's not going to end well...

Anyways, back to the kiddos... They offered out the usual, unpractical suggestions like school, vegetables, and bedtime, each one vetoed by the higher powers. We finally decided that they should give up something that they like as well as change a behavior for the better. Avery took the lead and decided to give up her DS and would be nicer to her brother and sister... Nice one Ave! Emi went next and is too going to give up her DS and will stop whining... this I have to see, but a good thought anyways. We all look at Cole and suggest that he gives up his hand held video game system too at which point he about breaks down in tears. He ultimately decided that he would give up his Xbox and would stop arguing with me... As you can imagine, I'm anxiously awaiting Wed, when we can start all this! But first comes Fat Tuesday in which all three of my kids will be playing video games all day long, while whining, fighting and arguing. I will be completely jacked up on caffeine and Brian will undoubtedly be drunk. Good times!!

btw, Al, notice that I said caffiene and not starbucks in general. enough said!

I'm Snow Over It

2010-02-11T07:50:00.003-05:00

Our Snow Storm in Numbers:

22: number of inches of total fallen snow at our place

17: number of loads of laundry I have washed and dried only to have to do them all over again

3: number of loads of laundry I have actually put away (looks like I will be putting laundry away today, hooray)

712: number of times I said "for the love of God" or "you have got to be kidding me" to one of my kids

18: number of times High School Musical 3 has played (or as Emi refers to it "sweaty hair Troy one")

3: number of 12 packs Bri and I consumed to attempt to maintain our sanity

100: number of 12 packs it will actually take to remain sane

4: number of batches of homemade cookies that were "ruined"

13: number of spoonfulls of cookie dough Avery and I ate in an attempt to not let the cookies go to waste.

10: total number of hours my kids appeared in school this entire week

4: number of emergency trips to the store for essentials such as Red Box or beer

14: number of times our driveway was shoveled

6: amount of people in our house who are still alive, against all odds!

Brinley, 9 mos....

2010-02-05T10:19:00.003-05:00

At 9 months, Brin is officially on the go. She is crawling when she wants to, but not getting into too much trouble. She mostly just wants to crawl when there is a remote on the ground, but won't crawl to me or her bottle or anything else... I guess she is her daddy's girl. She is still eating well, and is an amazing sleeper. It is not uncommon for her to take 3 hour naps during the day and still beg to go to bed at 9. Once she went down for her afternoon nap at 2 and didn't wake up until 6 the next morning!! She is so happy in her crib and most of the time we find her just relaxing in there when we think she is sleeping. She likes to pull herself up when she hold onto my hands. She has popped the bottom 2 teeth, with no signs of anything else. At her 9 month appointment, she weighed in at 19 pounds. Here are her pics!!

So You Think You Can Dance?

2010-01-30T21:47:00.003-05:00

Avery had the opportunity to attend a dance clinic with Mollee Gray this morning. She was a feature dancer in all the High School Musicals and appeared on So You Think You Can Dance. She seemed like a really sweet girl from watching her on SYTYCD and she was a phenomenal dancer... Avery was so excited to watch the movies and look for her, and I could hardly sleep the night before just thinking about this awesome experience. We arrived early to the center, and we were there to see Mollee walk in, carrying her own gear. The girls instantly clammed up, and hid behind me... After Mollee got settled, I urged Avery to go and introduce herself to Mollee, and so I could get her picture before the rest of the class arrived. We also got her autograph which included "Love Ya Cutie". Mollee called Avery by name and gave her a hug... She was so sweet. The clinic had about 30 girls in attendance, Avery and Jamison being the youngest, the age was supposed to be 8-12. They did some stretching, and then Mollee taught them some beautiful passes across the floor and some dance combinations. Some of the dances were the ones that she danced on the show!! She was an amazing dancer and the girls were in awe the entire time (so was I)! They were very tired by the end, which involved a question/answer time and photo opportunity. We got a pic with all the girls from ISDC. It was a wonderful day..

Here is Molly's audition for SYTYCD... she is just so cute!!

And here is the final combination she taught the girls today... Avery is in all black just behind her, and just a bit off of what she is supposed to do... Mollee only went over the combinations a few times before they did it to music and the dances were all super fast and nothing like what the girls have done before... she did well,and never got discouraged and had a blast!

My Dear Sweet Grandma

2010-01-29T12:04:00.002-05:00

On Christmas morning, we went to St. Henry for the Hoying side Christmas party. On the way home we buzzed past my grandma's farm in Ft. Loramie so Steven could visit with her as he doesn't get to see her much. It was hard to be there, she hasn't known us for years, but now it is getting even worse... She loved on Brinley and thought Cole was the nicest young man in the world. The girls loved playing with her musical stuffed animals. Situated all around her at the table are figures and animals that when you press a button they sing and dance. She really enjoys them and my aunt said sometimes she gets them all going at once! I loved that the kids could spend some time with an absolute Saint. We snapped a bunch of pics, and I already treasure them all!

Ho Ho Ho!

2010-01-27T10:09:00.003-05:00

Santa came right on schedule this year, and was tickled to find he had nothing that needed assembly. He lined up the gifts around the tree and strategically placed the gifts that needed to be opened first as they had supplemental gifts also wrapped under the tree. We had given the kiddos strict orders not to get up before 7, and like clockwork they were gently waking us up at 7:01... we trudged downstairs to find that they kiddos apparently were up way before 7, as they had already sorted the gifts under the tree and made them into long straight lines for each kid. I had to figure out how to get them to open a designated gift first (after I tried to remember which it was) with out acting suspicios. Everything went well and the kids were tickled with their gifts. They played for a bit before suiting up to head to St. Henry for my dad's side party.

Christmas Eve

2010-01-25T15:10:00.003-05:00

I know things are dire when both Kristy and Beth have their blogs updated before I do... thanks ladies for the motivation to get things caught up...

As Tradition would have it, we celebrated Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve... Church, dinner and lots of presents. Cole and Steven played some basketball while waiting for dinner. Avery had her American Girl box picked out before we even sat down for dinner and knew exactly what she was going to open first. Emi got an AG too, which she loves to pieces.

The most memorable moment was when our cat got its head stuck in a plastic Kroger bag. It sprinted down the stairs, slammed into the front door, dashed down the hall, slammed into the sliding door and dove behind the tree. We were all laughing so hard we couldn't stand. We were able to free her from the bag, but talked about putting her back in it just for kicks!

Half way to 18...

2010-01-25T15:05:00.003-05:00

We were able to celebrate Cole's birthday on his actual birthday with both sets of Grandparents which never, ever happens... My brother Steven had just arrived to Ohio, so he made an appearance as well. It was a nice night for Cole, he appreciated all the attention and gifts, even the pair of jeans with money in the pockets. You know you are getting older when you get 2 pair of shoes, a jacket, and jeans for your birthday. We did a taco bar for dinner so I attempted a sombrero cake, what do you think?? And my dad and Steven decided that Brin should get to enjoy the cake too, turns out she likes sugar... who knew?

Christmas take 1

2010-01-25T14:59:00.002-05:00

We were able to celebrate Christmas with Brian's family a bit before Christmas, it was great to spread the celebrations out a bit and be able to spend time and enjoy his family. We had a nice lasagna dinner and then tortured the kids as they begged to open gifts. Avery was tickled with her Easy Bake oven and has made us lots of yummy desserts. Emi got all kinds of Hannah Montana paraphernalia. Cole was excited to get some video games. And Brin looked like she could open her presents herself, but was able to get some help from her cousin Isabel. It was a wonderful evening.

Tubes...

2010-01-25T14:38:00.003-05:00

No I'm not talking about the kind that you put in your ears... or the kind that you get tied... I'm referencing the tubes that you race down a snow covered hill on, that you cling onto for dear life, that you then haul back up the mountain so you can do it all over again!

With Brian's family in town, we headed to the great Mad River Mountain, which is unbelievably a mere 30 minutes from the flat lands of Marysville. We grabbed some suitable tubes and headed toward the people mover conveyor belt up the mountain.

Now if you don't have a good sense of equilibrium or have been drinking a bit too much this people mover could prove to be a real challenge, especially when you are hauling up the tube. Luckily we were able to master the ride up, but it was extremely difficult for a family with small children that was riding in front of us. The little girl lost her balance and starting rolling along the belt, which knocked her mother down. They both were kind of rolling around and trying to get up. And then they got the giggles which made everything worse. We saw this happening and just stepped to the side off the conveyor belt. When they finally regained their composure we stepped back on, only to have them both fall to the ground again. This time their tubes were flying everywhere and almost knocked us down and off the belt. Talk about a trainwreck. We were sure to get in front of this family for the rest of the passes!!

We had a blast! There were a few near death experiences like when our train of tubes went airborn on one of the chutes or when Brian's dad and mom were released at the top before I was out of the way at the bottom and ended up running for my life only to dive to the side and out of their way. I laughed so hard I peed my pants. Avery was a trooper, liked going down all the hills until she got wind that we were about to do the scariest pass as our last run, and she started crying. Luckily we were already linked and she had no choice but to go. At the bottom she was still crying and I asked her "didn't you like that?" and she said "I don't want that to be the last one!"
Super fun and highly recommended!

feel like I should make a fudge reference again...

2010-01-06T10:25:00.003-05:00

Brian with his sister and his cousin Kelli.

Grandma Conroy with all her great grandkids!

I was able to lure Brian's side of the family to our homestead this year for Christmas... Yeah, no traveling for us!! They arrived by the van load starting Saturday the 18th. I'm so glad that Brian's Grandma Conroy could come too! I think the kiddos really enjoyed getting to know her and she is great for some good belly laughs. She is a very serious card player and didn't enjoy getting stuck with a few too many tricks while playing oh heck... good times! We took our whole herd to the Martin's for a Christmas party. Cole enjoyed climbing on their huge rock wall in their garage while the girlies jumped on the mattresses below. It was great to be all together.

Trimming the tree

2010-01-06T10:11:00.002-05:00

This year, we decorated the tree sometime during the weekend of Thanksgiving. It was mostly uneventful except that half of my prelit tree no longer is lit... bummer! We had to restring that portion and I could tell. They kids liked putting on all of their own ornaments in their own "sections". Nothing got broken. Emi lined all of her ornaments in a line on the chair before hanging them systematically on the tree. Brin had no part in the tree decorating but I'm sure next year she will be a very significant factor in how the tree is decorated.

New this year was gingerbread house decorating... I was selling bows at a bust of a craft show and felt badly for this lady who had made all these gingerbread houses to sell and had tons left over. I bought 2, thinking Emi could have one and Avery could have one, only to find out that Cole was interested in decorating too. They spent a good hour hard at work decorating their houses and eating m&ms. They turned out really cute and they had a blast doing it together. We will definately be doing this again next year!!

Hot, Hot... ya we got it...

2010-01-06T09:55:00.003-05:00

The girls got to dance in the streets of Uptown Marysville for the Christmas Walk once again this year. First up was Avery's age group doing Hot Chocolate from the Polar Express... They did wonderfully and Avery had so much fun!

The combo girls were next and super cute doing Santa Claus is coming to town (the Michael Jackson version). At first I didn't think Emi was going to do it, she was near a few cryers and scanning the crowd for me. But once she spotted me, she did great! She didn't exactly look like she was having fun, but she did most of the motions and remained unfaltered despite being bumped into by the teacher's carrying the cryers. I was so proud!!

Twirly Girlies made these super obnoxious bows for the Shining Stars (Avery's competition team) to wear at the Christmas walk. Boy did they ever stand out!! Avery also wore her bow to her school Christmas program and I could find her right away, and I hear a few other girls have worn their bows to other functions. We have had so many requests for these bows that next year we are planning to make a limited supply to sell. We can't sell too many, or else how with the girls stand out in a sea of the same bows everywhere??

Brin at 8 months...

2010-01-06T09:33:00.001-05:00

so I'm backtracking a bit now, so I can use my blog as a journaling tool for the kids albums. I recently spent the day getting Cole's book caught up and loved having the memories on the blog to reference.

At 8 months Brin has finally mastered sitting up on her own! Yeah! Jessi has been waiting a long time for this skill to be mastered, you will be seeing bunches of wonderful 9 month pictures from her soon. She has also gotten up on all 4s but hasn't crawled forward yet. She can rock and she can move backwards. She ends up in the craziest places. She can log roll, and turn herself 180. She is liking any food that we offer to her and has also started eating puffs. Her pincher skill is great and she grasps the puffs between her finger and thumb and gets the puff in her mouth on the first try nearly every time! She talks a lot now, with bububububu, mamamamama, and dadadadada being her favorite phrases. Cole is tickled that she said his name first (Bubba)... She is still a dream, but it is all going too fast!!

Resolutions...

2010-01-03T10:54:00.003-05:00

I was inspired by a friend's blog (Mindi, I will forever be inspired by you, but I will save that for a different post) to come up with a one word resolution to sum up all of my goals for the New Year. She said she really struggled coming up with the perfect word and finally settled on the word "Health". For me the word is simple... "Maintain". For the year Twenty Ten I simply want to maintain...

First and foremost, I strive to maintain my marriage. With four children as busy as ours I will be the first to admit that our marriage hasn't gotten all the maintenance it needs (okay, Brian might actually be the first to admit this ;) I'm not entirely sure exactly how I'm going to go about doing this, but I'm thinking it will have something to do with meeting needs and taking the time... I'll let you know when I get it all squared away (or maybe I will just keep the info between Brian and I)

Next I'm going to aim to maintain our finances... I'm going to make a real effort to clip coupons and bargain shop. I plan to try to stay within a budget and quit purchasing things just because we "need" them. I'm also going to continue to contribute to our family finances by babysitting.

I need to make a real effort in this next category, maintaining my house. Although I can pick up the house in a hurry for guests, on a day by day basis, it doesn't stay clean. I rarely ever hit the master bedroom and bathrooms make me shudder... I know I would feel better about myself and things in general if my house was a bit more maintained.

I also plan to do a better job at maintaining my businesses. My Creative Memories business has slipped through the cracks, and that makes me sad. I love scrapbooking and love what a completed album can mean to someone. Yet, I don't tell anyone about what I do any longer. I don't make an effort to get people to my crops and don't pursue new business... but not in 2010. I'm getting back out there, so watch out. If you have a incomplete album I'm coming for you!! I'm also going to continue to maintain our surprisingly successful bow business. I need to maintain our blog and pages and communication...

Related to this is my desire to maintain my blog and the kids' scrapbooks. I was journaling in Cole's book yesturday while sitting in front of the blog, and it was easy... but lately my blog has gotten behind and skimpy and it will make the journaling a bit more difficult. The kids love to look at their scrapbooks and reading the blog and I need to make sure those special memories are there for them to enjoy...

Lastly, I am striving to maintain my friendships. Facebook is nice, but there are still some friends that I need to reach out to. I also want to make sure that the close friends in my life know how special they are to me.

There you have it... If you see me out and you ask me how I'm doing my answer will probably be "maintaining" which is what I usually always say anyways... but now you know the multiple meanings to a simple word.

what is a post without pics?? here are the members of my family who made it up to midnight on nye. we hosted a tacky christmas sweater party, hence our lovely attire.

Turkey and the trimmings

2009-12-14T06:47:00.003-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving as I always love to, with 147 of my closest reletives. We travel to Ft. Loramie and my grandmother's huge old farm house. There we pack them in and feed them well. Everything is always so yummy and nothing beats sitting on the sofa afterwards and trying to figure out who the random newbees belong to. Cole and Avery instantly bonded with 2 of my cousins kiddos and swear they are BFFs for life. We ended up bringing my cousin's little boy Eli home with us and for the next 2 days he and Cole played video games and even an organized game of flag football. Avery was tearful when she was forced to say goodbye to Margaret, but we promised her next year we would plan for a sleepover with her too! I was able to take the beloved picture with my grandmother and Brinley for the books, but am so saddened at how horrible my grandma looks. She is such a dear, sweet lady and it is so hard to see her slipping away. There are no shots of Cole from turkey day, but I swear he was there, I lost track of him the second we entered the farm house and didn't see him again until he was begging for a sleepover with Eli... I remember praying for the day when my kids would unattach from my legs at these huge and overwhelming family functions... One kid down, 3 to go!!

The Annual Beat Blue Party

2009-12-01T11:58:00.003-05:00

We hosted our annual Buckeye party for the big game (although I will admit, now that Michigan really does suck, there isn't so much hype for the game). It was a smaller crowd this year, mostly due to the fact that half of our guests weren't invited until the morning of the game, and the other half didn't even get invited (sorry friends). We still managed to have a ton of food, a ton of kiddos, and a ton of fun. The weather cooperated enough for some half time and post game rounds of flag (tackle) football in the backyard. And if the above pictures aren't proof enough that we had a good time, check this out!!

Brinley piggy pie

2009-12-01T11:53:00.003-05:00

Brin has certainly mastered this whole eating thing. She loves all kinds of foods, and eats rather large portions. It is fun to feed her and can't wait for her to sit at the table and eat the dinner I make (although she will probably whine and complain about the dinner I make like her brother and sisters do)... This video is from the beginning of November, she eats much better than this now, but I love to hear her talking!

Emi's dance class

2009-12-01T06:53:00.004-05:00

We had the big one the week of the official observation week at dance class, so both girls missed dance, but I was able to observe the following week. Emi has improved so much since last year. It was a little sad for me to see her dancing with out her best friend this year, she doesn't really know any of the girls in her class yet. She seemed to have fun anyways, and was an attentive student to her teacher. Enjoy!

Excuses, excuses!

2009-12-01T06:46:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lapse in posts since Halloween... there hasn't been much going on here ;) Actually there has been too much going on here, I've begun to spread myself a bit thin, and in an effort to maintain, I've had to let somethings go. One being the blog, another is cooking and cleaning for my family. But I've been making bows, lots of bows. And my Christmas cards are addressed, I'm merely waiting till we can afford the stamps. Today is fold laundry day and between loads I've vowed to post from the past month, promise!!

Anywho, here are some random pics that won't fall into any other category. Avery has become a whiz reader in the past month and I will often times find her reading anything she can get her hands on to either of her sisters. It is so endearing to see her curled under the covers with Emi in her bed at night reading to her. Avery is more and more remarkable each day!

Zoinks!

2009-11-02T08:10:00.003-05:00

The day after Halloween last year, I found this Daphne costume perfect for Emi, and since I was prego with Brin, I thought how cute to have a scooby baby... the bigs raided their closet for something that was close enough to Velma and Shaggy. Then as a family craft, we painted poster board to resemble the Mystery Machine. Complete!! We were a hit around the neighborhood. The kiddos got through the neighborhood in 45 minutes flat, then we enjoyed some time with our neighbors around a bonfire and mauwing our (their) candy...

School parties

2009-11-02T06:34:00.002-05:00

This year either I dropped the ball or none of the room moms at the kids school needed any help with parties because the first year ever I had nothing to bring or do at the Halloween parties. I was able to roam from party to party and just observe. It was kind of nice, but mostly boring! I felt very guilty about my kiddo's costumes this year. As a collective family we look great, but individually my kids look like they are wearing normal street clothes. Cole seemed fine with it, he told me in the beginning of October that he didn't even want a costume this year. And Avery was tickled with her fake glasses that made her look 13 and intelligent!

Avery had perhaps a bit too much fun wrapping her classmate with toilet paper!
Cole trying deperately to unwrap bubble gum with socks on his hands. Each line of kids had to do this and put the gum in their mouthes before passing the socks to the next person. I nearly pulled Cole out of this game after watching a kid mouth all over the socks as he was trying to get the gum in his mouth... Gross!!!!

Avery with friend Alexis... not sure if it was too wise of the teacher to sit them right next to each other, but she will figure it out one of these days!!

And not to be left out, Emi had to throw on her costume this year when Sofi had hers on for preschool... so cute!!

life is a zoo...

2009-10-27T11:51:00.002-04:00

I attempted my first successful outing with the 2 babies and Emi last week... We took advantage of one of the last nice days of fall (and my old friend from HS's zoo pass) (and my nice friend Jessi's double stroller) and headed out of Marysville. I will have to say that it went very well and was a much needed day out. Emerson was so well behaved, didn't mind waiting for my friend to arrive, and didn't fuss when it was time to go. She liked seeing the new baby elephant and eating her lunchable... Brin and her friend Reese were awesome zoo goers. They enjoyed the stroller ride and didn't need to come out of the carriers. We parked them in front of the Manatee exhibit and they watched the fish swim by for awhile. I'm sure we will be venturing out more in the spring.

Goooooooalrilla Classic

2009-10-27T08:12:00.002-04:00

So like I said, while Brian was making multiple road trips across the great state of Ohio... Cole was completing in a soccer tourney in Cincinnati... Saturday was a complete success, we beat 2 very tough teams. The weather was a bit chilly but the boys beat their tourney jitters and came out strong. Sunday morning the boys continued their winning streak and made it into the championship game. Brian arrived to see the boys suffer a tough loss to a team they had beat on Saturday. Although it was tough to lose, the boys were proud of their playing and took home "finalist" trophies... not second place, but finalist... it's all in the wording I guess.

Marathon Man

2009-10-26T15:31:00.002-04:00

Brian ran in his second ever marathon in October... this year he had been training with good friend and coworker, Matt, and enjoyed their long runs. This year the marathon fell on one of the busiest weekend for us. Cole was playing in a soccer tourney in Cincinnati, Emi had her last soccer game here in Marysville and so on... After a lot of juggling and driving, everyone got to their events with spectators. Brian made the greatest sacrifice of all... he drove to Dayton Friday night with Cole to spend the night with my folks, got up at 5am to go to the soccer tourney which as almost an hour away... sat through 2 soccer games and then drove back to Columbus. Got up the next morning at the crack and picked up some coworkers to go to the race. I felt so bad for him that he had no cheering section but his aunt Nance (Annie as we fondly refer to her) showed up and surprised him at the finish line. He also had the Semans cheering him on (thanks Beth for the pics). I just really hate that we weren't there to give him support. So after he finished a MARATHON, he jumped back in the car and drove all the way back to cinci to see Cole in the championship game! Everyone cheered for Bri as he walked up to the fields right at game time!! We are all so proud of you Brian and the sacrifices you make for us. We love you!

Brinley Grace, Pumpkin Face

2009-10-19T07:40:00.003-04:00

Here are the shots from Brinley's 6 month photo shoot with Jessi!!

I think they are amazing as always...

At 6 months, Brin is almost sitting up on her own, eating baby cereal and some veggie once a day, and really starting to be content and alert of her surroundings. She is an absolute joy in our family!!

Purple Butterflies

2009-10-19T07:32:00.004-04:00

Notice that the ball isn't exactly going into the field of play!! She had to attempt this throw in 4 times before it when over her head and on the field!!

Emerson's soccer season came to an end this past weekend... We braved the freezing cold for the last game and the girlies were so cold that they didn't even want to eat thier last game cupcakes... All in all I think Emi had a good time on the team. She enjoyed practice (especially playing duck, duck, goose) and always ran with a smile on her face. She wasn't very aggressive on the field but seemed to know which direction to kick it and the general idea of the game. Unfortunatly none of the butterflies were very aggressive and we were lucky to score one goal per game! But we had fun and that's what matters at this age, right?? The girls had fun but it was painful for everyone else!

Happy 4th Birthday, Emerson

2009-10-19T07:25:00.003-04:00

Emerson celebrated her birthday with her first ever friend party... We invited her little friends that she knows from the neighborhood, Cole's friends' sisters and the kiddos I babysit. We had a Halloween themed party complete with skeleton bone hunt, pumpkin craft and spooky cake. It was a lovely day and a fabulous party. Emerson enjoyed being the center of attention which surprised me. She loved opening each and every present and shouting at her sister to bring her more. She relished in everyone singing happy birthday. She handed a goody bag to each and every guest and said "thank you for coming to my birpday party." We love you little peanut.

Day at the Spa

2009-10-10T21:56:00.004-04:00

To celebrate Emerson's 4th birthday, the girls heading to the girlie spa today. First on the agenda was getting Emi's ears pierced. We were ushered into the store and directed to the ear pierce place. Then Emi quickly picked out some jewelry (diamond flowers with pink centers) and sat on a "thrown" while the girls marked her ears. She was so brave while they got her ready and before she even had a chance to think about it, they were counting to 3 and it was done. She didn't cry at all, just got a pouty face and a few crocodile tears rolled down her cheeks... I was so proud of her!!

Let me digress... when Avery was 3, her BFF got her ears pierced and I instantly felt the need to get Avery's done... we begged and pleaded with her daddy who continued to say no... finally one Buckeye Saturday when he was perhaps a bit distracted, we asked him again and he didn't say no (although he didn't really say yes either). He was a bit angry when we came home with earrings in her ears and felt like he had been tricked. And now with Emi, he has been coaching her to think that getting your ears pierced would really hurt and that she shouldn't do it, so when I would ask her if she wanted to have earrings like sissy she would always say no (Brian said I couldn't pierce their ears unless THEY wanted to do it). But a week before her birthday, I proposed to Emi to get her ears pierced and get her nails painted for her birthday and she was actually excited about it. I was too! I'm having a hard time feeling the need to keep everything on the same playing field having multiple girls... Ave started dance when she was 3, so should Emi... She had her first American Girl Doll at 2, so should Emi... so I really wanted her to get her ears pierced when she was 3, just like Avery!!

After that, the girls got mini-manis! It was so cute to see them get pampered! They had their hands and arms massaged with sparkly lotion and chose nailpolish and nail art. (Emi chose yellow--really?? yellow?? whatever!!) It was a good day out with the girls!!

Like I really need one more thing to do!!

2009-10-06T11:56:00.002-04:00

My friends and I have started a hair bow business, and so far it has been a wonderful endevour... Sure, we haven't actually sold a bow yet, but I'm having fun planning the business and getting our ducks in a row. So far we have made tons of bows, made some cute display cards for them and taken professional pictures of our girls wearing the bows!! We also have a blog, twitter, and email for our business! Pretty official right? We are setting up a display at the dance studio and local craft shows. We are also taking orders via email or if you see me out and about. And if you feel like making me super happy, tell me and others how cute these bows are!! We are currently marketing Halloween bows, Monarchs (Marysville) and Buckeyes but would be glad to make custom colors too!! Check out our site and let me know what you think!

www.twirlygirlies-hairbows.blogspot.com

twirlygirlies@yahoo.com

Twitter: twirlygirlies

Happy Half Birthday

2009-10-05T15:15:00.002-04:00

Check out her absolutely adorable bow... more on that to come!!

Playing PSP with bubby!

Brinley is officially over the hill to being one!! Can't hardly believe how quickly the first 6 months have gone (although I can't hardly believe how fast the first 9 years have gone for Cole). She is starting to take to the cereal thing a little better, she seems to like the oatmeal more than rice. I have been working towards a stocked freezer of baby food for when she is ready for that, just added lots and lots of applesauce made from fresh picked apples. She likes to sit in the high chair and watch the rest of us eat like a real member of the family. Her brother and sisters are incredibly wonderful to her. She is getting more on a schedule with deliberate naptimes and feeding times (of coarse we are totally off any such schedule today, and she is upstairs screaming instead of napping, but what do you do??). Only 6 more months and we will be celebrating her birthday!

Our happy baby

2009-09-15T11:47:00.002-04:00

Brinley Grace has been such a dear, sweet baby... She is so happy most of the time and her smiles fill her whole face. She interacts with her siblings all the time and can entertain herself on the floor. Her favorite thing to do is watch her friend, Reese as they are playing on the floor. She is rolling over more consistantly now, and enjoys her tummy time to some degree. We are practicing sitting up on her own and eating cereal... she isn't sure what to do with the food in her mouth yet!! She is very ticklish, and will giggle when I tickle her belly. She also really likes to take a bath. She had her first "haircut" last night, I cut off two tufts of hair off the back of her head that were very ratty and disgusting. We all love BrinBrin...

soccer stud

2009-09-15T11:42:00.002-04:00

Cole is knee deep in the fall season with the U9 Elite FC... They are doing well, as to be expected. Their coach has been "hand picking" these boys since they were in rec league. We went to our first tourney last weekend and didn't do as well as we hoped, but are undefeated in regular season games. It is amazing to me how intense this season is compared to last year. They have 3 practices a week on top of the games, and three weekend long tourneys. Cole is loving every minute of it and is often times practicing his footwork on his days off. He says he needs a bigger goal at home so he can practice his big shots over the goalies head. Looks like that might be on the Christmas list...

soccer star

2009-09-15T11:35:00.002-04:00

Emerson has decided to try her skills at soccer. She has been attending soccer practice and games since she was born and has a pretty good left foot. After her first practice Brian and I (we are both coaching her team) had high hopes for our season. It turns out that the girls on our team are great at practice but not so aggressive during games. We suck! But the girls have fun and they look oh so cute in their matching hair ties. It should be an interesting season.

isn't she amazing...

2009-09-11T14:12:00.002-04:00

I'm skipping lots of posts (which I swear I will get to) but I just had to put up these pics that my favorite photographer in the world took of our 2 youngest girls this morning!! We met her at a park in hopes of getting a few shots of Emi before she is officially a 4 year old. I didn't think she had changed too much this year, but looking at these pics, she looks so much older to me. And such a cutie!! And since Brin was along for the ride, she got a few snaps too!! Thanks so much, Jessi!!

3 words or less...

2009-09-03T06:48:00.001-04:00

Cereal is Yucky!!!

First day of the First grade (any veggie tales fans out there??)

2009-08-27T12:16:00.003-04:00

The kids had their first day of school yesturday and (thanks to Brian) it went off just great!! Cole is starting 3rd grade this year, and although he didn't get in class with his best buddies, I'm hoping for a good year. I can't believe how grown up he looks... just for fun, here he is on the first day of Kindergarten in our traditional "take a picture of the first day of school" spot...

Avery was so excited and nervous about her first day of school that she giggled all morning. I think it was helpful to her that I have starting watching another first grader in the morning so they could walk in together and ease each others minds. She too didn't have any of her bffs in her class but she makes friends so easily I really shouldn't worry about her (although I still do).

Cole with his best buddy, Max and Avery and Kendall outside the schools... They look ready to me!!

SueBo 5K

2009-08-25T18:30:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning we found ourselves in Dayton for the SueBo 5K. It is a tribute race to a good friend of ours' mother who passed away from cancer last year. They did a fantastic job organizing the race and there was an awesome turn out. We were able to catch up with some friends from Wright State and had a great time. Cole decided to compete in the race as well and finished in 26 min 52 secs... His first mile was a 7 minute mile!! Brian came in first in his age group, and Cole was the first finisher under the age of 10 (although there wasn't an award for this, he competed in the U14 age category) After the race, Brin had the blowout of the century all over me and herself. It was such a mess that Brian and I both panicked for a minute and weren't sure where to start. We ended up having to give her a wipe bath on the folding tables and I went through 1/2 bottle of hand sanitizer before I felt ok!!

BrinBrin

2009-08-24T08:28:00.003-04:00

while looking through archives of photos I came across this shot of Emerson at about the same age as Brin... see any resemblance??

Brinley has been doing so much lately... She has begun to roll from back to front and front to back, although not all the time... She loves to play with her toys and will bring her hands together to grab onto something that is dangled in front of her. She is sitting in the supersaucer a little, not much yet. And has been spending more and more time on her tummy. For the past week or so she has been keeping a pacifier in her mouth which has kept her content for longer periods. She has found her feet, which she tries to put in her mouth!!

She has a new friend now, Reese, who will be coming to our house everyday once school starts. Her mommy and daddy are teachers and we are watching her this year. It is so much easier to watch kids who are the same age as mine, and you can't get any closer than these two, they are only a week apart!! Brin is so curious about her new friend and will turn her head in strange ways to watch her.

Don't you just love the string of drool pouring off her bottom lip??

a Birthday on the Water...

2009-08-24T06:53:00.002-04:00

We alternate every other year celebrating Avery's birthday with her Godmother at their lake house on Lake Loramie. We all look forward to FRESH fried fish, a lovely pontoon ride and time with our family. Avery was especially giddy about it this year and giggled and danced the entire time. It was an absolute beautiful night for a boat ride on what Avery calls her birthday lake!!

Avery enjoying her birthday boat ride! She is so gorgeous it takes my breath away sometimes!!

Ave and her Godmother Deb... They were so cute with their matching haircuts!! Avery is sporting the dress that she gave her, it went on immediately and she wore it the three days following her boat ride as well... Now it is hanging nicely in her closet waiting for the first day of school!!

Cole and Eli... They are a mere three weeks apart and could be brothers. Both boys were begging for a sleepover by the end of the night, a good indication that we need to get them together more often!!

Geez, Emi, could your eyes be any bluer??

Splash Pad

2009-08-18T09:30:00.003-04:00

Since summer is quickly flying by, we decided we needed to make the most of the last few days. We picked up Cole's friend, Drew, and headed to the splash pad in Powell. We had a great time. Emi was a bit apprehensive getting into the "cold" water, but once she eased herself in she was fine. Cole and Drew had fun getting dumped on and wrestling as only boys can do. Avery spent her time laying out, the water was too cold for her and she was tired from a sleepover the day before. whatever!!

Emerson's stitches healed nicely, unfortunately the disolvable stitches didn't exactly disolve and we had to have them removed before heading to the splash pad. She handled that well, even though we didn't have bear with us!! I think after some time, we won't even see her scar!!

Summerfest with friends

2009-08-18T09:21:00.002-04:00

Emerson is now convinced that Max is her boyfriend and pretends to kiss him when she sees a picture of him. Now if we could only convince her and her sisters that boys are evil we will be okay!!

Our church holds an annual Summer (beer) fest which involves a 5K, (beer), music, (beer) and gambling-- the perfect Catholic festival. Brian has been running in the 5K since the first year, and this year Cole decided to run with him... well not exactly with him, Brian is way too competitive to run at Cole's pace, this race does offer dinky little trophies for the 1st and 2nd place in each age group! So Cole ran with Drew and his dad pushing a stroller and Brian ran his best 5k to date (unfortunately not fast enough to earn a trophy though)!! Cole is such a stud that he lost his shirt half way through to keep his fans happy and made jokes to the spectators "does anyone know a shortcut??"... I was so proud of him when he finished in less than 30 minutes! We had a lot of fun talking to friends, playing games and listening to music (not to mention sitting in the beer tent)...

Brin at 4 mos...

2009-08-13T09:49:00.003-04:00

Okay, I will admit that these shots are from her 3 month session... sue me!

Brinley Grace is now a 4 month old!! At her check up she was 13 pounds 11 ounces and 26 inches which was 40 percentile for weight and 95 percentile for height, she will end up being just like Avery!! She is still as sweet as can be and makes my heart flutter when she smiles!! She has been consistantly sleeping through the night since July, which is an answered prayer. She smiles all the time now, expecially when someone is paying attention to her and we have gotten her to belly laugh a few times. She likes to lay on the ground and play with toys the most, she isn't much of a swinger. She is starting to bring her hands together to grasp onto a toy if dangled in front of her. And she has certainly found her voice. She is upstairs right now jibbering in her crib, every once in a while she lets out a very loud squeal, we are in for it when she starts throwing tantrums, she is louder than any of the other kids ever were!!! All in all she is a wonderful baby. It is hard to look at her and remember why we don't want more!

A soccer ball is a circle that has no end!!

2009-08-08T15:12:00.002-04:00

It feels like soccer will never end for us... a few short weeks after spring season ended, we had a camp. And then they started playing in these 3v3 tourneys. The boys that played over the 4th of July won the whole tournament, so they qualified to play in a regional tourney. So before I even got the laundry pushed from our trip to Chicago I was packing the boys up for a weekend in New York. They played 6 tough games and were able to capture the second place award! I was so proud (even though I wasn't there). They were able to check out Niagra Falls while there and have some fun too!!

Can I have this dance for the rest of my life??

2009-08-08T14:49:00.004-04:00

It seems like dance will never, ever end for us!! Just when Avery's competition season is over, we have a small break, and then its dance camp...

And then comes a dance pool party, which was freezing but super fun, Avery and Emi and all the girls stayed in the water the whole night..

And then there was dancing at the county fair, which I didn't get to go to as I was sitting in the ER with Emi (see next post), thanks so much Beth for getting Avery ready and taking her (and for making her feel better about her sisters injury)(and when Beth ever gets her blog up to date perhaps you can see pics from the fair!!).... And then there was an awesome party for the competition dancers, we had a cookout, played in the pond and I took the girls on a canoe ride...

now we are anxiously looking forward to competition tryouts this week, and ready to start the year all over again!

boo-boo

2009-08-08T14:35:00.002-04:00

Emerson had her first serious injury last weekend. She was having fun at the park with her sister and Brian's cousin, Katie... I left them at the park to run home when I got the call from Katie that Emi had tripped on the playground equipment. She said there was blood but Emi seemed okay... I advised her to walk to the nearby firestation and see if the firemen could give her a bandaid. A few minutes later she called back to say the firemen thought she could use a stitch or two... so back in the car I went, anxious to get my baby and make sure she was okay... When I arrived back to the firestation, I found Emi all smiles and Avery sobbing and clinging on Katie, turns out that Avery was really upset about her sister being hurt. The firemen had gotten Emi all cleaned up, gave her a monkey and showed her the different fire trucks. She was calm as could be. We were able to drop Katie back off here with Avery and Brin and I took Emi to Childrens for stitches. She ended up with 5 disolvable stitches right above her right eyebrow. She did really well. I was so glad that they didn't need to put her in a straight jacket, like Avery needed when she got stitches in almost the exact same spot when she was 3. She is doing great now and her head seems to be healing well. The stitches are still there but should be gone in the next couple days...

You may notice bear in the first picture... this is actually "new bear", as "old bear" was left in the Chicago hotel last week. We picked up a new bear on our way home and even though it wasn't quite the same for Emi, she cuddled him when she needed to. I was so glad to have a backup for our trip to the ER. The hotel has since found bear and he came in the mail yesturday, now Emi carries around 2 bears!!

And a super big shout out to the firemen at Allen Twp Park. They were amazing to Emi, who doesn't take to strangers (or friends for that matter). They took such sweet care of her when she was hurt. We were able to bring them cookies a few days later as a thank you and we will always be grateful to them. Allen Twp Park rocks!!

My American Girls

2009-08-06T08:45:00.003-04:00

My bff and I have been planning on taking our daughters to American Girl to celebrate a birthday for years!! This year we negotiated with our girls to skip a big birthday party with their friends and celebrate together in Chicago. They of coarse were on board, and we began to make the plans. We cashed in Brian's hotel points and scored a suite at the Hilton just a mere block from the store. We dumped Brin on my mom and Cole on a friend (thanks again Levy's) and headed to the windy city. We arrived around 3pm, walked through the city toward Navy Pier (shielding the girls eyes as we passed American Girl), splashed in some fountains and ate dinner at Gino's. After a busy first day, we settled into the hotel, the girls on the couch bed, Emi on an air mattress and Beth and I in the bed room with the door shut!!

I can tell you that I was too excited to sleep!! I have been dreaming about taking Ave back to American Girl for some time now (she had been when she was 3), and was also so excited to share the experience with Emi. What made this trip so awesome was that I was there with my best friend and Avery was there with hers. Beth and I went to high school together, and since we both moved to Marysville have been inseperable. It was fantastic going through our pregnancies together, and both having girls with in a month of each other. And now our girls are inseperable, sharing dance and fun together. And we were going to celebrate their 7th birthday in every girls dream store!! It was too good to be true!

We got our act together in the morning and trucked down the street to the store. Their eyes were huge as we entered the store and it soon became very overwhelming for Avery. She was allowed to pick a new doll for her birthday, and from looking at the catalogs she had decided that she wanted Chrissa. But once we entered the store and she looked at all the beautiful dolls on display, she couldn't decided. She would choose a doll from the shelf and quickly return it, or she would choose some random doll that I knew she would regret later and I would ask her "are you sure?" After going over all of her options a few hundred times, she finally decided on Gwen, who is the best friend doll to Chrissa. Brooklyn chose Chrissa and I was so tickled that their dolls were best friends just like they were (I know, sappy and a bit over the top, but it seemed so perfect!!) After our things were purchased and the dolls had their ears pierced, we went to the cafe for our birthday celebration. Their dolls sat at our table, wore little birthday hats, and we all had a great time!

And a mere 24 hours after we arrived, we were trying to find our way back out of the city. Emi is already saying that when she is 7, she is going to American Girl!! At least I have something to look forward to, although it won't be the same without her best friend (and mine!!).

Last Park

2009-08-02T14:55:00.003-04:00

We spent the most time at the last park we visited during our "tour of Marysville Parks". It was Mill Creek Park and the playground next to it (can't remember the spelling)... The kids enjoyed the playground and the swing by the creek and we had a picnic lunch in the shelter house. Then we decided to hunt for the next letterbox in Marysville... This is the beginning of the downfall for our park visit. We walked to the beginning of the walking trails, followed the clues almost 3/4 a mile and hunted and hunted. We never found the box or anything remembling the final clue on the sheet. Emi had been melting down the entire walk, I was carrying Brin in the front pack and the big kids were frustrated that we weren't finding it. I finally had to force the kids to give up, and we had to hike back to the playground, with Emi on my back and Cole pouting about not being a quitter. I later emailed the person who planted the box and he said that the city had torn up the stump where the box was hidden, hence discarding the box... Would have been nice to know that before we left!!

+lots of swings

+picnic tables

+portopottie

+walking trails

+parking lot

+shaded

-no letterbox

-lots of contruction noise

We gave this park a 7 out of 10

What a crew!!

2009-07-30T15:32:00.002-04:00

Cole had the opportunity to go to a Crew game with members from the Elite FC. They got to go in the tunnels with the players, walk out with a player while they were introduced and stay on the field for the National Anthem. It was a cool experience. It's all about soccer anymore with Cole so gettting on the field with the real players made his day!!

top park so far

2009-07-26T09:20:00.003-04:00

Last week we ventured a bit out of Marysville limits to visit a park we had been recommended by a lot of friends but had never really ever seen... I kind of had an idea where the park was and after a quick u-turn in LewisCenter, we found our favorite park so far... Allen Twp Park. (for those of you who have never been here like me, it is quite easy really to get here, take 245 out of town, turn right on Allen Center Road and the park in on left by fire station). The kids were instantly in love, running and hiding in the various tunnels and bridges. There was a lovely shelter house in which we had a picnic lunch and were joined by our good friends.

The kids played for literally hours before heading to the fire station to check out the trucks. As we approached, the firemen jumped from their seats to greet us. I asked them just to relax, but they insisted on showing the kids EVERY aspect of their trucks, let the kids sit in each and every seat, and gave them all hats. What impressed me the most was Emi actually let the fire guys lift her in and out of each truck with a grin on her face!! Cole even got to check out the "jaws of life" which I don't think they have ever actually used. Our visit ended when the emergency signal went off and the super excited firemen rushed off to get ready!! They were actually giddy! I really don't think they see much action out there!!

Allen Township Park

+amazing

+different

+picnic tables

+portopotties

+shade

+quiet, not crowded at all

+fire station to visit

+parking

We gave this park a 9.5 out of 10

I love the 80's

2009-07-20T16:31:00.005-04:00

Just realized that I forgot to post about the super awesome 80's party that our dear friends the Brennans threw last weekend. From what I remember, it was a blast!! Although I knew about the 80s themed party a year in advance, we didn't look for our attire until a few weeks before. I was pleased to find these awesome pants for Brian on Ebay. I visited our friendly neighborhood Goodwill with Avery and scored this awesome prom dress. Avery thought it was beautiful!! I made this 1983 prom queen sash and borrowed Avery's mall hair to complete the side pony tail. I will admit that I was rockin!!

Play me a song, Pianoman

2009-07-20T14:18:00.002-04:00

Brian was interested in purchasing tickets for Elton John/Billy Joel back in Jan, but decided that they were too expensive... so as an anniversary surprise I spent his hard earned money on the very tickets he thought were too expensive... funny how that worked out!! He was excited to go and I was glad to have a night out. I am not a member of the Elton John or Billy Joel fan club but I will admit the concert was rather entertaining. Both men were extremely talented on the piano. Our seats weren't excellent but it was one of those shows where you only needed to hear!! Billy Joel was my favorite and I think Brian appreciated his portion because he announced the year of the song before each one. They played continueously for over 3 hours. We got home to find that everyone was good and Brin was asleep after having a rough night for Grandma. It was a great way to celebrate 10 years of marital bliss!!

Who knew sneezing could be so funny?

2009-07-16T17:35:00.003-04:00

Brin is at the perfect stage right now... She is sleeping through the night, smiling at us all the time and having huge periods of self entertainment. She isn't rolling over yet, or moving in any way so we can still lay her on the couch or bed and leave her (for now). Tonight the kids and Bri really got her going by pretend sneezing. It was so funny!! Nothing beats the sound of a baby laughing!! Enjoy.

Avery's 7th Birthday

2009-07-15T13:35:00.003-04:00

I can't hardly believe that my baby (well one of my babies) is 7!! She requested Waffle House for her birthday dinner, but we went there for breakfast instead. Grandma Bautsch was here to watch the kids while we were at some "parent only" events and then Grandma and Grandpa Hoying came up for a cookout. Check out this box of cash she got! She is going to American Girl in Chicago for her birthday, so she was saving her money to buy the things she wants there!!

Part 4

2009-07-15T13:25:00.002-04:00

Mill Valley Park:

+ potties

+parking lot

+baseball fields

+swings

+walking trails

+covered picnic tables

-no shade over playground

We gave this park a 9.5 out of 10 (I think we had so much fun at this park because we were joined by our friends, the Hellers!!)

Letterboxing at our local parks

2009-07-15T13:07:00.002-04:00

While talking to a friend about our "tour of local parks" I was informed of a super awesome "treasure hunt" that occurs at local parks all over the country. After researching, I discovered that there were 3 stations in Marysville, and many more all over Ohio. The kids and I printed off the clues and gathered the required tools to go on the hunt (you need a stamp, ink pad, pen and BUG SPRAY). We headed off the Aldersgate Park which we visited earlier in the week. We followed the clues and they led us easily to a hidden box. Inside the box we found a stamp and notebook. We are instructed to mark their notebook with our stamp and sign our names. Then the kids each marked their own notebook with the supplied stamp (it happened to be a dog shape). The whole experience took about 20 minutes, which was perfect to keep them excited and reward them in a timely manner. We are planning to do the rest in Marysville and bring a few with us when we travel to Springboro or Youngstown. We also plan to make our own letterbox with clues by the end of the summer. If you are looking for a unique activity to do with your kids this summer, I recommend this site. I will post our clues when we set up our box here. Happy hunting!!!

www.letterboxing.org

TMP, part 3

2009-07-10T12:30:00.004-04:00

Day 3 of our tour took us to a new park that we had never visited nor seen before. The kids were pumped when we arrived and tore out of the car and raced down the hill to the playground. By the time I removed Brin from her car seat and situated her in the front carrier, they had already done everything there was to do at the park. We decided to explore the nearby woods and trails until we were immediately attacked by killer mosquitos. We left the park with me yelling "run kids, run. Don't stop or they'll get you".

McCarthy Park, off Cherry Street

+picnic areas

+shady

+basketball hoops

+parking lot

+walking trails

-no swings

-no potties

-killer mosquitos (when I say killer, I mean will fly off with a young child, suck you dry mosquitos)

We gave this park a 3 out of 10

We then decided to head to a safer, more familiar park, Eljer.

Eljer Park

+picnic areas

+potties

+parking lot

+basketball hoops, tennis courts

+swings

+bouncy airplane

+walking trails

+large "porch swing" where Brin and I sat for a long time

-skate park with a bunch of riff raff

-no shade, except the shelter areas

We gave this park a 9 out of 10

Tour of Marysville Parks, part 2

2009-07-09T14:12:00.004-04:00

Amercan Legion Park, aka the pool park

+ large park with lots of things to do

+swings

+close to Max's house

+close to the pool

+picnic tables

+restrooms (although you need to walk across the parking lot to get to them)

+shady

-crowded (especially during the pool breaks)

-few swings and always a line

-sand box (for some reason these make me nervous, I never know what is hiding in the sand)

We gave this park a 8 out of 10

Tour of Marysville Parks, part 1

2009-07-09T13:54:00.005-04:00

I received an email a few days ago with information about "a day at the park" this Saturday, in celebration of "July is celebrate your parks month". Cole was reading over my shoulder and asked what "parks month" meant. I explained that you should be happy we have parks in July (I couldn't think of a classier explanation). He decided that we should visit each and every park we have in July, to help celebrate. I thought this was a good idea, and while we were at it we were going to rank and critique each park we visited... I was going to do a great big post at the end of the month, but instead, here is part 1...

Tree House Park, Green Pastures:

+picnic tables (we actually packed and ate a lunch this day)

+swings (Avery has to have swings for it to be a good park)

+uncrowded

+shady

+/-wildlife (geese and geese poop everywhere)

- no bathrooms

-no parking lot

-some older kids (ms age) came and horsed around for a bit

We have this park a 8 out of 10

Aldersgate Park, Green Pastures

+close to treehouse park, can walk on trail to get here

+can pretend playground is a boat (Cole's observation)

+shady

+pretty gazebo nearby

-no swings

-no potties

We gave this park a 6 out of 10

twist and pull

2009-07-09T13:48:00.003-04:00

I discovered something a bit disturbing about myself... I LOVE to pull teeth. Cole's 2 front teeth have been a snitch loose for the past few months, but his teeth are soo close together that is was hard to wiggle them. I noticed on Sunday that they weren't quite hanging straight anymore and that they had become very loose. I caked some orajel on his gums and worked and worked until I could yank one of them out. I know, weird right?? I loved it, should have been a dentist maybe?? I told him that I would give him a few days before I yanked out the other one, I can hardly wait!!

Pop, Boom, Fizzle

2009-07-09T13:40:00.003-04:00

After a wonderful day of swimming and cookout with the extended family, we enjoyed a bonfire and fireworks show with Grandma and Grandpa Bautsch and the Vitense family. We did some yummy smores, flew through a few boxes of sparklers and oohed and aaahed at Tom's fireworks display. This is my favorite part of the 4th of july festivities. I love to watch the kids as they marvel at the rinky dink fireworks that their grandfather lights. They think it is amazing and cheer at each one. Then they have to high five him after each and every one and then cheer for more!! This year Avery was concerned for Grandpa's safety and would yell for him to run after he would light it. It was a blast. We stayed out until the bugs became too much.

4th of July Fun...

2009-07-09T13:33:00.003-04:00

Here are some pics from the race and parade on the 4th of July... It was a fun morning. The parade was full of old cars, political floats and lots and lots of candy. At one point a caravan of clowns came by which frightened Emi. Instead of crying or running to Brian and I, she just casually turned her head and didn't look at them!! You could see the terror in her face and her mouth was turned inward like she was about to cry but she held it together and went with the "I'm not looking at you" defense...

Can the boy handle defeat??

2009-07-05T15:17:00.003-04:00

Cole has been running in the 4th of July 1/2 mile kids race since he was 2... It has always been a fun part of our celebrations... In fact this year, 5 out of the 6 cousins ran in the race!! This year, Cole had his eye on winning the race. Just an eye on it though, he did no training or preparation despite the coaxing of his parents. When he asked me if I thought he would win I said "if you practice you might". You can almost imagine my surprise when I caught a glimpse of him across the oval, about 1/2 way through the race, and he was leading the pack. When he came around the last curve, it was police car, biker police guy and Cole!! It was so crazy to see him winning!! He finished the race in 3 minutes and 12 seconds, and well ahead of everyone else. He said he had so much of a lead that he could have walked across the finish line (I'm so glad he didn't do that!!) After his extremely successful year of sports I'm wondering how he will react to losing once in a while... I mean it is a part of life, losing, right?? I think he will have to lose eventually, right??