Another First to Remember...

So...I was going through paperwork from Preschool last year and came across something J brought home sometime during her last week there...her first little "note".  Honestly, so cute but not sure I am ready for this to come!!!

Fun at the Botanical Gardens

Grandma and I took the girls to the Botanical Gardens for a day of fun....they have an awesome Children's Garden and all 3 of my girls had a great time!

They have an awesome splash pad that E and C enjoyed playing on...J had skinned her knee a couple of days before and was just sure the water was going to sting....not so sure about that one :)

(What can I say...didn't plan on her getting wet but couldn't resist the happy squeals!!)

Happy 4th of July!!

Thought I would mention our 4th in a pretty condensed version...fireworks at Delmar Gardens, a BBQ at Grandma and Grandpa's (including homemade ice cream the girls, Russ and and Grandpa worked their tooshies off for), some more fireworks, you get the picture. 

Snug as a Bug

Every morning for the past year we have woken in the morning with a certain 2 year old screaming at the top of her lungs in a VERY demanding tone "Mommy come and get me!!!"  Not my favorite way to wake up.  So...I thought I had the answer and we took the side off of her crib with the thought that each morning she could wake up, get out of bed and come and get someone without shaking the rafters.  Good idea, right???  Yes, except for one thing.  The kid falls out of bed every single night.  Bless her little heart, doesn't even wake up - you just hear this big THUNK, go in, pick her up and lay her back down. 

Think she need a big girl bed????  So I am happy to report that 1) we now have two big girls sleeping each night in their own beds and 2) E gets a good night sleep each night :)

VBS

My big girls did VBS this year and they both loved every moment of it!  I volunteered in the Craft area and, while it was crazy busy at times, have to say I think I enjoyed it every bit as much as the girls.  It was extra special because my mom was able to help on most days also so we got to spend lots of time together (especially since she was my super helper while I was hobbling around on a hurt foot while Russ was MIA).  I don't have any pics of actual VBS.  Quite honestly, it was enough to arrive dressed and hair brushed most days but this is how we spent our afternoons at home...you can tell the week was a big hit with J :)

Sunday morning all the VBS kids sang songs and of course my children looked like deer in headlights, but I guess that time will come :)

Father's Day!!!

Well...what an interesting day this Father's Day turned out to be....

The girls and I had planned for weeks a day of fun for daddy (or at least what they consider a day of fun to be :)).  Church, Grant's Farm, eating outside, playing in the slip n slide...you get the picture.  We started off the morning doing well, until we were leaving church.  As we were walking in the parking lot, I was carrying E and was actually mid-conversation about how she was too big to be carried around for no reason and that when we got to Grant's Farm she was going to WALK so that she could enjoy seeing all the animals and that C was going to be in the stroller and that we were going to have FUN doing it, when I stepped into a pothole and wiped out.  I mean pants ripping, ligament tearing fall on hands and knees...wait, strike that, forearm falling because I kept my peanut safe and took myself out in the process.  Ignoring the pain and trying to utilize all my mommy toughness, we continued on to Grant's Farm but realized halfway through it wasn't such a great idea....hopped my way through the park unable to put any weight on my right foot/ankle and headed for Urgent Care.  Turns out there was no break but a pretty severe sprain to the foot/ankle.  Good Times.

Even better that Russ was leaving for a week in California and I was supposed to be on my own with 3 little girls for a week of VBS. I just have two words..."Thanks Grandma!!"

Notice the leg already propped up on the tram???

The Girls can't wait to feed the goats until it's time to actually feed the goats...Dad does a great job

There's still a smile on his face, even though he is working awfully hard on Father's Day :)

Cute little babies make everything worth it...

At least the toes look good....

Well, it was definitely one to remember...here's to the best daddy ever!!!  I love you!!!!

PJ night at The Magic House

Grandma and Grandpa got the girls a membership at The Magic House for Christmas this year - it has been fantastic!  We are a little young to have free reign at the House, and most days it's so busy it almost more work than it's worth for me to track all three girls as they run crazy. However, there are all sorts of "member only" events that we have been able to enjoy!  I have to admit that now we've been a bit spoiled and can't imagine going to the House on a jam-packed day without doughnuts or cookies to snack on :) 

Our latest outing involved PJ night at the House...complete with story time and milk and cookies.  It was way fun and extra special because Russ was able to join us after work for a little play time...

Driving a Smart Car...

Can we take these home..they are SO Pretty!

Climbing through tunnels...great way to hide from mom and dad!

Another ride down the spiral slide...

Ignore the mommy...don't I look cute in my jammies :)

Let's Go Cardinals!!

We were able to go see a baseball game this year on "Affton Night" - which meant J got to walk the field before the game.  E and I tagged along for the experience and it was tons of fun!  It was a 6:15 game and Russ had a late meeting so he made it in time for the game but missed getting to walk the field.  It was too bad he missed out, especially since our little E wiped out on the ramps just before entering the field and decided walking was a bad idea :)

The girls love their Uncle Jim!!

E is just not so sure about this whole thing...

Daddy has arrived! (Notice the seats - could we have been any higher???)

Nothing like some nachos - aka cheese chips - to put a smile on E's face

Baby C stayed home with a babysitter.  Our only child to be left alone with a sitter before she turned one..but well, she had more fun with Katie than she would have at the stadiumfor 6 hours in the blazing heat!

Fun in the Sun and 'Baby Girl'

My big girls have turned in to little fishies this spring/summer.  Here we are enjoying the water before the pool opened this summer.

And just in case you start to wonder if something happened to baby C...she's doing great.  Usually in my arms as I also try and snap pictures.  Here's proof that the happy little girl really exists :)

This happens within 2 minutes of rolling on to her belly...EVERY SINGLE TIME!!  She is not a tummy time girl in the least.  I'm going to venture that she doesn't spend much time crawling.  Standing is her position of choice these days.  I'll have to work on getting a picture of that in the next couple of days.  With my luck I should have posted to the blog around Christmas time :)

Memorial Day 2010

So again, don't have many pictures of Memorial Day.  We had a great weekend of swimming, etc and headed down to Grandma and Poppy's with the Barretts on Monday.  We were able to swim in the lake, go on a boat ride (minus Russ and Cobb - long story), eat great bbq...basically everything you expect Memorial Day to be.  Here are my favorite pics of the day (also happen to be the only two of the day but I captured the priceless moment :)).  To preface the pics, let's just say that J loves Cobb.  E, well she likes him..from a distance.  He has grown on her over the past 2 years and 10 months but she would be okay if we were an animal free household.  Here is her face for the entire hour drive toTDL...yes, it is hard to see but let's just say POUTY!!!

Why??  You guessed it.  Because our sweet dog rode down with us.  E was super excited for Cobb to come until she realized that meant he was in the car with her!!  That is J holding her hand.  When J finally asked if she could let go because her hand was hurting E took up the chant "WHY IS NO ONE HOLDING MY HAND?!?!?" for the rest of the trip home.  Honestly, she is too much sometimes.  The poor dog didn't even go near her (he was blocked by swim bags, coolers, you name it).

Doesn't he look like trouble?!?!

May 2010

So I feel like every post starts with an apology over my absence from updating our family activities...I guess I am coming to terms with the fact that I will always be playing catch up.  That's just the way it goes :)  So, without further ado, we have been a busy family the past couple of months.  Here are some pics from the month of May - Mother's Day Tea Party at J's school, End of Year Bash, along with J's last day of school. 

End of Year Bash - Russ was traveling so thank you Grandma for keeping C for me. My hands were full with hula hooping, jump housing, face painting, hot dog eating....you get the picture!!!

And the very last day of school.  Good luck to our friends moving on to kindergarten and looking forward to seeing our friends in Mrs. Maikranz class next year!!!  We can't wait!!