that's us

Have you ever had an epiphany?  Have you ever thought wow it's 70 degrees on November 30 we should take some Christmas card pictures?  That was me on Sunday.  After church we went to a field by our house.  I brought a couple props thinking it would keep them entertained...  Yep.

 

 M punching G in the head

 L and S running away

The second Drew put Simon down he was running away. 

 

I got1 picture with everyone looking at the camera.  Amazing right!?  Stay tuned for our Christmas card which will hopefully go out this weekend.   ;)

field day

alright both of these pictures are of Molly...  (I got some pictures of Gabe texted to me, but they aren't on the computer yet)  But do you know what the most adorable thing ever is?  Watching a bunch of kindergarteners participating in field day.  I watched Gabe's class do a relay where they started with two carpet squares.  They had to stay on the carpets while racing to pop a balloon maybe 30 ft away.  They should have stepped  on a carpet then picked up the carpet behind them thrown it in front and continued.  yep.  It was priceless.  Somehow Gabe's class came out victorious.  You could tell what kids are going to be naturally athletic.  It was adorable.

is this really happening?

Our garage is in need of some love.  While I was chipping away at the paint Simon found mud.  Some days when things like this happen I get super frustrated and march them inside.  Today I decided to let them be kids and to let it happen.  Look at how happy he is.  I'm pretty sure no amount of shout will be saving this romper.

 While they were dirty I decided to wash out the sandbox.  Lincoln thought playing with the hose was the best thing ever.  He has a hard time holding his pants up in general.  Once they were all wet there was no way.  So he ran around splashing me, Simon and Franklin with them. 

 

I don't really want to imagine what anyone who saw us was thinking...  Yikes.  But it was a fun morning and they both took a really good nap. ;)  Do you ever let your kids play in the mud?  Do you have a really good stain remover?  I'm excited for summer.

levee trail

Sunday after dinner we went for a walk on the levee trail.  The Moormon-Farnsley Landing trailhead is maybe 2 miles from our house.  The trail will take you all the way up the Ohio River to downtown.  This old church was relocated and renovated a little less than 1 mile up the trail.  I think it's beautiful.  I'd love to get some closer pictures of it, but there was a wedding going on.  We decided to take a walk on a little gravel road that went behind the church.  We found a big swamp.  It looked like a horror movie.  I was waiting to see a body or a hand in the water.  Molly wanted nothing to do with this place.

 I think this shed is awesome.  wouldn't it be a fun background for some pictures.  I love me some rusty metal...  strange, but true.

 another little out building

 The path led to the Aydelott-Rosenberger house.  We didn't do much exploring.  There were no trespassing signs around the house and while we were close to the trail it felt really secluded and like we were doing something we shouldn't.  Drew also killed 3 big ticks.  ick.  I'm not a bug person.  Drew did a little research online and it looks like the plan is to renovate the house and let people rent it out with the church for parties and weddings.  Maybe one of my kids will have a reception there...  in the way way future.

And just for good measure a couple pictures from Moormon-Farnsley Landing.  It's a historical house that has been renovated.  This is a picture of one of the houses' off buildings.  The actual house is under some kind of construction.  It looked like maybe it's getting plumbling? 

 At the end everyone wanted to play with the water fountain and the dog fountain that's attached to it.  I love lazy Sunday afternoons.  Railroad tracks run along this section of the trail.  I'm thinking we're going to try some family pictures on them.  We're living on the edge.

past week in review

Monday
M & G didn't have school Monday.  I'm not sure why.  The roads were clear...  We spent the day at the Science Center.  Molly and Gabe complain that I take the little two and not them.  It was beautiful.  We practically had the museum to ourselves.  I take the littles to playgroup at the science center once a month.  I have to be honest having all 4 there was a little tricky.  Usually when Lincoln gets bored with something and walks away I pick up Simon and we follow Lincoln.  Having 3 big kids all wanting to go to different places and see different things kept me a little busier than I'm used too.   No one got lost and there wasn't any whining when we left.  Molly even thanked me for taking them as we got into the car to go home.  Wins all around :)
(The parking lot behind the science center is $5 to park in.  When we first moved here there was a woman who would take your money.  Now it's automated.  EVERY time we go to there Molly asks about where the woman in the booth is.  A couple years later and she's still upset that woman is out of a job.  I think it's kinda funny and amazing that she thinks/remembers her.)

Tuesday
I started a play group last summer.  It's really hit or miss.  I hosted.  One friend came.  I often think I should just let it die.

Wednesday
I religiously attend story time.  I LOVE libraries.  Its usually me sitting on a chair with Lincoln crawling all over me.  On occasion he'll go and sit with the other kids on the carpet, but usually not.  Simon usually participates more than Lincoln.  Simon loves clapping to the songs and watching everyone.  I usually leave him in his stroller.  Chasing after him as he pulls down books isn't appealing. 

Thursday
I got invited by some story-time moms to their play group.  It was nice there were 4 other kids almost the exact same age as Lincoln.  He didn't really play with them, but he played by them...  Two of the Three other moms also had little babies.  I felt a little old.  I think I was the only one who had school age kids.  One of the moms has twin girls (3 in March) and another set of newborn twin girls.  If she can juggle 4 kids at home I shouldn't complain about having my 2 with me all the time.  :)  The whole thing made me think of an article I read on facebook about "dating" other moms.  It's hard making new friends.  Hopefully I get invited again.

Friday
Valentines Day.  Molly's room mom flaked out again.  I had been planning different games/activities with her teacher all week.  I was also planning things with Gabe's room parent.  Friday at 5 in the morning I got a text from JCPS.  No School.  What?  I was disappointed. Lots of time and prep went into those parties.  Boo.  We spent the day at home.  My favorite part of the day was reading the JCPS press release that said school was cancelled instead of having an early release because they didn't want to disrupt their students.  It's Valentine's Day.  Really?  We went for a walk and Drew cooked us a special dinner.  I love steak! 

Saturday
Being with those story time moms on Thursday helped give me the motivation to potty train Lincoln.  I've been waited for a free weekend to potty train.  I've realized that's never going to happen and he's almost 3.  It went really well.  He had one small accidednt in the morning.  All one of us had to say was Lincoln if you pee in the potty you can have a peice of candy.  Lincoln would say ok and then pee.  Amazing.  We told him he could have some pop if he pooped.  He even did that twice.  Happy Day.  He took a nap in a diaper.  After nap he stayed in a diaper at a friends house.  Every 3-4 weeks we have a babysitting swap.  It's great.  Saturday was our night to go out.  We went to a dinner theater put on by some people from our church.  I thought it was really fun.  Not Drew's cup of tea.

Sunday
We went to church.  Lincoln was in a diaper at church and for his nap.  After that he was in underwear and had no accidents.  Yippie.  Hopefully in a week or so I'll only have 1 little boy in diapers.  I'm also looking forward to not being so paranoid. ;) Simon is walking more and more.  I wish I could say he wasn't crawling at all, but that would be a lie.  yes he is 16 months...  On the bright side he's figured out going down the stairs. 
 

Happy November 1st?

We went trick or treating November 1st with the Cluffs and Hebdons.  It was beautiful.

Dorthy

 Cowardly Lion

 Tin Man

 Scarecrow

 What a handsome bunch if I do say so myself.  :)

We trick or treated at the house of the math coach for M&G's school.  (She's the one Drew works with when he volunteers at the kids school Thursday mornings)  Molly lit up and said that her teacher told her that she was neighbors with the math coach.  Molly was really disappointed that we didn't see her teacher.  I asked Molly if she was going to tell Mrs M that she went trick or treating at the math coach's house.  Molly said "I'll write about it in my journal on Monday then Mrs M will read it and she'll know."  I love my socially awkward little girl.  Good job Molly, letting your teacher know without actually having to start a conversation.

Happy Halloween

M&G before leaving for school.

 My mom was in town the week of Halloween.  I thought ooohhhh she can help me make a Dorthy costume.  As always it was way more work than I was expecting.  My mom flew into town with my Aunt Jan.  She spent her time between us and my grandma and aunt.  Unfortunatley most of the time she was with me it was working on the costume, but Molly LOVED it and was thrilled.

Maybe a week and a half before Halloween I got a call from one of the PTA moms.  Molly's room mom broke her hand in several places and wasn't able to do the class party.  I really like Molly's teacher it was a pleasure working with her to plan the party, but it was also stressful only having a handful of days to plan everything.  The kids were divided into 4 groups and rotated through the planned activities.  I thought it was really strange that a bunch of moms came to the party, but didn't help.  MRS M asked if a couple of them would be willing to supervise one of the stations.  Only one mom said yes.  The rest sat along the wall watching.  If you're ever at a party with a lot of kids be useful!  Even if everything is really organized kids are unpredictable and the more help you have the better.  Off my soapbox ;)

 Halloween morning it was overcast and really warm.  Right as school was getting out as foretasted a huge storm blew in.  It got super windy, the temperature plummeted and the rain came.  It was gross.  Lots of  neighborhoods cancelled trick or treating.

We carried on with tradition and had white chili at the Fontana's house.

 Then we with the rest of Louisville headed to the mall.  It was like a big costume parade with no candy.  Don't my kids look thrilled ;)  I'll have to find a picture with us and my mom.  She found a really neat tree puppet and hung little apples all over it.  

 After the mall we went to my grandma's house so that she and Aunt Jan could see our costumes.  Aunt Jan had bought a bunch of candy to pass out to trick or treaters  With the weather being so terrible no one came.  Consequently we got to take all the candy home.  Halloween was saved.