Good-bye Summer, You Were Good to Us

This summer has been my favorite yet. The kids are older, more independent and, honestly, more fun! They have both grown so much this summer, both physically and mentally. One place I really saw it was at the pool.

The local swim club is right down the road from us, but we always passed on getting a membership. This year, we decided to splurge, and let me tell you, it was worth every penny! We were there almost every one of my days off, and Mike took the kids on the days I worked.

Take the picture so we can get in!

$.10 lolly pops at the pool. A favorite during adult swim.

The Worm went from clinging to my side in the shallow area to swimming the width of the pool in the deep end, without any help. She jumps right in without a worry from either of us. She kind of owned the pool, haha. Her last challenge is the diving board. As much as she wanted to do it, she never did. She still has a week before the pool closes for the year!

Look out below!

Bathing beauty. It's hard to take pictures when you are alone at the pool with the kids!

Now, this is the life!

The Pear is absolutely fearless when it comes to the water. He just throws himself off the edge, thinks it's hilarious when Mike throws him (they call it water bomb) and thinks it's fun to go underwater. He's not quite tall enough to touch in the shallow end yet, but I think he might be there by next summer. Funny how the kid HATED baths and would just scream and scream for the first 15 months of his life and is just a real fish in the pool.

Too cool for the pool.

He obviously enjoys himself there.

One last picture that has nothing to do with this post. :) Taylor needed a picture of the family for her class, so we set up this self-timer shot Saturday night after church. It's a little blurry, but it actually has us all in it, even Champ!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Firsts

It has been a big week of firsts for the Worm! On Tuesday, she met her teacher for the first time at her school's Open House. She likes Mrs. Adams already and has already made her a picture for the sharing wall. (Taylor has her soccer uniform on in the Open House pictures because of the next first...)

Class of 2023!

I had to pull her out of the reading nook. So many books she's just itching to read!

Her locker. Yes, it's pink, a good start already.

As I hinted above, Taylor's first soccer game was also Tuesday night. The Blue Jets came away with the 4-0 win! Taylor did a great job and played really scrappy. She's the youngest out there, so we aren't expecting a ton of goals this year. Still, she definitely holds her own! The other team didn't even get a shot on goal.

Post game pose.

Tay Tay's biggest fan.

Today was the big day - Taylor's first day of kindergarten! She was so excited. I went in late and got off early so I could be there for her. Since Susan (the babysitter) lives right down the street from the school, Taylor and I did a practice run of the walk before and after school. A few of the older girls at Susan's were so helpful and even walked her to her classroom (no parents inside the school today). When I picked her up, she ran to me saying, "I LOVE school!!" Yay!

Annual first day photo.

Another. She looks so much more grown up this year!

Barely able to contain herself on the ride to school.

Taylor at Susan's house.

With some of the girls from Susan's house.

I wasn't really sad at all today. This is the ONLY picture that got me a little choked up. She looks so tiny with that big backpack on!

Taylor and I at Susan's after school.

In addition to her first long day of school (9:15 - 3:50), Taylor had an almost two-hour soccer practice tonight. I think she'll be ready for the weekend!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Birthday and Kings Island

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it's a combo post! That's what happens when you slack and don't upload photos fast enough.

First off, Happy Birthday to my wonderful hubby! His birthday was yesterday and low key. I made French toast for breakfast, cut the grass and weed whacked so he wouldn't have to and make his favorite dinner of lasagna and salad for dinner. Mike doesn't like cake, so I made the usual chocolate chip cookies. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?

Mike and our two most precious gifts.

Mike got to celebrate his birthday by going back to school today. Lucky him. Taylor doesn't start until Thursday and I'm off the next two days so we are going to do lots of fun stuff before then. I'm going to miss having her around during the day! She's so ready for school though. She and Michael spent the day at their babysitter's house and were nothing but smiles and full of stories when I got home from work.

We took our annual trip to Kings Island last week. Michael is now big enough to ride everything in the kid part and even some of the adult rides like the Scrambler. Taylor is not a huge daredevil when it comes to rides so she's fine hanging out in kid land most of the day. We did get them on the pretty big log ride. Michael loved it; Taylor, not so much.

Before we left. Michael is "talking" to his Froggy Potty. I use a funny voice and make the frog-shaped potty "talk" to him so he'll be more likely to use it. I've probably scarred him for life, but hey, it works!

The Pear got denied of the swings last year (and cried hysterically), but made the cut easily in 2010.

The kid area recently changed from Nickelodeon theme to Peanuts. I LOVE Snoopy. I hugged him, too. (And this is what you get when you ask Mike to take a picture...)

Big. Time. Just ask him.

They love this whip ride!

Dimples. :)

The boys.

Exhausted! They had a blast but were ready to go.

I take a picture like this every year. She's growing up and one day before too long won't be into the hand holding thing. We'll enjoy it now while we can!

2010

2009

2008

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Bike Trail

I've written before about how much I love our local bike trails. I probably spend at least three hours per week down there, riding or walking. It's beautiful!

This year, I've seen a ton of deer, especially on my early morning rides. Taylor was really eager to check out the action, so I took her down at about 7 a.m. last weekend.


All smiles, but no deer.

Throwing rocks off the covered bridge.

Future Buckeyes? The Worm is posing in front of a Buckeye tree. It was just full on green Buckeyes. :) No deer.

Self timed photo by the covered bridge. Still no deer.

We made it down the path and were ready to turn back without any deer sightings. I said a little prayer, asking God to let Taylor see the beauty I get to experience all of the time.

And what do you know? We saw this:





She wasn't too far away from us. Her two spotted fawns were also nearby.

Then, that antlered guy on the right stepped out. That's one of the spotted fawns behind him.

We just stood and watched them for 20 minutes or so. What a great Mommy/Daughter experience!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Super Duper Loopers

When you get to college, it's typical to find that you have at least a few things in common with your roommates. For me, that common denominator was that all 65 of us had spent our teenage summer mornings (and I mean earllllly mornings) walking around with a bunch of rich folk, with big heavy golf bags on our shoulders. Glamouros? No way. But, it did help us all earn full-ride Evens Scholarships to THE Ohio State University. (And for the record, I love caddying even if I didn't earn the scholarship!)



I consider those guys and gals my lifelong friends. On Sunday, I was fortunate enough to have four of my former ES brothers and sisters and their families come visit. We had so much fun catching up and just hanging out. Taylor was the oldest of the six kids, and Michael the youngest. Fun all around!

Back: My little sis Amy (ES), her hubby North, Carrie, Tony (ES), Corey (ES); Front: Me (ES), Mike, Rob (ES). That's about $250,000 of free education. :) And, thanks to Tay Tay for taking the picture.

The next generation. Strap those bags on now and save us some cash!! Front: Pear, Gracie (Tony and Carrie's oldest), Mia (Tony and Carrie's youngest), Walter (Amy and North's oldest), Champy; Back: Worm, Sarah (Amy and North's youngest). Can you believe I got them all to look at the camera and smile?

Sarah LOVED Champ. She kept calling him Sunshine, which I thought was just adorable.

These two buddied up right away. 100% boy all of the way!

The girly girls in Taylor's room. They lured Champ up there with dog treats.

We're talking about getting together again for an OSU game. Can't wait to see everyone again. I miss the days of being able to walk down the hall to see all my friends!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Pittsburgh Trip - Day 3

We started our Sunday but stopping by cousin Cassidy's softball tournament. She's a great athlete like the rest of the crew and it was fun watching her kick booty!

Cassidy after one of her three hits.

One of Mike's best friends, Erik, lives about an hour outside of Pittsburgh, but we rarely get a chance to visit. We stopped by Sunday on our way home (sort of) and had fun with he, his wife, Lisa and their three kids! A little pool time, cookout and lots of good ol' playing outside.

Hunter took Taylor for a spin in his Escalade. They got along great. I think I heard them referring to each other as "husband" and "wife", but Taylor was mortified when I asked her about it.

Mr. and Mrs., hahaha. He's a cutie.

The Pear has good taste, too. This is Sarah, Erik's oldest.

Best friends and their kids.

Awwwwww

Now, Michael and Taylor took a real liking to the motorized cars the kids had. And, fortunately for Taylor, Erik and Lisa were just about to dispose of a pink Barbie jeep that had been Sarah's when she was little. Somehow, Mike and Erik fit that not-small jeep into the back of our already packed 4Runner. Not an inch of space was wasted. I was impressed!

Well done, fellas.

From Erik's house, we headed home. Pulled into our driveway after midnight and welcomed by a very happy Champy. It was a great trip!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel