Kings Island '11

More proof that I'm getting old. We spent 7 1/2 hours walking around Kings Island on Friday and I was so tired that I was ready to go to bed at 8:30 when we got home. The kids? Oh, they were running around in the front yard with their friends and almost cried when I made them come in an hour later.

Yes, we took our annual Kings Island trip just before school starts on Wednesday (Monday for Mike). We had a ton of fun this year. Mike's friend Nick was in town with his daughter and niece so they spent the night here Thursday then followed us down to KI.

Yay! Kings Island!

Stop taking pictures so we can actually go in...

Us with friends!

One part that is new this year is "Dinosaurs Alive". It's an area with giant, life-size robotic dinosaurs and costs an extra $5 per person. I almost said forget it, but got the tickets online at the last minute. It was soooo cool! I was expecting 10 or so dinosaurs, but there were probably over 100 featured over a long winding trail through the woods. The kids were totally impressed and I still think Michael isn't 100% convinced they weren't real.

Look out guys, there's a T-Rex behind you...


They liked this cute Triceratops.

They still prefer the kid-themed part of the park but did ride some bigger rides. It was fun for us because that meant we actually got to ride more rides this year!


It wasn't very crowded. Lines were short!


Michael faking an attitude. This makes me laugh.

Riding the kiddie coaster.

This whip ride is one of their favorites every year.


She convinced Michael to keep his arms up. :)


Cutie.

The kid area is Snoopy-themed. I love Snoopy!

A much-needed ice cream break in the shade.

I take this picture every year at Kings Island. She's growing up on us. She's up past his elbow now.

2010

2009



2008


Somebody else got a picture with Daddy this year, too.


Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Catching Up - Yankees at Reds

When it comes to Major League Baseball, we are a house divided. I grew up in Cincinnati during the Big Red Machine days, so I'm obviously a Reds fan. Mike has always been a Yankees fan. I actually like the Yankees, too, and since our teams are in different leagues, I can usually cheer for both.

But, when it comes to interleague play, I'm all Cincy, baby.

When the Yankees came to town in late June, we just had to catch a game. Taylor, like usual, wants to be like Mom and cheers for the Reds. Michael started out the day cheering hard for the "Weds".

That was until the "Weds" gave up four runs in the first inning and the little stinker turned on us. "Let's go, Ankees!" was his cheer the rest of the game.

The Reds made it interesting and made it 5-3 in the ninth with the tying run at the plate. Taylor was soooo nervous that she could barely watch. Sorry Worm, the boys won this time!


Playing outside the stadium.

He was still cheering for the Reds at this point.

The boys watching batting practice.

The annual cotton candy baseball game photo. :)


The Pear got one too this time and HATED it.

Taylor fearing the inevitable.

Thanks to Mike and eBay, we had great seats. I'm a pretty low maintenance person (if you hadn't guessed by my hair, makeup, attire in most pictures), but I'm spoiled when it comes to sporting seats. Years and years sitting on media row mean I never want to sit in bad seats again. Our seats were right behind home plate. We had padded seats, access to a private scout area and a waitress. It rocked.


The four of us in the cool scout area.


What team do you cheer for?

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Catching Up - Mother's Day & End of School

Yes, Mother's Day. Cut me some slack, I'm catching up. :)

The kids and Mike (and Champy) surprised me on Mother's Day with a pretty potted plant and cards. After we got cleaned up, we went down to Cincy to see my mom and dad. I know we went shopping after that, but I can't remember much else. Ah, the perils of blogging three months after the fact!

The kids and my new plant.

Can't forget my Champy! And, sorry Champ. We took two pictures and I look better in this one, so I'm posting the funny one of you!

Taylor had an excellent year in kindergarten. She is reading well above level, completely embraced the all-day school format and excelled in so many areas. Her teacher, Mrs. Adams, is wonderful. She's sweet, smart and takes no crap! I love that combination.

I got to chaperone the kids on a trip to a nearby ice cream shop, Peppermint Patti's. Taylor is wearing her soccer stuff because it was U-Uniform Day.


Yum!


I couldn't leave Michael out. He got ice cream that day, too. :)


Taylor with her end-of-the-year research project on Kangaroos. She really impresses me sometimes!

Taylor and Mrs. Adams on the last day of school.


One year down, lots to go!


Cute random picture of the kids after playing in a late spring rainstorm.


Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Catching Up - Easter

An Easter post in August?? Pathetic, I know. I wasn't doing great with blogging in the spring as it was, but after my dad got sick, I just stopped completely. I was still taking pictures, though. I just wasn't doing anything with them.

My parents came up to my house on Easter for lunch and an egg hunt. I remember saying some really nice things to my dad that day, thanking him for always being there for me. I had no idea he was sick, at least consciously.

This is the last picture I took of my dad. I almost didn't post it because now I realize that he already looked pretty sick. But, he looks like he's having so much fun with the grandkids (and granddog) that I think it needs to be here. Hard to believe he passed away six weeks later. Gosh, I miss him.

Here are some other pictures from that day. I'm having trouble moving things around in Blogger, so they might be out of order. I remember that we all had fun that day. My dad loved my deviled eggs and even asked how I made them. :)

Two pretty ladies.

Attempt at a family picture.

Kiddos and I. Mike was much too focused on the candy from the eggs to bother with the camera.

Mother.

Dying Easter eggs the week before (told you these are out of order!).

My Easter cuties. They look alike here!

Until next time (which will be soon!),

Mommy Kel

Taylor's 7th Birthday Bash!

Since Taylor's birthday is on July 4th, we always have her kid party a few days before. I don't want to be "that" parent who schedule a party on a holiday! Taylor is fine with it, because she usually ends up with an extended party that way.

This year, she wanted to have her party at the pool, which was fine and dandy with me because that meant: no cleaning before, cheap (members obviously get in free and most of her friends are members) and no cleanup after. Can't beat that! We're seven for seven on rain-free birthdays now. I was a little worried that morning when it was pouring, but the storm was long gone by the time the party started. It did scare everyone else away, though. We literally had the entire swim club to ourselves!

Taylor with some of her first guests to arrive. The older girl is her friend's older sister. She is so sweet to Taylor and even came to her party. :)

Taylor and another pool buddy.

Michael loves his squirt gun!

Pizza and Doritos. Does it get any better?

Taylor is eating broccoli, haha..



Blow out your candles! The bakery didn't have pieces for the Tangled cake, so I had them decorate the cake and I bought and added the pieces.

Pinata time! Taylor doesn't even like Hannah Montana, but that and Transformers were the only options we had.


Michael is actually the one that broke the pinata in two. It was so cute how Taylor and her friends cheered for him.




I love this picture!

Taylor has several goals this summer: 1) Lose her top front teeth 2) Take the training wheels off her bike (the training wheels don't even touch when she's riding now, but she can't get over the fear) 3) Visit the local landfill (yes, really) and 4) Go off the diving board by herself at the pool. She can check No. 4 off her list now! She went off the board into an instructor's arms during swim lessons, but finally made the plunge solo on Saturday at her party. I think it helped that the lifeguard was sweet enough to get in the water with her rescue float when Taylor went off the first time. Her friends went crazy cheering for her. Now, I can't keep her off the board! Today, she spent our entire two hours at the pool jumping off the board.


Next was present time!




Some of the adults.

Michael on Daddy's lap.

Here are a few pictures today of my little girl on her last day as a 6-year-old.



Until next time,

Mommy Kel