FUN!

Today we went to an open house at the ballet studio! Oh my gosh...sooooo cute! It is a princess themed place. And it is princessed to the hilt!!! We went in, chose our class and then off we went around the room to buy all the apparel...Caitlin's class (Esmerelda) wears a kelly green skirt, white leotard, white tights. We also bought her ballet shoes AND tap shoes because she'll learn both. Her first class will be after we return from vacation. Can't wait to take some pictures of our little ballerina! She will have one 45 minute lesson per week.....Grandparents, aunts, uncles, dear friends mark your calendars - Caitlin's big recital (THE GALA) will be held at the end of June 2010. How cute will that be???

We also went to check out "basketball class" for Austin. I think we are going to go with a place in Carmel. We'll get more info and sign up officially on Monday. He was soooooo pumped looking at the gym. It's kind of an old place, but the coaching is supposed to be very good (though not as good as daddy's coaching...imho!). Again, grandparents, aunts, uncles, dear friends...we'll have some bball games to watch! Can't wait for the photos I'll get during those!!!

After all of our scoping activities this morning, we had a nice family lunch at Wendy's. Austin ate an entire jr. cheeseburger and Caitlin ate an entire small fries! They love that place!!! Thank goodness they haven't discovered the Frosty yet! ;)

Caitlin is now obsessed with cheese pizza. Guess what we're having for dinner tonight? Yep, cheese pizza! :)

Our BBQ last night was fun. It was good to hang out with friends and watch all the kids run around. Austin and Caitlin had a great time running around with Kellen and interacting with Andrew and Kobe. They would be great if we ever had another baby.

Well, gotta prep for the cheese pizza eatin'! :) Hope everyone is having a fun, relaxing weekend!

Some News...

Well, some of you already know this, but today it will become "OFFICIAL"...my hard working hubby has worked his way into a new position with the Pacers! He is now the Director of Scouting! We are proud of him and know he will do a great job!

Caitlin informed me, "Last night Austin and I looked out my window and we saw the crescent moon!"

Austin is VERY into cars now. Oh my...he even sleeps with his Matchbox cars!!! He uses Caitlin's dollhouse as a garage and "parks" his cars. He will play cars for a lengthy amount of time...just rolling them and racing them in the kitchen, hallway, and basement. He can even tell you the make of most cars! Total little boy!!!!

Both kids love watching this show about "Mickeyland" from the Travel Channel that we recorded for them. We watch it once or twice a day! They have taken to reciting the words of the host. It's funny! Also, Austin loves watching "Wipeout". The other night he said, "Look, they have a new wipeout zone!" :)

Okay, I need to just give myself a shout out...I pushed a Chevy truck today! It wasn't even in neutral AND I pushed it 3 times. I also pushed a 231lb cement stone around a parking lot. Yeah, I'm one tough momma! :) I LOVE bootcamp!

Tonight we're having our small group over for a bbq. Tomorrow we are going to check out a ballet studio and a "basketball class". Sunday we get to go to Kellen's 2nd birthday party. Not too hectic...certainly more pleasant than the go-go-go pace of last weekend. The "aftermath" of jam packed days is always brutal.

Naptime for 2 cuties...

Looong Weekend!

We had a jam packed weekend! Normally we keep the kids on a VERY consistent sleep routine, but this weekend threw us for a loop! Our meeting at church went long on Friday so they didn't get to bed until about 10:15.

Then Saturday we drove up to my mom's for Ethan's 1st birthday party. They were so wound up both there and back that they got no sleep (except Austin managed about a 10 minute power nap on the way there). I swear that felt like the looooongest trip in the world! On the way up there we encountered a semi accident in a construction zone...of course, during that stretch on NOT moving on the freeway, Caitlin HAD to use the bathroom. Luckily, we made it before there was a potty accident! Then the way back was plagued with a million and one bathroom stops. We got home around 10pm and they didn't get to bed until around 10:15 again. They had a lot of fun at gramma's - there was a bounce house and cake - perfection for a 4 year old! They helped Aunt Courtney and Ethan during the presents, but they were very good...didn't try to open them! On the way home Austin made up a song called "Ethan is my cousin" and, yes, those were the only words. It was so cute!

Sunday morning we headed to the State Fair for our yearly fried food fest with Aunt Bubbles and Uncle John. Aunt Bubs got suckered into buying a ride wristband and riding with the kids. They had a ball! Uncle John joined the fun towards the end...he got to go in the fun house and on the gigantic slide! OH YES, and he and Aunt Bubbles took Caitlin on the ferris wheel. That was ALL she kept talking about riding...it was all enclosed, so we let her do it. She LOVED it! The girl knows NO FEAR! By the end of our time at the fair, both kids were conked out in the stroller.

They slept in the car and then we went to the park for Abby's (our neighbor) birthday party. They ran around plenty and were good and tired after it was all over. Caitlin amazed us and ate half a piece of cheese pizza (we're making progress!). By the time we got home, it was bedtime...oh and it was sooooo good! We all needed some sleep!

Monday, Austin started speech again. Ryan took him because I had bootcamp. He said that it went great and the speech therapist said Austin was "mature" and worked hard. HOORAY! Her name is "Miss Lisa" and Austin seemed to like her a lot. Tomorrow I get to meet her and get some more details on what they're working on.

Today was the first day back at Talking Time. Oh my gosh, they were soooo excited to see Miss Amy again. They each gave her an apple and Austin exclaimed, "Happy 1st Day of School!" We are looking forward to an excellent year. Most of their friends from last year have moved into the Pre-K class. They will be going on to Kindergarten next fall. Not Austin and Caitlin. They are not going until they are 6. Soooo, next fall they will be in Pre-K.

Today I got these little sight word and math problem sticky notepads and I'm going to make a "Word of the Day" and "Math Problem of the Day" display. I also read about a neat behavioral strategy that I want to try...it uses "daddy dollars" and "mommy mart". We have got to get a handle on some of the more troubling behaviors...mainly disobedience and talking back. Austin and Caitlin are usually pretty well behaved, but if we let these things go, it will make the future a lot more difficult than it has to be! :)

Time to work on dinner...too bad the salad will not make itself! ;) I'll see if Ryan can post some pix from this weekend soon...

Hilarious.

While our little "Siskel & Ebert" are in the basement watching a movie, thought I'd share some funny moments...

*Yesterday I went to give Austin a kiss & hug before his nap and I told him "good night". He tells me, "No mom. It's good nap!" Clever boy!!!

*While I was reading to the kids before bed, Caitlin curled up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders and playing with my hair. It was so stinkin' cute. Austin was laying alongside of me...they looooooove being read to!

*I took Austin a snack while he was watching "Sleeping Beauty" (Caitlin's choice, obviously) and he said to me, "This movie is a little bit stinky." :)

*Caitlin is absolutely fascinated with the fact that Austin stands up to pee. She thinks that is the coolest thing in the world. So funny!!! Poor guy gets no privacy when peeing!!!

*Caitlin's favorite things to do now? Recite her phone number and copy words from these cards I bought when they were younger. She really has a desire to learn everything right now.

The kids got to hang out with Ryan while I went to boot camp this morning. They were happily watching "Cars" when I got home. After naps we are going to make some "snack mix" to take with us to gramma's tomorrow. As the kids will tell you, "It's a long ways away!" Then we are going to hit Target to buy Abby's birthday present. Then we are having soup and sandwiches for dinner before heading to church. Whew...I'm tired just thinking about it all!

Tomorrow we are heading to my mom's to celebrate Ethan's 1st birthday. Ryan will be busy moving and getting organized in his NEW office. (More on that Monday...sorry!) Aunt Bubbles will be making the drive with us. We have allowed plenty of time for a Starbucks stop. The kids LOVE to stop there to potty...like we'd go there for any other reason... ;)

Sunday we are going to the State Fair in the morning and then to Abby's birthday party in the afternoon/evening.

Monday we get to do speech, Tuesday preschool, Wednesday speech, Thursday preschool, Friday we're having a bbq for our small group, Saturday there is a neighborhood end of summer party and Sunday we have a free day!!!!! HOORAY!!!!!!!!

I must take Caitlin her banana "out of the peel with no bruises". Um, high maintenance?

A Quick Update...

The kids are finally healthy again! They had a fun weekend with Aunt Bubbles and Uncle John while mommy & daddy enjoyed some much needed quiet time together. We LOVE our kids to pieces but realize in our "alone time" that we need that time away to stay connected, in love, and upon returning, we are a stronger parental unit for Austin and Caitlin. Good to remember...

Austin has been OBSESSED with watching "Cars". Oh my gosh...as soon as the credits roll, he wants more! He watches it in the basement while shooting hoops...as if he'd give that up! Caitlin is big on "Angelina Ballerina"...she loves the parts with the real ballerinas and asks if she will do/wear whatever they are doing/wearing.

Today Austin had the mother of all tantrums. It was not good. Luckily after about 35 minutes, he snapped out of it and we went on with our day. We went to Meijer and the kids each picked out a toy for Ethan's 1st birthday. His party is on Saturday...the main source of excitement for A & C? The cake! They've already decided that Caitlin will give Austin her frosting because he loves that part and she loves "only the cake". Then the kids & I napped for about an hour and a half. (Mommy was tired from attending her 5:30a.m. bootcamp...Thank goodness it's back to 9:15 starting Thursday! I am NOT a morning person!!!) Once we were fully awake, we made homemade chocolate chip cookies and brownies (from a box...don't get too impressed!). They love to cook. They are hoping to also make peanut butter cookies but we'll probably save that for another day.

Okay, I suppose I should cook dinner. Ryan is working late, so tonight is "Kids' Choice". They get to tell me what they want to eat because I'm not cooking a full meal. They LOVE nights when it's their choice. Later taters! :)

EW!

Well, the kids have had some sort of bug this week...This is somewhat graphic, but soooooo worth retelling. Austin got on the potty the other night and in the silence we heard a gigantic "whooshing" poop. Then we hear Austin exclaim, "Jeepuhhrs" (jeepers)! Oh my gosh, it was one of the most hilarious things I've ever heard! Then the poor guy got freaked out that he had diarrhea and started crying. :( Last night Caitlin was up all night puking . She was a champ though. She always made it to the potty, did her business, flushed, swished and spit, and went right back to sleep. I felt so terrible for her...that is not a great feeling as a parent. I just wanted to make her better. She threw up once this morning but otherwise has been fine all day. Both kiddos took super long naps today...Austin logged about 3.25 hours and Caitlin about 4 hours. I am praying (selfishly) that they will be fine by tomorrow so Ryan and I can not be worried the whole time we're gone.

I am sooooo excited to be surprising Ry with this getaway. Our actual anniversary was awesome though...we had a great family dinner. The kids kept telling us "Happy Anniversary" and thanking us for letting them come to our anniversary. They also kept asking if they were married to each other! Funny! Can't believe we are already at the 9 year mark!

We are getting all ready to start another school year...the kids return to school the last week of August and Austin's speech at the "big school" also begins that week. Pre-school Tuesday & Thursday, speech Monday and Wednesday. At least we'll always have a 3 day weekend! :) Grammas & Grampas...mark your calendars! Grandparent's Day will be celebrated at their preschool this year! You are invited for a presentation, snack, and craft on Tuesday, Sept. 15th! We will be sending out more formal invitations soon!

Okay, I have to make dinner now...hopefully the kids will eat a little bit tonight...

9 YEARS!!!

We try to pretty much keep this blog about the kids, but I wanted to just wish my wife a happy 9th anniversary! Time has flown in 9 years, that is for sure.

We don't really have any grand plans for tonight. I think we are going to hit a favorite little mexican restaurant that we like by the house. The kids are excited because they get to "come to our anniversary!"

Kim has something up her sleeve for this weekend. I know that she planned it months ago and it involves she and I going somewhere. Aunt Bubs is going to watch the kids, so they are psyched about that. We haven't had 3 days without the kids since they were about 6 months old, I don't think. I know that Kim has probably come up with something great, but I don't know what it is, and I don't really like that!

I guess that I will have to come up with something for our 10th next year!