First Day of 2nd Grade....Done!

Well, summer is over (sniff, sniff). I used to hear moms say they couldn't wait for summer and I always thought that was strange...it's not like we moms are the ones going to school. But...now I understand. No early mornings, no homework, no struggle to get to bed "on time". We had a GREAT summer with lots of trips to Kings Island, a vacation to Chicago, great time with my sister, brother and their families in from LA, several Reds games.

Yesterday was Brit's first day of 2nd grade. It is hard to believe she is in 2nd grade. Avery asked about her ALL DAY LONG! I think I see preschool in Avery's future!!! :)

Here is a picture of Britlyn with her new teacher, Mrs. Cole. She really likes her (whew)!

Bowling...Not Really My Thing!

My sister and her family are in town from LA! I love having them here...we only get to see them twice a year (sigh).

On Tuesday, we went bowling. As I left the bowling alley with a sore wrist, sore thumb, score of 55 and a sore ego, I decided that bowling will probably never be the way I make my living!

The kids had a great time though! I should have bowled on their lane...they had bumpers!

Here is a picture of my sister with Avery. Avery absolutely adores her.

We went to Kings Island on Wednesday. It was ridiculously hot, but we had a great time! That evening my parents watched all of the kids while we "adults" went back to ride the bigger rides. We rode the Beast and the Vortex, waited in line for 2 other rides only to find out they were "temporarily shut down". We decided we were all tired, so we got some Graeters Ice Cream (yum, yum) and headed home!!

Tonight we are headed to the Reds game and fireworks!!! Good times!

Just Breathe, Amy....Breathe!!!

I have a somewhat (ok...VERY) high maintenance 7 year old who likes a lot of one-on-one attention and doesn't play well on her own! (P.S. I love her to death!) Anyways, a few nights ago, some friends and I got together for a girls night out. One of my friends decided to give me some activities to do that will keep the girls occupied for hours!

She begins by telling me to take a cookie sheet and put some shaving cream on it and let them spread it around with their hands, blah, blah, blah! I quickly stopped her and told her my sister had given me the same "brilliant" idea a month or two ago and there was NO WAY I was going to deal with that mess.

After being told I was OCD and neurotic about cleanliness, I started thinking that maybe I was being ridiculous and needed to let them try this. So, I worked up my nerve yesterday and here you go...

Then, I got brave (or stupid) and decided to let them add food coloring for some fun!

Not sure that the food coloring was the best idea...Avery's hands and arms still look a little like the Incredible Hulk!

The girls LOVED it! I did OK. There were several times that I had to look away from the mess and tell myself to breathe!

When Matt came home from work to see the girls at the table having fun and me working in the kitchen and called me "Martha Stewart", I knew it was a success!!!

Britlyn's Big Day!!

Yesterday was a big day for our family! Britlyn got baptized at church. Our church does it a little differently in that they allow you to pick someone who has been instrumental in your spiritual life to baptize you (as long as they are saved and baptized as well). So, Matt got to baptize her! We are so proud of Britlyn!

Below is a video clip I took. Unfortunately, I turned the camera around at the beginning and for some reason I can't get it to show correctly...so you will have to tilt your head to the left to watch it!! (Hey, I never claimed to be a great photographer!)

I need a vacation...

...from my vacation!!!! We got back Thursday night from a week in Chicago with some of Matt's family! We had a great time! We didn't stop the whole time. Here is a quick rundown of some of the things we did...

On the way to Chicago, we stopped at Fair Oaks Farm. It is a HUGE dairy farm with 30,000 cows! The kids had fun rock climbing, "milking" cows, riding trains! We even saw a baby cow being born!!! Yep...watched the delivery. I think Matt was more nervous during this one than our own children!! Let's just say it was VERY graphic!

We spent some time with Matt's family who still lives in Chicago.

Enjoyed riding on public transportation (a first for me) including trains, buses, trolleys, and the El.

Went to the Taste of Chicago!

Visited the Shedd Aquarium (boring...wouldn't recommend it).

Went to the Children's Museum!

Took Britlyn to American Girl Place to buy her first doll and ate at the cafe!! This was sooooo much fun! Matt's mom and I took Britlyn alone and we loved it. Way too expensive for a doll and lunch, but worth it for the memories!

Went to the Lincoln Park Zoo!

Went to a Chicago Cubs game!!! Wow!! What an experience! I have never seen more dedicated fans...ever. They even played the Cincy Reds. I cheered for my Reds...but probably not as loudly as I would have at our place...I was WAY out numbered!

Went to the Museum of Science and Industry!

(Sorry no pics of the last few events. I forgot our camera charger and we had to buy disposable cameras. I haven't developed those yet)!

It's always great to be home but we had a wonderful time with our kids and Matt's family! I'm ready to go back!

My Little Green Machine

Green living is all the rage these days. Turn on the TV, the radio, open any magazine, walk into any store....that's ALL you hear about. To be brutally honest...I'm just not into it. "Learning to live in harmony with our natural environment"....don't really care. On the other hand, Britlyn has decided it is her job to be the "responsible" one in our family. A couple of months ago in school they talked about recycling. She came home and asked why we don't. I know...recycling...it's the most basic part of helping the environment. I know I should at least do that...we just don't. We did in Florida...we don't here. I told her I need to call the garbage company and get set up with the recycle bins and start doing it. She reminds me almost daily. When I throw away a water bottle...I get a disapproving look from her...and a reminder to call Rumpke. When we are in restaurants, she asks me if they recycle!!! I don't know...I don't care!!! Where did I get this "green" child...and what am I supposed to do with her!

P.S. Please, please don't comment or write to me to express your concern about my lack of concern for the environment. I know there are some basics that I should start...and I will...eventually. But don't expect me to ride my bike to the mall or buy cleaning products that don't have a good harsh bleach smell! It's not gonna happen!

I love Summer!

To my 2 faithful blog readers....sorry I haven't been blogging much. It is summer...and we have been busy! Until you have lived in a climate where 65 is considered cold and then moved back to a place where winter is 10 months out of the year (ok...I am exaggerating...a little), you don't REALLY learn to appreciate summer. Well, let me say...I appreciate summer!!

Brit's last day of school was May 29 and we have been busy ever since. Here is what we have been up to:





Brit got her ear's pierced. Several months ago she asked if she could. We told her if she finished the school year out strong...without any paper's returned to her from her teacher saying "Try Again" (that is a whole other post), she could get them done after the school year. So, she did it! She did a great job while they pierced her ears...no tears! The tears came a few days after when she woke up in the morning and one earring had fallen out during the night. The hole had already closed up. We took her back to the store and they had to poke it through again...without the gun. Not fun!


We have been going to Kings Island a lot. We have passes and the kids LOVE going!

We have been swimming in our newly installed pool in our backyard....









OK...so it's not much, but Avery loves it! And our neighbors have a pool that Brit gets to swim in all the time!

We have been to a few Cincinnati Red's games. Including one that had fireworks afterward. Of course, it had to go into extra innings (ugh) but we stayed and really enjoyed the fireworks! Definitely worth the wait!








We leave in 2 weeks for a week of vacation in Chicago with some of Matt's family! We can't wait!

That's all for now!