Summer Fun

This spring I was exhausted.  Growing a human is hard work.  I planned to blog more frequently over the summer to make up for my lapse.  But, here it is August and Erica is counting the hours before she begins kindergarten.  So, you get one gigantic blog about our summer.

Christmas in July

 Ethan and Erica were able to visit with Santa this summer at Holiday World.  They don't have their Christmas wish lists together just yet, but they were eager to let him know that they were being good.

 The spider makes me a little nausea just watching them, but they loved it.

Daddy sent Ethan and Erica down the water slide to me and then followed them down.

Bumper Boats!

Erica loved it.

Ethan had his tonsils and adenoids removed this summer.  I was expecting the worse, but he surprised me.  Ethers rested the first few days, took his medicine, and ate Popsicles like crazy.  His sisters supported by trying to match his Popsicle consumption.  Ellie also felt the need to come down with strep throat 3 days before Ethan's surgery.  She also had another bout with strep just before Ethan's follow-up appointment with the doctor.  Guess who also went to Ethan's doctor's appointment?  We have being saying little prayers and crossing our fingers for her.  Pop-O said he is skipping town if she has to have surgery. 

Erica began her kindergarten count-down.  My girl thought that she could go to school with Ethan and I after Christmas Break and Spring Break.  We finally convinced her that she had to wait until after she celebrated her birthday.  Well, June 17 she was ready for school.  She was really ready when her bookbag and lunch box were delivered.

Child labor . . . they were more than thrilled to wash my van and daddy's truck. 

 Daddy thinks I am messy cook.  I must be rubbing off on my girls. 

Homemade sugar cookies, mmmm!

Afternoons on B'maw's boat usually end with a nap.

10 year ago

Paul and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary this summer.  I remember that day like it was yesterday. I am looking forward to the many more years and memories that we will have.  I think we have had a pretty good honeymoon the last 10 years.

 C-18 Groupies

  Eleven beautiful babies

I love my summer date with my college roommates and our brood.  I think this is my favorite kid picture yet.

My dearest friends. . . we can laugh and cry and laugh until we cry.  I love our girls nights out.  They don't happen often enough, but when they do, they are priceless.

 Dale Hollow Lake

Daddy tested out the rope swing first.

Ethers was a little frightened his first go.  The fear was short-lived; we couldn't get him off of the rope swing.

My big kid!

Papaw and Ellie

Daddy tossed Erica super high.

My girls!

 Watch out Northwood, Here Comes Erica!

Erica couldn't wait to find out her kindergarten teacher.  She is in Mrs. Limbach's class with her pal Luke and Halle.

Touring the school

checking out her classroom

 Living up our last week of summer.

Ethan, Erica, and Ellie disguised themselves as Bumblebee at The Children's Museum.

digging for bones

my favorite dinosaurs

one fierce T-rex

wrestling 'gators

On to the zoo,

The newborn baby elephant . . . she is so sweet.

Daddy talked Erica into riding the roller coaster with him.

Ethan, hold on!

Not to be out-done, Buggies went for a ride.

We bumped into some pretty cute monkeys!

 It Must be Fall

I never thought I would cheer for Wabash College, but my Ethers is donning a white and red #53 jersey!



Round 4

Either, our doctor's office has better equipment or Paul & I are getting very good at "reading" ultrasounds.  We had our ultrasound this week.  The kids accompanied us to get a glimpse of their new sibling.  The baby looks healthy, thank goodness, and is measuring a little ahead of our due date.  But, that doesn't matter, I just know he/she will be late!

Ethan has named our new baby, Blue Thunder, after a monster truck.  He is hoping that we are blessed with a bundle of blue this time around.  Gammaw reminded him that her brother has six sisters!

Erica is not as certain to her preference.  Some days she wants a baby brother so that we will have two boys and two girls.  Other days she wants another sister.  Whatever our baby may be, Paul and I know that she will be a great "mommy".  She has had lots of practice with her cousins.  We joke that she will take over our duties. 

My Ellie!  When asked if she wanted a new brother or sister, she proclaimed that she wanted a new toy. I think she is in denial about no longer being the baby of the family.   Just the other day, we were snuggling on the couch and I felt the baby move.  I explained to Ellie that our baby kicked her.   Without missing a beat, Ellie smacked at my stomach and yelled,  "No kicking, not nice!"  In hindsight, I probably should have chosen different words.


Changing topics, Ethan had his tonsils and adenoids removed this morning.  Things are looking pretty good.  Six Popsicles and 2 rounds of meds and he is feeling all right.  I hate the feeling of utter helplessness as my baby boy was being wheeled back into the operating room.  Giraffe-E got to stay by his side and helped him through. 

Dig in and Have Some Fun

The kids and I decided to take advantage of our membership and head up to the Children's Museum.

She was pooped before we even made inside.  I was afraid she was going to miss all the excitement.  She woke up shortly after we arrived.  Ellie didn't want to miss the dinosaur dig.

My Beautiful Bugs geared up to dig for dinosaurs.

Erica was getting frustrated because she wasn't seeing much progress.

Ethan was such a good helper. 

He makes me so proud when taking care of his sisters.  Ethan really took the time to show Ellie how to do it, and then cheered her on for doing a great job.  I only wiped away a few tears.

Barbie time!

Can we go to the airplane yet?

Bugs was in awe.

Ethan would have raced this car all day long.

The main reason we went.  The girls told Ethan all about Bumblebee.  Ethan really wanted to see it for himself, and he wasn't disappointed.

The little things in life are the most important.  We enjoyed each moment of our day together, laughing and having fun.  Erica was so sweet.  She kept telling me, our baby will like this, we should come back when our baby comes . . . we will.

One Whole Hand

My Bear celebrated her fifth birthday and then some. 

Daddy had a great idea.  Just the three of us visited the American Girl Place in Chicago.  We had to search for the perfect girl, one that looked just like Erica.  The most important accessory:  glasses.  Erica selected her doll's glasses before she found just the right doll.  We then headed into the cafe for lunch.  Erica loved it!  Her new doll, Molly, even had a special place at our table.

I love them.

Birthday cake for the birthday girl.  I think we heard the waiters and waitresses sing "Happy Birthday" twelve times while we were eating, but Erica's version was the most special and most important.

That's a good day!

 But, it wasn't over yet!  Who could wish for a Rapunzel party and not have . . .

 floating lanterns!

(I was a little nervous about sending flaming paper into the air, and we like our neighbors. So, we, tied them down.) 

 She was so, so, so excited, if you can't tell.

 It was way past bedtime.

 The lanterns truly were magical.  I must say, we were very impressed.

Erica and her bestie, Bre.

Cakes by B'maw with an Ellie fingerprint in the icing.

The girls had fun making Pascal noise makers.

Happy Birthday Erica.  We are so excited for all the wonderful things that you will get to do and experience in your 5th year.  We love you so much.  Your dimples brighten the sunniest days.