2011 Heart Walk

This is the 3rd year we have done the American Heart Association Heart Walk. It was especially important to us this year as we have had many friends directly affected by heart disease in 2011. One of our friends lost her father this year, another lost his mother, and yet another has some heart complications himself. Not to mention my grandfather has had a few heart surgeries as well. This is exactly why we walk, to bring awareness and to support the American Heart Association.

Jeff was a team leader and he raised about $2,000. Way to go Jeff and thank you to all that supported us!

 Some of the crew walking

 The reason we walk

 Way to go Jeff!

 Hot Legs Luke and Carie

 Naomi walked the whole 3 mile route (well maybe she got on Jeff's shoulders the last 1/4 mile)... good job Naomi and didn't complain once!

 Jacie and Jay

Jacie, Naomi and Luke

Homework

The homework has already begun, she had a project due the first day of school :) It was a poster about herself:

Here is what it says since it is hard to read:

I am 5 years old.
My favorite color is blue.
My favorite animal is a parrot (she had trouble choosing between a parrot and a horse)
My favorite food is a peppermint patty (very nutritional)

A picture of her
A family picture of us from the fair (classy I know) but honestly it is the ONLY family photo we had.

Brazil is my favorite place (really, have you ever been? No...but since the movie Rio takes place there and it is all about birds, it must be a magical place)

When I grow up I want to be:
a zookeeper (she originally said, she just wanted to be a "normal" person- coming from this family that is an unattainable task)

My favorite thing to do is:
play the ipad (nice Naomi, you couldn't say something like doing crafts with my mom?...now I sound like a total slacker that lets the ipad babysit you)

If I had one wish, I would wish for:
the boomerang bird (from the angry birds game, she has the stuffed red, blue, black and yellow birds- she is Angry Birds crazy!)

First Day of Kindergarten

Naomi started her first day of school at High Point yesterday. She was very excited and her first day was great, we dropped her off and she was smiling ear to ear seeing all the kids coming into the school. We picked her up and she had to already see the school nurse with a big scraped knee from recess (she was playing tag with a "man" which was really a boy her age...). 

I was definitely sad after we left her classroom and most of the day...but what is important is that Naomi loved it. She is super pumped that Monday's lunch is french toast sticks...and she has gym, so as she says "it will be the best day ever".

 Naomi and her teacher- Ms. Eiler

Ride like the wind

We have been working with Naomi on riding her bike and it was pretty painful at first. She was more concerned with talking the whole time rather than concentrating on bike riding. She would talk to us and let us totally hold her up. Jeff definitely is more patient than me (in all areas of life), so I handed him the task of teaching her. She got the hang of it finally and it doesn't stop her from talking or ringing her bell. Here are a few phrases we heard while teaching her:

"I am not so confident at this"
"confidence (over and over, self talk)"
"Do not let go of me in these conditions!"
"I've only been riding for 4 days"
"I need help, I need help" over and over again

There were a bunch more, but we cannot remember all of them. You can hear a few of them on the videos below:


Talking to Manny Manwhich as she passes by- she never stops talking

She says she was showing off for some older girls in the neighborhood, she loves those affirmations- heck so do I!

Here she talks about how she has only been bike riding about 4 times...

On the Lake

Over the weekend one of Jeff's co workers invited us out to their parent's house on Lake Lorelei. It was nice to meet a lot of people he worked with. Ellis was great but he is at a tough age to be at a Lake all day and he thinks he is too cool for school and doesn't want to be held :) Makes for an interesting time for all. Oh and he hates sitting on grass...so there you have it. Naomi made some new friends and also went tubing for the first time. She LOVED it, I think she was a little nervous at first, then relaxed and could not stop smiling. She kept putting her thumb up which was the signal to go faster.  One of his co workers has a great camera and sent us some shots from the day.

 I think we have a party boy on our hands...don't break your mamas heart already!

What the heck am I doing?

Thumbs up, let's go faster!

birthdays, outings and such

We had a couple friends celebrate birthdays recently. Naomi had a blast at their parties. We were also able to take in a Columbus Crew game. Her soccer group was able to play on the field before the game and also make the tunnel the players ran through to start the game. Naomi had such a good time watching the game and blowing the vuvuzela. 

 

 The first birthday was Faith's and she turned 7...Happy Birthday Faith! She had a super fun party at magic mountain, and Naomi ran around like a mad woman.

 

Ellis and Phil, thankfully someone wants to hold this heavy guy most places we go...

 

 

 Happy Birthday Abigail, she is one of the cutest one year olds I know!

 

Reid. Naomi and Emily "helping" open Abby's presents

 

Ellis and Jason...Ellis would not leave him alone and wanted him to hold him

 

Naomi and Reid riding in the barbie jeep, I think at this point Naomi was telling Reid he had to steer this thing... even though she couldn't really do it herself :)

CREW GAME

 

Pre game photo

 

Naomi on the field before the game (yellow socks)

 

 

FUN IN THE SUN 

 

We also got to see Abby on her actual birthday to come play and swim!  

 

 Naomi and Emily

 

Ahh yeah, laid back...with my mind on my money and my money on my mind! 

soaking up summer

Naomi and Ellis were living large on grammie and haypee's yacht (aka pontoon boat) yesterday. It was a perfect day for a boat ride, sunny...slightly breezy-perfect! Sue called in an order for a pizza and breadsticks for the the kids and they got to eat dinner on the boat. What a life!

 I love this photo

Let that mullet blow in the wind baby!

 I don't think Grammie got a bite... someone made her feed him the entire time!

 Haypee fielding question number 104 from Naomi I am sure...

Another favorite shot- Haypee watching Ellis while Ellis watches the ducks

soul sisters

I think Naomi and Becky are soul sisters. They share November as their birthday month, they both have a love for horses, they are both creative, they both love Angry Birds, they are both intelligent and sincere... and they both are special to me!

We had a chance to finally get together for lunch and a swim on Monday. Naomi wanted to talk "shop" with Becky about all things angry birds...she also wanted to show Becky all her tricks in the pool- I think Becky "gets" her, so she likes that about her too!

anxiety...and freaking out

So I am sort of in denial about the whole kindergarten thing. Selfishly I want her to still be little and running around like a mad woman, not a little kid about to enter the school world. I know she is ready and she will do great, but all the anxiety I have is more about the time that has passed and it is killing me.

I have been conveniently ignoring it and when I face it straight on it makes me pretty sad. I have cried every year taking her to preschool and I have no doubt I will shed tears on her first day of kindergarten as well. I know everyone goes through it and it will all be fine, but it is how I am feeling and nothing anyone says will probably change that. I am going to miss having my little sidekick with me every day all day. I will still have plenty of time with her I realize this too, but I think I partly need her around to help me with Ellis (just kidding...sort of).

I hate looking back on time lost, or milestones reached and passed. I know once we get into a routine all will be normal and I can move on from my attempt to keep time standing still. It is ridiculous I realize, but I am really trying to enjoy our last "pre-kindergarten" days together, and try to get my mind right and just be excited for her. I truly love hanging out with Naomi (we have our moments for sure). It will be a great opportunity for Ellis and I to have some good one on one time, which I am looking forward to also. I want it all, I want Naomi to love school and have the best time, and I want to keep her little...and spend some one on one time with Ellis. Can I wave a wand and make time stand still?

I will look back on this one day and laugh at myself and how dramatic I am being about her going to kindergarten. Can you imagine what I am going to be like when she is headed off to college? I am going to need to be sedated.

Vegas girls' weekend

I am so thankful for my girls' weekend each year. I always look forward to it the second we all part :)
This year was in Vegas and it was HOT. We had a sweet suite and enjoyed some great company, great dinners, great pool time, and some fun gambling (I didn't lose our house which is good). Overall we get to catch up, be refreshed and escape from the endless requests, whining, fighting...and responsibilities of home. We get to sleep in, we get to eat meals uninterrupted, we get a BREAK.. The second we arrive we all miss our families and talk about them endlessly, and we smile and look at people with their babies, or kids- but we also are able to let go and enjoy ourselves.  I am already missing my girls and counting down the days to the next one :)

A big thank you to the husbands for holding it down while we were away, we appreciate it! (I also want to thank my in laws and my parents for watching them as well while I was gone, THANK YOU!)

 Megs and CP at dinner

 Trying to do a group photo, this is one of about 20 photos we took with the self timer. Obviously they were playing a joke on me and decided to make silly faces without my knowledge...that is cool girls,  because I look super cute in this one, just sayin'- jokes on you...

 Finally, THEY got their act together, and why do we look like we are behind a news desk? Coming to you live from Vegas!

Kel and Megs

 Cheryl and I... I don't remember a drum set being near us, but apparently there was, interesting... (this is Cheryl's photo I stole, she took with her fancy iphone that didn't get service half of the time, but who's counting?)

I had a great time ladies, thank you for being amazing friends, and for taking time away form your families to refuel! Can't wait until next year!

Ohio State Fair 2011

Another year, another fair... we love going to the fair. Naomi loves the rides and fair food, and we love watching how much fun she has.

Our yearly photo booth fair photo...getting hard to do with 4 people obviously (Naomi always picks the theme)

 The Butter Cow

 He finally succumbed to sleep, he hates sleeping in the stroller!

 Naomi and Jeff on the sky ride, I opted to keep Ellis with  me...remember I am trying to keep him ALIVE, this wiggle worm wasn't going on this yet.

 Annnnddd I am awake again!

We did actually see some animals at the fair...not all about fair food and rides :)