The Climb

Every time I would hear "The Clmb" on the radio, I would get choked up as it reminded me of Mary. I took that inspiration and created Mary's Journey.

Fun at the Fair

We had a great day at the Great Darke County Fair. We endured the weather (brr!) and spent the day riding rides and playing games all the while scarfing enough fair food to choke a horse. By the time we left, we were tired, dirty and all had bellyaches....BUT IT WAS SO WORTH IT!!

No More Baby

I kissed my baby goodbye this morning and sent him off to school for the first time with Daddy. (Well, it was Pre-K, but it still counts!) John was pretty excited...until he got to school. Then he put on his bravest face and tried to choke back the tears. He held it together until it was time to say goodbye...the tears just rolled as he hugged Matt tight and said "I love you Daddy." John wasn't the only one fighting the urge to cry at that point.

I'm happy to report that he had a good day. He made new friends, he colored a picture of shapes and told me that he needed more apple juice in his lunch next time. I guess that means he survived. He's ready to tackle it again tomorrow.

First Day of School

With backpacks packed, and finally being able to wear their brand new shoes, the girls excitedly returned to school this morning. The rain outside prohibited me from being able to walk behind them snapping pictures like a complete goober as they were walking into the school, so I had to settle for the standard pose in our kitchen.

Here's Mary, off to tackle the third grade.

And Beth, ready to rule the school as a sixth grader.

Stay tuned...tomorrow John starts pre-K!

Beth's Birthdays in Pictures

Let's take a stroll through memory lane...

One

Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten

And as of yesterday, my baby is eleven. Just like that.

I'm almost afraid to blink. She grows up too fast.

Third Phase of Mobility

First phase; crawling

Second phase; walking

And now, John has a bike!

VACATION!!

We had yet another great vacation at the lake. Seriously, who wouldn't be able to relax when this is your view every day? We fished... We swam... We took boat rides... We played with our very good friends Sam & Dani from Minnesota... We went to the zoo...(Except for poor John who had a nasty tummy bug and had to stay back at the cabin with Grandma & Grandpa. Sad!) The kids even took turns cheating to beat Grandma at aggravation. (Oh yes, I have much to be proud of)

Thanks again to Grandma & Grandpa Trittschuh for being wonderful hosts and spending an exhausting week helping us wrangle the kids, enduring countless hours of kid TV programming, and having to sit in the garage for hours every single morning in the chilly air waiting for us all to wake up. (Grandpa is a VERY early riser....we, however, are not.) We love you....AND WE LOVE VACATION!