Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony

My boys.....

Addison the little princess pea.....

Brett congratulating Reagan on becoming a brownie...I have to tell ya....Brett said when it's his turn to be a Daisy (meaning old enough) he'd like to next be a banana, not a brownie. HA, HA!! He's a bit confused on a few levels there, but I am impressed that he chose a healthy snack over dessert!!! That boy keeps us laughing!!

My big kids....they really do like each other....really.

Here was the reward for behaving during the ceremony.....playing on the school playground.

Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony

Tonight we had Reagan's bridging ceremony where they go from being Daisy Girl Scouts to Brownies. Who would have thunk......they actually walked across a bridge!!! Too cute. She was so nervous (gets that way in front of crowds for some reason), but excited too. Here she is waiting for her name to be called and wearing her Daisy petals that she earned. She walked across the bridge, guided by a brownie and then was given her new brownie vest. She's pictured at the bottom with her leader, Ms Susan, whom she adores. Nice job Rea!

Chicago...continued

Us at Club Krem....Scott figured it was Russian....I'm thinking he was wrong......most of the crowd was Asian.

Clark and Kara dancin' crazy.

The group, minus John, who was, well, in the John, I guess.

Scott and his cousin's (some of them, he's got tons). John, Clark, Scott, Joe, Luke.

On Sat. Scott and I visited the Hershey store to get some goodies for the kids then walked all over God's green earth just lookin' around. I forgot my tennis shoes and got blisters...bad...it was worth it though. We ended up at the Navy Pier and wouldn't you know it was Marine Week....a girl can't escape it...I should figure that out. Naturally, Scott runs into a guy he new in Japan and a Col. he recognized from TBS in Virginia....seriously does he have to know someone every place we go??? I guess so. After our outing we went back to the hotel to get ready for Jersey Boys that evening. We stopped at Clark's house to have some pizza and then headed to the show. Jersey Boys was great....we LOVED it. They had a lot of hit songs...and I even knew them (I usually know nothing about songs, their titles, or the artist). After the show we met Scott's cousins at a club and drank way to much, a nice change for me....finally a vacation where I wasn't preggo!! We actually did ok, Kara, has a catering business and rents the kitchen space in the club we went to so we drank for free. Good times.

If you lead a horse to water....

...he'll drink like a fish if he's tired from carrying folks around Chicago!!! Scott and I went to Chicago for our 10th anniversary. Scott' folks came to our house to watch the kids. Grandma Vicki has been to the house a lot so I didn't worry even once about them. I told them they couldn't have given us a nicer gift than staying at our place with the four of them....I really meant it. We had a great trip we stayed downtown at the Congress Plaza Hotel, it's an old, historic hotel which I found amusing. On Friday night we went to a sketch comedy/improv show at The Second City. We had seen a show of theirs in Vegas in '02 so we knew we'd have a great time. Scott's cousin Clark lives in Chicago and lived nearby the show so he and his girlfriend (Kara) met us and were able to get tickets as well, which was great. It happened to be Clark's b-day that week and he was having a birthday celebration so 3 of his brother's came to town. Luke made it in on Friday night so he came to the show too. Afterwards we had a drink or two at a bar next door. The show was hilarious and I'd see it again 100 times if I could.
Here is a pic of me and Scott at the show. One of Scott, Luke and Clark and then the four of us at the bar afterwards. It was a nice time.

Brett, Brady, Addison

Brett and Brady enjoyed some time in the wagon last week. Addison was in napping, she's a sleeper. Brett asked if I could pull them around and then decided he wanted to pull Brady around by himself.

I plopped Addison on top of Brady to show reference of how big they are getting.....wasn't it just a short time ago that they both fit in this seat....they get so big so fast.

Rea and Babes

Reagan wanted a picture with each twin. Brady reminds us so much of Reagan. Addison is a spitting image of Brett. Here Brady and Addison are on the couch...it was a chilly morning so they got to put on their snugly sweaters that Grandma Debbie gave them. I've been sitting them close together and facing each other and it's been cute to watch them communicate. That's what they are doing in this last picture. Brady is talking and Addison seems less than impressed with what he has to say!!! Ha, ha!

Reagan behind the lens

Reagan wanted to man the camera on Sat. afternoon. Here are some of her shots....the Japanese Maple we planted last spring, a pretty decent pic of me, Scott, and Brett and then a silly pose, of course. She captured Brett enjoying a Popsicle too. I snapped one of the two of us as well. Nice job Rea.

Graduation

Well, I did it! Finally done with college. Yippy! I was done with classes in Oct. but decided I'd earned it so I better go to commencement. So, on Sat. we got up bright and early to drive to the ceremony in Fayette. Both mine and Scott's folks came, which was very nice. All went well, only one small mishap when I lost my honor cords in the wind somewhere along the way, but they gave me another set, luckily. I was certain someone just picked them up and put them around their neck and I was SOL. It all worked out and the kids were well behaved, which was a bonus for Scott and the grandparents. Thanks to everyone who supported me through my "college years" and had to listen to me bitch and complain about having homework to do!!!

Here's a picture of me with my parents and another of Scott's Mom managing both babes and a bottle!!! I can't wait to set this picture of Reagan out at her graduation one day!!! When we got back home the neighbors had written this message on our driveway w. sidewalk chaulk. They are pretty good to us, and we are thankful for that!

Brett and Emma

Brett played with Emma again on Wednesday before the rain came. The neighbor and I caught them under the umbrella....I wonder what was going on under there?

Fun night

Reagan's school had a fun night last week. It was fun with a side of crazy!! Each of the classrooms had an activity. She chose posing as a cheerleader, getting her nails done, and face painted. Here she is getting balloons painted on her cheek. Hopefully lots of mula was raised. I donated 5 cakes to the cause....and hope those that got them loved them!!

Mother's Day Tea

Here is Brett enjoying lunch at the tea with his classmates. I've included one of the songs Brett and his fellow preschoolers sang so sweetly. And a picture of Brett being a cheese ball when I asked him to take a picture with me. He made me a very nice picture frame too! Thanks Brett man!

Brett's play date

Brett had a play date with the neighbors grand daughter on Monday. Her name is Emma. She is also 3 1/2. Brett showed her how to cast the fishing pole so they practiced that for a bit then moved on to basketball, bubbles, the play set in the back, trikes and prince and princess. I'll let you guess who picked that one...hee, hee. Brett played right along though. It's fun to watch him play with someone is own age. I can really see what things he does that are SUCH 3 YR OLD behaviors. Super cute. They had a great day together and we'll play again soon. I think they'll have a standing date for Wednesdays when Emma is with her Grandma! Attached is a picture of them fishing over the fence...they needed shades of course!!

Fuzzi Bunz

Here's a picture of Addison and Brady showing off their new Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers. We're learning the limits on them but are happy with them so far. Scott's not so into it, but he's not changing to many diapers either. I've always wanted to try cloth but have always worked so it wouldn't work for us and I allowed myself to be talked out of them. Well, now that I'm home and I'm using twice the diapers I figured we could give them a try. I call them the cloth diapers for those who don't want to mess with cloth diapers. No soaking and all of that, just rinse and then wash and dry. We're using them on a part time basis...not at night and not on days we're out and about all day....perhaps someday we'll brave them 100%. I figure if I save Earth from 6-10 diapers a day that's pretty good. I'm happy about not buying so many disposable diapers as well!!! I know a few folks that use this brand as well and they like them so that helped sway my decision to give them a try.

In the picture I promise Brady's isn't too tight...he had just finished eating when I had them pose so he looks like a pot belly piggy...that boy loves to eat!!

Girl Scout Hike

Reagan's Daisy Scout troop went on an hour long hike the other night. She was a trooper and did great. She's been a tad bit afraid of bugs and bees lately (it's driving me insane to be honest) but she survived. There were lots of tick and poison ivy questions on the way home though...good grief.

The ducks are back

Our duck friends are back in town. I think female ducks lead a pampered lifestyle. They have two males that cater to them and dote over them. The male in these pictures is very protective of his girl.....she rests and he's the look out. Very cute.

We've been feeding the ducks each morning and put out fresh water for them. They are loving the neighborhood even more now since the neighbors put in a pond last fall.. After a dip in the little pond and the neighbors they come to our house to eat and then adventure to the other neighbors to sit under their flowering crab tree all day long. They are fun to watch...as long as I can keep Brett from chasing them...he's such a boy!

Our other bird friends are back too. We're having fun counting cardinals. This year a dove family built their nest under our porch, but it blew down in the heavy winds we had a few weeks ago. We were sad to see their eggs smashed on the patio. In there place a robin built her nest. Brett noticed that one of her blue eggs was on the patio. We think a pesky black bird is the culprit there. I noticed mama robin in her nest today so she didn't abandon it, which I'm glad for. My goodness....who needs soap operas when you have all this wildlife around to keep track of.

We've also got some very fat rabbits that are nibbling my hostas, but not nearly as much as they did last year.

Brady

I captured a cute picture of the Brady monster on Sunday. We had all been outside and the babes were tuckered out. Here's Brady napping in the swing after his time outside. He looked so handsome in his little hat. Addison was tuckered too and was snug in their bed upstairs.

Lemonade stand

...or leonade as the sign says!! Reagan and some of the neighborhood girls put together a roadside lemonade stand last weekend....super cute. Reagan has asked me at least a billion times when they can do it again. They had a great time and all of the neighbors were supportive local buyers which made the girls beam with excitement.

May Day

While my sis and her kiddo's were in town we tackled May Day basket assembly. Amanda brought the idea and the materials and we made some pretty cute cone baskets, if I do say so myself!! We're so stinkin' talented and creative it's sick!!! HA! The kids had fun delivering their baskets, but did want to abandon their efforts and leave the recipients wondering who made such beauts, so they hand delivered them....it works!