Derby time....

It is that time of year again, Derby!! I love living here, especially around Derby time, everything gets spruced up; flowers planted, grass mowed, great weather (usually). We are not going to Derby (which is fine by me) but we do enjoy many of the events that revolve around it. This past week we went to the Derby Parade Preview at the Expo center, it was a great day to be inside since it was raining and the kids enjoyed seeing many of the floats that would be in the parade. Pegasus Float

Secretariat Float

Louie the Lightning Bug

Here is the group of kids that we went with, not a great picture...but it was the best one I got!

Abby in front of Ronald McDonald Float

Ooh, pretty....

I painted Abby's toenails and fingernails...so cute!

The Zoo...

We went to the zoo again today for a couple hours and had a great time! After the Zoo we met JB downtown at the Ronald McDonald House and got a tour of the beautiful facility they have for the families whose children are at Kosair Children's Hospital. It is a wonderful place and very welcoming, thankfully (and hopefully) we will never have to use the resources they provide, but what a great place!

Ooohh...Tigers!

This Gorilla had it's feet up against the window

I LOVE the zoo!

We went downtown to watch the air show for Thunder over Louisville! It was a great time and the kids (to my surprise) were awesome. It was a long day but well worth it, and the weather was great, mid sixties all day! A family picture

Aunt Jen & Uncle Steve came to town, Alex LOVES Aunt Jen, he even fell asleep while she was holding him...too cute!

Daddy and Alex watching the jets

Abby watching the jets, she wasn't scared at all

What fun....glow necklaces that were tied to a tree

Sean and Carrie...Happy Birthday Carrie!!

Yum...Sprite (a treat Alex does not normally get)


Yum...chips (another junk food the kids don't usually get)

The park....

Abby has to do everything Alex does, so here she is at 19 months on a "big" swing! No baby swings for her, she thinks she is 3 years old, and has accomplished anything she sets out to do that Alex does.

Pigtails...

So so so cute!!! I love that Abby's hair is getting long enough to put up into pigtails. She doesn't like having her hair messed with but she is starting to get used to is since her bangs are too long to just keep down, we always put it up in some sort of fashion.

Mommy to Mom....

Recently Alex has started calling me Mom (gosh, he is growing up too fast), so when this came through to my email I found it fitting to put on the blog....

Real Mothers:

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...

It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of a Mother:

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned .
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it .
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

Balloon Chaser...

We went to Mamaw and Papaw's house for dinner the other day and after dinner we went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather and saw lots of hot air balloons. We had our eyes set on one that looked like it might land near their house, and sure enough it did! Alex thought it was the coolest thing ever so we walked over to where it landed to check it out. The operator of the balloon was very nice and let us get up close to it and get our pictures in front of it and Alex got to sit on the basket. Abby hated it and every time they would shoot hot air into the balloon she got scared and would scream. I think she was a bit tired so that didn't help matters at all. After the balloon was all packed up Alex saw another one in the distance that he wanted to go see, but it was getting late and we had to get home for baths, maybe next time we visit we will see another one??

Mamaw and Alex

Papaw, Alex & Mamaw

Up close of Abby with her sad face and tears

Abby was much happier on the walk back to Mamaw and Papaw's house

Soccer...

Alex had his first soccer game and was excited the morning of, but when it came time to actually play the game he lost interest and ended up laying down on the field and told us he was tired. I think part of it was because he didn't understand the fundamentals of the game, which will come with time, but he was upset that there was only one ball, since in practice everyone has a ball to kick. I am sure with time he will figure it out and enjoy it, or at least I hope he does! Practice is 20 minutes before the game, Abby had to be right in the mix, she seemed to have a lot of interest in playing

Alex at practice kicking the ball. He is great at kicking the ball down the field, we just have to get him to do that during the game

Abby kicking the ball

This was DURING the game...I had to pick him up and carry him over to the blanket to get him off the field. I guess my expectations can't be too high for 3 year old soccer!

Look at Abby's curls...so cute!

Coloring on the driveway with sidewalk chalk, they both love it!

Messy spaghetti face!

Alex's favorite way to swing