Trains, Gingerbread, and Snow
We went to a faculty member's home for a holiday party and there were a zillion trains set up in the house - most of them kid-friendly for grandchildren. There was even a train in the basement that Cadie could ride! She was in heaven - best work party ever in her view. This prompted us to head to the downtown library on Saturday where there is a train set up for the holidays - we hit the library just in time for a train story time.


Last week we had playgroup over to make gingerbread houses (out of graham crackers). The houses were totally for the adults, the kids just wanted to sneak candies and then go back to playing.


We finally got some snow on the ground last week (lots more today). Cadie was so excited when she woke up - she wanted to make snow angels. I had been explaining the concept and we had been practicing on the carpet indoors so I couldn't let her down. We pulled on all of our snow gear to go roll around in the lightly dusted grass. Snow angels were ok, the snowman did not work out. But C was happy. There is supposed to be a few inches on the ground tomorrow morning, so I think we'll go for round two.

Turkey with the Eric(k)s
Turkey Trot time! I ran the 5-miler this year and finished fast enough to get a pumpkin pie (given to the first 1000 men and 1000 women finishers). Anything for pie!
Cadie ran the tot trot and unlike last year, she really enjoyed it (no sitting down in the middle of the road in tears as soon as the horn went off). She especially loved jumping in the puddles with Dad while waiting for mom to finish the race.


We headed to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving with Summer and Erik, friends from Brighton High. They had other friends over as well and that husband was also an Eric! Poor Gunnar (age 9) was the only male not named Eric and he had 6 little girls following him around. Eric T spent some quality time with him on the Nintendo 64.

We chopped down our Christmas tree at a local tree farm. Cadie loved a little tree a little too much and got a scraped face.
Luckily there was a farm cat to make things better.

This girl can not get enough of cats. Notice the kitty hat (with it's own sunglasses), and the hello kitty gloves. Unfortunately she, as well as both Eric and I, are allergic so she's stuck with boring old Molly-dog.
Carrying the final choice back to the car.

A Birthday Post
Kitty cat birthday party! Cadie turns 3!
There were strawberry mice:

Kitty cupcakes:

And lots of kittens:




With all eyes on her, Cadie refused to blow out the candles. We'll have to practice that one.

And someone, who will soon have her home toilet-papered, gave Cadie makeup (just you wait until W's b-day!).

Please, don't grow up any more sweet Cadie.

The Halloween Post
I spent some serious time preparing for Halloween this year and then didn't document much at all. Here is Cadie the dragon and Eric the black knight, "none shall pass."

We won the family costume contest at our community Halloween party! $25 in an account at the local credit union. AND a way cool plaque that Cadie has been carrying around:

Next year I'm sticking to store-bought outfits.
We had 256 goblins, ghouls, and cheerleaders (next-door neighbor's scientific count) show up for treats within the 2 hour designated "beggar's night". A little crazy but fun. I may post more pictures if I can scrounge any from friends who were more organized than myself.

As promised
I had a hard time getting this video to post - finally had to downsize it but hopefully you can tell which ballerina is Cadie (the one who wouldn't take her jacket off).

She is also taking tap lessons because a) her friend Kelsey is in the class, b) the shoes are really cool and make lots of noise, and c) it didn't cost anything extra! Ballet and Tap are back-to-back and it is a struggle to keep her in line for the full hour but Ms. Irene does a great job.

Camping: Wayne National Forest
We found an awesome campground near Burr Oak Reservoir and enjoyed a short stay in the Wayne National Forest. We cut the trip short due to forecast of heavy rain and cold temps but will be on the watch for a warm and dry weekend soon to make a repeat visit - anyone want to join us?

Cadie was so excited to sleep in her sleeping bag (thanks Micah!).

We woke up to lots of fog and chilly temps but before lunch it had burned off and we enjoyed a sunny day.

Molly dog at 11 years old is starting to slow down but she still had to try to fetch anything that was thrown in the water. Cadie soon figured out that even rocks would get Molly jumping around in the water and we finally had to separate the two of them for the health and safety of both.

Kitchen Remodel
Before:

After:


Don't look too closely at the paint job - but I'm pretty happy with what a few cans of spray paint can produce. [Buckeye coloring was not intentional - C wanted red and I wanted stainless, with granite countertops].

Ballet!
More of higher quality to come... I will definitely take a real video camera to the next class. Little girl ballet class has replaced the baby panda as my ideal of "adorable!"

Cincinnati
We spent the weekend in Cinci visiting my high school buds Summer and Erik and their 3 cute kids. First stop: Newport Aquarium (Newport, Kentucky! not to be confused with the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon).
The shark tanks were awesome but my favorite was a huge octopus that was getting fed and enjoying a head/body rub from an aquarium employee.

We all went to a Red's game Saturday night. The stadium was amazing and the fans were really feeling it. The kids and their dance moves were featured on the jumbotron so our evening was fufilled.

Block Party!
We have awesome neighbors. Every fall they close off the road for a block and have an all day party with kids running crazy and adults hanging out in front lawns and the middle of the road. There are about 20 houses involved. This year we even had a bounce house (five steps from our front porch -lucky us!).
I'm not sure what got crazier - the water ballon/silly string/shaving cream war that the older kids planned or the after-party "bar" on lawn of the house across the street from us (we could hear that one going well into the wee morning hours).

One neighbor, firefighter Jason, brought in a city fire truck for the kids to climb in and opened a hydrant to spray off the shaving-creamed kids.

Eric learned the ins and outs of "cornhole." (A midwest tradition that I am going to have to do a separate post about.)

And Cadie was content to be driven around by the cute boys.


It wouldn't be a block party without a pot-luck dinner and a pinata.

AWESOME!

End of Summer?
When C woke up from nap today it was 90 and humid so we headed to the pool. This is likely the last pool day as it closes on Monday. Boo Hoo. I'm getting excited about fall but wish the summer could last a little longer.

The neighborhood kids are back in school. We woke up on the first day of school and one of the neighbors had left back-to-school messages for all of the kids.

Yellowstone!
Highlights include:
Golf with Uncle Micah (staying in a cabin on a golf course),

Rockband with Grandma busting out Bon Jovi,

Hiking around the geysers and waiting for old faithful (nearly not faithful that day),

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, making our way down over 300 rickety stairs on the side of a cliff,

Splashing in the rivers - getting wet!,

Meeting and playing with Grandpa Ed and Grandma Rene,

Hanging with family,

And, of course, the wildlife.

Keeping Busy/Wet
With the hot and humid summer we have looked for new ways to have fun and stay cool. On many days this means heading to the pool, sometimes with a buddy (next door bff Kelsey).

Homestead park has a "toddler farm" area with spigots, showers, and a cow to milk. Cadie and playgroup girlfriends enjoyed the showers:

We've also found new fountains. Easton mall not only had these fountains but the zoo (did you know that Jack Hanna IS the Columbus zoo?) brings baby animals every Monday for kids to touch and see. We got to see a baby fox, alligator, armadillo, rabbit, tortoise, and flamingo. Kelsey and Cadie braving the shooting water:

Just because we are in Ohio doesn't mean we don't have beaches (hah). Alum Creek State Park is great (minus the goose poop). I need to get a life jacket on this kid though - she has become fearless in the water.

Tomorrow we are expecting a high of 94 with 80%+ humidity. If you haven't experienced this - it is basically the conditions of a steam room but with the addition of direct sunlight. Pool anyone?