15 weeks...

Happy 2nd Birthday Ava!!

Today, we helped Ava celebrate her 2nd birthday. Zoe had fun playing with Poppa and Carson. I enjoyed the two delicious pieces of cake I had (I mean, I am eating for two, right?).

Too cute...

Zoe in curlers...

Free Cat to a Good Home!!

(Well, okay it doesn't have to be that great of home.) He has a great heart (okay, not really, he actually has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which will kill him someday, but, we already spent the thousands of dollars required to take him to specialists to discover this. Don't worry he only needs heart medicine - in pill form- twice a day - which he refuses to take). Otherwise, he is a perfectly loving cat (well, there is that time he attacked me on the stairs & I ending up breaking my toe, but that was a long time ago & I am sure somehow my fault.) He is litter-box trained (but he won't use it - I just cleaned up the stinkiest pooh ever - I mean, it actually woke me up at 4:30am - I am sure that there is something wrong with the two litter boxes we now have - we put an extra litter box in my bathroom - which I had to abandon because the smell bothers me now so much that now I share Zoe's bathroom.) He is very pretty with long orange/white hair (which isn't quite so pretty after it's been coughed up in a hairball that I stepped in in the kitchen on my way to get the floor cleaner for the pooh in the dining room - also at 4:30 in the morning - also very stinky!!) Anyway, like I said, free cat to ANY home!!

A "Great" Time

This evening, Zoe came in from swimming class and I asked her if she had fun. She said she had a great time. She let go of her bar-bell & the lifeguard had to jump in.

Hmmm...A great time when she had to be rescued by the lifeguard. This apparently also involved filling out some paperwork on Tony's part, as anytime a lifeguard gets wet they have to file an incident report. Apparently, I missed an exciting swim class...

Shannon & Emily Come & Visit

Shannon & Emily stayed with us Saturday - Tuesday. The girls had a great time playing together & we even went and saw the Veggie Tales movie: Pirates who don't do anything.

They are seen here wearing their new matching PJ's, enjoying some candy hearts that Kathy sent for them & getting ready to watch the mermaid Barbie movie.

Splash Universe

To "celebrate" MLK Jr. Day, we went to Splash Universe. Zoe had a great time!!

Salon Mère

This evening Zoe went to the exclusive Salon Mère to have her hair cut...

Not too bad for my 1st hair cut - plus the price was right...

Bluffton Christmas Parade

Waiting for the parade to start...brrrr!!

No parade is complete without a Buckeye "float" with an inflatable Brutus.

Santa & Mrs. Claus on the fire truck.

Cookie Day

Over 100 dozen cookies...

Go Bucks!!

Today, Ohio State defeated Michigan & Zoe apparently picked up a few things from the cheerleaders...

Tea Anyone...

Zoe decided to host a tea party today using her princess dixie cups. She is expecting 24 very skinny people (& yes, each cup has "tea" in it).

OSU-Illinois

Tony & I went to the disappointing Ohio State & Illinois football game today. It was cold & sad...darn that Juice Williams...

Zoe's New Dress

My mom made this cute dress for Zoe...

A little bit of drama...

This evening Tony & Zoe had a disagreement over a sweater.

At dinner, the conversation went like this:

Zoe: "Daddy hurt my feelings."

Me: "What did he do to hurt your feelings?"

Zoe: "He broke my heart."

Her 1st broken heart -- at only 3 1/2 -- over a sweater

Trick-or-Treat

Sleeping Beauty (with a Cinderella necklace & Tinkerbell wand)

Trick-or-Treating with 2 cool cats (Emma & Mary)

Zoe's & Her Loot
(you tend to get lots of candy when you just keep taking pieces when someone offers you the bowl - Zoe would take about four pieces instead of just one)

OSU-Penn St Game

Tony & Lew travelled to Penn St this weekend for the football game. Go Bucks!!

Halloween Ballet

At ballet this week, the girls dressed up in their Halloween costumes. (Apparently, Zoe's tights were a little small) Sorry for the bad camera work - I was laughing...

Halloween Tap

Carving Pumpkins

This evening while Uncle Ben was staying with us for a night, we picked pumpkins, carved & lit them.

Happy Birthday Emily!!

Uncle Tony also helped celebrate Emily's birthday this weekend.

Check out the cool mermaid cake...

OSU - MSU game

While in Columbus for recruiting, Tony just happened to attend the Ohio State - Michigan State game. Through a friend of Jason's, he was able to get a great seat...Go Bucks!!

Ford Recruiting

While recruiting for Ford at Ohio State, Tony & his group met, OSU president Gordon Gee.

"These are my new sisters!" (Zoe)

This morning, we went to Jungle Java so the girls could run around and have some fun. While I was signing in, Zoe told the person at the counter, "These are my new sisters." I just had to laugh. Zoe is having a great time with 2 little people to play with all of the time.

"These are very tasty!" (Shannon)

Sunday night, we made cupcakes to celebrate Shannon & Emily's visit. The girls each got to decorate 4 cupcakes (1 for each day they were here).

Happy Birthday Sarah & Emily!!

We celebrated Sarah & Emily's 5th birthdays this afternoon with lunch at Red Robin.

Poker Tournament

Congrats to Jason, who once again came in 2nd at the semi-annual poker tourney.

Senior Soccer Day

Saturday afternoon, we watched Matt's final home soccer game - also Senior Day (in a blistering 90 degree heat at noon - it was hot!!). Matt didn't see much action & since he's the goalkeeper, this is a good thing. They won 2-0 and we were all happy to return home to the air conditioning...

Happy 21st Amanda!!

Friday, we travelled to Stevensville, MI to help Amanda celebrate her 21st birthday. First stop was the Sandbar where Amanda had her 1st drink at midnight (bar time, of course). Then, we went down to a new casino in New Buffalo. Needless to say, we didn't home until almost 4am. Us old folks were pretty tired the next day...

Saturday evening, we went to Applebee's for dinner & then had cake during halftime of the Ohio State game...

Mission Accomplished

We are having a great time at Disney World (we have internet access for the next 23 hours...).

Sunday, Zoe met Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella & Belle in fell swoop. She gave them all hugs & showed them their picture on her shirt.

Zoe's 1st Roller Coaster

Today, Zoe rode Goofy's Barnstormer. She was so excited to ride a roller coaster. Daddy had rode one the day before and she REALLY wanted to ride. Luckily this on was just her size....

As you can see, she was all smiles going up the first hill, not so much the rest of the ride. What I failed to capture, was the hysterical crying that occurred once the ride had stopped. However, the next day, she said she wanted to ride again, so we did. And, it again ended with her crying...go figure.

I'm Not Tired...

Zoe spent an hour and a half in her room "napping" this afternoon. At 4:00pm she claimed, she had slept & wasn't tired anymore, so I let her come downstairs. This is her passed out on the couch about half an hour later...

A Un-Happy Tinkerbell

Sunday, my mom helped me finish Zoe's costumes for WDW (only 5 more days!!!)

As you can see, Zoe "LOVES" her Tinkerbell costume.

Not only is she missing a slipper, she is missing a foot!!
She liked the Cinderella one a little better (& even wore it later in the evening & of course managed to spill milk on it).

Mom also made Zoe this jumper for school.

Plymouth Orchard & Cider Mill

After lunch today, we went to the Plymouth Orchard & Cider Mill. It was a gorgeous day & we enjoyed our wagon ride to see the orchards. Zoe enjoyed "petting" the animals, but really wanted to collect some eggs from the chickens. Unfortunately, the line for apples, cider & donuts was insanely long, so we didn't get any of these (plus, Tony got us cider & donuts from here yesterday).

Happy Birthday Me!!

Today, I got to "sleep" in (it is a little hard to sleep with a 3 year old yelling, "Jump, Jump, Jumpiee". I guess Poppa thought if he whispered it would even out the noise level). We had lunch at Panera Bread, followed by cake & presents at home. Then, we watched the game (Ohio State looked great in the 2nd half). Since it was my birthday, Tony actually came with me to do a little clothes shopping, then we had dinner at Carabba's. All-in-all a good way to turn 32!!

I like the way the video starts with Zoe's finger in her nose...you would think the camera man might say something to her about it...

"Gazelle"

Today, while eating lunch, Zoe & I were watching TV. I told Zoe that we are going to watch on of Mommy's shows & she says she wants to watch "Gazelle". I tell her I have no idea what she is talking about. She says "Gazelle, the one where they take out the old stuff" Oh, do you mean "Designed to Sell"? "Yes, Mommy, Gazelle". Apparently we've watched this show together a few times. :)

Preschool Update

Well, apparently Zoe had a great time at preschool. Her teacher said she had no problems and acted as though she goes to preschool everyday...

When I asked Zoe what she did at preschool, she said "I don't know."

When I asked Zoe if she made any new friends, she said "Yes."
I asked what their names were and she said, "Sarah." (hmmm...a little curious, since this her cousins name, but maybe there was a Sarah in her class.)
"Who else?"
"Ashley" (This is also her cousins name, but there is an Ashley in her class)
"Anybody else"?
"Kayli" (Okay, 3 for 3, not new friends names...)

It's like pulling teeth getting anything out of her about school. Apparently this is something they learn quickly...

Zoe's 1st Day of Preschool

Zoe's "Traditional" 1st Day of School Breakfast

(powered donuts - her favorite)

Posing with her new Dora backpack which is bigger than she is (she told me it was getting heavy walking from the house to the car - all of about seven steps & all it contained was a change of clothes...)

A quick picture with Mommy...

Outside the school room with Daddy

Although not thrilled in this picture, Zoe did pretty well & shed no tears (at least while we were still there - I, on the hand, did not do so well...) She was much more okay with going this morning than she had been the past couple of days. I am sure she is having a great time...

Confucious Zoe...

Confucious Zoe say: "If you flush toliet 1...2...3...times, it will *overfloat*" - followed by "Mommy come quick!!"

Happy Birthday Kayli!!

While I was scrapbooking with Ann today, Zoe & Daddy went to Howell & celebrated Kayli's 10th birthday.

At the Dentist...

Zoe went to the dentist & had her teeth cleaned for the 1st time today. She did amazingly well & loves her new Dora toothbrush, Sponge-Bob toothpaste & bubble gum flavored floss.