Fall Fun

With all the activities and school back in full swing our weeks are packed from Monday morning till Friday afternoon.  Once Saturday rolls around we get to slow down and relax, especially since the girls decided not to play soccer this year.  However, a few weekends back we decided not to relax and instead we went to the Cottleville Fire Station's Family Fun Day.  After many cool days it was unfortunate that the Fun Day fell on a day full of summer heat, but that didn't stop our "fun"!

While they have all had tours of fire trucks at school the kids enjoyed hanging out IN the truck.  Gavin didn't want to get out…at all!

While the line to meet Anna and Elsa wrapped around the station, there was no line to meet Batman.  (poor Batman)  Gavin thought it was pretty cool and showed off another "Gavin smile".

What would a family fun day be without head jerking, bouncy barrel rides!?  Ava, Gavin and Ashton tried them out while Ella and London decided to wait in line for horse rides.

By the time it was our turn for horse rides Gavin had had enough heat so Uncle Brad helped out and took Gavin back to his house nearby to cool off.  

Ella and Ava both enjoyed their ONE minute horse ride.

Ella's favorite part of fun day was probably the petting zoo.  Most of the animals were babies…she was in heaven.

Ava's favorite animal was this camel that kept "yelling" (for lack of a better word) at anyone who stood in front of him.  Ava was a little caught off guard when he turned his head and "yelled" at her too.  It was so strange, funny, but strange.

As most living things do it eventually warmed up to Ava :)

Ella preferred the soft, cuddly and quiet animals like this little bunny.

This one's out of order but before Gavin left and in the middle of playing numerous carnival type games, Batman must have gotten lonely so they called Superman to keep him company.  Again there was NO line so Gavin and Ella grabbed a quick pic.  Just like Dean Cain…right Courtney!?

After about 4 hours we were tired and hot, but the girls had one last thing we HAD to do before leaving…face painting!  Only had to wait in line for like an hour and a half!!!  Totally worth it for their new look.  Ava wanted a tiger...

and Ella wanted a rainbow butterfly.  The woman was really good as far as face painters go.

We spent pretty much the whole weekend out in St. Charles and at some point little Penny was visiting and Ava wanted to feed her.  I think she just wanted a picture of her feeding her because as soon as the picture was taken she said her arm was getting tired.  I was tired too…it had been a long but fun weekend.

The following Saturday morning Dan was trying to get some work done and lately, whatever Dan is doing that is what Gavin is doing.  Whether it's watching baseball games, seeding the yard, or working away on the computers, he's like Dan's shadow.  One day after watching the ball game Ava asked Gavin "did you watch the cardinals with Daddy?"  Gavin said, "yes Daddy likes baseball." Ava followed it up with "do you like baseball too?" and Gavin said "no me no like baseball, me watch baseball with Daddy, Daddy like baseball".  He just wants to be with Daddy, doesn't matter what they do.

We went back out to St. Charles later that day…I had a babysitting gig!  Chris and Courtney had plans so I got to spend some quality time with my children plus one sweet little baby girl…Penny.  I can't get enough of that little head of hair!!

We went back out yet again on Sunday for Brad's birthday and again come Monday I was already exhausted from the weekend!  With the girls both in school full time Gavin and I have had a lot of one on one time.  I was even able to sign him up for his own activity.  He started playing soccer on Wednesday mornings and it is quite entertaining!  It can be summed up by saying there are ten 2-3 year olds running around, rolling on the ground and getting a hundred drink breaks.

If not playing soccer or at school Gavin can be found outside riding in his new jeep or working with his tools.

As long as Gavin is busy he is a pretty sweet little boy, but God help us if he is bored or upset.  He will not stop whining, talking and asking for things until he is again occupied.

Energy is not a big enough word to describe what Gavin possesses.  He can run all day long up until  8-8:30pm then he starts to slow down and eventually he will say "me so tired Mom" before crashing in his bed.  One quick Gavin story…

So I took the kids to Steak n Shake for dinner after dance one night and as soon as we sit down Gavin always takes all the little stickers they give him and sticks them all over the front of his shirt.  At the end of the meal Gavin informs me he has to go potty.  We use the facilities and return to the table and for some reason Gavin will not get his hands out of his pants?  I tell him repeatedly to get his hands out of his pants and he is wincing in pain and says no.  So I put him in the booth next to me so he can just adjust in a semi-private place and be done with it (took 2 seconds).  Turns out one of those little stickers must have fallen off his shirt when we pulled his pants up and it got stuck to "him".  We got it off very quickly and discreetly, but then he started yelling "sticker on me penis" loudly and repeatedly!  The girls started laughing hysterically which only made it worse and as I repeatedly said "quiet Gavin, don't say that, you can't say that here, stop, shh, OK be quiet" he just keep shouting "sticker on me penis".   Ava and Ella continued to laugh saying "he doesn't know he can't say that and that is so inappropriate"! After what seemed like forever he finally stopped and either no one heard (doubtfully) or the elderly couples that surrounded us were just as mortified as I was!!!  My kids are normally pretty well behaved and quiet in a restaurant, but that was definitely NOT one of my prouder moments!! :(

Unfortunately, Gavin and I recently discovered a grocery store 'kind of' near our house that has miniature carts for kids to push around.  I say unfortunately because now when I have to run to the grocery store I have to pass three closer grocery stores to get to the "new grocery store", as Gavin calls it, only to have my ankles/feet hit continuously by a miniature cart!!

One other way Gavin and I have been passing time is by visiting the tractors that have been around our subdivision as they finish off the last few lots.  As much as he loves dancing and singing with his sisters he also loves everything traditionally associated with boys, the dirtier he can get the better. Although he will quickly come to me to be cleaned up if he gets too dirty or sticky. :)

Moving on...

It's done!!!  The process of remodeling our kitchen that I started last April is finally complete!  I started to repaint the house when I realized I hadn't taken a before picture of the kitchen so ignore the ladder and the paint being trimmed in, but here is the before...

and here is the after…..I love it and even though we didn't add any square footage, it seems bigger to me?  Even Ava who did not want me to change anything ( "I like the house the way it is") has told me she thinks it looks really good.  It was good to not be using my dining room as my kitchen anymore!

And finally I will leave you with a picture of the girls at the first of many Halloween parties this year.  They had not yet decided for sure what they wanted to be so Ella is towards the back in some Halloween clothes and Ava borrowed some dress up clothes and painted her face…not sure what she was trying to be?  The rest of the kids are from Ella's class at school.  Speaking of Ella, she has turned into quite a social butterfly.  Every time I walk into the school I have someone else (teachers, moms, classroom aids, the VICE PRINCIPAL) approach me about Ella….I've heard "Oh your Ella's Mom? she is such a sweet girl, she cracks me up!" and "oh Ella is yours?, she says the darnedest things!" and "Ella is just too much!" and "oh the things she says".  Not to mention the debate that went on amongst the fourth grade girls since so many of them wanted Ella as their "prayer partner".  How do the fourth grade girls even know Ella!?  And what is she saying at school to have everyone "cracking up"?  I have talked with her teacher to be sure Ella is behaving and was told she listens very well, follows the rules and tends to avoid any drama that may break out among her friends. As long as she knows when and when not to be socializing I guess it's OK, but I am a bit concerned for what type of socialite she will be in high school if she's already making a name for herself in kindergarten!!??