Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Apple Valley, Ohio

We have lived in Ohio for over three years and we had no idea that a quaint community like Apple Valley existed. One of Mark's attendings, Dr. Kaye, let us use his lake house and boat for the weekend.



We've got the kids



Mark has his Coke



and we are ready to go!







Brian loved every minute of tubing!



So did Mackenzie!



Then it was Nathan's turn. He was so excited to go on his first tubing ride! Little did he know



that he was too close to the front of the tube. When the boat started, his weight on the front of the tube pulled it down into the water and he went right in. Mark stopped the boat and dove into the water to help Nathan. They swam back together and Daddy was his hero!







Although Nathan had had enough fun tubing, Brian and Mackenzie still wanted to do it again.



A moment to pause and then





back in the water again!





Brian found a mother duck and her babies.



This little spot was just the right size for Hadley's carseat. She enjoyed the boat ride and started crying whenever the boat stopped. She was only a little over three months old and was on her way to being an experienced boater.





We can't seem to go anywhere without trying to catch some little critter. This unlucky victim was a bullfrog. Last week it was a snake. We have already had 20 pets in the last year alone and now we only have 5. We decided the best place for the bullfrog was with his family in Apple Valley. (For all the animal rights activists: no animals were harmed during the taking of these pictures.)





Tired, but not ready to call it a day...







Brian, Mackenzie, and Nathan all said that their favorite part was playing pirates on the inner tube.





We'd like to say that Hadley had just as much fun as the rest of us...maybe next time sweetie!



After playing so much throughout the day, they didn't seem to mind sleeping on the hard floor. We don't even think that they noticed.

Fair Days! Fair Days!


This is a shot a friend of mine took of the kids at the Franklin County Fair. Another one of those moments when I should have brought my camera but I am glad that someone else did. Mark met us there after work and the kids couldn't get enough of going down the slide on potato sacks. It was such a fun evening!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Snapshots of Our Sweet Little Hadley










Summer Swimming Lessons at the New Hilliard Pool

The kids took swimming lessons at the Hilliard City Pool again this summer. Adam and Logan joined them in the lessons. It was so fun to have friends take lessons with us. This was Nathan's first year in swimming lessons and the teachers were able to keep him focused from time to time on learning to swim when he wasn't running off to get the noodles or jumping in and out of the pool. He has always worn a life jacket up until now. So the first time he got in he acted as though he had one one and went right under the water. He couldn't figure out why he did not pop right back up again and sat under the water for a while. If it had been anyone other than Nathan I would have been worried. When he came up out of the water I could tell he thought that was the coolest thing. He had to do it again and again. Mackenzie really wanted a girl teacher (at this age everything is about pink, princesses, and all things girl) and luckily there was one available after I asked around. Brian just jumped right in and didn't look back. He was focused and ready to sharpen skills. The three of them loved the whole week!









3 Kids + 5 Balls + 1 Trampoline = Hours of Fun!