First Day of School

Well, we all made it through the morning and got them to school on time, despite Isaac asking for his covers back when I awoke him before 7 this morning. I can't believe my baby is in kindergarten and Ian is a first grader. I know they will learn so much and enjoy making new friends. And I did an admirable job of holding the tears at bay till I got back in the car...





I can't wait to hear their stories when I pick them up!

Saying Goodbye to Summer...

I asked the boys on Friday what we should do for our last "day off" together, and of course they picked going downtown to the Falls Park. We walked from the waterfall to the zoo playground (or more accurately, they "rolled" on heelys and a scooter), enjoyed a picnic lunch and some playground time, visited the Ice Cream Truck, and just soaked up being together.



Isaac got a little goofy with his helmet




They're just too cute!

Happy 38th Birthday, David!

My brother is one of the greatest men I know. And yes, I'm going to be mushy and sincere about this. He has the gift of being able to tackle a serious issue with strength and wisdom, efficiency and confidence. He's one of those guys that is just great at everything. And yet he also enjoys life to the fullest, whether it's playing hard with his boys, entertaining several nephews on his back or in his arms, travelling the world and sampling all sorts of cuisines, riding 100 miles on his bike to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research (before we knew how mom would benefit from that), or going down a slide on a sheet of waxed paper at 100 miles an hour! We've laughed, cried, and "gabbed" together so much in our years together. I'm blessed to call him my brother, and thankful that he is also my friend. I love you, David! (and I'm glad you survived your fall from the ladder the other night! Ouch! I notice you ran to the ER when all your engineering calculations failed you)

Sure Signs of a Successful Summer...

...an abundance of freckles on Ian's nose!

No Words Needed

Classic Isaac!

Wiggin' Out!

The boys just had to try on Grammy's wig. She's not wearing it much these days. I think she is beautiful with or without hair. She has a beauty that shines from the inside. I love you, Mom! Your character and strength are such a shining example to me.

36 years young

It was so special to be surrounded by my nuclear family on my birthday this year. We laughed a lot together, enjoyed a traditional dinner of Marion's Pizza, and had birthday cake at an amazing park with a huge slide built into the side of a hill. What a blast! Oh, my goodness, how we laughed! The kids zipped down even faster once Uncle Larry whipped out the waxed paper. Uncle Larry, Uncle David, and I were brave (or crazy) enough to try it out too. Hey, you're only young once (or at least, deluded into thinking you're young until the next morning!). My brother has some great pics on his photography site too.

Centerville Splash Park

3 adults + 5 kids under 10 + lots of cold water = one crazy, wet, and wild day!

We started off my birthday with a trip to Centerville's fun water park with Susan and her kiddos. The boys had a blast chasing each other through the fountains and having huge buckets of water dump on their heads. It was hot and sunny, but the water was cool and the nearby playground even cooler! What a great park. And free! Unfortunately, my accident prone Isaac ended the day by banging his head and losing a little blood, but fortunately it didn't require any stitches this time.

Pool Party!

Johnny, Andy, Ian and Isaac had a great time together at the pool on a hot Sunday afternoon. I think they even had some fun IN the water. What a cute bunch of fish. David and I got in on the fun with our own cannonball competition during the "adult" swim break (and I use the term "adult" loosely!)

Boonshoft Museum

This is one of our favorite places to visit in Ohio. It helps that our Greenville Zoo Membership gets us in for free! : ) They have so many fun hands-on things for the kids (and us big kids) to enjoy. The highlight is always the otter tank, and we enjoyed getting to see the planetarium show this time too. Thanks, David and Julie!

Goofy Guys--part II

It must run in the family!

Andy!

We got to spend lots of great time with my brother and his boys too this time around. I just love this picture of Andy. He's such a fun and funny little guy.

Walk a mile in my shoes...

Christopher!

Some day, he'll hate me for this, but hey--when you pose so perfectly in front of an aunt with the camera, can you really blame the photographer?

Christopher turned 10 while the boys were there. Where do the years go? I remember the excitement of being there for his birth. "It's a boy!"

Fun at Grammy and Grandpa Barton's

I drove up to retrieve my boys and we stayed an extra 6 days enjoying some much needed "family time". I'm so happy to see my parents in their lovely new home. The campus they live on is beautiful, complete with nice areas to walk, gorgeous old trees, and even a playground. Mom is doing well after successfully battling lymphoma and is sporting some new "peach fuzz" on her beautiful bald head. I'm so thankful for the love and support of my parents.