Spring and Kite Flying

So we have been teased lately with some GREAT Spring weather and the kids could not wait to get outside and play and I couldn't wait to get some of that yard work started. One of the many things they wanted to do was kite flying. Oh what fun they did have! Isn't our six weeks up yet of winter? Spring where have you gone? We are ready for you, Spring!

Brownies and Cookies!!

Something that has been taking up a lot of time lately is Girl Scouts/Brownies. Last year Gretchen started and long story short, they leaders from last year stepped down and I along with my good friend Jen, stepped up to be co-leaders. We have went from 4 girls, 2 being our daughters to 13 girls and more interested for next year. We must be doing something right, right? We have collected food for food pantries, made blankets to donate to Children's Medical Center, caroled at an assisted living facility, made Build A Bears, had pizza parties, and earned a lot of badges, Try Its from our book and Fun badges. Some of us have enjoyed Cowgirl night at the Fairgrounds, slept (or tried to )at the Miami Valley Centre Mall and we are looking forward to our dance party, delivering our cookies that we got donated to Ronald McDonald House, marching in the parade, attending an local concert event, having our end of the year b-bque complete with getting presented with more earned badges. But before all that fun we have to finish our cookie sales including sitting at Walmart 2 more afternoons to hawk our cookies, at least it is supposed to be warmer than our last Walmart outside booth - FREEZING! But I have to say the girls make it all worth it and they are a lot of fun and it gives me an opportunity to connect with Gretchen even more and some of her friends. And when we give them the end of the year trip, thinking Jumpy's (an indoor inflatables), again they will have totally deserved it! There is only one problem, I think Jen and me will be running 2 troops before we know it, since Delaney and her daughter Emma love to take part in the big girls troop and can't wait to get their own group together, at least we have another full year before they start Kindergarten.

Preschool Visits the Library

Delaney is in a Preschool in the Miami East school district, same breaks that way as Gretchen, called Fletcher United Methodist Preschool. We put Delaney in this program at 3 because she was so shy! Needless to say she is always going to be more reserved than Gretchen, but is loving school, just like her big sis. They have had wonderful programs throughout the school year, including going to Fulton's for an Pumpkin Hayride, Grandparents Tea day with wonderful yummies, activities and just enjoying each others company, a cute Christmas program with cute little songs complete with a visit from Santa, but today we went to the newly renovated Piqua library to take in a puppet show and explore the new library. They once again had a great time and I was once again privleged to be able to go with Miss Janel (who we will miss next year as she is planning on retiring) and Miss Jeannie, who we see all the time because of her children being in the elementary with Gretchen. The picture is of my Delaney on the right and her good friend Delaney O. There is only 3 girls and 2 of them are named Delaney, how funny. Plus they take tumbling/gymnastics together too! Where does the time go?

Viking Fest 2009

So last year they started VikingFest at school, basically a school fundraiser/carnival complete with games, food, silent auction, stage entertainment and all. Gretchen entered the cake decorating last year and Jason his world famous cheesecake, bet some of you didn't know that about Mr. Jason huH? WEll needless to say they both took top honors - YEAH!! So this year it was off to defend their titles and Gretchen was decorating her cake (sorry can't find the pics but it was an butterfly) Jason making his cheesecake and he decided to enter the chili competition this year. I just stick with donating a cake or two for the cake walk. And then we went and enjoyed the festivities, including winning our Boonshoft membership at the Silent Auction, Gretchen doing stage entertainment with her tumbling/gymnastics (Delaney did not want any part of it), eating some lunch and just having a good family fun day. And then it was announcement of winners time, Gretchen did not take top honors this year, but one of our Girl Scout Friends did - way to go Savannah!! Jason is still the reining champ on cheesecakes, even beating out an older, known baker in the area and he was champ of the chili too - although he has been issued a challenge from last years chili champ it is head to head chili in 2010!! It should be exciting Shannon! Although they both are talking about throwing their hat in the Miami County fair ring competition this year. I have to laugh though because I had a Pampered Chef party the night before and he is calling me to see if I can pick some things up at the store on the way home since he changed his chili receipe. Now I don't want you to all get the wrong idea, he never cooks at home, just for things like this.

Happy Valentines Day!!

We typically don't do a lot for Valentine's Day, to be honest we usually try to go to dinner and we get the kids a little something. Of course, they were both excited for their school parties and their gifts from us, Webkinz. The local Elizabeth Township Community Center ETCC hosted a parent's night out PNO and we talked to the girls and some of Gretchen's friends were doing it, so off they went and we were able to have a nice long casual dinner. We got back to pick them up and they were telling us they could not wait until April when they could do it again, they had so much fun!! So another date night is scheduled that easy and for only $6 for 3 hours - what a deal! Then on Saturday Feb. 14 we went to our friends/cousins house the Tuckers and another 2 couples, both Wallings came and our friend Erica made all of us (9 adults and 9 kids, 1 due any day now) her famous baked spaghetti - YUMMY!! Then Missy and Buf made dessert, beatiful cakes they decorated in their cake decorating class, I was in charge of breads, garlic butter and dipping oil and Diantha was salad girl. So we had a wonderful dinner and off to an local hockey game, I know weird way to spend a Valentine's Day, but we had a fun family/friends night at only the cost of tixs for the game, which we were able to get cheaper because there was so many of us, pays to have that many of us for once LOL! And to think at one point my only stipulation was no hockey of any sort on Valentine's Day since I was dating an hockey player in high school, wow how going on 11 years of marriage to a non hockey player and 2 kids later you change, you are just happy to be going out!

100 Days of School

In First Grade they always make a big day out of the first 100 Days, so again after much changing of the days due to weather, welcome to Ohio and an country school system, they got to celebrate 100 Days. Gretchen was so excited to be-dazzle her shirt, which I promise there are 100 gems on the shirt although it doesn't look like it. This was her design and handy work, my oldest is all about the "bling" factor, that is why her and my secret sister Missy, who is surrounded by all boys, get along so well, LOL! And come to think of Missy and her men in her life, John, Noah, Jackson and Daniel got her the be-dazzler for Christmas, hilarious. I think Missy picked that out, or those boy cousins really know Gretchen well huh? And they also had to take something in a baggie with 100 of them, even those could not be just plain pom poms for crafts, they had to be the shimmering ones. And to many more days of fun and learning!

Happy Groundhog's Day!

So Delaney and me braved the cold to watch Ivy the resident groundhog at Boonshoft and her "job shadowing" buddy Ned come out to see what the prediction of winter was, of course, 6 more weeks, like always in Ohio right? We had never done this before, it is a big production there, complete with refreshment and Channel 2 and this is all FREE!! Then we went inside and took in the rest that Boonshoft has to offer, including specials like make your own birdfeeder on this particular day. Needless to say we had a blast and Delaney could not wait to tell her sister and dad what fun she had, of course, Gretchen wasn't quite as impressed since she was at school and missed out, so we promised we would go back to Boonshoft real soon. Maybe on Spring Break we will try it again and maybe even dad can go is there hope and Delaney already said she is wearing her light up shoes because the otters love them. We bought an family membership last year and have fully enjoyed our time spent at Boonshoft, plus you get discounts to other family places, such as zoo's, COSI and this is all over the United States, take a look, it is so worth it and a great way to spend a day. Our membership is expired now, but we already knew we were going to purchase another one and then we won one at the Vikingfest(school carnvial's) silent auction - yeah!!!