The Fighter's

We have a walker!  11 months and proud of it - she is everywhere these days...so we had to go buy her some shoes.  She picked them out herself.  Olivia is having a ball chasing around her older sisters!!  And she keeps my running - that's for sure!!

Today was Kate's turn!  She was SOOOOO excited to go to school...grinning from ear to ear all morning.  Before we left, she proclaimed very matter of factly..."I'm gonna raise my hand and "wisten" (aka listen) to my teachers and be nice and share with other kids."  Can you tell we've been prepping her on behavior at school?  :-)  She was so proud to be going to school...walking around with her chin up all morning.  I loved it. Grandpa was nice enough to take Ava & Olivia so Doug and I could have a special first day of school drop off with Kate. She walked straight in, shyly said hello to her teachers, hung her book bag up in the cubby and went straight into playing. I didn't think I'd feel this way but had a hard time leaving her today and had to fight back some tears. If only I could have been a fly on the wall to watch her on her first day. My little peanut...going to preschool! We picked her up...still grinning from ear to ear. Her teach

Ava could hardly stand the excitement Sunday night - she was wound up, slap happy, over the top hyper...excited to start preschool back up the next day!  I used to get SO excited for the first day of school...nothing better than fall around the corner, school shopping with Mom, the smell and sound of school buses (I know...I'm weird), crisp dewy mornings, fresh crayons, smiling teachers refreshed after summer breaks, football games, seeing old friends, sweatshirts, sharp number two pencils (repeat...I'm weird)...I used to love, love, love back to school! And it's fun to see her experience the same sentiment (hopefully it lasts).     She had a great day...playing, coloring, singing songs and seeing old friends.  All smiles when we dropped her off...and all smiles when we picked her up!  Her teachers are amazing (same as last year).  The type you wish you could take with you throughout your child's whole school career!  Katelyn had a bit of a rough morning...her and A

Katelyn has such a vivid imagination.  Always walking around making up stories, singing songs, pretending she's a princess or mommy...or my latest favorite...a cowboy.  Today she emptied out one of her toy bins and walked around with it on her head for about a half hour.  She was talking in a strange voice, giggling the whole way.  She kept walking into things which made her laugh more. I kept asking her what she was doing or where she was, and after a while she finally took the bin off her head and said..."I'm a sheep in a cave mom".  Almost in a like "duh mom" tone!   Love the imagination!  And hope that she keeps it up:-) 

The girls and I planted a small garden - tomatoes, basil & jalapenos.  We've been getting jalapenos, lots of basil...but have been patiently waiting for tomatoes.  Finally...they were ready to pick!  The girls love running out to the plants each day to check and see if there are any to pick.  They get such a kick out of it, I think we'll be expanding "Fighter Farms" next year:-) 

I feel old tonight.  First...I walked into church today and two of the first people I saw were kids I babysat when they were 1 & 3.  I haven't seen them since...and now, all of a sudden...they are all grown up, have jobs, going to college, etc.  Am I really this old?  Really??? Then...last week...I played softball for the first time in 8 years and had a blast.  It made me feel like a young whippersnapper. Went back to play today...first time at bat, sprinting to first base, about 5 strides in...my quads tightened up into huge charlie horses....like nothing I'd ever felt before.  And it wasn't only one leg but both legs.  I tried to fight through and finish the sprint to first base...but my legs failed me!  Mind over matter did not work this time.  What the heck???!!!  I walked off the field (after being called out...BOO) and figured I just needed to stretch, chug water and go run around an empty field to warm my muscles up a bit more. I'd be ready for my nex

Since the girls don't have any brothers to squirt them with a hose...my 10 year old husband takes on the responsibility.  I guess it's good for them...toughens them up...right??  They loved it...even Ava who likes to put up a good front (see last pic):-)  Love the contemplation on Doug's face in the first picture... 

Ava conned Grampy into putting on a princess skirt.  And the wand and the sneakers add a nice touch.  Priceless if you ask me.  Especially the look on Ava's face...like...um...did I really con him in to this?  And is he really OK with taking a picture dressed like this???:-)

I have been a total slacker with my blog!  I'm going to work on playing catch up today!!  This summer has just been so busy...excuses, excuses!  To kick off my catch up effort...an update on the youngest in the group, and a quick picture of two of my favorite girls!! Olivia is getting more and more of a personality...she is as determined and stubborn as Ava...and as fearless and curious as Kate. Can't leave the girl alone.  She is trying to walk (took her first 2 steps a few weeks ago), and has worked her way up to 5 before falling down to crawl.  She is a happy, happy girl...charming people with her 2 toothed grin, obsessed with toilets, tackling her sisters and stealing their toys (remember...no fear)...and has learned to say "mama", "dada", "hi", "uh-oh" and "bye-bye".  She keeps us hopping that's for sure.  She also loves patty cake, playing peek-a-boo...and my favorite gesture of hers...she now is reaching up to be pi

We threw a backyard princess birthday bash for Kate's 3rd birthday!  Complete with some of her favorite friends & family, cupcakes, pizza, princess decorations, pin the cinderella in the window game, slip and slide, splash pool & lots of running around with friends.  The kids had an absolute blast and Kate felt so special...having all her friends over to her house to play!!  And...the kids were playing so well that the adults got to enjoy some adult time as well:-)  We have some great peeps up here and are thankful for every single one of them.  Happy Birthday Kate!!

For the record books... 3 scoops of baby formula into the coffee filter = better turn the morning around fast!

Kate turned 3 today!!!  I took the day off work and we celebrated with a "Girls Day Out"!  So much fun... So happy it's her big day... I love my girls.... Birthday picture with Patty...their favorite babysitter!! Off to McDonald's for breakfast!!  Unfortunately, Ava was under the weather, so we had to drop her off at home after we ate:-(  But it turned out to be some awesome alone time for me with Kate and reminded me that I need to do things like this with each girl once in a while.  Mommy/daughter time is good! Build a Bear!  This was so adorable.  One cute thing to note...after picking out her own bear, Katelyn looked up at me and sweetly said..."we have to pick one for Ava."  I love that she was thinking of her sister...so we built Ava one too. Katelyn had a ball..they made the birthday girl feel so special!! stuffing the bear... Giving her bear a heart...she had to warm it up, jump up and down, give it a kiss and hug it before she put it in the stuffe