Aunt Carol this is for you!!!!!

We had a great day in l'burg today. We spent all day with Granny and Grandaddy. In the evening everyone else joined us and we went to the creek. Which by the way freaks John out. Yes you drive right into it in your car! I love it. It is so country. The kids had a great time and we didn't get home until 11:00. It was great just being with family and laughing and having fun.

I made the drive no problem. I feel great and that makes me very happy!

Aunt Carol, enjoy the pictures. We love and miss you and can't wait to see you soon!

Recital

Where do I begin. I am a very proud momma! Caroline was beautiful and did a great job. Dave is making fun of me because he said everyone could in the auditorium could hear me ooh and aah! She did awesome. We were joined by grandma, grandpa, doug, aunt mel, judy, riley, reed, lesley, mollie, gabe, and amelia. After recital we had cake at the house. Caroline was very excited all day!

This picture is one of my favorites!

We also had a baseball game this morning. Both kids hit great. Things were crazy today, but it was worth it. Caroline is very proud of herself. I will say they are both very tired and so are John and me.

Tomorrow is definitely going to be a day of rest.

Enjoy the pictures. We love and miss you all!

Quick update: I went to the public library tonight to see Anna Quindlen. Awesome speaker, novelist, journalist, columnist. I could not wait to come home and read something of hers. Of course we all know how I am about my books, but it was just a great experience. If you ever get the chance to hear her go! She is great. She is a 5x best seller, pullitzer price winner, woman of the year, and has written 2 childrens books.

You know how sometimes you are invited to do something and you think yeah I'll go, but your not really sure because you know nothing about what you are doing, but It just turns out to be a great time and interesting and just a great night. Those are the best.

Kid update: recital next saturday. Rehersal next thursday. Is mom stressed yes. Is Caroline stressed no! Only about not wearing panties. We can't wait to see all of you. Beware she is very excited about all of her visitors and about dancing on stage. It is wonderful to see such excitement on a childs face. (except when it is baseball all the time)-just kidding Nick I love it when you play ball all day no matter where we are. And when you slide down the hallway in your baseball pants bc you have to practice.

Early Mother's day gift was recieved today: New camera for momma potts. Whoo Hoo! Can't wait to play with it tomorrow. Thats all I got for 2 am. My brain may be working better tomorrow and I might edit this post you never know.

HOpefully will have some pics with the new camera.

Well derby is over. Thank goodness. It made for a fun pack long weekend. John was off thurs. and fri. We spent a lot of time together over the weekend and just hung out. It was very nice. Hope everyone else had a great weekend.

Have a busy week ahead of us with Mother's day this week and dance recital next week. I found this picture from last years recital and had to share again. This picture has been hanging in Caroline's room since last year, but I had not taken a minute to look at it. They both have changed so much, but still both so gorgeous. Can't wait to see her and Riley at this years recital.

Have a good week.

Derby in the ville!

Where do I begin. It is Derby time here!!!! Monday night we went to the bed races. Caroline was very in to it and Nick had his fingers in his ears thru the whole thing. They had their pic taken by the paper. Here is the link http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070501/DERBYFUN03/305010011 go to the second camera on the right side and it is picture 19. It wouldn't paste into the blog. We had to leave early because it was too loud for Nick. Tonight we went to what they call the parade preview. Caroline got to see the Derby princesses and all the balloons and some floats from Thurs. parade. We all had a great time. Tomorrow we will be going to John's office to watch the start of the great steamboat race.

This was Caroline's favorite bed.


The Geek squad was the best

they fell and then tried to carry

the bed and fell again. Very funny.

Other than derby activities there is alot of baseball, scrapbooking and water play going on.

Nick looks happy doesn't he?

I am working on 2 contest right now, plus samples for dee's. I will be glad when I get a little further and can breathe a little. Let me also say I am lovin' the jeans I cut off to make my own capris like donna downey. If you haven't checked out her blog you should.

The kids have been playing on the slip n slide. Nick finds a way to incorporate baseball into everything we do. Sometimes it drives me crazy, but I think it is good at the same time.

Caroline and I found these cool oil pastels made by crayola. We love using them.

I think that about wraps it up. Here are my favorite pics. Enjoy. Hope you have a great derby weekend.

I took these pictures in the middle of the night. I love the way he looks when he sleeps.

These are some pictures I took last night after the bed races. I love them. My babies are getting so grown up. But they take great pictures. Makes for some good scrapbooking.

This is Nick in his "magician get-up" tonight.

They got wands at the parade preview tonight.

That is a tennis ball in his hat to make it stand up.

Thunder over Louisville

don't they look cute!

The official kickoff of Derby was last night. The largest display of fireworks in North America. And yes we were there. MILLIONS of people come from all over to enjoy the air show during the day and then the fireworks at night.

Johh, Doug, Leslie, me, and all the kids loaded up the van and off we went. We parked at some friends lot and then walked 5 blocks to the Humana building where we got to sit in Johns office for the show. WE thought nick would really like them since he wouldn't be outside, but we were wrong. He wimpered through the whole show. Caroline thought it was the neatest thing ever seen. After the fireworks we hung out in John's office for a while to let the crowd die down, then headed out into it. We walked our 5 blocks back then sat in traffic for 1 hour & 1/2. Not as long as it took last time we went many, many years ago, but long enough with 4 children. at 12:30 am when we got all the kids to sleep John and I looked at each other and said "that's the reason we never go". It is just too much trouble to get in and out of town for the show. The fireworks are very pretty, but they broadcast it on tv. So next year we will be in front of tv with some popcorn and won't be dealing with the traffic.

Today we are just hanging out at home resting. John played golf this morning, the kids are out in the slip n slide, but not actually sliding. So I think a good day will be had by all.

Let me start by saying my kids are sooooooo funny. I laughed at them continuously today. So much has been going on since my last post. Lets start with Easter. We had a wonderful weekend and Happy Easter with family. The easter bunny visited the house and left Nick a batting helmet and CAroline a 2 gallon fish tank. They really enjoyed the egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpa's. We alse received the happy news that Chris and Beth are having a baby this fall.

This is Caroline's note to the easter bunny.

Yes she can write words now.

Since Easter John and I have been working around the house. We moved some furniture (Melanie you will be glad to hear we got those ugly cords off the wall in the bedroom) took up the carpet in the living room and today I painted the deck. After I complete a couple of outdoor projects I will be refinishing the living room floor.

We also had our first visit from Baby Reed, Riley and Aunt Mel. We had a great time. I got to feed Reed and change his diaper. The kids had a great time playing. I don't have any pictures bc I couldn't find my camera, but you can check mel's blog and look at them. Caroline was a little mom trying to take care of Reed. It was very cute. http://theuhlsfamily.blogspot.com/

I have discovered art journals which are really cool books that you get creative in with any medium. So Caroline and I have been trying to paint everyday. Our favorite are water colors. It is great bonding and just special time together. Nick is still obsessed with baseball. We went to a l'ville bats game last week with Mollie and Gabe. After Nick got over the fear of buddy bat and getting hit by a ball he had a great time. On our way out they both got buddy's autograph.

Ok, funny story from today. I told the kids to get old clothes on to help me paint and Nick came out in a new shirt. Caroline went in to help him and he came back out in this!!!!! Can you believe it. I laughed so hard forever. Why she picked this I will never know.

Here are a few of my favorite pics. Hope everyone is doing good.

{ A }: It's Friday.

{ A }: It's Friday. Thank you so much for your generosity. You are the best!

Oh my how time flies. Dance recital is just around the corner. Caroline received her costume today and it is sooooooo cute.

Here are a couple pictures from ball practice tonight. Both the kids did great. Sunday is our first game. We also got uniforms tonight. Enjoy!

Here are some pictures from the weekend. Friday was so nice outside we all wore shorts and were inspired to buy some new summer clothes at Target. Of course we had to come home and have a fashion shoot.

I worked this weekend during the spring open house. The card I designed was very popular and a success.

The kids had a scrimmage on Sat and both did very well. Nick hit a ball to the outfield fence, but it didn't go over. A homerun is his only goal right now. I don't think it will take him long to reach it. We are all looking forward to the season.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed the weather.

I tried to post this last night, but it wouldn't let me add pictures. Sorry I didn't get it until today. Enjoy.

Well it is 1:00 am and I am sitting outside because the house is so very hot even with the ac on. You hear lots of noises that can't be explained when your out here like this. Oh well just trying to cool off.

I have lots of pics and some crazy stories to go with them.

So lets get started.

This is the team cheer in the backyard

Here they are "bricking" the stepping stones with mud. Where they learned this I will never know.

This is Nick throwing the ball. He has learned how to pitch like the big boys do. When asked where he learned it he said "on tv watching the big boys" As the mom you are supposed to know these things.

This Caroline playing catch with John and Nick. She can throw as well as nick can. She is working on the catching thing. She is still a girly girl bc it doesn't hold her attention for long.

As I said no attention for bball. She took off to make a sand castle. Check out the dirty legs/

Our dog Sallie's name changes depending on what sport she is playing. Here she is baseball Sallie. She is trying to catch the ball before Nick gets it. Then she returns it to who ever throws it. The kids love it.

Just to make you laugh here is our stinky feet picture. Bet you can't guess whose feet are whose?

TO recap it was 78 here today and the kids played outside all day. They dug for worms and found several which she made a home for. I think they are already dead. When John got home the yard turned into "Ankee field" yes that should yankee field, but you just have to love Nick. And they played ball until it got dark.

That is it from here. Hope everyone is doing good. We send our love to you all.

PS DeeDee check out the pants Nick has on ...do they look familiar? Ha Ha