10/7/11: Rufeners's Pumpkin Farm/SE Homecoming

Morgan's Preschool Class

Morgan's Preschool BFF Madyson.

We started our day with Morgan's preschool field trip to the pumpkin farm! I really underestimated how hot it would be outside. I also overestimated my ability to wrangle two children and the two enormous pumpkins they picked while simultaneously carrying a pumpkin of mine own in utero. Rylee wasn't exactly being cooperative on this trip as she wanted to go anywhere I didn't want her to go and she wasn't a fan of me carrying her anywhere. Damn stubborn child.

We got to watch them feed a baby calf and the kids got to feed the goats.  Well Morgan took the food in her hand and then promptly gave it to me to feed the goats. There was a slide that ended in a huge pile of corn kernels that both Rylee and Morgan really enjoyed.  I found a handful of those kernels in Rylee's diaper later. 

Finally, we took a hayride back to the corn maze and the pumpkin patch where the kids got to pick their own pumpkins. My girls must think I'm really buff because they picked two big ones for me to carry. The trip was successful in entertaining the girls and tiring out mommy!

That night we joined the Hunt family, Grandma Kathy, Kelly, and Mackenzie at the SE/Rootstown Homecoming football game. Morgan was very excited to see Julia and Katelynn. The Fox 8 chopper was even there and the girls had fun watching it take off from the baseball field. They all actually enjoyed the football game too! Afterwards we headed to Applebees with the Hunt family to end the day.

Just thinking about all of this makes me tired again.

2/18/11: Family Fun Fest

A few days ago, Rachel called and asked if we wanted to meet her and the girls at the Tallmadge Rec Center for Family Fun Fest. Aunt Mindy was in town and Morgan was dying to see Julia so we decided to go.  They had lots of things to do and they seemed to have fun doing it.  It was something different and let them burn off some energy before bed.

Here are the girls waiting in line for the bounce house:

Girls in the bounce house:

How cute are they!?!

One of the basketball courts had a petting zoo. There were turtles and a rabbit in this area.  They also had a huge bird, cockroaches (EW!), skunk (which coincidently it reeked of skunk outside in the parking lot), and a chinchilla.

Oh yah and a snake that Rachel got her picture with to freak Ed out..LOL.  Sick.

On another court they had face painting.  Morgan and Julia got pink and purple cats.  You can't see but Katelyn has a pink heart that was quickly smeared.

To cap off the night they got princess hats made out of balloons!

1/12/11: It's a belated Christmas Miracle

I've known Ed and Rachel for I would venture to say at least 20+ years.  Ed was even my 4th grade boyfriend. Yup, that's right people he even had his sister bring my mom a teddy bear one afternoon. (He then rudely demanded it back a few weeks later in the lunch line of all places.  That's another story for another time though) If you would have told me in HS that Ed and Rachel would be married with kids now there is no way I would have believed you. If you would have told me our kids would hang out and be friends?  I might have believed you but I wouldn't have imagined them being Ed AND Rachel's kids together. Lucky for us they did and they all happen to be around the same ages.

Morgan and Julia are BFFs. Hardcore. They entertain themselves by flipping over couches, speaking a language us parents don't understand, and bouncing their happy little faces off.  Katelyn and Rylee are basically along for the ride at this point but I'm sure one day they will be BFFs too.  Julia and Morgan were dying to see each other and today was the day. Rachel brought the girls over and they played all morning until reluctantly it was nap time.

The mircale I speak of is the picture above.  This was the first and only shot.  All 4 of them sat down, looked at the camera and said cheese.  Rachel and I were shocked.  If you have kids, you know what a difficult process picture taking can be.  

I'm really hoping that our kids will be friends for 20+ years like we all are. (Although someone needs to have a boy soon, because really? We have our hands full.)