How high can you count?

My baby is a genius.....ok, maybe not quite a genius, but she is one smart little cookie.

After a full day of outside activities, I was checking my email and facebook pages. All the while, Bella was showering, Gabby doing her homework and Gia sitting in the chair watching Dora and vegging out. We had just come home from an outdoor swim banquet for the girls swim club. It was at a local lake's public beach. The girls were dirt bombs. Jared and I were going to meet some friends for dinner and my in-laws were going to come put the kids to bed and stay with them. Gia was the dirtiest, so she was summons to the shower first. When I shot this video she was all clean and ready for bed.

At first she was unaware of me. Then about mid way she starts to talk to me. I know I am biased and all, but she is so stinking cute!

My little monkey starts preschool in 9 days. And for the record she just turn three in June, yep, she is a genius...

Love is in the Air ....

My cousin Ben tied the knot on Saturday. It was a fun family night out.  We saw lots of family members that we barely see anymore.

Gabby caught the bouquet.  She was so excited, Jared on the other hand, not to thrilled.


The girls had a blast, dancing the night away.


This is the grandma of the groom, she is also my moms sister, my aunt.  She is 75 years old.  She looks great, don't you think?


Me and the peanut. 


My dad and Gabby, during a slow song.


Jared and Bella, during the same song.


Grandma cutting a rug with the girls.


Perfect ending to a great night, chocolate cake for Gia, & white for me!

1st Day of School 2010

So a mothers summer wish finally came true....now the pitter, patter of feet are almost all back to school. (number 3 heads to for the 1st time in 3 weeks)  I am overjoyed and a tad bit sad .  The fighting and bickering has been a bit much the last 2 weeks, but the bedtime and homework battles are two things I am not quite ready to begin yet.

First Day of School Aug 18, 2010....

So here you have it...the 3rd grader who is not all that excited to be heading back to school.  My oh my how the time as gone, she use to be so happy on this day!

The Kindergartner who couldn't be more happy to be heading back to school. Not sure Ox Bow is ready for her.... And for the record she picked this outfit out herself even the hairstyle, bow and earings!

And the almost preschooler who is not sure if she more excited to have mom to herself or sad to be home all alone.

It was a rainy, cold start to the school year.  A chilly 64 degrees to start the day and a blistering 91 to end it.  All smiles while they waited at the new bus stop.

Cambridge's Crew of kids sure has gotten smaller.  

Because I am a bit sad by this moment, I decided to pull some photos from the past to remember how they have grown.

Gabby thru the years...
 Preschool round 2, I couldn't find round 1's picture.


Kindergarten, with the cute Mrs. Cripe, who is now Bella's teacher.



The first grader and her dad.



Hard to believe this was just last year. Look at the excitement!




Bella Boo's 1st day of Preschool ever.  She was 2 weeks shy of 3 years old. So small...


Year #2 of Preschool.  Bella and Matthew.  (he is actually 1 month older than her)



Year #3 Preschool.  The three musketeers, all headed to Kindergarten this year.


And last but not least....

The peanut and daddy year one.


And just last year...


The time really does fly by.....

Computer :( ....

Due to technical difficulties ... ie.... spam, memory issues and Picassa I am behind in bloggyland. Hoping to be back on my feet soon.

Check back for first day of school excitement...

Summer Trip...

July is family vacation month at our household.  This year hubby got an extra week, so we thought why not make a trip down south to our favorite slice of heaven?  No I am not talking Disney people, I am talking condo. 

I can't think of a better way to spend 9 days, then in my parents places in Florida.


This summer we invited my in-laws.  I have been married for 13 years, and this is only the 2nd trip we have ever taken together.  I thought it was time to let the grandparents spend some quality time with the kids.  All in all in was fine.  Not at all what I expected, but fine.



The worst parts of the trip was the drive down and the drive home.  20 hours is a long time for 7 people to be in a car.  Especially for the middle back ride, who was no other then me!

The drive down landed us in Cincinnati, where we went to the zoo and Kings Island.

The zoo was very disappointing but it was probably more to the fact that it was 99 degrees with a heat index of 106 than anything.  The animals were just as hot and grumpy as we were. 


Here is the petting zoo,  our children preferred to be on this side of the gate, especially Gia.  She hated the goats!



Bella loved this calf.  Not sure why but she just followed it around like it was her long lost friend.


My favorite of the day were the 2 elephants.  This was probably more because it was shaded and you could sit and rest while you watched. 

They were kind of cute, but Miss Grumpy pants, AKA Gabby, kind of ruined the fun with all her whining and complaining.  My mom swears Gabby acts just like a certain someone she knows.  I kind of hoped she was referring to Jared, but seeming since she didn't know him as a child, I can only guess it me!



Kings Island was definitely more fun and just our pace.  This was why I loved having Jared's parents with us.  It allowed everyone to split up and enjoy the park to the fullest.  The day started at 10 am when Jared and I took Gabby on some adult coasters.  The in-laws took the other two to kiddo-land where we split up for a few hours. 

The afternoon allowed all 7 of us to tour the park together.  Bella and Gia loved the snoopy characters.  Gabby showed her age by not evening give them a high five.  Oh are we getting close to the tween years! :(


This was a ride in kiddo-land that I didn't want to ride, but made a deal with Bella and lost.  Jared stayed back to take a few pictures. 

It was called Kite Eater.  It looked harmless, but I should have known better. 

What goes up, must fall down....


Needless to say Gia and I hated this. 

At 10 pm, yes we were still parking it, an amazing display of lights and fireworks hit the sky.

Let's keep in mind all these photos were taken by my newest love (iphone 4g)

Not to bad of photos, for a cell phone. 

At this point it was 10:15 pm .


Still about 88 degrees
.
Thank You Kings Island, you were a good start to vacation. 


The real vacation started for me once we hit my favorite spot.

Need I say more? 

Tuesday nigh took us to the Mall, where we were suppose to watch an outdoor movie, but rain stopped that.  Dinner at a Pub House.  Perfect family spot right? 

Bella and her Gramps as she kindly refers to him and the balloon character. 


If you watched my video from the last post, this is the still picture from the start of the boat ride on the Gulf of Mexico. I just love those little behinds.

We ♥ Franz and Jane from Michigan, it has been so much fun watching their kids grow and them now watching mine.  Jared and I meet them 13 years ago on our honeymoon.  They are both educators who would bring the kids to Florida for the summer.  Those kids are now in grad school and college and now Jared and I have the little ones.  Full circle we have come.  It is one of my favorite things about the condo.  The people.  We continue to meet amazing people year after year, it is like going home to see family.

On the last night, before the car journey home we walked across the street to watch the sunset. 

This was the path or the "gateway to the stars" as the kids like to call it. 

It leads to this....


Stunning isn't it?

The hubby with Gia!


Low tide, the kids wishing they could just go out to sea one more time. 


Takes my breath away just looking at it.  Someday, I am hoping to retire with my hubby/best friend and view this every night. 

My new motto on life after reading my friends blog is to "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

Vacation was not quite complete without one last stop.

Name that place? 

No vacation is complete without a trip to Royal Scoop....

Miss you already Florida...