New Arrivals

On Sunday, we got to go have lunch at the Tobeys house. They recently brought home their 2 new additions to the family to join Aiden and Mia. Cole and Mia had a great time playing, and little Aiden tried to keep up! The girls Sophia and Ella are beautiful and doing great. One looks like Mia and the other like Aidan. We enjoyed getting to see them.

AWW..MONSTERS!

Cole is very into monsters, witches and ghosts, thanks to Scooby Doo. At our Science Center, they have a monsters exhibit going right now. Dan, Cole and I took a trip there Saturday to check it out. We went into the discovery room, where of course trains and cars were his favorite. Then we saw the DInosuar omnimax movie, and last the exhibit. We had a great time. They werent as monster-like as he would've preferred, but still cool.

Sickening

If you dont live in St. Louis, or watch the news, you may not know what I am speaking of. Heres the low down. On Monday morning, firefighter and police (not Dans dept, thank god) responded to a car fire. When the firetruck rolled up, the back step jumped off, ready to begin putting out the car fire. He then suddenly fell to the ground. Not knowing why he fell, a police man went to check, and fell also. It was then realized the two had been shot. A man lured the police and fire there just til kill them. He set his car on fire, rolled it in the street and called 911. He then baracaded himself inside and set his house on fire. His body has still not been found inside as of yet. THe firefighter was 22. He died on the scene. Two police were taken to the hospital. One in serious condition, one released!
It is so sad to think of the fireman so excited to jump off and begin doing what his job was.....to put out this mans car fire, and get shot by the guy whose car was on fire. Please pray for this young mans family!

6 Years and Counting

Tomorrow I have officially been married to Dan for 6 years. Although we have been together 11. WOw....it actually feels like a lot longer! ha! There is so much I could say about our marriage! Of course, its not perfect...there is no such thing...but I think we have endured a WHOLE lot in a short 6 years, that many marriages dont experience in 2o. I can say, that is when you find out what its like to stand with the one you love and help them get through the good and the bad. THe death of my father, cancer, and the birth of our son are just a few. We have come through it all so far. I know there will be more thrown our way, but I know now that we can survive it all. I knew I was marrying a best friend when I married Dan. OUr relationship began that way in high school.

I could have never imagined what an amazing husband and father Dan would be. We had Cole and I saw and still see daily I side I never knew exhisted. Not many kids get to stay home with Dad 3 or 4 days a week. I come home and they have gone somewhere fun, or made up a new game to show me. I am so blessed to have Dan and Cole.

I traveled for a week without Dan for the first time in many years last week. I missed him desperately and couldnt get out of the car fast enough to see him when we got home. Dan said some guys at work said, " I cant believe you worked overtime when your wife, dog and son are gone. We'd be out having a good time." Dan said he thought to himself, "Then your marriage must not be like mine."

So, on this day, I think back to Vegas where we got married with 83 of our closest friends and family, (and where Dans mom is now celebrating for us) and I am so thankful for our marriage!

A Day At the Gardens

Ethan, Blake and Cole!
Cole with a replica of me in the background.
Being eaten by a skeleton!
At the Koi pond.
Paw Paw and Cole walking back and forth in the Japanese Garden.

Ah...is there any place more peaceful in St. Louis that the Botanical Gardens? I think not! Cole and my father in law and I took a trip to the Gardens today before it got tooo hot! Cole had to jump out of the stroller each time we passed a fountain! We got to the Koi pond and he fed them 1 by 1. HIs paw paw thought that might take all day! It was gorgeous as always and we enjoyed the Nikki exhibit. We also ran into Rebecca with Ethan and Blake and her family. It was nice to see them also!

T Ball or Bust!

Waiting for a ball to land in his glove!
The one decent throw!
Nice at bat!
Cole and Isaak talking "shop".
Cole running the bases!

Oh my lord....how cute! Cole started T ball for the 1st time today! They are just learning the fundamentals, but its hysterical! They are learning to throw (which COle is terrible at), bat, and run the bases! Cole is pretty much just there to socialize! He got the hang of throwing if the coach was working with him. He is great at batting, and running the bases was like hearding wild pigs! He generally skips first base all together! But how cute!

A New School Year

Well, another year of teaching! SInce my district is on a cycle schedule, we had our first day of school today! Even after all these years, I still cannot sleep the night before and I am a nervous wreck for a week following! I am always so nervous that I will lack a connection with a child that is so needed to help them along! I made it through day 1 of what i call "boot camp." In kindergarten the first 2 weeks is really a boot camp in a nice talk way. You teach them EVERY routine you can think of and practice is over and over in hopes that it will set the expectation for the year! I have a very sweet group of kiddos this year! IT always reminds me when I see my old kids walk by and say, "I want you back" that I come here for that!

Poison in Madison Wisconsin

Maddy playing air guitar!

Mom, Mindy and I love Poison as most of you know! So when we planned the trip to Madison, my sister said they already had Poison tickets for that weekend. Well, what would make more sense then for us to get tickets also! My neices love Poison form listening to it from birth, so my sister told them it could be their first concert. I didnt have much of a choice since I know NO babysitters out of state! SO naturally, Cole needed to be broken in! He was definately the youngest and most popular fan at the concert! So popular that Big John from THe Rock of Love came over and talked to us and took a picture! I have to say though...its not often that I let my hair down and get wild....but it does happen yearly at the concert! DOnt panic.....I am going again in August on my birthday in St. Louis.....with out Cole!

Me, Mom and Mindy Together Again!

Cousins at Firemans Beach.
The 3 of us ready for Posion!

My mom, Cole, Hank and I loaded up and headed to Madison. I only got to visit with my sister for about a day when we stopped on our way to Minnesota, so it was so nice for the 3 of us and the kids to just relax and be together for 4 days!! We had a blast. We went to Maddy and Sophias baseball games, played at Firemans Beach and had water balloon fights, and best of all POISON! Thats another blog! Cole enjoyed riding bikes and go karts with the girls. We hated leaving her to come home. Love you Mindy!

THis is my my crazy sister pretending to meditate with water balloons. There were lots more....some not appropriate!

Annual Trip To 6 Flags

Cole with Scooby Doo
Kristy and Josh on the balloons.
Cole and Josh on the mini cliff hanger.
Cole and I ready to take on the Scooby Doo monsters!

Every year, teachers do a 6 Flags reading program at school. If the students read so many hours they get a ticket to 6 flags, as well as the teacher. I always add Coles name to the bottom of the list so he can go to! It makes 6 Flags much cheaper! This year, because gas pric es are so high and the economy is sooo bad, lots of people apparently didnt purchase season passes, so there were no lines! I was very proud of myself this year becuase I rode a roller coaster...and it was the brand new Evil Kinevil! Dan tricked me and told me is was bad, until I got on and he said, "THis is awseome!" I thought I was going to have a heart attack! I almost did on the Pirate SHip. I dont know what I was thinking. COle even rode it, and I was screaming for them to stop it, and he was smiling!

A Day at the Pool

Playin in the sand.
Here he comes!
Cole and Isaak in the pool.
Baby Tessa chillin in the shade!

A few weeks ago we go to spend the day with Heather, Jason, Isaak and Tessa at the pool. THe kids had a great time. They had bounce houses and slides set up. Cole and Isaak enjoyed the slide...which was a first for Isaak. They also attempted to make sand castles. Even after a 2 week vacation together, they were still excited to see each other!

4th of July

Cole and Josh waiting for the parade.
Breaking my shoulder so Cole can see!
Raeleigh waiting for the parade.
Sparklers!
Getting ready for the fireworks!

We started the day by going to the parade in our town. We went with the Whitesides and the Meyers. The kids had a great time. Cole always enjoys the bands with the big drums. He got candy and beads and was very excited. After nap time we lit a few fireworks in the driveway and went with Karl, Kristy and Josh to our towns firework display. Cole wanted to ride rides so bad at the carnival but it was insanely packed, so we had to tell him all the kiddie rides were broken except the Tea Cups becuase it had the shortest line. Once we rode them we found our spot to watch the fireworks. Happy 4th of July everyone!

Nainee Gets Ambushed

Cole waiting for his attack on Nainee
Mom jumping around the driveway.

On Thursday night my mom called and said she wanted to come spend the night with Cole and I since Dan was on duty. Wel, little did she know earlier in the day Cole and I discovered water balloons in the dollar bin at Target. So we filled them up and Cole waited so patiently for her to get here. When she drove up and got out of the car, he ambushed her with water balloons. It was hysterical to watch her hopping all over the driveway!

Dern that Hurt!

Well, since Cole will some day be in the X games or something...he took a header and prepared his head for all the trauma to come later. He is such a boy! He was racing his cars on the floor and the car stopped but he didnt! Poor baby!

Grants Farm

Waiting for the tram.
Feeding those crazy goats!
Joshy before the attack!
Harassing the donkey!

Well, since my time off work is beginning to really tick away....I feel like I should be taknig Cole a million places since I dont get the opportunity all the time. So Tuesday Kristy, Josh , Cole and I headed out to Grants Farm. It was SOOOOOOOOOOO crowded, but we waited it out. The boys had fun feeding the goats. Poor Josh got rammed by one and taken down!

A few more pics!

Me with my two bass!
Bye Bye Cabins! See ya next year!

Hiking to Father Bargass Cross!
Dan and I hiking Temperance!
Cole and I coming back down Temperance.
Getting ready to go down the Alpine SLide.
Us at Split ROck

Us at Devils Kettle
After a swim in 45 degree Lake Superior.
Cole and I on the bridge at Lutsen Resort
Dan and Cole fishing on the Poplar River
Getting ready to board the train.

Alright....I just couldnt help but post a few more...even though most of you saw all 250 snapfish pics! Ha! It was just so relaxing, and its not often you get that much time with your family!