just like daddy

I guess this proves that Savannah is just like daddy.


If you can't tell I am mowing the grass and yes she is sleeping! She can sleep anywhere too

what a dud

Austin and Valerie were so excited today tracking for ups said the slide was being delivered today!! Oh, it came.

The dud part was...before the kids even got on it 2 of the rings kept deflating (each ring has its own port), then the kids got on and they couldn't slide they just sat there. I really thought that it stated it had a port to put a hose to run down the slide. They each pushed themselves down inch by inch.

First thing in the morning somebody is getting a phone call!

can you see the front tube...deflated

s
of course Valerie holding her nose
look how blue the water is...yea!

Savannah had to get in on the action

running bases

The curve have kids run bases night, it is usually weekends. This past Sunday was the first time we have gone on the weekend. Last year Rob took Austin around the bases, but this year Austin wanted to do it all on his own. How freaked out was I!!

So the plan was Rob would take him to the beginning gate which is right across from 1st base and I would stand at the ending gate at base 3. Rob and Austin went to stand in line so early they were in front of the line...that is until Austin had to go pee!! You know Rob was not happy, Pap and I had to talk him down, so he would get back in line with Austin, this time at the end of the line! All in all it went pretty well, he seemed to get in-golfed at one point but kept on trucking with the kids.

Valerie had the choice to go to a friends house or come with us, she chose the friends house! What can you expect right? Savannah was a trooper and stayed up the entire time.

click on the pictures to really see them

giving diesel dog high 5

first kid in line (yellow shirt)

in line between white and green sign

first step on the field by himself

Camp

Today we went to papa's camp. Everyone seemed to have fun. Austin couldn't wait to get in the river, Valerie brought a friend and they diapered for most of the day, in the river, and for walks. Savannah had fun in the water and playing with Gracie.

Here are just a few photo's of the day.

A picture of the turtle they caught

Gracie and Savannah

Savannah all tuckered out!

T-ball

Austin started T-ball last week at least practice anyway. His season is only 2 weeks (how fun). It went pretty well. We found out that we spent to much time on hitting and no time on throwing. So that has been the focus this week. He is having fun practicing. Valerie and Austin has been throwing the ball together this week.

I think daddy is enjoying it just as much. For the 2 practices that he has had, daddy has been helping with coaching.

Arts and Crafts

Since Valerie's been back she has been into "creating". Every night she makes bracelets (it brings back memories). She goes on line, finds one she wants to create and tries. Usually I have to help her figure it out but then off she goes.

This here is a gift she got for Christmas, that she used for the first time the other night. I meant to get a picture of her in the shirt, because she couldn't wait to wear it, but I forgot. I am sure she will be doing many more. It is basically stenciling a shirt with all products in a box. I do think she liked it.


she did add more to the shirt, she added 4 hearts 1 above each end of the bone"

No more vest

We have made great strides this year in the pool with Austin. We have lost the vest, for periods of time, he still uses it when he just wants to swim around and play with Valerie. He now goes under, which we couldn't get him to do last year. And now he is jumping of the side of the pool.

2 Days ago he finally jumped with his vest, then yesterday he was asking for he vest to jump but then he changed his mind and said "I don't need it" Then jumped. That's been all she wrote, he jumps every chance he gets.

Did you see Valerie, just hanging out? There are times she just want to hang out and you know, be a preteen, then there are moments our little Valerie is here. She is growing up so fast!

She is home

We are back from picking up Valerie. It was a busy but fun week.

We got to Nanny and Poppy's late on Sunday and Valerie was already there. On Monday we spent the day at the park with Maria, McKenzie and Morgan. It was a nice park they had a sprinkle system and a sand box. They kids all had a great time.

Later that night we Went to Beam and Poppy's were we played in the pool with Benjamin, Maddie, Nathan, Beam, Ben, and Tara. Poppy had to work. The kids were so tired they slept until 9-930 the next day.

Tuesday was a relaxing day with Nanny, playing at the house, and later Aunt Danielle and Mr James came over.

Before we went home we played at the park with Olivia.

The kids had a great time visiting and enjoyed spending time with everyone!

A few pictures from our trip.



Austin carrying water over to the sand


Austin and McKenzie carrying more water to the sand. They were making a pool in the sand for Savannah
Savannah with her legs in her little pool of water






We are back from picking up Valerie. It was a busy but fun week.

We got to Nanny and Poppy's late on Sunday and Valerie was already there. On Monday we spent the day at the park with Maria, McKenzie and Morgan. It was a nice park they had a sprinkle system and a sand box. They kids all had a great time.

Later that night we Went to Beam and Poppy's were we played in the pool with Benjamin, Maddie, Nathan, Beam, Ben, and Tara. Poppy had to work. The kids were so tired they slept until 9-930 the next day.

Tuesday was a relaxing day with Nanny, playing at the house, and later Aunt Danielle and Mr James came over.

Before we went home we played at the park with Olivia.

The kids had a great time visiting and enjoyed spending time with everyone!

A few pictures from our trip.

Standing

So last night right before bed Savannah stood on her own for at least 30 seconds. How exciting! I will have the camera at my side at all times now to try and catch it. Who knows maybe she will be walking sooner than 1 year!
Austin walked around 14 months and Valerie walked right before her 1st birthday Christmass eve.

We are in Downingtown right now picking up Valerie and doing some visiting, so that is all for us now, we will have pictures next week.

I just had to share!

Our new friend

I am so over all these outside creatures making our home their home.

So we now have a snake living right outside our front door! I think Austin thinks it is cool, however I do not!

Last year we had a snake get in the house, and I fear because it is so close to the front door that it too will find it's way in!

Do you see it?? Right under the container

To give you an idea where it is at. I am kind of embarrassed with all the stuff outside the front door. But what makes me feel better is I can tell you to click on the picture and see what is all there...Did you? 99% of it are all tools, so it wasn't me! Daddy has promised after school this week to take care of it. He will be done for the summer session on Wednesday. He is so excited to have some time off.

Free concert

On the 3rd Thursday of every month starting in June Hollidaysburgh has free concerts in the diamond. So we thought we would take the kids and see what it was all about since Pap and Aunt Anita were going. You can bring lawn chairs, a cooler with whatever you want and hang out. The shops stay open late so you can get food or shop. It was nice.

This is something I really enjoyed. It reminded me of times when I was younger when my mom (Diane) would take us to do things like this. She use to always take us to listen to free music in the summer (at least I think she did, but if she didn't don't ruin the memory for me, even if she only did it one time...ok?).

I had fun dancing with the kids and they seem to have fun. Austin even made some friends. The kids were so tired the next day they both slept in. Savannah until 915 and Austin until 930.



I only posted this picture because all of Hollidaysburgh already saw me in it...did you ever leave the house in an outfit and think that you look ok and then you see pictures of your self and you ask "why didn't somebody tell me that the outfit was not so good on you???"

Having so much fun

1st Movie

I am not a big movie fan. They are really loud, cold, the seats are not comfortable and it is pricey. But I have been wanting to take Austin to his first movie. I took Valerie to her 1st movie when she was this age to see Finding Nemo and it was a great experience so I wanted to do it with Austin.

So I told him the next rainy day we had we would go see Shrek. That just happened to be Wednesday. Boy was it a rainy day, it rained all day non stop.

Since Aunt Mel was in town she went with us. Which I didn't realize until after, that the entire experience might have been completely different. Taking a 3 year old and a 10 month old to the movies was not quite as easy as I anticipated it would be. Don't get me wrong everyone was really good, but Savannah didn't want to sit for 93 mins.

I was able to take very few photo's to capture the experience:

It was 3d, I think Aunt Mel got the most enjoyment out of the 3d

Week in review

We sure did a lot this week, I felt like we were on the go all week.

On Tuesday Aunt Mel came to town. We were taking her to the Mega Bus on Wednesday in State College for her trip to New York. So anyway since she was in town we went to a Curve game Tuesday night. Pap was nice enough to get us tickets (Thanks Pap). It was a good time, the kids even lasted to the end of the game. I can't remember what time it ended, but it didn't start until 7p. Bed time is 8p, so they did really well.

I was going to post the entire week in this one post, but I think I will post one for each event.

So cute!

Eating chili cheese fries , well kinda. She would suck everything off and then put the frie back

This is a sign to show high restrictions for the steamer moon bounce. They were making fun of me, because technically if I wanted to I would be allowed to ride.

This is something new this year, even though he missed this one, He did hit many of them. The cone has air shooting up, holding the ball in mid air, while the kids tried to hit it with the bat.

Here is a picture of the moon bounce, maybe I will try to jump once this year just to see if they let me in.

EXCITING WEEK

This is an exciting week here in the Ickes house....as of this time next week we will be back to the Ickes/Huch house!!!

We leave Sunday to pick Valerie up!!!! We all could not be happier, especially Austin. He asks everyday...is sissy's school over...why sissy's school not over...can we get her now...is it Sunday yet?

So Today Austin and I are making a count down calendar that he can cross off the days until we leave to get sissy.

I wonder if she knows how much that little guy just adores her and has missed her??

We can't wait to have her back, I know there will be some adjustments but I have missed having my baby (I know she is far from that now, but she will always be my baby) around! I know that I will be tested over the next couple of years but we will both be better for it.

Love and Miss you Valerie. We are glad you decided to come home to us.

just as we guessed

The pool is opened in record time! We took the cover off last Monday, by Friday it was blue but cloudy. By Saturday it was crystal clear. Looks like the new filter was the fix.

Austin was in once as Savannah (she loved it just as much as the other kids). Last week it was really warm/hot and sunny. But as you guessed it is cold, cold doesn't even begin to explain it. It was a low of 46 last night and tomorrow it is calling for 68. Austin is so bummed! As am I.

Lets hope it gets warmer out to enjoy the nice looking pool.

Memorial weekend

Isn't she just too cute!

Memorial weekend was a busy one here. Granny and Grammpy took Austin for the weekend, and we ended up their Monday for a pick-nick and to pick him up.

We had 2 parties on Saturday, one on Sunday and then one on Monday. I also worked over the weekend. so busy, but fun.

I do think that Granny and Grammpy's was the most interesting. Grammpy's son came over and a long with him he brought some things he has been working on learning. A unicycle, balls and something else he was using for juggling. It was like having our own little circus. Granny was the only one who tried the unicycle, but daddy and Aunt Mel tried to Juggle.

Later Grammpy, Austin and Dane played baseball.

He was playing so nice, well until the end he just got tired and didn't want to share anymore

doesn't daddy look good?

Having fun hiding in the bushes

Stephen on the unicycle

last day of school

Austin has finished his first year of school and the thing he is most excited about is going to see the dentist. The dentist only sees Austin's age on Thursday mornings, since he has school I told him we had to wait until school is over.

He also asked for a water slide for the pool, we told him he could have one for passing. It is just a blow up one that is safe for our size pool. Can't wait to see him on it.

Last week they had a carnival to celebrate the end of the year. Of course I didn't take the camera, but it was really cute to see him interact with all his little buddy's at school.