Krazy Krouse Kids

Spring Things at School

2011-05-06T17:48:00.003-04:00

Today Tucker had a Mother's Day Tea at his school. He gave a me a planted flower in a pot that he decorated and a sweet card decorated with his fingerprints. We snacked on grapes, strawberries, and cookies of course. He was having a great time until he realized that once he finished eating with me he could go outside and play on the playground. Thankfully he posed for a picture before he had to go...definitely the sweetest boy around!

Caroline had a big day at school, too. It was Friends and Family Day and the kids performed in the Lower School Spring "Concert." Caroline's class sang about 5 songs. They did so well! Caroline was literally front and center and extremely focused. She kept her eyes on her music teacher and did every move exactly as she was supposed to. Finally, towards the end she smiled and had some fun. It was very cute and I was so proud of Caroline! She is the best little girl ever! (She is on the front row, third child from the left in the patchwork dress)

Oh Tuck!

2011-03-15T18:50:00.003-04:00

Tucker hasn't been the easiest child since he turned 3 a few months ago. I guess this is what people say about "the terrible 2's." I must have been spoiled because the 2's weren't so bad for Tucker...he was super sweet and loving! Maybe he just feels like a big boy now and challenges Caroline (and me) on everything. Here is a quick story of an situation that just occured.

I am sitting in the chair watching Tucker and Caroline watch a new Curious George. Tucker comes over and sits in my lap, gives me a sweet kiss and says "I'm gonna marry you Mommy." I said "what did you say Tuck?" He replied with excitement in his voice, "I'm gonna marry you Mommy!" I give him a kiss and snuggle with him as long as he will let me hold him. All the while, I am loving this moment and thinking about how he used to do things like this all the time...well, at least sit in my lap and snuggle. About two minutes later he gets fidgety and kicks me. I told him not to do it again. Sure enough, he does it again. So, I popped him on the foot. He cries (mostly fake and only because he was shocked that I did it) and runs to Caroline saying "Mommy hit me" and pulling the pity card. She buys it, hugs him and says "come here sweet boy" in the most pitiful voice you can imagine. The she says "I'm sorry Tucker. Sometimes Mommies and Daddies have to do that." This of course in the most rational, adult voice you can imagine.

This occurred in about a three minute span...imagine how many more of these little scenarios happen throughout our day...and you wonder why the blog isn't updated more often.

SNOW!

2011-02-06T21:24:00.006-05:00

Christmas 2010

2011-02-06T21:04:00.006-05:00

Tucker and Caroline had a very Merry Christmas! Santa brought lots of fun things. Caroline got the Candy Land game, art supplies, Barbies, makeup and much more. Tucker got a Spiderman fishing pole, Ironman mask, trucks, trains and his favorite a Speed Racer Mach 5! They seemed to really understand this year about Santa. They went to bed well because they knew Santa was watching them and first thing the next morning they checked to see if Santa had eaten the cookies we left out. They were so cute on Christmas morning showing each other what they got. I love to see them so full of joy!

Tucker and Makeup

2011-02-06T20:36:00.003-05:00

This is what happens when Tucker is left unattended for just a few minutes! He got into my makeup, specifically my mascara and smeared it all over his face. He also put mascara and lipstick all over my mirror...I was not very happy with him!

Boots

2010-12-06T19:09:00.003-05:00

Caroline has been found several times now in my closet trying on my shoes. So far, the black boots are her favorite. She tried to convince me to let her wear them to school today because they are so "fashiony." I wasn't so sure black heel boots would go over too well in Pre-K, or in any grade for that matter. She then told me that the boots were "so romantic." I'm not sure where she heard that word or what exactly she thinks it means. Once Tucker saw her in boots he also had to find a pair of shoes to put on. I'm not sure if he picked out my tennis shoes or if he was assigned them by Caroline. Anyway, here are a couple pictures of Sassy Pants and Spiderman.

Peter Parker.

2010-11-10T18:12:00.002-05:00

Tucker is still obsessed with Spiderman. The other day he put the Spiderman mask on and came running into Caroline's room. We were sitting on the floor playing and he jumped into my lap. I screamed and pretended to be scared and he said "Don't worry Mom, it's me Peter Parker" as he took off the mask. If you don't know, Peter Parker is the boy's name who then becomes Spiderman. So even when he is not Spiderman he still has to be Peter Parker. What's wrong with just being a sweet little boy sometimes?!?!

Do You Like My New Sweater?

2010-11-10T18:09:00.002-05:00

Me: Caroline, do you like my new sweater?

Caroline: Yes and it looks great with your hair....and your earrings and your shoes and your shirt....you look like a princess!

***I think she was being extra nice because she was trying to convince me to play the polka dot game (aka Twister) with her tonight.

Speed Racer and Strawberry Shortcake

2010-10-31T15:46:00.003-04:00

Last night we went to Trunk-or-Treat at Tucker's school. It was a huge event as it was open to the community. I had no idea it was going to be so big! Tucker saw the bounce house as we pulled up and said "Mom, is that my school?!?!?!" He was so excited! It was fun and well planned. There was a separate area for younger kids which was great since there were so many "older" kids there. Caroline and Tucker played some games, won some prizes and had a blast in the bounce house!

In the parking lot, church members set up trick-or-treating stations for the kids. When we first got there around 6pm, the line for the candy was ridiculously long. There was no way we were going to make the kids stand in line just to get free candy. By the time we were ready to leave around 7:30 there was no line...it was perfect! The kids got a little bit of candy and were happy!

This has been a fun Halloween weekend for the kids. They really got into it this year and said "trick-or-treat" without prompting and we even heard a few "thank yous." Although it was a little easier this year, I still miss the days at Sewanee when we could go around with all our friends. We knew everyone's house that we went to for candy. Trick-or-treating in the Woodlands was the best. My favorite part was dinner at the Carson's house and sitting by the fire pit outside while the kids sorted through and ate their candy. I knew I'd miss it, and I do.

Mom, Tucker and Caroline looking for candy!

The bounce house!

Caroline and Tucker waited patiently in line for the slide and fun house.

Speed Racer and Strawberry Shortcake trying to hug for a picture.

Caroline hopped over 3 pumpkins for a prize!

Tucker and Caroline in the bounce area for the younger kids.

Speed Racer could hardly see because of his hat...yet, he refused to take it off!!!

Football and Fire Truck

2010-10-31T15:37:00.002-04:00

On Saturday the kiddos went with Daddy to the Hampden-Sydney football game. But, before they could go, Caroline had to put on her new cheerleader outfit. She was so excited!!! It was a chilly day so we insisted that she wear a shirt and pants under the outfit. She complied, but was not happy about it. She also had a pink H-SC hat. Tucker got a new H-SC t-shirt and hat. The t-shirt got dirty seconds after putting it on so Tuck proudly wore his new hat. When the kids got tired of the football game, they made a trip to see the fire truck. Lucky for them, they were allowed to sit in the truck and also try on the helmet! Now that's a good day!

Class Picture

2010-10-31T15:24:00.003-04:00

This is a picture of the Pre-K classes at Fuqua. Caroline's teacher e-mailed all the parents a copy. Caroline is on the front row, second from the left. She was Strawberry Shortcake, red hair and all. It was really cute!

After school on Friday we went downtown for the Halloween parade. It was fun. The kids were more excited about seeing their friends and the other 5 million people dressed up rather than going from store to store to get candy. They got some candy, but thankfully that didn't seem to be a priority.

Apple Juice, Please

2010-10-26T22:13:00.001-04:00

"Your sweet Caroline wants some apple juice."

This is how Caroline informed me that she was thirsty.

"My Mom Was a Little Bit Angry"

2010-10-26T19:41:00.005-04:00

It was a quiet Sunday evening. Caroline was playing so nicely and doing her "projects." I was very impressed with how well she was using the scissors. She was making letters and snakes and all kinds of creative things with her "little scissors" and construction paper. It was going all too well.

Before long, she leaves the room and then comes back in with a smile on her face. She was pointing to her hair. I said "Caroline, what did you do" knowing exactly what she had done. "Well I just cut my hair" she said. I asked her why she cut her hair. "Well, it was just getting in my face." Ok, well maybe if she would let me brush it or put a bow in it we wouldn't have that problem.

Huge blonde chunks were missing from the front and side of her hair. It looked like a really bad attempt at bangs. Not cool. After all, it has only taken the better part of her life to get all her hair even. I was not happy, but I was thankful that school pictures had already been taken and I do acknowledge that it could have been worse.

I asked her what her teacher said about her haircut when I picked her up from school the next day. She said "Well, Mrs. Frank, Mrs. Tyree and Mrs. Johnson didn't really like it." I said "Oh really...did you tell them who cut your hair?" Caroline then said "Well I told them that my hair was in my face and I just had to cut it and my Mom was a little bit angry." At least she picked up on the fact that indeed, I was a little bit angry.

Here is a picture of the new hair cut. She did not want me to take a picture as she is now embarrassed and doesn't want to talk about it. She even asked me last night when she was going to get longer hair. Believe it or not, I calmly explained that when you cut your hair it doesn't get longer. Let's just hope Tucker doesn't get any ideas and try to rid himself of some blonde curls...

Progress Report

2010-10-24T15:04:00.002-04:00

Caroline got her first "report card" last week. There were no grades of course, but her teacher did have a lot of nice things to say about Caroline. I thought I'd share her comments as this might be as good as it gets!!!

Caroline is a very sweet little girl who has adjusted well to our program. She is doing extremely well and enjoys all classroom activities. Caroline sits and listens at circle time and has made many friends other than Aubrie. Caroline is a bright and a very independent little girl. Caroline is a sweetheart and a joy to have in class. I look forward to seeing her smile each morning.

Yep, it's real....I didn't make this up!

Halloween...Not Yet!

2010-10-23T17:20:00.003-04:00

No, it's not Halloween yet, but the kids spent all afternoon in costume. And no, they will not be a firefighter, ballerina, or Spiderman for Halloween. This is just a typical Saturday afternoon with the Krouse kids.

Smile Tuck!

2010-10-23T17:07:00.002-04:00

On Friday we had a special treat in Tucker's class. We celebrated Fall by having a little party at snack. The kids had apple slices with caramel dip and sugar cookies with icing. The kids loved it! I was able to get decent pictures of all the other kids. Then it was Tucker's turn to smile for the camera. The following pictures are the best I got from him...(He should have been smiling all day since I let him wear his Batman shirt to school!)

Feeding the Animals

2010-10-23T16:39:00.002-04:00

This week after school we met up with Courtney, Hayden and Hunter. They were feeding the horses and goats for their neighbors and invited us to come along. Tucker had no fear and climbed right up the gate to be eye to eye with the horses. At one point he even kissed the horse but unfortunately my camera was not ready. Caroline enjoyed playing with Hayden as we suspect there may be a romance budding. Hayden and Caroline had a tendency to "disappear" and the we would find them off in the corner of the barn alone. So much for the little brothers tagging along! After we fed the animals we went back to Courtney's house for dinner. Hayden continued to woo Caroline...at one point she had drawn a picture on the magna-doodle and he immediately said "Taroline, it's bootiful!" And then when it was time to get in the car and go home, he ran out after us to tell Caroline to call him on his cell phone. It was funny and Caroline loved the attention.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

2010-10-23T15:30:00.005-04:00

Caroline and I went to the Pumpkin Patch on her first official school bus field trip. She loved being on the big bus with all of her friends! We had a short hay ride to the patch and then the hunting began. Actually Caroline followed her buddies Aubrie and Jack for a good while as she pretended to be looking for just the right pumpkin. Finally she found just the right pumpkin and then we found another one to take home for Tucker.

After the pumpkin patch we had a picnic lunch and then checked out all the farm animals. We saw cows, rabbits, sheep, chickens, goats and more. We met up with some of her friends and made our way through a short section of the corn maze. Caroline bounced around from one group of friends to the other. She was Miss Social...shocker, I know! We met up with her teacher again and went into the spooky house and then the bin of corn kernels.

It was finally time to go and while I was looking forward to getting home, I was not looking forward to the bus ride. It was not fun, but totally worth it to spend time with Caroline and see her having so much fun with her school friends. And yes, she picked out her own clothes for the field trip...

Happy Birthday Caroline!

2010-10-18T18:42:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th Birthday! Caroline was very excited to wake up and be 4 years old! She asked me when she was going to get bigger since she was now 4. When I suggested that maybe we should keep her at 3, she quickly said "No Mom! All my friends are 4 and I have to be 4!" Good enough...we'll let her be 4... Here are picture of Caroline at her school birthday party with pink cupcakes.

Tucker's Lullaby

2010-10-18T18:33:00.002-04:00

Every night I sing to Tucker. Not your typical lullaby but an old Dixie Chicks song. It is one that the lead singer wrote for her son. It goes like this:

Rapid Racer's all tuckered out.

Superman's in pajamas on the couch

Good night moon, you'll find the mouse

and I love you.

God speed little man

Sweet dreams little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings

God speed and sweet dreams.

He loves it for several reasons.

1- I often substitute "speed racer" for "rapid racer"

2-He like to hear the phrase "tuckered out" and thinks the song is really about him

3-He thinks that instead of "God speed" I am saying "Go Speed..." He follows this up with "go Speed Racer!"

It is really sweet that he likes this song so much and reminds me to song it to him if I forget. Actually, I never forget I just think I can get away without singing it some nights. He will say "Sing a song to me Mommy." And, should I start the sing too soon, he will say "Not yet Mommy, not yet."

The Pink Barbie Car

2010-09-26T07:53:00.003-04:00

Here are Caroline and Tucker doing the one thing that Caroline could not wait to do once she got to Huntington...ride in the pink Barbie car! This car belongs to a neighbor across the street from Nena and Poppy and they were kind enough to indulge the kids. Caroline drove for hours as I do not think Tucker ever got to drive. Thankfully, Tucker was content just riding. They are going to be talking about this for days...

Go Tigers!

2010-09-21T19:22:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday we went out to Hampden-Sydney to watch H-SC play Sewanee. We stayed until halftime as that was about all the kids could do. Tucker enjoyed seeing the tiger mascot and let the tiger hold him. I really wish that I had a picture of that...it was C-U-T-E! Caroline, on the other hand would not even give the tiger a high 5. She stayed close to me when the tiger came around. When the announcer would say "Sewanee" on the loud speaker both kids would look at me and say "Mom...he just said Sewanee!" They were a little confused when he would say "timeout Sewanee" or "timeout Hampden-Sydney." Caroline and Tucker looked at me and asked "why did he say timeout?" Of course they assumed that somebody had done something wrong!

Hampden-Sydney won the game, 38-o. We did cheer for Sewanee towards the end of the first half as we made our way to the car. I must say, I felt bad for those boys who were loosing by 31 points at the half. Caroline obviously felt very comfortable on the football field and Tuck just wanted to be one of the football boys. Maybe one day...

New Shoes for All!

2010-09-21T19:15:00.002-04:00

Go Falcons!

Tuck's new Chucks.

Beautiful Boy!

Tuck (aka Speed Racer) riding his bike with his new running shoes.

Caroline showing off her new kicks!

Lunchboxes

2010-09-21T19:00:00.002-04:00

Who knew that packing lunch for school could be so challenging? I mean I can only pack a peanut butter sandwich for so many weeks in a row. I have made a very strong effort to make sure that Caroline and Tucker have healthy foods to eat. Tucker is a little more adventurous than Caroline as she is at this point a vegetarian too. I pack lots of fruit and carrots and celery. Recently they have been on a cantaloupe kick and can't seem to get enough. Caroline has also been eating a lot of yogurt and a couple times I have included a homemade trail mix that I make from different cereals with the occasional chocolate chip thrown in. They love this. Caroline will not eat the lunch that the school provides and I am ok with this. I'd rather her not have hotdogs, corndogs, cheeseburgers, pizza and barbequed chicken for lunch. I don't consider these healthy or appetizing options for my PreK-er. I continue to look for new and exciting things to pack in their lunchboxes. I try to cut their peanut butter sandwich in a fun shape (after I sprinkle flax seed on top of the peanut butter...they haven't caught on to this yet!). So, my lunches may seem boring but once I see the food that the other kids are eating, I am glad that Tucker and Caroline are getting a "boring" lunch and one not filled with fruit snacks, cheese-its, and other non-nutritious food.

Krazy Kids

2010-09-05T19:37:00.003-04:00

Caroline and Tucker had another great week at school. Tucker's favorite thing about school is bike day. He loves to ride his bog boy bike in circles around his younger classmates. He insists that we chant "go Speed Racer!" as he zooms around. I was doing it to appease him and before I knew it a few other of his buddies were saying some version of "go Speed Racer." Tucker loved it!

Caroline only had one complaint about school this week. She was upset because the librarian told her that her name was not Paige and Caroline was very distraught. I'm not sure why the name Paige was even being discussed. I guess Caroline didn't have a chance to tell her that in fact her middle name is Paige. Aubrie has been declared Caroline's official BFF. And, to make life even better, Aubrie was at the football game on Friday night. You might consider Aubrie to be somewhat of a tomboy, which is why Caroline now refuses to wear dresses or skirts or bows in her hair. "Aubrie doesn't wear this, Mom." I think she must say this every morning as we are trying to pick out clothes.

Below are some pictures of the kids at the playground with Chad. They truly are "Krazy Krouse Kids!"

School Spirit

2010-08-29T19:29:00.004-04:00

After school on Friday, all Caroline could talk about was the "pepper ally" that they had at school. Her class got to walk over to the "big kid" gym and watch the cheerleaders and see the football boys. I asked her how she liked the cheerleaders and she enthusiastically said "Mom, there were these two cheerleaders and then they put a girl on top and threw her into the air!" Amazingly enough, I was able to convince Caroline to participate in school spirit day and wear red like her teacher had asked.

I decided that I would take the kids to the football game that evening at 7 pm. Caroline was so excited and Tucker was ready to see the football boys. This was the first football game that either of them had been to. I practically had to hold Caroline and Tucker back from running up to the gates. Once we entered Tucker immediately saw one of his buddies from his school. He and Griffin played and played and played!

The kids were treated to popcorn and M & M's while they watched the game. As we sat on the bleachers Caroline would say "Mom, there's Mrs. Johnson, there's Mrs. Tyree, there's Ashley" and on and on. I bet she recognized at least a dozen people. Pretty good for a little girl that has only been at school for two weeks! Once they were finished with their snacks, Caroline decided that she couldn't live without a red and black pom pom that the cheerleaders were selling. So, at halftime we found some cheerleaders and got two pom poms.

Tucker continued to play with his buddy and Caroline watched every move that the cheerleaders made. At one point I caught her with her hands up in the air imitating the cheerleaders. Fuqua won the game by 30+ points. After the game the kids ran to the field and pretended to be football players. Tuck and Griffin chased each other and even snuck in a few "tackles." I could just envision them in 12 years or so actually playing on that same field. (Although, I am still not sure if I will let Tucker play football or not...I don't want my little boy to be tackled! Too bad, I won't have a say in the matter...) We really enjoyed our little outing. The kids had fun and lasted through the entire game. I think we'll try it again next time there is a home game...Go Falcons!

School!!!

2010-08-22T18:53:00.004-04:00

We are back in Farmville! Caroline and Tucker have successfully completed their first week of school. Caroline is in a 3 and 4 year old Pre-K program and loving every minute! Although she didn't have to be at school until 8:30 on Monday morning, she was up at 7:15, dressed and ready to go! I asked her to come sit down and have breakfast and she said "No Mom, I have to go to school." Thankfully she had plenty of time to spare. Once we got to the school and out of the car, she looked around and said "Mom there are big kids here!" (This means 4th and 5th graders.) Chad, Tucker and I walked her to her classroom and she didn't look back. In fact, she saw so many fun, new things to play with that when we tried to hug and kiss her goodbye she gave us each about 2 seconds and then she was off! I think Chad and I were a little teary eyed, but there was no doubt that she was in the right place!

I picked her up around 4 and she could not stop talking. She only knew a few names but identified everyone by what they were wearing..."the boy in the blue shirt; the girl in the pink dress; the Henry with black hair." I am not sure I have seen this little girl more full of joy! The downside of her excitement was that she was up until almost 10 pm talking about her day. She gave me every detail! Later in the week I talked to her teacher and Mrs. Frank said that "Caroline talks a lot (but it is cute!)" and that Caroline is not gonna let her get away with anything! Yep, that's my Caroline! Caroline had a hard time getting up and going to school on Tuesday morning because she was exhausted...that, and suddenly overnight she decided that school was "yucky." Interesting considering she had another great day on Tuesday. Her only complaints so far have been- 1) the music teacher told her that she had white hair, and that was upsetting because we all know her hair is yellow! 2) "Why won't my teacher every let me have ice cream after lunch?!?!" Well, little does she know that Mommy informed her teacher that Caroline does not need ice cream everyday after lunch. (I have decided that I will let her have ice cream on Fridays as a special treat.)

And for Tucker...He loves his "bit boy school" too! On Monday we took him to school after we dropped Caroline off. He was a little pouty and when I asked him if he was sad to leave Caroline he said "yes." Once we got to his new classroom, he was just fine. He seemed a little more hesitant than his sister, but his teacher said he had a great day. He played with construction, ate all of his lunch and went down for a nap easily and slept for 2 hours. Sounds like a good day to me! On Tuesday, I began working at Tucker's pre-school. I am now the lead teacher in his class and have 8 two year old kids to keep up with. It is fun for me to see Tucker on his own and not following behind or being bossed around by big sister. He is great at cleaning up! He is the oldest in his class by a few months. Tucker has learned well from Caroline and acts like he has 7 younger siblings when at school. He is caring, thoughtful and does a great job using his words when there is a confrontation.

I am so, so proud of my two little ones! They have had a lot of change in the past few months, but have handled it like champs. It is so great to see them so joyful and genuinely happy with their new home and new schools. I think I'll keep'em!!!

July in a Nutshell

2010-08-22T18:34:00.006-04:00

Below are some pictures of how we spent July. We enjoyed going to the beach and riding on the boat. Every Thursday we went to the library for the kids' story time and craft project. We picked blueberries...a lot of blueberries. Tucker ate most of the blueberries he picked right off the bush. We went to the Yellow Duck Bakery and tried new muffins such as zucchini apricot. Yum! A couple of times we went to the Corner Bakery and got some donuts for breakfast...not so healthy, but a fun treat for the kids!

I think Caroline was tired of blowing bubbles...

Caroline and Tucker spent much of the summer riding their "big bikes." I created a town from sidewalk chalk that even included COTA, as Tucker said.

Did you know that sidewalk chalk + water = "paint?"

Tucker Gets a Trim

2010-06-28T15:53:00.002-04:00

So Tucker got his first "real" haircut or I would say "trim" is more like it. On Saturday morning the kids and I went with Grandaddy to do some errands, one of which was the barber shop. As Grandaddy was getting his hair cut, the kids we having a hard time sitting still and being patient. I told them that if they didn't sit still then they would be next in the barber's chair. Well, this approach totally worked for Caroline as there was no way she was going to let that strange man cut her hair! But, Tucker was a different story.

As soon as the chair was empty, Tucker jumped right up there saying "It's Tucker's turn. It's Tucker's turn." I must say, I was shocked that he was actually going to let someone take scissors to his hair. I have cut his hair once in December of 2009 and that is the only haircut he has had. Period. I have tried a couple times since then to trim a few pieces but he was not willing and reached for the scissors each time. So, I gave up. And, quite frankly his hair is pretty cute. There have been multiple times that strangers would comment on his hair and say how much they loved the blonde curls.

So, as he sat perfectly still in the barber shop chair, I carefully watched every little piece of blonde hair fall to the floor. I gave instructions to take a little off the top but not to touch the curls in the back or on the sides. Thankfully, the barber followed my instructions. Once it was all through, Tucker got to pick out a piece of candy from the candy drawer. I was so proud of Tucker for being such a big boy...and I admit, I had my doubts about the whole thing. Way to go, Tuck :)

OC Fun

2010-06-28T15:40:00.003-04:00

Last week we spent a couple days in Ocean City with Aunt Annie and Bull. We went out on the boat, played at the beach, went swimming and watched the pirate ship takes loads of tourists on a pirate tour. One evening we went to the boardwalk and played games and rode the rides. The kids rode tons and tons of rides and I even rode a couple (I had to too, because Tucker and Caroline were too short). After we went through all 120 tickets, we got ice cream. It was the perfect ending to a fun day.

The next day we went to Jolly Rogers Waterpark. The kids loved it...and I did, too! Tucker went down all the water slides that he was tall enough to go on. Once he got bored sliding down on his bum, he flipped around and slid down on his belly. Caroline did the water slide too, but I think she really liked swimming in the shallow pools. She was very proud of herself for not needing any help. We had a great time and slept well for days after all the OC fun!

Camden Park 2010

2010-06-19T14:55:00.011-04:00

Camden Park, Boat Ride, June 2010

Caroline loved driving the car by herself.

Tucker insisted on riding the motorcycle!

Chad, Tucker and Caroline on the train.

Tucker was running off the roller coaster ride. He rode on it twice!

Caroline was not very happy that Tucker got to ride on the water log ride with Chad first.

All smiles, he loved it!

Tucker was pointing to Caroline as she rode on the water log ride with Daddy.

They made it! Caroline didn't even cry and was ok with getting a little wet.

2010-06-18T10:28:00.002-04:00

Luckily, Nena and Poppy have some great neighbors. There is a family with three kids and lots and lots of fun toys. Below is a picture of Caroline and Brody (who is just a month older than Caroline) riding his motorcycle...let's hope this is the only motorcycle she ever rides on with a half naked boy! Brody's family was cleaning out their garage and gave us some fun toys to keep at Nena's house. Tucker was very excited about the Batman tricycle that makes noise!

NASA and Chincoteague

2010-06-18T09:23:00.002-04:00

Last week we spent the morning with Aunt Lee and visited NASA and Chincoteague. Unfortunately the museum was closed but we did get a chance to check out the rockets that were outside. In the second picture the kids were looking at a plane that kept circling around. It came very close to us and they just froze and stared at the sky when we heard it approach. We also went to the nature museum on Assateague and we walked over to see the lighthouse. It was a cloudy, but fun day...thanks, Aunt Lee!

Parksley Pics

2010-06-18T09:10:00.003-04:00

Here are some picture of us doing our favorite things in Parksley: going to the park, riding bicycles and playing construction at Nan's.

Catching Up

2010-06-13T15:57:00.002-04:00

It's been a while...I know! It has been a crazy past few weeks with the move from Sewanee. We miss our friends so, so much but we have been pretty busy here in Virginia. Here's what we have been doing:

going to the beach...riding on the boat...tubing...finding periwinkles and watching them escape...going to the park...playing in the pool...coloring...eating ice cream...visiting with family and catching up with friends...pointing out all the construction sites and tractors we can find...visiting the NASA museum and Chincoteague nature museums...spending time outside...riding the grass cutter...eating watermelon...swinging...coloring...reading...watering flowers...watching boats come and go...relaxing and enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of summer.

Most importantly, we have been talking about all our friends that are still in Tennessee and those that have moved to Texas and Alabama. "What are Hattie and Noah doing? Meggie's a bad guy! Ryan really likes the movie Cars. I miss Hannah and Gussy! Gussy's a bad guy! This is Ava's dress. No this is Henry's dress. Henry's a bad guy..." On and on it goes!

Where Have We Been....?

2010-05-31T08:32:00.002-04:00

We've been packing and making houses out of boxes! Our house is a total disaster as we have been preparing to move to Virginia. There are boxes and newspaper everywhere. In the Fall I started getting rid of things and thinning out in anticipation of our move. I have even given bags and bags of clothes and shoes to a homeless shelter. I have sold multiple items on classifieds here at Sewanee. We have had 2 yard sales and at this point we are giving away items on our front porch.

I vow to never have this much stuff again. Granted, we did have a lot of baby items that got shoved in the attic after Tucker was born when they should have been donated at that point. But really, I don't need enough home accessories to decorate 6 houses. Why do I need items that have been in the attic untouched for 3 years? If I haven't used them in 3 years then chances are I don't need them. Now I do recognize that there are a few exceptions. I have some additional china in boxes because it wouldn't fit in our china cabinet. I have a box for the kids of special blankets and baby items that I want to keep for them. But, I also had enough fabric and craft supplies to open my own craft store...ridiculous!

We have donated, sold, or given away to friends many, many things....and boy do I feel a lot lighter! It really is a good feeling to give something away and know that it will actually be put to good use and not sit in an attic. Of course these friends are probably gonna hate me when it is time for them to move on and pack up their belongings!

So, in my quest to live a more simple, clutter free life, I feel like I am off to a good start. Just to give you an idea...It took a tractor trailer (53ft) plus 2 cars full of things to get all our things here when we moved. (Keep in mind that it was just 3 of us at that point because Tucker wasn't here yet.) Tomorrow, we are leaving with everything in a 24ft Budget truck and some leftovers in the back of our Jeep. I feel good :)

Interview

2010-05-19T20:10:00.003-04:00

As I took a break from packing up the kids' book, Caroline jumped in my lap with the Sharpie marker in her hand. The cap was on thank goodness. She began to ask me questions and use the Sharpie as a microphone. "What is your name? What do you do when you wake up in the morning? Then what? What do you do next? Do you knit? Do you do laundry?" The list of questions goes on and on. She actually did a good job with putting the "microphone" near my mouth when I was answering her questions and moving it back to her mouth when it was her turn to ask a question. At the end she said "Thank you Mary Krouse for talking to our tea party."

It's Like Camp

2010-05-17T23:53:00.003-04:00

It's like camp. Seminary at Sewanee is like camp. I have heard several people say this and I am really starting to believe it. You know when you come that you are only here for a short stay. You know (or at first try really hard to believe) that this will be a wonderful time in your life and it will be filled with laughter and joy. You will meet people that have come from all over the United States and you will be their friend.

Friday night cookouts, lots of pot luck dinners, walks around campus, play dates for the kids, and if you are lucky, you might just get some adult time sans children. If you are really lucky, you will get to go on field trips with just your girlfriends.

It's a fun place with lots to explore. There are lakes for swimming and fishing, trails for hiking and mountains for climbing. There are daffodils to pick, fire trucks to visit and horses to see. You know that you have to live here to really understand what a special place this is. It is magical.

You quickly realize that you will make some of your best friends in life and then there will come a time when you have to say goodbye. You will pack up your belongings and leave the mountain one by one. When it's over you will all go home, back to where you came from. You want to keep in touch and stay abreast of what is going on in their lives. But unlike camp, you won't be back next year. You will find a new camp. Maybe just a weekend camp. And, maybe just for the girls in new fun place.

It is like camp. And what a great camp it is.

Squeaky Clean

2010-05-16T20:24:00.001-04:00

Hope you all appreciate the blog updates...this is what the kids were doing while I was slaving away at the computer!

Extras!

2010-05-16T19:38:00.005-04:00

There have been a lot of pictures taken these last few weeks. Here are some extras that friends have e-mailed me or posted on Facebook.

More Lake Cheston

2010-05-16T19:16:00.004-04:00

Caroline is showing off the tree that she "planted." She found a big branch in the woods and brought it over to the horse shoe sand pit. She was very proud!

Tucker insisted on wearing these Spiderman shoes that were way too big for him. But, with the velcro tight enough, he was able to walk without his feet coming out. He loved it!

Caroline was in the ferret pin petting Ms. Gina's ferret, Nina.

I guess Tucker was getting bored and decided to hang on the grill. Thankfully, we did not use that one so it wasn't hot.

Then he decided to roll around in the sand pit. So, not only did he smell like Lake Cheston, but he also had sand all over him!

Swimming at Lake Cheston

2010-05-16T19:00:00.002-04:00

This year we were prepared. We brought bathing suits and towels to the picnic at Lake Cheston. Caroline wanted to get in the water right away! She spent most of the time in or near the water with her friends. Tucker spent a good bit of time pushing the dump truck and making sure Zachary's Spiderman shoes were close by. Tucker did start off with his bathing suit on, but as Caroline did when she was his age, he preferred his birthday day suit. And, since we were with friends, it was ok.

Watermelon and Tuck

2010-05-16T18:45:00.002-04:00

Tucker loved the watermelon at the picnic on Friday evening!

Graduation Day

2010-05-14T23:08:00.003-04:00

May 14, 2010

All Saints' Chapel, 10 am

Lunch at McClurg following the service.

Children's Crossing

2010-05-14T22:48:00.004-04:00

Caroline and Hannah (who suddenly decided to be best friends) after Children's Crossing.

Caroline and her Texas buddies. I really think she would go to Texas with either of these families. The question is, would they take her? (She does have the boots!)

Tucker slept through the entire service. I guess this is what happens when you skip your nap!

Tucker (or Chad rather) receiving Tucker's cross necklace from Dean Stafford.

Caroline receiving her cross necklace. She was too shy to go up by herself, so I walked up there with her.

Pre-Children's Crossing Photos

2010-05-14T22:31:00.003-04:00

As we waited for 5:00 to come around and the service to start, we tried to get some group pictures of the kids. I am not sure that we got one of all eight kids, but we did get some good "action shots." Hattie, Noah, Hannah, Gus, Ryan, Megan, Caroline and Tucker have spent the last 3 years (or 2ish years for the younger ones since they were born here) playing together. They have done lots of fun things like play at PMO, meet at the Woodlands park when the mommies need some Mommy time, walk (or run) through Abbo's Alley, play at the Fowler Center on cold or rainy days and have play dates at one another's house. What a GREAT time is has been for these kids and their friends. Caroline and Tucker will miss you all!

PMO Open House

2010-05-14T22:17:00.002-04:00

Before Children's Crossing on Thursday night, we went to an open house at PMO. This was so the kids could show their out of town guests their school and all the fun things they have learned this year. Caroline enjoyed showing Nena and Poppy how she likes to sort while Tucker preferred to look at the construction books. As soon as we got in the room, he ran straight for the dress up bin and pulled out the hard hat. The kids also sang songs and did some finger plays for the guests.

Sweet Caroline in Black and White

2010-05-14T22:12:00.001-04:00

Party at the Assembly

2010-05-13T09:57:00.004-04:00

Here are some pictures of our fun night in Monteagle at the Sunday School Assembly. One of Chad's classmates had a senior party in the house that they rented for graduation. This house was huge as it had 13 bedrooms! It was built in 1886 and had lots charm! The kids had an awesome time! There was kid sized furniture which they loved. They spent good quality time with their best buds, Hattie and Noah, dancing, playing the tennis racket guitar, spilling goldfish, rearranging the kids' furniture, singing, playing Barbies and squealing! It was a great end of the year party!

Red Fingernails

2010-05-12T17:10:00.002-04:00

Yes, Tucker's fingernails are painted red. Caroline asked me to paint her fingernails and Tuck was right there beside her saying "me too, me too." How could I turn him down? He isn't old enough to understand why boys don't paint their fingernails. And, he was just so excited that he got to do something that Caroline was doing. They are just so cute with their little red fingernails. Yes, I promise he will not have red fingernails for Chad's graduation. Tucker would probably not be very happy with me years from now when he looks back at pictures to find his nails painted. But, for now, in our house and with our friends, it's OK!

Art or Graffiti?

2010-05-12T16:59:00.002-04:00

Caroline has been quite the artist here recently. We have found eleven spots on the walls in five different rooms where she has decided to draw. She seems to prefer blue crayons, red Sharpies and black ink pens. Thankfully I was able to get most of it off but I am still struggling with the red Sharpie. Seems as if the red fades but the pink that is left behind will not go away. I guess she wanted to leave a lasting impression on Brown House and for those who will reside here after we leave.

Texas Cookout

2010-05-12T09:41:00.002-04:00

Last night we went to a cookout in the park sponsored by our Texas friends. This means rather than the usual hamburgers and hotdogs, we had fajitas, rice and beans, and lots of hot, hot , hot salsa....oh how we'll miss you guys!

Construction Boy

2010-05-08T09:46:00.003-04:00

Tucker is obsessed with construction vehicles. (He pronounces this "cun-struh-shun" and says it with the slightest southern accent.) We have a book about construction and he can name all the different types of trucks, excavators, backhoes, etc. On the way to Monteagle, we pass several construction sites. About halfway down the road there is a construction area with huge sand piles. Last night Tucker said "ca ha dat m'birday?" This of course means, "Can I have that for my birthday?" Yes, this little boy wants a huge sand pile and some construction vehicles for his birthday...in January! My answer was "sure Tuck, you can have it for your birthday..." hoping he won't remember by the time January rolls around. We also had to drive (very slowly) by another area on campus where they had been doing some digging with a mini excavator. As we approached the dirt pile, I slowed down and rolled down Tucker's window so he could have a prime view of the dirt pile. He waved and said "night, night" to the dirt pile. I love this little "cun-struh-shun" boy!

PMO Program

2010-05-06T16:18:00.004-04:00

Today was officially our last PMO day. We had a program at noon and then lunch with our friends in the refectory. The Baby class "sang" Itsy Bitsy Spider and since I am a baby teacher I was on the rug with them singing. Tucker's Toddler class sang a couple songs, yet Tucker decided not to participate. He was pretty cranky and opted to sit in my lap and watch his friends sing.

Caroline's class did an awesome job! They sang lots of songs and all (well, most) of them participated. At the end, the kids that are "graduating" or actually moving, received a graduation cap. All of the children got a memory book filled with artwork, notes from teachers and pictures that were taken throughout the year. It was a special day for the PMO kids :)

Marker Fun

2010-05-06T15:59:00.006-04:00

Caroline loves to color/draw, especially with markers. This is a special treat that only happens at school, since Mommy got rid of all the markers in our house, after finding red sharpie all over the walls in multiple spots.

Again, all smiles because she gets to use markers.

Tucker had fun pushing his buddy, Bill around in the baby stroller.

Water Day at PMO

2010-05-06T15:34:00.002-04:00

This was our last week of PMO...ever! The kids have been going to PMO since we have been here, and in Tucker's case, since he was a little baby. On Tuesday we celebrated the end of the year with water day! The kids all wore their bathing suits and had water balloons and played in the sprinkler. It was so much fun!

Tornados & Cupcakes

2010-04-25T10:24:00.003-04:00

What do you do on a Saturday morning when under a tornado watch?!?! Make cupcakes! The kids were very excited about this task since we had to do something fun inside. Caroline made the blue cupcakes and Tucker did the green ones. I think they enjoyed licking the icing off the spoons more than anything!

Abbo's Alley

2010-04-25T10:01:00.003-04:00

Friday was beautiful day! The kids and I took a walk on Abbo's Alley for the millionth time, yet it never gets old. As we approached the gazebo, we saw Ava's preschool class celebrating a birthday party. The teacher came over to us and offered the kids a cupcake, which they gladly took! Tucker took a few bites and said "This is 'suspicious,' Mom." What he was trying to say was "delicious."

We threw pebbles in the stream, picked flowers and stuffed them in pockets, pointed out every azalea bush we saw, climbed on rocks and watched the goldfish. There was lots to do on this little walk. At the end of the path there is a cave. Caroline and Tucker both stripped down to nothing but their shirts and waded in the cold, murky water. They did not want to leave!

"The Cutest"

2010-04-25T09:51:00.003-04:00

I finally got some pictures of Caroline and Tucker together! As they were posing Caroline said "Mommy, me and Tucker are the cutest" followed by "Me and Tucker are best friends forever." What more could I ask for?!?!

Veggie Burgers

2010-04-21T19:19:00.003-04:00

It has been over a month since I have eaten meat. The kids have had their share of chicken at restaurants, but I haven't prepared any meals with meat at home. This is actually going quite well. I have fixed tofu a couple of times. Tucker liked it. Caroline did not. They have eaten more veggies and fruit than they used to. That is definitely a good thing. I don't know that either child has missed having meat for dinner. Tucker is pretty good about eating anything that is on his plate (as long as he is in the mood to eat) and Caroline never was a big fan of anything other than chicken. I know exactly where she gets that from...(me!).

Tonight for dinner I fixed veggie burgers for the first time. I have had them before and learned that the more condiments you put on the burger, the better it tastes. So, we loaded them up. Tucker seemed to like his burger. Caroline immediately took the burger off the bun and started to eat just the bun. She informed me that she was in fact eating her burger. Apparently we have a different definition of what a burger is.

About halfway through dinner, I noticed that she was putting her carrot sticks on the bun. My first thought was to tell her not to do that because I can't imagine how that would taste. But, then I realized that if it tastes good to her, that is just fine with me. And, actually, she was having a veggie burger...Caroline style!

Fun Day at St. Andrew's

2010-04-17T18:23:00.016-04:00

I could not believe that she was really going to ride a horse. Last year she would not let go of my leg!

Caroline loved it! She rode the horse twice and probably would have ridden more if there had not been a line.

Ryan, Megan, Tucker, Ava, Henry and Caroline checked out the piggies.

Tuck did not like the turtle. He said "Ewww ... I don't like it."

Tucker and Mommy enjoyed the hayride!

Tucker was trying to get a closer look at this corn snake. (Hope this isn't too troublesome for people that don't like snakes ... Nan!)

Caroline was very happy with her cotton candy!

He thinks he's Spiderman.

Chattanooga Zoo

2010-04-17T17:43:00.003-04:00

Last week we spent one morning at the Chattanooga Zoo. We had never been so we thought we'd give it a try. It is a small zoo and I don't think the kids were too excited about it. The carousel was by far their favorite part. As we were getting in the car to leave, Caroline said "Mommy, now can we go to the fun place?" Well, that was supposed to be our "fun place" for the day. And, I do think they had fun, I just think they expected a bigger zoo like the Nashville Zoo and this was not that big.

Fishing

2010-04-10T10:22:00.003-04:00

Finally we had some luck fishing around here! We tried a couple weeks ago and didn't catch a thing. Our friends tipped us off that this lake was a good place to try. We caught three sunfish which was very exciting for the kids. Caroline was pretty patient and actually sat still and held the fishing pole. When she got bored she did ballerina twirls on the dock. Tucker, however, may have sat on Chad's lap for a maximum of about two minutes. I spent most of the time following him and his crazy hair!

Monteagle Park

2010-04-10T10:01:00.005-04:00

Here are some pictures of our trip to the Monteagle Park. The kids always like going there because we don't go there very often, so it is extra exciting when we do go. There are more "big kids" things to do at this park. There is a balance beam, a stage (which Caroline loves), a bigger slide, a climbing wall, and of course the sandbox! The kids love the sandbox as we always leave this park extra gritty.

More Easter Fun

2010-04-04T22:24:00.001-04:00

Just a few more Easter shots...

Best Buddies

2010-04-04T22:08:00.002-04:00

What more can I say? Tucker and Noah are best buds :)

Tucker Boy!

2010-04-04T21:58:00.002-04:00

Tucker cuteness:)

A little Stevie Wonder action.

This is how he came down the slide.

Chocolate hands!

Tucker and the Swing

2010-04-04T21:50:00.003-04:00

Tucker spent a good bit of time on the "red swing" after the egg hunt. As you can see from the pictures, he LOVES it! He ate a few pieces of chocolate before he got in the swing...the evidence is on his right cheek.

Caroline Cuteness

2010-04-04T21:40:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures of Caroline after the hunt. The Easter Bunny brought her the squirt bottle in the second picture and she wouldn't put it down!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-04T21:13:00.004-04:00

Every Easter Sunday we have had an Easter Egg Hunt in the Woodlands. This year the weather was better than ever! Both kids really understood what was going on this year. Caroline filled her basket to the top, while Tucker stopped after every few eggs to investigate. It was lots of fun!

Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T20:53:00.003-04:00

This Easter, we attended the 11:00 service at All Saints'. It was packed and standing room only. We got two seats at the very back of the church, but ended up spending a good bit of the time outside as it was a gorgeous day. Thankfully, some of our friends were in the same predicament and we all just let our kids play until it was time for communion.

As we were slowly walking up for communion or "to get bread" as Tucker says, a lady sitting at the end of the isle asked me if she could "steal him." Tuck was about as cute as it gets with his little hands out waiting to get bread. There was no way I was gonna give him up at that moment! I was very proud to be the mommy of the cute little boy anxious to take communion. It was a very angelic moment for him!

As for Caroline, she insisted on walking behind me so she could be closer to Ava. Anytime I touched her shoulder to help move her along she took a step back...she's a big girl now and doesn't need help! And yes, the pretty little girl with the pretty little dress and pearl necklace on, also has on cowgirl boots. It was a miracle that she even put the dress on so we were not going to push our luck and insist that she wear "real church shoes." However, a dress and cowgirl boots is quite the fashion trend with the Sewanee undergrads.

Crawfish Feast

2010-04-04T09:36:00.004-04:00

Here are a few pictures (thanks, Abi!) from yesterday's Crawfish Feast. The weather was wonderful, the company was great and the food was delicious! There were lots of kids and dogs there which helped keep Caroline and Tucker entertained so Mommy and Daddy could eat some crawfish. Neither of our children were interested in eating the "baby crabs." I guess it's a good thing that I had packed some snacks in anticipation of this. We also tried to get a picture of the kids in their cute new shirts from Nena. This only worked with me holding them because the second their feet hit the ground they ran off to play with their friends. What a fun day :)

Good Friday

2010-04-03T10:18:00.003-04:00

For the last three years, we have participated in the Stations of the Cross Walk on Good Friday. We started at Otey and proceeded down University Avenue to All Saints'. It was so nice to have such a beautiful Good Friday, as last year I clearly remember being under tornado warnings. Caroline ran along with her friends and picked a few flowers each time we stopped. Tucker was fairly content staying in the stroller. The side streets were blocked off with fire trucks which made the walk a little more exciting for Tucker. I will miss all the Good Friday happenings at Sewanee. There is nothing quite like following the cross in silence down University Avenue with the other followers...especially on a sunny (yet slightly breezy) day.

Oh Caroline...

2010-04-01T19:34:00.003-04:00

Caroline quotes for the day:

"Me and Gussy are getting married at the wedding. I'm gonna wear a striped dress"

"Mommy, Tucker is gonna be a dog someday. He is. He's gonna be a pet."

"I'm going, Mom...on my bicycle. I'm going to go to Chuck E. Cheese."

"Mommy, can I call my brother 'sir?'"

Park

2010-04-01T09:21:00.002-04:00

The weather was awesome yesterday so we ended up having a picnic at the park and playing with friends for almost 4 hours. It was a perfect day! Still searching for the battery charger, so I had to steal some pictures from Liz's blog. In case you can't tell, Caroline is in the short skirt and cowgirl boots and Tucker is wearing the yellow motorcycle shirt.

What's New?

2010-03-29T14:20:00.003-04:00

Sorry it has been so long since a blog update. It seems as though we have misplaced our battery charger for the camera, therefore we don't have any recent pictures to share. We have been doing lots of fun things. We have spent lots of time outside on the sunny days. We played in the park and walked to McClurg (the University dining hall) with some friends for dinner. We have picked oodles of daffodils and even some tiny little purple flowers, too. Tucker has been doing great with his potty training! Very rarely does he wear anything other than big boy undies, except at night.

Last week I took the kids to the Creative Discovery Children's Museum in Chattanooga. We were there for almost 4 hours! The kids played so well and didn't want to leave. Caroline was playing in the boat and another little girl joined in. Caroline didn't bother to ask her name, as she just started calling her "best friend." Meanwhile, Tucker frequently called other random children "bad guy!" to their face.

Caroline and Tucker spend a good bit of time trying to get under each other's skin. Tucker prefers to call Caroline a "bad guy" which really gets to her 90% of the time. Every now and then she will surprise us with "Tucker, I'm not a bad guy...hahaha." Tucker has taken a liking to the UPS truck and points it out every time we see one. He likes to then say "I drive UPS truck." Promptly Caroline replies with "No, I drive the UPS truck." And the fight begins. So much fun!

Tuck still loves his trains. Last night he went to bed with 8 (yes, 8!) trains. Usually he just wants Diesel, but last night he needed them all. Before he goes to bed we have to say:

Night, night fire truck,

Night, night bus,

Night, night choo choo train,

Night, night us :)

He has pictures of all these things on his wall and looks at each one of them as we say our night, nights. I'll give Tucker a kiss and then he insists that I give Diesel a kiss, too. Never thought I'd be kissing a Thomas the Train figure good night...the things you do for your kids!

Caroline has been into her babies and being the Mommy. When the weather is nice she strolls her babies around and around our back yard. She also insists on watching Hannah Montana or "Hannah Hannah" as Tucker calls it. She can be such a girly girl! But, she never misses an opportunity to play with the boys (mostly older ones) or dig in the dirt. She and Tucker spent some time today digging and playing with rocks. In true Caroline fashion, she came running to me and said "Mommy, but my hands are dirty!" And once I told her that is usually what happens when you play with dirt she was OK.

Hopefully we will locate the camera charger soon. I don't want to miss out on Easter pictures next weekend.

Lake Cheston

2010-03-21T11:29:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we went to Lake Cheston for a picnic. (I don't have any pictures because we were recharging the camera battery.) We had some lunch and got the kite up in the air for a few minutes. Chad took the fishing poles and the kids found worms. Despite many attempts to catch some fish, it just didn't happen. We walked on the trail around the lake and tried several different spots as Caroline really wanted to see a fish.

Towards the end of the trail there is a beach area. Basically it is some imported sand and a shallow area for swimming in the lake. Caroline and Tucker started screaming "beach, beach!" We stopped and they stripped down. Caroline's pants were off and her feet were in the water in no time. Of course Tuck wanted the same thing, he just needed a little help. They did a good job of staying in the shallow water and not going in above their knees. But, then the splashing began and Tucker fell and they were WET!!! I stripped them both down to their shoes and we walked back to the car. Neither of them had undies on for the ride home, just dry pants and jackets. This is really when I wished that I had the camera. It was a sight!

Nashville Zoo

2010-03-21T11:15:00.003-04:00

On Friday we went to the Nashville Zoo with some friends. It was a gorgeous day and apparently all of Nashville thought so, too. There were a ton of people (and strollers) at the zoo! The kids enjoyed seeing the monkeys, giraffes, elephants, zebras, alligators, and a variety of frogs, snakes, and fish. We also rode on the carousel which just might have been the best part for the kids. Caroline rode on a kangaroo and Tucker rode on the Cheetah. Thankfully they were side by side so I could stand in the middle. Tucker had a few minutes of "I scared" but then smiled the rest of the ride! We ended the day with some play time in the "Jungle Gym" and some ice cream. It was a good day for all!

Daffodil Farm

2010-03-18T21:03:00.003-04:00

Today we went to the Daffodil Farm. It is about 15 minutes down the mountain and definitely worth the trip! Next to a small cabin-like house there is a field filled with daffodils. It is deep in the valley with mountains in every direction. If you are quiet you can hear the cars and trucks on the interstate and if you look really hard you can see the 18 wheelers passing by in the distance. You are free to pick your own daffodils, as many as you want. They are 2 cents each and you put your money in a lockbox at the end of the driveway. They also have bunches of daffodils that have already been picked for $1 a bunch. Caroline and Tucker each picked a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Even though we have a plentiful supply of daffodils in our own yard, some how it is more fun to go pick them in a field of daffodils.

"Taco"="Tucker"

2010-03-18T20:57:00.002-04:00

We had a nice sunny Spring day while we were in Huntington so Chad and I took the kids to Ritter Park. The kids were really enjoying the new-to-them playground. Another little boy joined in and started to play with them. He nicely asked our names so we told him. A few minutes later he was trying to get Tucker's attention and said "Tuh-coor." At that moment Caroline looked at him, got right in his face and pointed her finger. She said in her sternest voice "That's my brudder. Don't call him a taco!" I guess she thought he was saying "taco" when he was really just doing his best to say "Tucker." Poor kid didn't say it again!

Mayfield Dairy Farm

2010-03-18T20:40:00.002-04:00

On the way to West Virginia for Spring Break we made a pit stop at the Mayfield Dairy Farm. It is just north of Chattanooga and we have passed it many times. I have always wanted to stop. I was looking forward to the tour, while the others just wanted the ice cream! Before we went on the tour, we had to put on these red hair nets. (Thankfully there are no pictures of me with the hair net on.) We saw where the milk jugs are made and where/how they fill them with the milk. Our favorite part was seeing the ice cream wing. We saw tons of containers being filled with chocolate ice cream. Of course we had to have some ice cream once it was over. Caroline had chocolate ice cream and Tucker and I shared the Rocky Road. It was so good! Unfortunately, Mayfield only ships their products to stores nearby the factories. So while we can get a good supply of Mayfield products here in Sewanee, it is unlikely that they will be available when we move. Looks like we will need to eat plenty of ice cream between now and then to get our fill!

Outta Bed

2010-03-09T16:09:00.002-05:00

Tucker has been in his big boy bed for about a week now. Last night I heard him cry and I went in his room and found him on the floor. I picked him up and put him back in his bed and put a pillow on the floor where he "fell out" of his bed. This morning I glanced in his room and did not see Tucker in bed. I knew he had not gotten up already and my heart stopped beating for about 3 seconds when I didn't see him in his bed. I walked in the room and saw him on the floor with his head on a pile of Chad's clothes that had not yet been put away. He was sound asleep. I took these pictures and called Chad in to look at him. At this time he started to move and look around and wonder why he was on the floor. I am not sure what more we can do to keep him in his bed and off the floor...any ideas?

March 7th

2010-03-08T09:44:00.003-05:00

As I looked back at the blog postings from March 2009, I noticed that it was exactly a year ago that we "hiked" Fiery Gizzard. Look at how much the kids have changed!

MARCH 7, 2010

MARCH 7, 2009

First Hike

2010-03-08T08:50:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures of our first "official" hike on a trail. While we have been out exploring before, we have not taken the kids on a real hiking trail. We found a fairly easy path that was probably as flat as it gets out here. We did come across some amazing views and several streams. The kids loved walking over the bridges and throwing sticks into stream.

Some highlights of this adventure include:

~Caroline insisting on being the line leader at all times

~Tucker stepping in the shallow stream intentionally and getting his right foot wet

~Finding lots of good walking sticks

~Learning about moss and bark

~Seeing the beautiful icicles on the shady side of the mountain

~Tucker saying "I'm too big" when he really meant that he was too small and wanted to be carried

Sleepy Naked Boy

2010-03-06T20:37:00.003-05:00

Tucker did not nap today. This does not happen very often, but it just did not fit into our plans for the day. It was either park for the kids and some errands, or Tucker takes a nap. We all agreed (even Tuck) that the park was a better idea. When he does skip a nap he is tired and ready for bed around 6:30. Tonight was no exception. Chad let him lay on our bed and watch a few minutes of Thomas before bed. He fell asleep shortly after the movie started, but not before he took his diaper off. Chad put a diaper on him to be extra safe since he was on our bed and we knew he would probably fall asleep. I was actually glad to see that he did not like wearing a diaper. This is good news to me since he is potty training. I am ready (and apparently he is too) for him to be out of diapers.

Sun and Swings

2010-03-06T20:25:00.002-05:00

We finally had a sunny day and spent some time at the park. The kids enjoyed the swings, as most of the slides were still wet from the melted snow. After the park, we rode out to the stables to see if the horses had their jackets on, dropped the plastics off at the recycling bin and made a quick trip to the "Pig Store" for some last minute dinner needs. Sure hope tomorrow is sunny, too!

Wrestling Video

2010-03-06T20:01:00.002-05:00

Wrestling

2010-03-06T19:50:00.002-05:00

The kids spent a good bit of this afternoon wrestling. They actually did really well and no one cried or got hurt. It was nice to watch them giggle and play and just have so much fun! They were all smiles:)

CPK & TCK

2010-03-06T19:45:00.002-05:00

Tucker was so tempted to pick up the drill ... as you probably guessed, he did!

Caroline spent some time riding her bike on the front porch. She picked out her outfit. It matched "because all the colors match."

Going on a Trip

2010-03-06T13:41:00.009-05:00

Caroline: Mommy, Tucker and me are going on a trip.

Mommy: You mean, Tucker and 'I' are going on a trip.

Caroline: No, you're not going. Tucker and me are going.

Tucker: Bye Mommy!

...and they're gone...

Big Boy

2010-03-04T21:39:00.003-05:00

Is there anything cuter than a little boy in a white t-shirt and boxer briefs? Not in this house there isn't. I guess you could say that we are officially in potty training mode with Tuck. He has done well, however this is completely different than my experience with Caroline. He has some Thomas the Train undies (aka Thomas panties) that he really likes. But when I saw these mini boxer briefs in Target I had to get them. He likes them because there are basketballs and soccer balls on the waistband.

Also, you can see in the background that there is now a toddler bed where his crib used to be. Caroline has been sleeping in the twin bed for a while now, so we decided it was time to pass on her toddler bed to Tucky. He has done really well, as I anticipated he would have a hard time staying in his bed. Fortunately, I was wrong. The morning after his first night in his "big boy bed" Caroline came into our room and said "Mommy, how is Tucker's big boy bed doing this morning?" She was very concerned about how Tucker and the bed would do.

Yesterday during Tucker's nap, I caught her in his room, in his bed with him. She had covered him with pink blankets and put babies next to him. She even brought him a pink pillow. I would have taken a picture but I had to get her out ASAP as I did not want Tuck to wake up. I know it probably would have been a really sweet picture, but it was not worth the risk. And, I was not very happy with her for going in his room while he was napping.

I feel like my baby boy has turned into a big boy overnight. Within about a month's time he has given up his pacifier, crib and now diapers. I am so proud of the little guy for doing such a great job :)

Bad Guy

2010-03-03T16:10:00.003-05:00

This may only be funny to me. But, I wanted to share it anyway. A couple days ago I was helping Caroline get cleaned up after she had gone potty. Tucker was there and watching every move. Because he is potty training, I made this a learning moment for him. Caroline was in a very fragile state and he looked at her with a solemn face and nonchalantly said "got poopoo, bad guy." She was livid! Caroline doesn't like to be called "bad guy" (which just so happens to be Tucker's favorite expression) and especially in this situation. I did not laugh in front of them, but I was laughing inside. Maybe this was one of those moments that you had to witness to really get how funny it was...but, trust me, I was there and it was funny!

Chef Caroline

2010-03-01T19:46:00.002-05:00

Taking an order...

Waving to the camera...

Putting the cake in the oven...

and voila! C'est finis!

Thomas and Diesel

2010-03-01T19:36:00.002-05:00

Tucker has been obsessed with Thomas the Train! He wakes up asking for Diesel (the bad guy) and goes to bed with the promise of watching Diesel again. Today as I was cooking, he played in the kitchen with Thomas and Diesel. This allowed me enough time to make homemade chocolate chip cookies and Shepherd's Pie for dinner. Thank you Thomas and Diesel!

Too Many TuTus?

2010-03-01T19:29:00.002-05:00

I think she had on either 4 or 5 tutus.

I am not sure why she added the jacket ... maybe to "complete" the look.

This is what happens when you have on multiple tutus and have to go potty.

Playtime

2010-03-01T19:16:00.002-05:00

First thing this morning, Caroline insisted that she and Tucker each wear a backpack and go to a picnic. This was all just pretend to her, but poor Tuck was really convinced that they were going somewhere and actually having a picnic. He was so excited and if it had been over 40 degrees outside I may have considered it.

Fancy Caroline

2010-02-28T21:32:00.002-05:00

Caroline was supposed to be putting her jammies on, but instead she was playing dress up. She came out of her room and asked me if she looked like "Fancy Nancy." That is one of her favorite books about a little girl who tries to get her family to be fancy. Caroline even asked me to take pictures of her. Moments later, we heard her on the phone talking to "boyfriend." She said "OK boyfriend, see you Monday. I love you." Chad immediately asked her who her boyfriend was and she just looked at him and grinned. I think we're gonna be in trouble...

Packing Peanuts Chaos

2010-02-28T21:12:00.003-05:00

The kids found a bag of packing peanuts and had a blast. Caroline found them and had no idea what they were and then Tucker ran up and took a big handful out of the bag. Because of the static, the tiny white bits were all over them! When I tried to pick them up they just stuck to me, too. Tucker had white pieces all in his hair and Caroline decided that she liked that look and crumbled them and put them in her hair as well. I finally pulled out the vacuum and tried to get them up because it seemed as though they were multiplying! That did not even work that well. Most of the pieces are cleaned up, but I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of them!

Boy Scout Girl

2010-02-28T20:54:00.002-05:00

Over the past few days, Chad has been going through some of his old Boy Scout stuff. Caroline has been very interested in the hats and sashes and patches, etc. Here are a couple of pictures of her in Chad's Boy Scout stuff.

Our Day

2010-02-21T21:24:00.006-05:00

We had another day of beautiful weather so we went on an adventure...a four hour one, that is! We did lots of fun things like:

pretend to be on a balance beam (Tucker had stopped at the end of the driveway...no worries, grandparents)

follow directions and stopped the first time I said "stop"

wave to all the cars that passed by

learn about fire hydrants

pick up a million pine cones

find just the right stick(s)

get up close and personal with the fire trucks

(Tucker did, too!)

find a perfect place for a picnic lunch

climb trees

and climb on dangerous parts of the fountain

roll in the mud

and roll in the mud some more

pretend to be a boat captain

put handfuls of mulch in a bug catcher

pick pretty purple flowers

slide down the fireman's pole without help