Black and White Wednesday-Farewell to Summer

I am so loving the fall weather that moved in this past weekend.  I love everything about fall, the crisp leaves, the cool weather and the wonderful smells that are all around. I am sure that I am more excited than Logan or Madison about visiting the pumpkin patch.  I love pulling out all the fall decorations and the warm toasty blankets that have been tucked away. I think I am more than ready for fall because of all the toasty weather that we experienced this summer. So good-bye summer-hello fall!

I am feeling much better but it was a 5 day stomach bug that really took a toll on me. I am slowly getting things back together. Thanks for all the well wishes.

For black and white Wednesday I chose this photo that was taken this past weekend. I love Logan in his bibs looking out over the pond. Something about his photo just says Goodbye Summer-Hello Fall.

What A Weekend

What a weekend! It is Sunday evening, but I feel like I need at least a day to recover.  The weekend did not start on a high note when I started throwing up Thursday evening and didn't not stop until the wee hours of Friday monring. It was BAD, which meant no school for me on Friday. For those of you who do not teach, this means getting sub plans together at 6 oclock in the morning-not fun! So after those were done, I went back to bed and slept the day away. This would have been all fine and dandy if I was not supposed to make the grape salad for Madison's party on Saturday and finish her scrapbook (I know I procrastinate). So Friday evening I called my brother and he said he would make the grape salad which left me with the scrapbook to finish.  Let's just say it was finished by 12 on Saturday and the party wasn't until 4, so plenty of time. Luckily the stomach bug was short lived and I just didn't eat until after the party! I post on the party later because there are about 250 photos to go through from this weekend and I just don't have the energy tonight.

Today we had our church picnic and the weather was perfect. I was just disappointed that there was 2 events with great food and I did not feel like eating. BUMMER! So I will be back later with lots of pictures and updates, but I have to recoup and get things back together. I hope everyone had a good weekend and your house has not been "blessed" with this wonderful stomach bug.

Happy 1st Birthday Madison

Today is the big day, Madison's first birthday. I can't believe a year ago today I became an aunt for the second time. I have had so much fun shopping for bows and dresses for a little one.  I just can't believe the first year is over.  Madison is walking and is a speed crawler when she needs to get somewhere fast. She is into everything including her brother's stuff, much to his dismay. I am sure year two will be just as exciting. I am sure by her second birthday she will be at a full run and talking up a storm. Enjoy taking a walk down memory lane.

Then

Now

Soaking Up The Last Bits of Summer

Fall is officially a few days away and I am so excited. However I am sad about having less time to spend outside as the weather changes. We keep Logan outside until we can't stand it because he is so active and needs that outside time, so we are sad that the end of that will be coming soon. We spend a Sunday evening a few weeks ago celebrating my dad's birthday and letting both kids have some outside time. As you will see in the pictures, so little guy is now riding a bike on his own and a certain little girl is walking.

I have been a blog slacker lately. School life has been keeping me busy and I volunteered for a new committee and to have a college student in my classroom for 60 hours this fall. I am enjoying both but right now I have been super busy and a tad overwhelmed but it will get better. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

Amazing there were no injuries. Logan thought he would be a helpful big brother.

Everything Is Just Ducky!

We had one final trip to squeeze in before school started and that was the Duck Boats at Newport on The Levee. These are boats that go on both land and water. Of course it was a hot day, there were not many cool days this summer, so we braved the heat and headed to Newport. Little did we know that we would have a two hour wait ahead of us. So it was time to pull out all the stops- we watched the boats on the river, visited the aquarium gift shop, played music with the street musicians and played with Thomas inside Barnes and Noble! Finally it was time to head to the tour stop but out boat was not ready so it was another 15 minutes of entertaining a toddler. All I can say is thank goodness for a phone that gets YouTube, which can play Mickey Mouse Clubhouse videos!

We were finally able to board the boat and the adventure began. We enjoyed the warm breeze as we went over the bridge then we went down to the boat dock. We were ready to make a run for it and suddenly we stopped. We found out there was something in the water that was damaging  the boats. Okay folks lots of things were going through my mind as they were fishing with a long pole in the water
* They are going to pull a body or body part out of the water and Logan was sitting there taking it all in
(this happens a lot in the Cincy river)
*They were going to cancel the tour and all that waiting would have been a waste.

Well there is a happy ending to this story. They didn't find anything (or anyone) in the river and we were able to continue with the tour. With one big splash that soaked the ladies behind us  we were in the water and cruising down the Ohio. We enjoyed the Cincy skyline and once we were out of the water a tour of the city. Logan learned the YMCA and Hang On Sloopy (the official rock song of Ohio) complete with all the hand motions and has perfected the OH-IO chant.  He was the little entertainer on the cruise. So crisis was averted and all was well on our final vacation (as Logan calls them) of the summer.

Cooling off in the cooling station

Looking at the Cincy skyline

Playing with the street musicians

Killing some time in Barnes and Noble

These Duck Whistles were the highlight of the trip

Passing another boat

We survived the ride

Summer is Over

Logan's friends Kaylei and Emma sure know how to throw an end of summer/back to school party. Their back yard was every childs dream and Logan soaked up every minute of it. This party took place at the end of July but I figured with this being the unofficial end of summer, I would share it with you.

They had a boucy house, sand and water tables, slip and slide, small pool, pony rides and a roller coaster. Thats right folks a roller coaster. This was Logan's favorite activity!! He would have done this all day if I had let him. He wore himself out running and playing with everything at the party. He now says he has to be nice to Emma so he can go over to her house and play!!! I will let the pictures tell you the rest.

I hope everyone is enjoying this long weekend. I have spent today running errands in the much cooler weather and scrapbooking. A perfect day in my book. We will be headed to the Highland Co. Fair later this weekend, so that is sure to be a lot of fun and not a rainy mess like last year.

Logan and Kaylei in the little pool

Sand Table fun

Ready for school

Going down the roller coaster

Pushing it back up

Ready to go down the slide

Pony Rides

Slippin and Slidin

Wordless Wednesday- Madison's 1st Birthday Photos