Gettaroun'

Ready to ride

Notice the Mizzou colors : )

Here's the newest gear addition to the household. Bikes and a bike trailer were my (very generous) birthday and Mother's Day presents! : ) We picked this little number up at the bike store just yesterday and have broken it in with three fabulous rides. I highly recommend this version (after having spent months of research and study). : ) It's definitely a workout when moving uphill. But, I knew that and am happy to attack a hill any day of the week. The bike trailer has conveniently come to live with us pre-swimsuit season. ; )

Identity Theft

When Julianna was about Ava's age she began naming just about anyone and everything she came across. One of my favorite names was for her tremendously fun Uncle Jamie. Jamie would greet Julianna by giving her a Donald Duck quack in the ear. Jules would always scrunch her neck up and giggle. Not long after the initial duck greeting, Julianna began calling Jamie "rah-rah" since that's kinda what the duck quack sounded like. As Jules grew older she learned to say "Jamie" and we had to say good-bye to "rah-rah." Alas.

These days Ava is using some words and signs to communicate her wants and needs. Her latest acquisition is the word for cracker. Yup. She calls it a "rah-rah." Her favorite rah-rahs are wheat thins and graham rah-rahs. And well, just about any rah-rah sans dairy.

So this post goes out to Uncle Jamie. You have our deepest apology for failing to carry out your good name. But, if it makes you feel any better. You will always remain the "Original Rah-Rah."

Sincerely,

Chad and Jennifer

The Z-O-O

Brave girl. Ava wasn't quite sure what to think of the merry-go-round...especially when it started moving and her horse started shaking. Then, of course, came the music and the spinning. She sat with a gaping mouth and eyes quickly shifting back and forth. I knew we were teetering on the brink of magical fun and hysteria. But with each lap she seemed to relax. And although she never cracked a full smile, on the fourth time around she did turn and give me a small albeit brief grin. Meanwhile Julianna and dad opted for the lovely sleigh securely fixed to the merry-go-round floor and with a clear view of mom and Ava. : )

Watching those noisy monkeys.

Honestly, the monkeys were hilarious. There was an obvious love triangle going on (no, not that kind Jackie). At the height of the brouhaha was a HUGE monkey show-down. This included all of the requisite head bobbing, teeth showing, and "your momma" jokes three monkeys could muster.

Fun for the whole family.

"I like this little elephant. He is not so stinky like those other elephants."

Aren't we so cute?

So, as you can see...we had a very fun and very spontaneous trip to the zoo. We made the trek to one of my old hoods this weekend. Mom, dad, and I visited this zoo nearly every week when I was Julianna's age. It's really special to take my girls back to a place I loved so much (even though it's not quite the same without the polar bears). ; )

50 Things That Make Me Happy

One Christmas, back in high school, a friend gave me a book called 14, 000 things to be happy about. It's a fabulous collection of all the little things in life we love. I've started a habit of reading it before I go to bed. It's one of the most soothing ways to end the day.

Here's 1-50 things that make me happy. More to follow. : )

1. dinner on the ocean
2. lanterns
3. quoting movie lines
4. Petite Rouge: a Cajun Red Riding Hood by Mike Artell
5. traveling for the sake of traveling
6. capers
7. the song "Eye of the Tiger"
8. watching the girls chase each other through the house and wrestle with dad
9. OPI Malaga Red nail polish
10. Pottery Barn catalogs
11. riddles
12. laughing til I cry just before we fall asleep
13. lists
14. the Veggie Plate at Cracker Barrel
15. Swiss Family Robinsons' tree house
16. wasabi almonds
17. straight forward folk
18. staying up really late playing games (Trivial Pursuit, Mind Trap, Taboo, charades, and pictionary)
19. homemade salsa
20. Capture the Flag
21. the sun in the afternoon, when it casts a brilliant yellow glow on the grass and trees
22. traditions
23. Dairy-B Sangria
24. moderation
25. the Mazda RX-7 circa 1985
26. no regrets
27. the color green
28. sharing recipes
29. seeing eye to eye
30. bean bags
31. Uncle John's homemade eggnog
32. letting yourself get lost in your thoughts
33. Spumoni
34. Jean jackets
35. black and white photography
36. MC Hammer pants
37. nicknames
38. senior year
39. watching Ann of Green Gables
40. the golf clap
41. "Between Kettle Cove & Silver Beach" by Jon R. Friedman (painting)
42. My Fair Lady songs
43. St. Ives apricot scrub
44. Winnie the Pooh's voice
45. spring break tan
46. youtube
47. Chocolate cake with candles at 10 pm
48. track meets
49. saying the military alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu
50. contagious yawning

Closing out April

Taking a walk on the trail

On days like today the park is a must

"Little Mike"

(because she is my brother's twin!)

Yipee!

I never want this to end. More slide! More slide!

Grandma comes for a visit!

Picnicing at the park

Making chocolate cupcakes for mommy's birthday

Morning Light

More fun than a barrel full of monkeys

Monkey Jules

Sliding is so fun!

Enough of this spectatin'. I'm ready to roll.

Let me show ya how it's done sis'.

The greatly revered and much feared..."Monkey Joe." Notice the thick pane of glass separating us from Monkey Joe. Yup. We watched him sing Happy Birthday to JT from the other side of the glass. Nice and safe like. : )

Happy Birthday Boy

Ava and dad

Little Scooter

Shy Pose

This is the part where I brag about our fabulous weather!

Ava woke up a week ago and decided it was time to walk. I haven't seen her crawl since. It was literally overnight. Friday, she decided it was time to run. ; )