Happy 4th Birthday Kate!

 Our sweet Kathryn Marie turned 4 years old today.  We started her birthday celebration this past weekend.  She is one smart cookie and is very determined.  She is spunky, hilarious, sensitive, and feisty all in one little body.  I am excited to enter the fourth year with Miss Kate, as it has been a very "maturing" year for her (that's politically correct, right?).  Being the middle child isn't an easy role, and parenting a middle child can be equally challenging.  She is a beautiful little lady and she always keeps us on our toes!

 Emma picked out a crown for Kate to wear on her birthday.

 We had Kate's princess tea party at The Glass Slipper, in a lovely 103 year old home in Powell. 

 The girls picked out dresses, hats and jewelry to wear.

 The birthday girl got to put her hand and date on the "wall of fame."

 Sage crashed the party to listen to a few stories.

 Kate and her favorite friends.

Let the tea party begin!

Happy Birthday to Kate!

 Birthday balloons...  I couldn't pass up posting this picture. She is a mover and a shaker in bed, and this picture nails it!  The girls look forward to holidays and birthdays because they get to sleep together. 

 Another lovely birthday prop, her birthday sash from last year!  This was a "Hello Kitty" year.  Kate is so lucky to have such generous friends and family shower her with lovely toys and clothes!  Emma went shopping at Build-a-Bear for her sister and picked out a new Cinderella outfit for her Hello Kitty doll.

 Another cake and another great smile!  Kate picked out this Hello Kitty cake.  Tonight we had Grandma and Grandpa Weatherwax, Grandma and Papa Zinser, GG and Aunt Rebecca for a pizza party.  Kate is a lucky little girl, because her birthdays always seem to last for days.

 Having GG at your birthday party is the best!

Summer is ALMOST here!

At the end of May, we had our last day at Bright Horizons which is the daycare at Riverside where I work.  It was a bittersweet day saying goodbye to wonderful teachers who have loved my children for the past few years.  As Emma gets ready to start Kindergarten this fall, it was the right time to bring someone into the home so Emma can get on the bus from our home.  Kate will be attending preschool in Dublin as well.  Our amazing neighbor Libby just completed her first year at University of South Carolina, and she is watching the kids this summer.  They have enjoyed the first couple of weeks going to the pool, sleeping in, and playing at home.  I have to admit that not having to get the kids up, dressed, fed and out the door by 7am has been pretty nice!  Oh how I selfishly love my "quiet time" in the car to and from work!

Happy National Donut Day!  Libby took the girls to Krispy Kreme for a field trip.

 

A few updates

Emma lost her top 2 teeth this month and listening to her talk is adorable.

Kate is getting a great tan and loves to crawl into our bed around 4am.

The girls are in swim lessons and love watching Full House.

Sage loves to brush his teeth, he has been sleeping 8:30p-9:30a, and he adores "Mick-ee" Mouse Clubhouse.  His hair is getting quite long but I can't possibly cut his curls, sadly I use hairspray to keep his hair out of his eyes.

Kalahari

Yet another year that the kids and I bummed a trip to Kalahari Resort during my Dad's Ohio Association of Elementary School Principal's state conference.   I can't really say that I am a big fan of waterparks, but the kids LOVE them and at the end of the day that's what its all about!  We also celebrated my mom's birthday during the trip

Sage has no fear when it comes to the water.  He was a big fan of the water slide and climbing the stairs like a big boy!

Emma rocking the hoola-hoop. 

The girls looking pretty in pink!

Happy Father's Day 2013

As Kate says, Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy in the whole wide wide world!

Sage is in his not-so-happy to take pictures stage.

The girls worked on an art project for Daddy with our neighbor Libby who is watching the girls this summer.  They painted "We love Daddy" on their feet.  Sage was the "our" to be inserted to "We love our Daddy" and he was again, not-so-happy to take pictures...maybe next year. 

Memorial Tournament Weekend 2013

Its the most wonderful time of the year...in Dublin - The Memorial Tournament.  We look forward to this week every year.  We are lucky to have wonderful friends visit for the weekend and we appreciate the Weatherwax's opening their home to all of us.  The rain held off each day and it was an all around good time! Above is the annual picture of John and the kids in front of the scoreboard.

John and I

The kiddos headed to Grandma and Papa's house for the weekend for a mini-vacation.  They went to James' school for his end of year picnic,  saw James play baseball, rode rides at a festival in Milford and went to Build-a-Bear.  Thank you Grandma and Papa and Nichols Family!

James and his biggest fans!