Our little Carter

Here is one courtesy of aunt Michelle

Our next adventure

Soccer is coming to an end – thank goodness!!! This has not been a good soccer season with the weather. We only had two out of eight practices. Only two kids on the team played last year. The combination of NO coaching experience, mostly rookie players and very few practices – well…. it was a rough season. The most exciting part of the season was snack at the end of every game –ha!

The other day we were driving past the farm on Charlestown Pike and we called the number and got the boys signed up for riding lessons. We start next Tuesday. Each lesson is ½ hour – they are private lessons. In addition to riding they learn safety tips and get the horse ready to ride. If they like it they have a three day summer camp in July that I might sign them up for.

My plan is to let them try out lots of different sports and activities. When they find on they like or excel in I will let them sick with that one. I am sure it will be two TOTALLY different things, but that’s ok because they are two TOTALLY different boys.

At least he got it

Today when we were watching Wonder Pets the ‘Jump Around’ commercial came on. I said "this always comes on." Aidan quickly replied "that’s because they want us to go to jumparound.com."

I know someday I will miss these days

I am writing this one for myself because I know someday when all the kids are out of this house I will be complaining of boredom. I am a total busy body and I am not happy if I don't have lots of things going on and lots on my 'to do' list. I did not think I could ever be too busy, but I think I hit my max these past few weeks. Then now do I have time to blog??? The kids are in bed, I am making myself get of my remote access to my work computer and I watching Law and Order and going to bed. So this week has gone something like this. We are having a big store closing sale at our Louisville Nursery (we did the same thing last year in the Sellersburg Nursery) and we are reopening as Nursery Liquidators. Check it out at www.NurseryOverstock.com. The sale starts this weekend. Week before last I placed a help wanted ad in the courier and put my email and cell as the contact. We all know what the job market is like - long story short after the first day the ad was in the paper I wanted to throw my cell phone across the room. And if I had one more person try to tell me they could sell plants just because they were an 'avid gardener' I wanted to, again, throw my phone across the room. Anyhow - after about 50 calls and 15 interviews later I have five new employees to train. I have to set up a new POS system that involved going to 4 different stores today, with the kids, looking for bar code scanners. Other errands on the list today - teachers gifts for the last day, new computer for the nursery, sink for the wet bar (another crazy thing I am trying to have built in the middle of all this), bank, office supply sore ... lets see I am sure I am missing some. This is also the last week of school for the boys and we had field day on Monday that we both volunteered to work and tomorrow is a little end of the year program. Still not sure about mine and the kids summer schedule, but I have the next three weeks covered - that is good enough for now. Jazzercise - got monitored on Wed and next week we are filming the TV show - fun, fun. We had Soccer on Tuesday and another game this Sat. I am on my own for that one, Adam will be at work. Only three more game to go - THANK GOODNESS. Will not be adding soccer coach to my resume. We hosted the Louisville Nursery Association meeting on Wed at the Louisville nursery. We had 80 people and I did not book the catering until the day before, but that's a whole other story in itself. I have sitters arranged for this weekend so I can teach Jazzercise Sat and Sun, work at the nursery and take mom out to dinner. Biggest task next to being a mom (which I know I cannot possibly be doing a good job at right now with all this going on) keeping up with my dad. Gee - wonder where I get it from - I love you dad. My dad is so excited about all the changes at the nursery. He is working at the nursery all day to get it ready for this weekend and then he goes home to work on the website and ads. I thought I was up late the other night when I worked until midnight, he worked until 2AM. I probably talk to him on the hour, every hour - sometimes up until 10 at night. I feel like we are both horses in the Derby racing for the finish line, which needs to get here like NOW. So the story goes, my way too busy life right now. I am thinking if I can just get to June 1 things will calm down. I REALLY wish July were here - FL and Disney here we come!!!

Like father like son

We got the boys second progress report for the year. They are rated on a scale of 1-4 in everything from hoping on one foot to writing. They scored 3 'age appropriate' on most things. Aidan had one two and one four score. On this report card and on last he scored a 4 on scissor usage. Way to go Aidan!!! One the other hand he got a 2 on following teachers directions. Well..... I was a little disturbed on this one. You see, I NEVER got in trouble in school, never. So the thought of one of my kids already getting in trouble at age 4, just really hard for me to believe. So I was telling Adam about it, and I said I just don't understand. He said 'no, you don't understand, I always got in trouble.' Needless to say I am letting Adam take total responsibility for Aidan's report card - ha.

Introducing Nursery Liquidators Landscaping

They are for hire - and I pay you - haha!!!

Like cat, like brother

Thank goodness my camera was close by - this was too funny. Check out the arm placement - the are sitting the exact same way.

Mother's Day

Mom, Michelle, Linsdey, Adam, the boys and I went to Churchill Downs for Mother's Day. We had brunch and stayed for a few races. Michelle and I took the boys to the Jr. Jockey's Club for a craft and magic show. The boys made me a wisk filled with candy - I loved the look on their face when they gave it to me. The boys thought the magic show was the coolest thing - it really was good! Well last year I was very lucky with my lucky #2 - I usually am, but my luck ran out this year. I quit betting after I lost the second race. I must have passed the luck onto Adam, because he did great. He helped us come home up $10 - go dad!!!

Zoo trip

Here are some photos from our last trip to the zoo.  This was a special visit for us because it is the first year Aidan and Aaron have been without strollers.  Kind of a bitter sweet moment.

Chow wagon and pony rides

Note to self for next year - the chow wagon is over-priced and not near as good as I remember. We went last year and I thought the same thing, but for some reason I feel like it is just part of the Derby festivities.  Just about the only one we participate in these days.  Anyhow, they did have some cute kids activities and they had a good time, that's all that matters.

The table

I forgot about this picture.  We got this table a few weeks ago and they were so excited about it I kept it inside for a few days.  They ate every meal on it, we had to bribe them to sit at the dinner table with us.

So much for those lessons...

Last year the boys went through survival swimming lessons.  Check it out www.infantswim.com.  We spent 20 (10 min each) minutes every M-F for 7 weeks at the SIGS pool.  I am a total believer in the lessons and I plan to put Carter through the program soon. Anyhow, we were at my Dad's on Sunday for the annual Lamb Roast (I know - gross)  and the boys wanted to swim.  My sister was swimming with them and they were mostly hanging out in the hot tub.  Well at some point Aidan was in the pool and got out where he could not touch and he was in trouble.  I was standing right there I looked over to Michelle to see if she might spare me the plunge, but no such luck, I was closer than she was.  So in I went clothes and all.  My mom later asked me if Aidan was scared - no he was not - I did not give him a chance.  Really it seemed like I was standing there FOREVER to see if he could get his footing, but I obviously reacted right away. 

As for the lessons - had I given him 2 seconds he should have turned and floated - it is like a 94% retention rate.  But no mom and sit and watch the poor thing's eyes bug out of his head and not react.  

Soccer

Well no soccer again tomorrow - we got rained out.  I am looking forward to next year when you do NOT have to coach.  Really, I chase three crazy kids around all day long, I really do not care to chase around 11 more.  Last practice Carter was in the backpack carrier and he was pulling my ponytail and clips out.  Just a little idea of what we are dealing with here - they only difference to the kids between practice and a game is the snack at the end of the game.  They all ask - do we get snack today?'  It would have been way easier to just get a group of kids together for a snack - ha.  

Games consist of telling the kids what direction to run and not to touch the ball, but then getting to goalie to pick the ball up with there hands... it gets confusing.  We are supposed to have 7 kids on the field at a time, but you never know who is going to decide they need a rest or decide they want to come on in the middle or a quarter.  They have their own rotation method.  Sometimes you will see only 3 kids on the field then turn around to find no goalie - other times you have an extra man or two on the field.  It really is quite entertaining!!!

More words

Just when I started to think Carter was not going to talk - but really, why would he, he has way to many people to talk for him.  He is starting to make the sounds for lots of words.  Aaron told me the other day Carter said 'thank you'.  Sure enough a few minutes later I handed him something and he said 'tha thu'.  Dog is still his favorite word and most used.  Every time we drive past the nursery or to Amanda's he say dog (minus the g and add an a).  He is always looking out the back windows for the neighbor's dogs.