Birthdays...Dance...Life...

So a couple of weeks ago we celebrated Ada's 4th birthday at the Zoo. We had originally planned to have a pool party at our house but after we got back from vacation in August we were just too busy and the pool got a little green...and the weather had turned colder so the water temperature had dropped quite a bit...didn't want little blue kids swimming around in the green water! So we were lucky and the Zoo had room for us to have a party. It was a really good deal if anyone wants to have a party for their kid and not have to do a lot of work yourself.

Yesterday was her actual birthday and we had dinner at grandma and grandpa's house to celebrate...I just can't believe she is 4 already...this weekend we are going to celebrate Mary-Allyn's 1st birthday with a small family party at our house. And in 2 weeks we are heading up to PA to visit with the Hardy clan...and have another party for Mary-Allyn...such spoiled children!!!

Brad is about mid way through his last semester and will (better or he's in big trouble) have his B.A. in December and will hopefully get a job and start his masters program in January. For someone who hates school he has done very well, even with working part time and having the baby home with him 2 days a week.

My work load is beginning to lighten a little...now that I am done with all the Fall prep and start up of new classes and weekday events...I am very blessed to have a wonderful group of ladies that work very hard to make the preschool department run smoothly...they are the glue that holds it all together.

Ada has started ballet class at Ballet Virginia International...it is an actual dance company in Norfolk...she is loving it and I am proud of her that she is actually listening and learning something. We let her pick what she wanted to do this fall and being the princess that she is she picked ballet over violin and soccer...Brad is hoping that Mary-Allyn will like to play sports.

Daddy And His Girls

My poor husband is doomed to be a man in a house full of girls...here he is today with 3 of them. They are watching a Baby Einstein movie...he is such a good daddy.

We decided to stay home this weekend instead of traveling to D.C. to go to the Zoo and spend some time away...we just had too much stuff to do at home. Things in the yard and in the house have been piling up and we just needed to get some things done. Today I ran arends all day and Brad finally mowed the lawn (our mower broke over a month ago so you can imagine what it looked like, we bought a new mower last night). He also fixed the drain in our shower and weeded the yard. I hate it when there is a list of things to do and it is just getting longer. Tomorrow we will try to do something with the kids in between loads of laundry. The weather here is beautiful...we actually turned off our air today and opened the windows...this is the type of weather I love. Hopefully it will last for a while.

2 Cutie Pies

I know I am a little bias but I think these 2 kids are the cutest kids on the planet...just some random pictures I wanted to share!

Cold Soars

I have to say that I have never had a cold soar but Brad gets them often and when Ada was a about a year old she got one from her daddy and proceeded to have the most awful week because not only did she have two on the outside of her mouth but the inside of her mouth and throat was covered in them...she hardly ate or drank for a week. And because it is viral there is nothing you can do for them....well she has it again. I feel so bad for her...she had a fever last Thursday and on Saturday she had one on the outside of her mouth...by that night she was complaining that her mouth hurt...and today at the Dr. it was confirmed that she had another bad outbreak...she is pathetic and very contagious...we are trying to keep her away from her little sister...that would not be good for her to get it too. All she wants to eat is soup and tonight I went and bought her some pudding...maybe that will help alittle and put some weight back on her...she has already lost a couple of pounds. Her birthday party is this weekend and I am praying that she will feel better by then. She is already going to miss her 2nd ballet class, AWANA and a week of school. She had been begging for a Ariel balloon(from the Disney movie The Little Mermaid)...one of the BIG milar ones...that is the theme for her party. Anyway, I had to go get some of her party stuff tonight and I just couldn't resist getting her one and woke her up to show it to her...maybe that will make her feel a little better.

I Hate It When They Are Sick

There are many reasons I hate it when my kids are sick. I hate to clean up the mess for one but they are just so pitiful when they are sick and you just can't do anything to make it better. We have had quite the sick weekend. Brad and Ada have managed to not get sick but Mary-Allyn and I both got a yucky stomach virus and she seems to have gotten it the worst. Tomorrow Brad will be taking her to the Doctor. I don't usually take them but she had a pretty high fever today so I want to make sure it isn't her ears again, she also has a bit of a cold. Hopefully she will be feeling better soon! Here are a couple of pictures that our friends at Scott Hayne Photography took of her for her 9 month shoot. I blogged them taking the pictures but it has been crazy at our house and I haven't had a chance to post them...it was her first time at the beach so she wasn't too excited about the sand and the waves scared the mess out of her so there are none of thosepictures. Enjoy!