celebrating the holidays...

We celebrated Miles' 7th birthday and were right in the middle of the holiday season, it seemed. We started off with a quick trip to Nashville to see Lucie and Kurt. We had a nice weekend to spend some time outside and played at the Parthenon. In the jumping picture below, Lucie got a little push from Miles.

The Feasts were next at John and Lauren's preschool. John decked out in his finery.

We spent Thanksgiving in Berne. John had to be captured below in his outfit. It was quite a combination.

We spent lots of time enjoying tea parties. Then we started our Christmas activities. Making snow globes, enjoying Christmas milkshakes, putting up our new Santa, getting gussied up,and ringing the Salvation Army bell. 

The blow-ups were hands down the hit of the season for our kids. We made numerous drives to see the lights but houses with Santas or snowmen or Olafs were the favorites. Their excitement was contagious this year, and Josh and I checked this off as the best holiday season so far. All three kids were so excited and grateful and fun this year. 

We went to the Santa Brunch at Highland again this year. John happened upon Santa before the line to see him formed. He quickly told him (from afar) that he wanted a fishing pole and would only have his picture taken next to Santa with me right next to him. Miles saw Santa a little later and gave him his wish list but didn't want to get too close. Lauren wanted nothing to do with him. So we tried pictures with (blow-up) Santa after we got home.

From John's preschool program. 

We travelled to Fort Thomas the weekend before Christmas and were able to go to the Zoo's Festival of Lights. I'd forgotten how beautiful it is. And we were able to see the elephants and giraffes along with a couple of wandering peacocks. 

We had our annual gingerbread (graham cracker) house decorating party. Miles and John were pretty intent on decorating their houses while Lauren ate most of the candy. After each handful she's say, "That's good candy." John worked so hard on his house and had some pretty great design elements going on. He was very excited to show Josh but upon lifting it off of the counter, it fell and crumbled. At least I got a couple of pictures.

Christmas really was magical in our house. Below a couple of pictures we were tracking Santa on Christmas Eve. The boys got Lauren a set of princess dolls and she is obsessed. She had them all lined up on the coffee table and just stared at them. Later I spied her holding her tiny Belle doll and spinning all around. A couple are already dressless but she doesn't care. 

My parents and Lucie and Kurt came up the weekend after Christmas and we were able to celebrate altogether then. Lucie made the kids the cutest monster pillows. 

happy birthday...

a day late. We spent a wonderful weekend celebrating our favorite seven year old. The boy who loves to play outside, his brother and sister, reading, and being silly. We love you, M!

october catch-up...

And here is another catch up post. I have good intentions of keeping this more up to date but lately posts come in the form of big photo dumps. Here is what we were up to for the second half of October...

We spent a really nice fall break here at home. We hit the Headless Horseman, played at the playground, did a little hiking, and had a date night (to see Jay Leno!). 

Here John was using a stick to "fish" in the puddles.

We had several run throughs with costumes. Our little farmers...

Then we visited Lolly and Poppy for a weekend. The kids trick-or-treated at their house to show off their costumes.

Then the main event. Halloween this year was cold and rainy but these guys didn't mind. They would have kept going and going but momma was not prepared in the footwear department and I wimped out. They were so in the spirit this year with Lauren proclaiming her costume the fairy bird princess and the littler ones dressing up for their school parties and parades. 

And some randoms. John, who always falls asleep on the floor over the heat vent, was sprawled out on his bed just like this the other night. And Lauren loves to ride her scooter with a little ice skater kick on the glide. The boys finished riding their horses for the season (Miles with Starbucks), Lauren sleeps with a million "goodies" every night, and my little hiking buddy. 

fall so far...

Our fall is off to a busy start. Last month I had my 20th high school reunion. My dad had his 45th (!) the same night.  We've done a bit of hiking, hit Trader's Point for some ice cream (Miles got a good story for his creative writing unit from that one. A cow pooped. On my shoe.), spent time at the horse barn (the boys are getting really good and learning some tricks), dressed up, biked the Tour de Carmel, visited the Highland Fall Festival, played fetch with some really big sticks, and celebrated our favorite three year old. 

We had a little tea party to celebrate Lauren's birthday. Here she is with all of her girl cousins in their tea finery.

 Big brothers were excited to celebrate with Lauren, too, and were super excited to give her their gift.

Continuing the celebrating, Lauren and I visited Ft. T and had a girls tea with a surprise crash by my dad at the Bonbonnerie. 

And finally, to accompany the girly pretty dress wearing, ribbon in hair pictures from above. Lauren insists on wearing a pretty dress every day but loves little more than to puddle jump in it. From her birthday (crying, "give me outside shower") and from the other day. On her birthday she was actually riding her scooter through the muddy drain. And her leggings came clean! 

happy birthday...

 This spunky little towhead brings so much laughter and joy to our home, and keeps us on our toes, too. I truly cannot believe it has already been three years since we heard "it's a girl!" Happy, happy third birthday, sweet Lauren!