Vacation in Ohio

In July, we went up to Ohio for a week to visit family and have some fun. Here's Alex patiently waiting to decorate cupcakes with Grandma.

Everyone gets a lesson from Grandma on how to decorate cupcakes and how to keep sprinkles off of the floor.

Ella just wants to eat the sprinkles

Then we have some fun coloring.

Ella and Helen help Grandma cook.

Ella needs some more water in her Thomas the Train cup.

Happy Helen

Watching Wizard of Oz with Grandma

Grandpa borrowed a water jumpy for everyone to play on and it was the hit of the trip.

This thing was awesome and the kids played for hours on it.

Ella going down the slide

Playing with Caroline in the water

Alex comes down the slide

Ella taking a breather

Helen and Caroline

We were also in Ohio for Colin's baptism (my brother and sister in law's newest addition). Cecil is his godfather, so it was great that we were able to be there for it. Here is Cecil, Colin's godmother Chris (Alison's sister), Brad, Colin, and Alison.

Colin is getting a little bored with all of this

Cecil holds Colin while he gets baptised

Godparents and parents

Alex and Buzz Lightyear look on (Grandma got him a life size Buzz and it went everywhere with us while we there. He went everywhere with us except back to Florida - we were half way back to the airport before I realized we did not have him. Grandpa had to mail him to us right away.)

Grandma, Grandpa, all the kids and all the grandkids

The happy parents and godparents

Ella and Helen

Alex, Ella, and Helen (and Buzz)

The Cauleys (and Buzz)

One picture without Buzz

Grandma, Grandpa, Andrew, Matthew, and Caroline

My brother, me and our families - I don't think we ever thought we would have 7 kids between the 2 of us!

Everyone plus Grandma and Grandpa

Ella and Caroline

The next day we stayed up in Cleveland and took the kids to a toddler amusement park. Here are Helen and Alex on a boat ride.

Alex flying his airplane (he had to have the blue one because "blue my favorite")

Ella flying her plane

And Helen in her plane

Of course we could not miss the train ride. Here's Matthew and Alex (while Buzz was not allowed to come to the park, Alex did get to wear his Buzz Lightyear t-shirt)

Ella and Caroline

Andrew and Helen

Mommy and Grandma

Alison, Colin and Brad

Ella riding in the carriage

Helen driving her jeep

Helen and Ella driving their race car

Ella did not like this ride so when she started crying, Helen put her arm around her and started patting her back and asking her "You OK Ella?" That's my little mommy!

Ella and Helen on the boucing cars

Alex in his rocket

Of course he picked the blue rocket

Ella riding in her rocket - what a care free life!

Helen's rocket

They even had a little roller coaster and Alex finally decided that he wanted to try it. Brad went on it with him and said that Alex loved every minute and laughed through the whole thing. Alex was not happy when we left after this and he did not get to ride it again.

Back at the hotel, we all had to climb into bed together

Alex and his new neigh (it is a "neigh" because when he first got it, he could only make animal sounds, not the name of the animal. This is a horse, hence, the name "neigh." It is a new neigh because he chewed the first one up so bad that we had to get a new one. We are actually on the 4th or 5th neigh now but he still calls it the "new neigh." Trust me, every night before bed we have to find new neigh before he can go to sleep. We don't go anywhere without it.)

Ella and her lovie

Helen in bed

The next day we went to the pool. Here's Helen and Alex playing.

Alex with his dive stick (Helen in the background)

Helen playing with someone else's doll (which she was determined to not have to give back )

At Grandma's house, Grandma got out the tea set for the girls to play with

Silly Helen

Ella is explaining to Grandma what the bears want in their tea

We went downtown to the merry go round. Helen went for one ride and then decided she was just fine not going again. So she sat with Grandma on the rocking chairs.

Alex and Buzz

Alex loved it and went over and over again

Alex and Buzz taking a rest with mommy

Ella and mommy sitting in the rocking chairs

Ella and me rubbing noses

Happy 4th of July!

For the Fourth of July, we went up to Cecil's granmother's in Georgia. The kids had a great time playing in the yard and picking blueberries. Here they are playing outside in the sprinkler.

Everyone is running away from the water

Helen tries to drink the water

A wet Ella

On the porch swing with Grandmother and not happy about having to sit still in our church clothes. This was the best I could get.

After church we visited Uncle Earl's tractors. Here's Ella on the John Deere.

Alex liked the orange one

Helen liked the green one

Alex on Daddy's shoulders

Fairy Helen

Helen with her fairy wand, fairy skirt, and fairy ears

Painting outside

Our triple masterpiece!

We had to sacrifice some clean faces for the sake of art

Apparently Ella taught Hunter how to crawl through the space in the stairs. Hunter is very proud of himself.

June in Florida

Ella plays in her new hiding space - the oven of the play kitchen

She likes to crawl in there then yell to her brother and sister "Close me! Close me!"

Daddy opening his Father's Day presents

It wasn't much of a surprise when we came downstairs from wrapping them and Ella yelled "It's a picture Daddy!" They have not quite grasped the element of surprise.

Crazy hair Helen driving her car

Mommy is driving her car too

After a long day, mommy comes home and Helen snuggles up with her

The first popsicles of the summer!

Ella got a pink one

May in Florida

Helen the Ham. Now when you tell her to smile for a picture, this is what you get.

One morning Ella insisted she had a boo-boo on her forehead and needed a band aid. There was nothing on her forehead but who am I to argue with a good Curious George band aid on the forehead.

One day I came from work and no one was home. Our nanny Heather took the kids and her baby out for a walk. I missed the shot of them all walking across the street holding hands like little ducklings, but here they all are walking up the driveway. Heather is fearless.

Helen and Indi

Ella, Indi, and Helen before we head off to the pool. About two days after this picture, we had to put Indi down. He was a 16 year old lab and had a great life, but was getting really old. Needless to say, it was extremely difficult to do. I thought I would be so glad to get rid of the dog hair, but now we have food all over the floor. I never realized how much food the kids spill on the floor and how much he cleaned up for us. This is the first time we are without dogs in many years.

May 29 was their 2 and a half year birthday. So we celebrated with party hats!

Happy Birthday Helen!

Happy Birthday Alex!

Happy Birthday Ella!

After the beach, the easiest way to clean off is to take a shower outside. They love it!