awwwww...summer...

I had a couple photo shoots with the kids this week while the other slept!  Here are some of my favorites.  I'm trying to decide which to use for their 1 and 3 year pics.  Tell me which ones you like the best!

The next few are from our trip to Missouri to visit Gil's Buhman family last weekend.  We had a great time despite the fact that Cora is NOT a good traveler.  She sleeps poorly in the car and really poorly at night away from home.  Any tips?!?

And here are Jude's shots.

I love summer:)  It takes a couple weeks to adjust, but after that it's like school and the rest of the world don't exist anymore.  I love sleeping until after 8.  I love having a long breakfast with the whole family. I love playing outside and reading books and not caring if I get much done.  I can't get enough of Cora in pigtails or PJ's or Jude's wild imagination.  There are a lot of things I want to get in this summer:  Yankton, the pool, some sewing, some house projects, a trip to San Antonio (Lord help us!).  But my favorite days are the days at home doing nothing and EVERYTHING!

Cora Clare, 1 year old

presents!

Here are some snippets of Cora's first birthday party.  It was held yesterday, May 28, 2012 

(Memorial Day).

We had a lot of fun with lunch and presents and cake and ice cream.  It was a beautiful day!

This was my decoration station.  The gate is handy to keep the kids out of mommy's stuff!

Fruit kabobs!  We had these along with burgers and brats, potato salad, beans (pictured), lettuce salad from our garden, cucumber salad (that grandma Vonny made), homemade ice cream (that my mom made), and lots of
rainbow cake and candy.

Here is my rainbow table and decor

The birthday girl eating lunch (she loves those hot dog bites!)

kid table from grandma and grandpa Ridenour with Tierney, Jude, and Ashtyn.

Rainbow Cake!!!  How not to make a rainbow cake post to come soon.  But it actually turned out okay in the end:)

Happy Birthday Cora sign.  I also had a rainbow made out of her diapers above another window...picture of that to come too.

birthday girl in her rainbow tutu

not the easiest to get around in, but i could tell she felt like a princess!

This is our new sidewalk/flower bed/fire pit area!!!

family pictures.  Cora's dress courtesy of Aunt Minette.

Cora is about ready to walk!

The birthday girl taking a turn on the horsy swing

The Koester Family

The Ridenour grandparents

Carolyn, John, and Brittany helped out a lot!
My biggest regret is that I somehow neglected to get a picture of Brittany or Alissa (her godparents) with Cora.
Sorry girls!

School is out for the summer!!!

Our niece/cousin Skyler Nadine was born on Mother's Day, May 13, 2012!

Here is Jude welding his basketball hoop with his goggles:)

We made a trip to the Tulip Festival to see our good friends the Schuiteman's last Thursday.  Here are the big three year olds (Bailey and Jude) holding hands all the way to the parade.

more hand holding!

This was about all the tulips we saw as they bloomed about a month ago.

The famous MOC marching band in their white Dutch wooden shoes.

And here are the two under one year olds (Mataya and Cora).

Cora loves to play outside and get dirty.  

And she loves the slide:)

She also loves the puppies and tolerates them well.

brother and sister

sibling love

Well...school is out for the summer (unfortunately not forever).  I am going to full time next year, so I am going to try to get the most I can out of this summer.  That means sleeping in (until 8 am or later if the kids cooperate!!!), lots and lots and lots of playing, some working outside, some pool time, lots of family time, watching TV at night, maybe starting to meal plan, and maybe even getting a little tan!  

growing...older

Curious Jude turned 3 on April 18!

He had a blast making his own cake with me and getting ready for his little party.  He even got a Curious George t-shirt to wear for the occasion.

Here's the party boy in his party hat.  We had a fun night of grilling, eating, skyping, and visiting with family.  Jude likes to say "Happy Birthdaycake"

We went to Dubuque, IA last weekend.  Gil became a Franciscan Associate with the Franciscan Sisters of Dubuque.  It was a good time and my first time there.  This is the Mississippi river.  Too bad it was so cool that day!

We rode a 100 year old cable car up a really steep hill to get the experience and the view of the city.

Here is the view.  You can see about 12 churches from up there!

Here is the bridge from the top of the hill, and the Cathedral steeple.

Here is the Ridenour gang with Sr. Janet.  She was brave enough to travel in the minivan with us all the way there.  We had a good time, but the kids didn't sleep much.  Cora crashed on Sunday when we finally got home.

Whenever Jude has a birthday, I know mine will shortly follow.  Just as he is growing older, so am I!  This year is a big one.  The big 3-0.  I guess in some ways I have been thinking of myself as 30 all year anyway since Gil has been 30 since September (old huh!?).  It's just another day really, but it does feel like quite a bit one in some ways.  I'm feeling like I need to redefine my perception of myself.  I have been thinking of myself as the young teacher, the young adult, and the young mom even.  Now...suddenly...I'm realizing...not so young?!?  Not that 30 is old.  No, no, no.  I'm not going there yet.  Just not really young.  Now I have been teaching for 8 years...not so young (although I am still the youngest teacher in the Allen elementary and one of the youngest overall), I think I am a ful-fledged adult instead of the fun and whimsical "young adult."  And as far as young mom...well let's just say some of my student's parents are about my age.  In fact my students weren't even born yet when I graduated from high school!  

I bought a new pair of shoes a few weeks ago (to go with a dress I bought for weddings this summer, one I am probably too old to wear anyway!).  I wore them for the first time yesterday.  All day long my feet hurt.  They pinched my big toes and rubbed my pinky toes raw.  They are cute shoes.  But yesterday I decided,  I am 30 now (well tomorrow I will be!), I deserve to have comfortable feet, I am sensible enough to have comfortable feet.  The shoes are going back to the store.  Here is to hoping I find a cute pair that doesn't annihilate my toes!