Mabel told the kids how whenever she finds change on the ground, she knows it’s a sign from my dad. They have dubbed them “Papa Coins” (though Adam was torn because he really likes the alliteration of “Papa Pennies” but wants to encompass all denominations of money). The kids get so excited whenever they find a Papa Coin and so Adam and I made a special bank to keep them in.

Adam (with some help from Mabel) decided on the words and then he and I searched images online until we found the perfect one. There is a slot on the top of the shadow box so they can easier drop in future Papa Coins.

Okay, so I spoke too soon yesterday. This might be my new favorite photo.

Dave took the kids to see a stage version of The Little Mermaid today. We had debated which of us would go to the show and who would stay home with Annie. In the end it made more sense for me to stick with Annie.

I added some ribbon to Maggie’s yellow dress so she could channel her inner Flounder. She was thrilled to be dressed “just like the fishy!”

They all loved the show. Maggie wasn’t a fan of the sea witch though and covered her eyes whenever Ursula was on the stage.

This was taken Monday after Luke had surgery to get a new set of ear tubes put in and his adenoids taken out. 

He handled it all pretty well. He’s had a low grade fever most of the week and has been really tired. He’s also had a sore throat from the breathing tube (he’s not complaining about the popsicles though). Poor Luke is most upset about not being allowed to go to the pool for a few more days. The Annie snuggles help.

Yes, the horse is named Sandy.

Dave and Maggie went kayaking today.

Maggie liked exploring and they saw a bunch of animals – fish, turtles, dragonflies, and even a snake.

It was Maggie’s first time and she loved it. It probably didn’t hurt that Dave packed lots of snacks for her to enjoy while he paddled.

Dave took the girls and me on a hike this morning. It was the perfect time to test out our new baby carrier (thanks Lois!).

Maggie had a blast. I think her favorite part was probably talking to the people we met along the way. She’s very social.

We did 1.25 miles (Dave tracked it with his GPS watch). It took us just about an hour. Maggie was a trooper. She walked the whole way and didn’t complain at all until we were within sight of the parking lot.

The baby carrier worked great. Annie slept most of the time.

After our hike, we had lunch at an old mill. The mill is still in operation and it was really neat to see.

It was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to going back again sometime with the boys.

I’m a little late to the game here (pun intended), but here are Adam and Luke’s baseball pictures.

Both boys had a great season!

First things first, it appears that Annie has inherited her daddy’s dimples. I’m pretty excited about that.

The girls and I went to a dinosaur event today at our mall. They had a puppet show and afterwards the kids were able to dig for “fossils.”

They also gave away two stuffed dinos. There were a ton of people there and Maggie and I were both surprised when her name was called.

She won a blue tyrannosaurus rex and a ten dollar gift card. Maggie named the dino “Roary” and used the money to buy her a new outfit.

I’m not sure how the dinosaur feels about pink plaid dresses, but I’m a fan.

I’m currently trying to get this bird to nap so I can take a shower.

She’s not interested.