Adventure Recreation Center

There are a lot of perks because Dennis is a student. Free perks! Free perks that are just down the road from house. Score! The ARC is a bring-the-outdoors-in rec center complete with two soccer fields, 4 basketball courts and a climbing wall. Did I mention that it is free? Well, I guess it is included in tuition and fees which has somehow added up to the price of a nice house. So forget that. It's expensive. Anyways, we went early this morning for a little running around time.Sadie played a little frisbee, but mostly she just ran around, acted silly, spun in circles, and made grass angels while repeating the phrase, "I am a princess."The kids had a go at the climbing wall. It is not rigged up for small kids so once they got up above our heads they had a hard time reaching the hand/feet holds. But, they had fun anyways. Here's Eli all harnessed up and ready to go.Climbing up:
Sort of repelling down:Sadie getting a little boost:Swinging down was her favorite part. She kept saying, "I want to do it again."Mom and Dad even got in on the action. Look I made it!Dad too!

Like Mother Like Daughter

Sadie sleeping on the bench in the kitchen 20 minutes after refusing a nap:

Apparently sleeping on hard benches is genetic, because here I am in 1978 at age 2:

Interactive Reading with Eli

Dad wanted to read... Eli wanted to wrestle:

Ohio Hockey

The Ohio State hockey team is not-so good. But, the band... well, they can do script Ohio on ice:They really might be "The Best Damn Band In the Land"!

Yet Another Trip to Hocking Hills

No matter the season, it's always fun to go to Hocking Hills. It was fifty degrees last weekend so Dennis and the kids decided to meet up with some good friends to check out what the waterfalls look like mid-winter. (I was meeting a good friend for dinner and getting a haircut, so I missed out!)
Here is Eli with his friend, Charlie.

I don't have any idea who those people are, but it gives you a good idea of the size of the ice stalagmite.Eli and Sadie's friend, Max, checking out the ice up-close. Apparently is was really really slippery and Sadie could hardly walk on the path because of it. It looks so cool. I wish I could have been there.

Dancing in the Kitchen at 6:30am

Rattlesnake Eating a Acorn

I want you all to know that much to my chagrin Eli hates arts and crafts. He almost never does the art project at school and I can't get him to pick up a paintbrush at home. Though lately he's been showing some interest in writing and drawing. Here is his work "Rattlesnake Eating a Acorn" notice that the snake does indeed have rattles. I think the red line is a worm...

We were playing restaurant today and Eli took my order. Any guesses what I ordered?
That's potatoes, fried chicken and milk!! He's definitely showing interest in writing letters and is getting their sounds down pretty good, though he still has a ways to go. His favorite letter to write is an "i" because he loves the dot and he writes "Eli" over everything!

The Latest Sadieism

Sadie was dressing herself and put her shirt on backwards. "Sadie," I said, "the buttons are supposed to go in the front, not the back." She looked at me, turned around and while walking backwards said, "I'll just walk this way then."