The Zoo...

**LOOK!!** It's a Monkey! Oh, it's Teagan! : )

Chloe, Taffy and Piper feeding the fish...

Chloe and Taffy coming down the slide with Piper hot on their tails...

Piper, Taffy, Chloe and Sassafrass (Teagan) in the back.

Teagan, Piper, Taffy and Chloe...

Yesterday, we went to the Zoo. We haven't been there yet this year due to many kids activities in the first couple of weeks of summer vacation and then last week was sooo STINKIN' HOT!! This week is PERFECT--very nice and not too HOT!! We met a friend of mine, Lori and her kids there. It was very impromptu meeting but it was FuN!! It was nice to have the company! Enough for now...-AS

Friday Night with the Cubbies!!

Chloe, Cubbie Bear and Teagan.  Piper and Aftyn didn't want to get that close...

Sitting in the stands...

The fun we had before we went into the game.  Walking on a tall cement wall--and NO ONE got hurt!!  YAY!!

Shane and I took the girls to see the Iowa Cubs last night.  Oh, the girls LOVE going to the game!!  It was my works annual trip.  They buy tickets for all that want to go every year.  Last night, we even stayed for the fireworks.  We don't always do that.  Aftyn LOVED it, as did the other girls but Piper had to hide before it started.  Since she's had tubes, she's sensitive to noise (or so that was her deal last night).  I'm not sure if it was that or if she's really scared of the fireworks. She was down with Shane and I was up with the rest of the girls.  Teagan kept asking if it was the "final touch" instead of the Finale.  I was laughing!!  She's such a goof  : )  Enough for now...-AS

ps>  The Cubs did win--not that I saw much of the game.  That's not what I go for.  I like to socialize and people watch.  ; )

Water Park Wednesday!!

Chloe on the Lazy River.

Taffy, the bathing beauty!!

Teagan.  And I'm not sure why the long face.

Taffy and Piper...

Mommy and Taffy on the Lazy River...

I took the girls to the water park again on Wednesday.  The girls had a BLAST!!  Taffy found the Lazy River and did NOT want to get off!!  Unfortunately, I can only take one girl at a time for safety reasons.  Good rule, just not easy for me since I have 3 girls that need assistance on it.  Anyway, another GREAT time!!  Enough...-AS  

Wordless Wednesday...6/24/09

RIP WILLIE 4/10/96--6/20/09

THis was just 2 weeks ago.  I put the kids supper up here because he's NEVER been up there before.  He got up there to eat Taffy's pizza and didn't want to get down.  You can see here he's not holding his head as high as he used to...he's starting to feel miserable.

Willie loved ME (I was his alpha) and he LOVED going on a car ride with me.

He loved playing in the snow with the kids.

He didn't care who was around--he wanted to be with us.

We had to put our dog of 13 years down yesterday after his failing liver and kidney disease had progressed.  This last week he was a walking zombie.  He lost a solid 5-8 lbs in the last couple of months.  He didn't feel well and seemed pretty miserable.  He quit eating his food and taking his pill at the beginning of the week.  It was a LONG week for me with LOTS OF TEARS!! (from ME)   He was such a GREAT dog welcoming all 4 of our kids without any reservations and even a new cat, Zoey, last year.  He took it all in stride and didn't seem to be bothered by any of it.  I will REALLY miss him!!  He was my very first real pet dog.  We had others growing up but none were allowed in the house.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure Shane will let us welcome another dog into the house again.  I am ready to be done with a dog for now but I can say that if he said we could have another, I would JUMP on the chance.  I'm not sure what I would pick but I would like one that doesn't shed and that doesn't need a haircut.  Anyway, I feel much better that he's in a better place, free from the pain that really struck him in the last week or so and I hope he's enjoying Dog Heaven.  I sure do miss him but for selfish reasons.  Good bye, little buddy.  I miss you!  Enough for now...-AS

Teagan

Teagan **CRACKS** me up sometimes!!  This morning, I was being lazy in my bed, surfing on the computer and in walks Teagan.  Serious as can be, she said, "Can we go to the gas station to fill up our pool".  But the FUNNY part is how she was DRESSED!!  She acted like nothing was different about herself.  She's FUNNY sometimes!!  After I BUSTED out laughing is when the posing began.  She's a good little poser too...Enough for now...-AS

SWIMMING!!!!

Chloe and Teagan is making a goofy face...

Piper and Taffy LOVED the fountains.

Chloe and Teagan in their part of the pool.

Piper and Taffy in our side of the pool...

At one point, Aftyn told me she wanted "home" so we snuggled for a while so she could warm up and rest and then she caught her second wind.

After some deliberation (on my part), I took the girls swimming at the aquatics center.  I really DREADED it!!  I wasn't sure how I could keep up with all 4 girls at the same time.  As it turns out, Chloe and Teagan hung together and didn't get out of the main pool and Piper hung with Taffy and I.  It turned out to be a nice time and one that we'll repeat!!  I just wish it opened before noon!!  oh well...Enough for now...-AS

Wordless Wednesday...6/17/09

Piper's Mini-Sluggers

Piper is playing T-ball this summer and Shane agreed to coach her team!! (Well, ok, I volunteered him-with his permission)  It's a very LOW key "league" for 4 and 5 year old kids.  Piper has 6 or 7 other kids, boys and girls, on her team.  All the kids get to bat every inning and no score is kept.  It's a really neat thing to get the kids into playing ball.  Last Thursday night was the first night and many kids didn't even know how to run the bases!!  I think there is 10 or 12 teams and it goes on for 6 weeks every Thursday night and she'll play several of the teams.  Last week, she played the team that her friends, Dylan and Hannah from preschool, were on.  She seemed to enjoy it and has asked already this week if she has T-ball tonight.  FINALLY, we might have a sports player!!!  Enough...-AS

Bike Ride to Town...

Piper LOVES riding her bike!!

Here she comes...

At the bank, getting ready to pedal home.

Taffy in the trailer.  She likes riding too!!  : )

They talk ALOT on the rides so they are always lagging behind--besides they only have 1 speed bikes...  Sometimes I tell Piper to quit talking and pedal harder!!  ; )

In a effort to stay healthy and get exercise, we rode our bikes to the bank.  It's only a 2 mile ride (one way) or so but when you're 5 and 6 and only have a 1 speed bike, it's probably a LONG way!!  Piper learned how to ride a two wheeler right before we moved to our new house and she has just taken off with it.  She's kind of freaky weird like that.  She puts her mind to it and off she goes with out much struggling!!  She learned how to pedal a tricycle at age 2!!  Anyway, one day last week, I needed to go to the bank so Piper, Teagan, Taffy and I rode our bikes into Waukee.  The bank is right on the bike trail that we can take into town.  The only bad part is crossing Hickman Road a couple blocks from our house--it's VERY BUSY!!  Piper will ride all day with me--she loves it!!  Teagan can do it but did complain pretty much the whole way about her legs hurting.  I think we need to raise the seat, that may help (?).  Anyway, it was a nice day and a nice ride.  I'm anxious to get out on the bike KID FREE and go some distance!!  Enough for now...-AS

ps.  Piper, Taffy and I rode to McDonalds one day too but don't tell the other girls!!  (it's across the street from the bank)  I think it was Chloe and Teagan's last day of school.