Preschool Spring Concert - May 25

"Ethan, get your hands out of your mouth!" we said...Ethan is always a little nervous at first...

But he was sitting next to his little buddy, Keller, (and his crush, Madison) and was having a great time before too long. Maybe too good of a time...before the end of the concert, Ethan was plucked from his spot by a teacher's assistant, and placed in the top bleacher row, away from his buddy. They must have no sense of humor! Ethan participated throughout the concert...a total 180 from the Christmas Concert when he sat still and silent. At this concert, he sang (I could hear him from our seats!) and did the hand motions to the songs. He looked like he was having a blast! I laughed and smiled the whole time. What a sweetheart!

Parents came up to the stage to collect their kids...Mommy was a little teary in this picture, which is why my eyes look so weird. Yes, I am a total sap, and no, I'm not embarrassed about it!

Pictures with Mommy and Gramma Leslie after the concert.

Then Mommy & Daddy took Ethan to the store so he could pick out a special cupcake (Red Velvet, that's my boy!) to celebrate!

Get in my belly!

We let the kiddos run around in their "undergarments" before pajama time... I know they aren't really babies anymore...toddlers after 12-months or whatever "they" say, but they still smell like babies, and they are still pinchable like babies too...tell me you could refrain from pinching these cheeks, thighs and bellies!

There are just no words to sum up the cuteness of Owen....

My curly-red D heading for the door...gotta keep an eye on this one!

Dylan's like, "Enough of you and your camera, MOM, I'm bustin' out of here!"

New shirts!

When we were in Kentucky for the Derby, Gramma Nana sent us home with these great shirts for Dylan and Owen. Kinda like those plywood boards where you stick your head in and suddenly look like a body-builder or a Disney character. In this case, put on a t-shirt to become a jockey or a baseball player...

I love how Owen tries to look crabby when he is really the sweetest little thing on Earth. It looks like he's pulling on his t-shirt, but it's really his "softy"...

See, sweetest thing...

Dylan has his hold on Ethan's "cremote" for the TV. As usual, he is accessorizing with drool...

The drool is still hanging on...could this little guy BE any happier?!

Derby: pre-Derby

We probably would have taken this many pictures anyway, but especially since it was raining and we knew that all of our beautification efforts would soon be spoiled, we posed Prom-style in just about every permutation possible.

The challenge for every Derby-goer....how to sneak the booze into Churchill. This year, because of the rain, an obvious solution presented itself...the poncho. The irony of Andy's pat-down at the security gate still makes me laugh. He opens his jacket, gets patted down...all the while, his booze is wrapped up in the poncho that he has folded up...in his hand! Success!

Derby: Day 1

We went to the Derby this year! First time for me...third time for Andy...although this time he classed it up with box seats (thanks Mom and Dad!)...although, that is just to say that we had tickets with designated seats and dressed up in hats and coordinating outfits galore...but we probably still acted like we were in the infield...I mean, Andy still snuck in some booze, and I changed into my flip-flops and swigged out of the 5th of Jag...so, you know...we're just not all that classy. Period. My Mom scored 6 box seats on the first turn...right around where we sat in 2006 when we went to the Kentucky Oaks. Ethan was there in 2006 too...in my belly. This year, Andy and I flew in on Friday, as did my sister and her husband. It was a fast and furious weekend, filled with lots of rain, lots of good food and drink, and great company.

Mom picked us up from the airport and we had a nice lunch before heading back to the loft. My Dad got home from work and we all hung out on the balcony listening to and watching the goings-ons of 4th Street on Derby weekend. I just had to take pictures of the guys who stopped on a downtown street, right in front of my parents' loft, to sell food!

That nigh, we went to Z's Fusion, a great restaurant down 4th Street from my parents' loft. Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo were there...so it's kind of like the place to be.

My boys

Did I post these already?!...so hard to get a picture of all my beautiful boys looking at me and giving me genuine smiles at the same time...I'll take what I can get. Either way, I still think they are all beautiful...

I love Ethan's smile in this last one, and Owen looks like he is trying TOO hard...

It's meeeee.....

Yeah, it's been awhile..."been busy" is the understatement of the Year.

I'll be posting a few updates to get everyone caught up...likely, they will come as a series of photos, with captions...because as I type right now, I have 3 kids hanging off of me, one yelling "Mommy, Mom-meeeee, Hey, Mommy, Hey, Mom-meeeee!", one trying to ascend my leg, and one obsessed with sticking his finger in my belly button...you know, everyday stuff...just not a lot of time for text.

So, let's start back in April...when I put my kids in the laundry baskets...because it's funny...

Owen wants everyone to know that while Dylan might be known for his drool production, he's not too shabby with it himself.