Ariel Takes on Count Dukoo

The kids had fun with various toys from Christmas and came up with some creative playtime. Maybe Obi Wan will help rescue sleeping beauty next?

Number 3

We are expecting baby number three, a girl, into our family in mid April. The kids are excited to be big brother and big sister. (Yes Ian's shirt is a sign as his "real one" is somehow MIA). And now that we know gender we are figuring out rooming strategies :) Any ideas/tips on having a baby in room with a bigger sibling?

Happy Halloween

Halloween is just one night away and already the kids are on a sugar high from all the school candy, trunk or treat at the church last night, and a few snitches from our own treats to give out tomorrow. I can't wait to help them sort all the candy they get into the different types as that was always one of my favorite things to do.

Here are some of our picture highlights for my brave knight and fair princess this Halloween season 2011. Happy and Safe Halloween!!

Happy Third Birthday

We celebrated Livia's third birthday today! Hard to believe our big girl is three. She had a balloon door, got to choose all the food today, opened presents, had lots of family call for birthday songs and wishes, and was thrilled with her lady bug cake. Celebrations!

Camp Second Chance

This past weekend our family went to Rutledge, GA to go to Camp Second Chance. It is a special weekend camp for transplant kids and their families. It was a great experience and the place is amazing!!! Ian will have the opportunity to go for a week in the summer to "Camp Independence" when his is older and we definitely plan on sending him.

Beach Party was the theme this year and they had a big beach party set up for the kids with tons of jump castles. That event lasted two hours until 9:45 at night and the kids slept really well after all that jumping! Our family had fun going on a paddle boat, fishing, mini golfing, and going to the group drumming circle. The closing event was a butterfly release where each of the transplant kids got to make a wish and release a butterfly (fitting as the entire transplant wing at CHOA is all butterfly themed!) Ian's butterfly didn't want to leave and spent some time on his shoe, or Brett's thumb.

A great weekend and we are ready to come home and rest now! Here are some picture highlights.

Beads and Teeth not Teeth Beads :)

Livy and I have been enjoying some one on one time since Ian has returned to school. We made the ever class straw bead necklaces yesterday. I think we have a future in jewlery :)

Ian lost yet another tooth tonight which brings his total up to 5. His other upper front tooth is also very wobbly and it won't be long to join the ranks with the collection of the tooth fairy. I love his jack-o-lantern grin!

Good-bye Summer Vacation, Hello School

We said good-bye to summer vacation and days filled with sleeping in, lazy mornings in PJs and afternoons at the pool yesterday. School started today. In customary celebration we did a "favorite" things that Ian wanted to do so we went to the sprinklers, ate a picnic lunch and went to the playground in the morning. That afternoon we did light saber battles, Mario Kart Wii and some crafts.

Ian got his hair cut on Friday in prepartion for school starting and the stylist convinced him that spiking it with gel would look so handsome and I couldn't agree more. I love this hairstyle because Ian can do it himself and it doesn't have to be "perfect". He got lots of great comments from the teachers today so he may be slowly convinced to keep it up--I sure hope so. Hard to believe that he started First Grade today. Based on last year's experience with the drop off chaos, we parked at a local store and walked across the street over to his school and it was a brainy idea to do this. I think we're going to have a great year ahead!!!