June 29

Today was a very exciting day for us. We went to see Thomas. The Kentucky Railway Museum has an annual "Day Out with Thomas" event and it was a lot of fun. Ethan thought that it was the greatest thing around. We got to take a ride on Thomas and do all sorts of other fun things (hence all the pictures from today!) Above is a picture of Mommy, Daddy, Ethan and Emma in front of Thomas.
They had several stations set up for the kiddos to visit. This one had a bunch of train table for the kids to play with. Ethan could have stayed here all day, except for the time he got to ride the train.
Here are Mommy and Emma waiting to board the train.

Here is Ethan really anxious to board the train. We had to wait a long time to get on. Our departure time was 9:00 (we got up at 6:00 to leave at 7:00 because it said to be there an hour early.) They called us to board and then we waited, and waited, and waited. 2, 3, and 4 year olds don't like to wait so that was a ton of fun. Long story short, we finally got on the train what seemed like forever later (I think it was around 9:45.) A truck was parked in the middle of the track and left there. They normally don't use that track, only when Thomas is here, so the person assumed that the truck would be fine there.
While we waited, Ethan looked at some of the other big trains there.
Those are some really big wheels on that train.

Once we finally got to board the train, Daddy and Emma were checking out the view.
Here are Mommy, Ethan, and Emma in their seats on the train.

Ethan looking out the window as the train was going down the track.
Ethan got a cool Jr. Engineer Certificate. He was really proud.

Mommy loving on Ethan in the train.
Daddy and Ethan in the model train museum.

Ethan getting his first tattoo, of Thomas no doubt.
Ethan sitting on Thomas in the railway museum.

Mommy, Ethan and Emma visiting with Sir Topham Hat. Ethan thought that it was cool that he could talk to him about his ride on Thomas. Here he is giving him a high five.
They had all sorts of activities for the kids. Putt Putt, bouncers, petting zoo, story telling time, Mr. Magic, plus all the trains to see and play with.
Here is Ethan in front of Thomas, Percy, and James.
He was all tuckered out on the way home. Up at 6:30 and no nap makes for one sleepy child. When we got home, he woke up of course after only a 30 minute nap. Benjamin came over and stayed with us while his Mommy went to the ballpark. Later we went over to Benjamin's house to swim and Ethan wanted to come home and "go straight to bed" he said. Poor kid was exhausted! What a day!

June 27

Yesterday was a fun and busy day. It was the last day of VBS, Trystan had a friend stay the night and go with us and we kept Benjamin while his Mommy went to work and he went to VBS with us also. Later we went to Nana's to go swimming with the Callihan's and the Rodger's. I could not update my blog last night because we had some pretty bad storms go through here and we were without power for about 5 hours. It was the first time since we have lived here that we have lost power. We have underground utilities so something pretty serious must have been taken out. We also have several huge tree limbs off of the big tree in our front yard down. We had candlelight last night for a while. When the power went out, I opened both kids doors so I could hear them and because their night lights wouldn't be working. Ethan woke up and cried because he wanted his door shut. When I asked him why he didn't want it open, he said that he didn't want to let the flies in. Children and their imaginations. The above picture is of Ethan going off the diving board. He is so brave in the water now.
Here is Ethan with his towel wrapped around him like Daddy did.
Emma in her first swing.
Ethan and Julia climbing the swing set.
Today we just hung out around the house. Mommy got some cleaning done and Daddy worked in the basement. We have someone coming on Monday to finish the drywall so Daddy has to have it all hung by then. It will be nice to have someone else working in the basement so that Daddy can spend some time with us.

June 26

This morning we got up and went to VBS again. Mommy remembered to use her camera today and so there are several pictures of our time today below. After dinner we went to the zoo for members night again and got rained out again today just like last Thursday. We did see some of the inside stuff that we normally skip though. The above picture is of Mommy and Emma and an orangutan.
This one is Mommy, Emma, Trystan and his friend Jared.
Mommy and Emma hanging out in Herp Aquarium waiting for the rain to ease up so we could make a break for the car.

While we were in the Islands exhibit, there were several workers with animals out. That was really neat because they don't do that often (at least not that I have seen!) Ethan really liked being that close to the animals and even being able to touch them. Above is Ethan with an owl, yes it is real.
Here is Ethan petting a snake.
This is of Trystan, Ethan, and Jared and a millipede.

These are some pictures of VBS. I had two other adults helping me today. Catrice on the left and Carla on the right. Catrice is pushing Shepard, Molly, and Brody. Carla is pushing Ethan, Samantha, Nicholas, Kat, Emily, and Bryce. Emma was strapped to Mommy. Outside blowing bubbles. This was Luke's favorite activity of the week so far.
Kat hanging out on the playground.
Molly on the teeter totter.

Ethan, Nicholas, and Samantha playing at the top of the slide.
Shepard loved to climb this but he could never get down so I had to go help him every time he made it to the top.
Mommy and Ethan on the playground.
Emily and Samantha selling "ice cream."

This video is of Ethan reading a book to Mommy at bedtime tonight before he went to sleep.

June 23, 24, 25

Vacation Bible school started this week and that is why I haven't had the opportunity to update this much. It has been very tiring. I am working in the nursery/2 and 3 year old room. Yes this should be two separate classes but with a lack of workers, they have been combined. Monday was the worst because I had no other adult help. I had two youth helpers but I couldn't leave them in charge even long enough to use the restroom so I was completely worn out Monday evening. Tuesday and today I had help and it was much better but with such an age gap (3 months to 3 years) and 11 children it is hard to handle things. 2 and 3 years olds need more structure than a nursery to occupy them for 4 hours. All the kids are just worn out also by the end of the day. Monday evening we just hung out around the house. The picture below is of Daddy and Ethan jumping on the trampoline.
This is of Daddy helping Ethan do a flip.

Daddy and Emma on the trampoline.
These pictures are from Tuesday night. We went across the street to Ethan's friend Benjamin's house and went swimming. They were out of town but have told us to use the pool whenever we want.
Ethan's new favorite snack is popsicles. Here he is eating one, freezing the whole time because he had been swimming and the popsicle is of course cold. He didn't care about being cold. He ate 2 popsicles anyhow.

This video is from Saturday when we went swimming at Papaw Butch's with the Callihan's. We got Ethan jumping into the pool on the camera. He has just really taken to the water and is really brave now. He even jumped into the pool across the street from us yesterday without his swimmies. That really scares me and luckily we were of course right there. He was also lucky enough to be able to touch in their pool this year. It is 3 foot in the shallow end. He could barely touch on his tip toes. This video is of Ethan doing a flip on the trampoline.

June 22

This afternoon we decided to go out to Kentucky Kingdom but we got stuck in the middle of a down pour. Ethan got to ride the race cars and we got to play in the water park for a few hours so all was not a loss but we did get soaking wet. Here is Joey after we ran to the car in the rain. Notice the water drop hanging from his nose.

Trystan and Kyle nice and wet in the back seat. Ethan was worn out since he did not get a nap today (we went right after church.) He has assumed the position. This is his "I am sleepy, put me to bed" stance.

Here are some pictures of the basement. Drywall is almost all up and things are moving along quite nicely. This is one of the steps and the lights going down.
This is looking into the office from the doorway.
This is looking from the back corner of the great room, up towards the stairs.
This is looking back into the great room from the bottom of the stairs.

June 21

Oh Daddy, I'm gonna get you! This is Emma's version of wake up daddy(isn't it fun). Daddy was sleeping in because he worked in the basement until 2:30 last night. Emma decided that I had slept long enough, so she came and woke me up.
This is Mommy and Ethan swimming at Papaw Butch's house. Ethan taking a leap off the deck into the cold pool!

This pic is of Trystan in the pool. I believe he thought it was cold, but he wasn't gonna tell us!
Trystan, Ethan, and Julia in the warm tub. It isn't a hot tub, but a warm tub. The only way we got Ethan in the hot tub last year was calling it a warm tub, and he still calls it that.
Trystan and his buddies playing cornhole at the church block party. It was good times, and there were plenty of things for everyone to do.

Here is Ethan and Trystan bouncing on a bouncie at the church block party.
Emma told Daddy she wanted her face painted, so here she is getting a flower painted on her face.
Ethan didn't want to be left out so he got a tree painted on his face.
Ethan was having the time of his life on the "big big slide" as he called it. I believe he would've stayed there all night sliding on that big bouncie slide.