Painting Daddy a picture

Home Depot for a new weed-whacker

First foods! Baby cereal & avocado

We were late for Stroller Strides so I did a few laps around the park & then hit the playground

We didn't stay that long because it was HOT

We met E for lunch at our favorite BBQ place for pulled pork and lemonade

Stroller Strides

Don't let the halo fool you - she's t r o u b l e

6 month check-ups are fun until the last 10 minutes

I am attempting to reign in the disaster that is the front half of my house. So far I've cleaned...this table.

We take it easy on Wednesdays

My "quick trip" to the grocery store was delayed by a teeny tiny fender bender, to which an ambulance was called. See that parking lot behind the accident? That's the hospital.

No, mama, MY CHAIR. NO BEBEH. MINE.

I got fancy new running shoes from the fancy running shoe store. My old ones were so bad I left them there in the trash.

Ducks at Old Mystic Village

Sad faced toddler yelled at himself in the mirror for 5 minutes.

This is CANDY. Double-you tee EFF???

Banana and animal crackers - mostly it got in her hair but she ate a little

Back at the aquarium for the 2nd time this week - Evan can now identify frogs, baby frogs, turtles, seals, sea lions, and penguins.

Amazonian Milk Frog. Or maybe I just made that up.

Five Guys for lunch. This is the SMALL cheeseburger.

45 minutes after bedtime, and still trying to talk his way into staying up later

All our bricks sitting in the driveway

By the end of the week the toddler was doing stuff like this ALMOST BY HIMSELF.

This is the face of someone who still thinks it is funny to work wicked hard all day. SHE IS GONE NOW.

Whole wheat banana pancakes for engery

You have a little something on your face.

Leaf! Mormor! Patio! So happy!!!!

Three inches of gravel, completely level.

Stuffing his face with mee-yah. Mee-yah! = Banana

You can't tell, but she was the Queen of the Fussypantses this week.

Caroline did this on purpose and found it HYSTERICAL.

That's a lot of miles on my parent's minivan.

You call it poor food choices - I call it ENERGY FOR PATIO BUILDING

8 am and the start of our work day

Caroline & E enjoy my rock wall, which I built ALL BY MYSELF

Shopping date at Target to look at patio furniture. Spoiler alert: we bought this stuff.

BOOM.

Finishing the final construction steps

No mama! Don't make me shovel anymore!

Caroline & I took an early a.m. trip to Lowe's for some new plants

My dad decided he HAD NOT DONE ENOUGH this week so he cleaned and organized our garage. The man simply cannot be idle for even 10 minutes.

Safety first.

We went to the Irish pub in town to celebrate the end of a project (it's a tradition with my parents).

And I started looking at bathroom tiles for our NEXT major renovation. Maybe in the spring.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes with Homemade Raspberry Topping - sounds fancy but they took 10 minutes.

Ginormous iced coffee at E's hockey game

Caroline is thrilled to be outside on a nice day

Morning cuddles in mama's bed

Friends forever

It was a long day, so both kiddos were asleep in time for me to watch Jeopardy.

We ran downstairs in our PJ's to see the garbage truck. It's VERY exciting.

Baby toes at Stroller Strides

The climbing has gotten out of control, and even though he's pretty good at it I worry worry worry.

Who cares if it was the nicest, sunniest day of the year - rain boots are always in style!

This guy is awesome and I am jealous of his can and fuzzy dice

Babywearing at BJ's

Someone takes her baby gym time very seriously

We've seen these baby goslings every week since they were teeny tiny. They were much cuter then.

Doing his own version of Stroller Strides at playgroup

Playdate at the coolest playground around

I did a good job picking plants this year - these have doubled in size

Evening trip to Target for a window AC unit - our new third floor bedroom is H O T.

Little Evan's dreams came true when this giant truck came right up our driveway to deliver our gravel

Emergency trip to Toys R Us for an on-sale water table. I'm hoping it keeps one very nosey toddler entertained while we work outside.

Seen in the parking lot: 1990's Bronco with a giant lift kit & the top cut off...with a car seat in the back. Damn fine parenting right there.

Pouring rain in Columbus, where luckily my sister-in-law had an alternate indoor location for her garden wedding

Self portrait of my fancy headband while I let one tired baby sleep in my lap

A little ring sling action at the reception. Caroline says "IT'S 9 PM WHY AM I NOT IN BED?"

I saw 10 hours of this while we drove home. The kids were incredibly well behaved - probably because they were so tired from 4 days with no naps.

Little Evan slept like this for most of the trip - and STILL went to bed at the regular time.

Excited to wake up in his own bed

Caroline gets some love from a Stroller Strides friend who missed her while we were gone.

This was for sale at the kennel where we board Brutus. If you dress your dog like this we cannot be friends.

Lazy, lie around the house day for everyone but me...

...because I am INSANE and decided to redecoraty my pantry. That's right, my PANTRY. A closet NO ONE SEES.

Meanwhile, our most used room looked like THIS.

I had to take Little Evan back to the pediatrician for another lead test because his first sample was "insufficient". He was NOT happy about getting poked again. (This picture is pre-poking)

Some milk and his blankie made him feel much better.

After bedtime I got out my camera manual and finally started learning how to use the damn thing

Someone has a hard time staying in his seat at Stroller Strides - but SCREAMS if I buckle him in.

Nursing baby cuddles.

Dollar Store generics crack me up

It FINALLY stopped raining so I went to check on my plants. Looks like I'll get blueberries this year!

Cereal for breakfast, as usual, in his new dinosaur shirt.

We went to Lowe's to look at pavers, since we need to get them ordered THIS WEEKEND. As excited as I am for a patio, this is not going to be easy or cheap and I'm worried.

I made Thai Chicken Pizza for dinner. It's freakin' delicious. Next time I make it I'll blog it so you can enjoy it too.

Sleepng baby enjoys a few minutes of quiet before our crazy day of craziness started

I cleaned out my diaper bag. The pile on the right? All trash. I need to get organized.

My only picture from the day - nursing baby. That's really all I did, all day.

Someone was literally bouncing off the couch with energy after four days inside.

Snapped a monthday pic with my iPhone too

Pediatrician's appointment. E got home from work in time to watch Little Evan so it was easy-peasy with just one kid.

The antibiotics for my kidney infection gave me thrush (basically a yeast infection on my nipples). I'm treating it with Gentian Violet, which unfortunately dyes everything purple.

Including poor Caroline's face. It fades after a few hours but she's still pretty purple.

I got dressed up (to go to Target and BJ's)(leaving the house is a Big Deal these days) and discovered my hair is ridiculously long. Also, someone explain to E that big belts are fashionable and not stupid.