Little Gym Show Day

This week was our last week of the Little Gym.  It was called "show day" and friends and family were invited to watch the kids show off their skills.  At the end there was an award celebration and all of the kids got a medal.  It was very special and we were so proud of Violet!

Showing off her gymnastic skills.  She climbed up the stairs, stood on the low bar, reached for the big bar, and swung her legs through all by herself!

She can bring her legs up to the bar like a monkey

Trying to get a class picture was tricky. 

At the end of class the kids line up by the yellow wall to get a stamp and it's so cute how they all know the routine so well! The kids all looked extra cute with their medals.

Getting her award!

POOL time!!!

Ready to head to the pool on opening day.  (It looks like I'm really sunburned....but I'm not.  Don't worry!)

Checking out our new hang out :-)

Birthday weekend

 We had a lot of fun celebrating Nate's birthday.  Since his birthday was on a Friday of a 3-day weekend we got to do so much!  I LOVE making a big deal out of his birthday.   He's such a practical guy who really asks for nothing and doesn't need anything.  He doesn't make a big deal out of himself or how great he is as a husband and father so I like to make sure he knows how much we love and appreciate him.  Violet and I are so blessed to have him and we want to make sure he knows that we think he is the yin to our yang.

We spent the morning making his requested birthday dessert: turtle cheesecake with a cookie cake crust.  She was very helpful in taste testing!

"Squishing" the cream cheese

Helping me mix

Our CSA was perfectly made for his birthday.  The most amazingly delicious local brats, fresh hoagies, billy goat chips, and plenty of veggies.

The big surprise was a new flat screen TV!  All of the families went in on it to surprise him.  I stashed it at a neighbor's house a week before and Vi and I snuck it in the house after he went to work.  He was SO SURPRISED!! 

I used our CSA veggies to make a salad to go with our brats and chips.  Tat-soi (an asian green), beet tops, and kale all sauteed together with caramelized beets on top.  It was pretty tasty and I was happy to use some new ingredients! 

After dinner we went to the "apple park" to hang out for a while

My two favorite people

And the cheesecake turned out pretty well...

YUM

He spent the rest of the weekend on a hiking trip to the Blair Creek section of the Ozark Trail.  It was his perfect way to spend his birthday weekend. 

For Jamie

Nora also loves Violet!  We were tickling her and she was laughing so hard.  It turns more into a laugh/cry toward the end, but you get the idea!

For Theresa

Cute words

I am trying to video all of the cute words she says right now.  Some of my favorites are this one (rockabye), Shrewsbury, and caboose.  I don't want her to grow up!!

Luca laughing

Luca LOVES Violet.  He watches her everywhere she goes and he is always smiling at her.  He even smiles at other blonde girls he sees thinking they are her!  I thought this was sweet to see him laughing at her doing a silly trick.

Shaving Cream

One of our favorite activities is to play with shaving cream outside.  I love this picture because of her reflection in the table.

Daddy date

 Monday morning was special because Daddy took Violet on a date to the Magic House.  I was recovering from being very sick over the weekend and so I stayed home with baby Luca.  It was a member's only morning and they got to explore a new sandcastle area.

She even had a donut!  Definitely a special treat!

I think she liked it!

Playing in the sand

Celebrate!

 We took a weekend trip to the Steffey farm in Tremont to help my brother Logan celebrate his 8th grade promotion.  It was a very quick trip but very fun!  We saw lots of friends and family and Violet spent hours wandering around the farm finding chickens, kitty cats, and other fun farm things.

Logan looking very much like a high schooler here

Getting those chickens!!

Still trying to get them...

About to do a cartwheel?  Who knows!

A very curious and determined look on such a cutie

I cannot tell you how much she LOVED the 3 kittens.  She was pretty much the kitten whisperer as they came right up to her and rubbed on her legs and wanted to be around her.  She would pet them and tell us every time they licked her and how much it tickled.  So sweet!

So much to see in one barn!  Kittens, at least 5 cats, and a rabbit!

Going for a wagon ride with daddy

Two tired Tenholders

Sad to leave Grammy :-(

Sisters!

The tree swing was a big hit!

After almost 7 years

 We've still got it.

Tough

Tender

Wednesday

 We also love Wednesdays because we have our playgroup in the mornings.  Violet likes that Luca rides in the car "right by her" and I am getting better at managing two kiddos.  We like to meet up with our friends and play somewhere new every week.

Jake and Violet eating the same snack on the same spot...of course!

The new park we tried had a splash pad and fountain what was so fun for the kids!  We'll definitely go back soon.

After dinner we went on a walk to see the snakes.  This is Violet's favorite activity!  Petco is in the Dierbergs plaza near our house and just about a mile walk so we go there often to see the animals.  She checks on all of the animals and knows her way around the place!

She was telling me how the fishies in the dark aquariums are going night night and we need to be very quiet and careful.  And the fishies in the aquariums with the lights on are awake and want to play with us! 

Tuesday

 Tuesdays are special because it's just mommy and Violet all day.  We have our favorite activity the Little Gym in the morning and then usually in the afternoon after her nap we go to another fun place.  This week we went to the Magic House and had the place practically to ourselves.  We were excited that the outdoor area was open and that the water was on because it's SO FUN! 

She is crying to see the camera so she can look at the pictures I'm taking.  She needs to check them out first before we can move on - like a true woman!

Driving the big choo choo and blowing the whistle

Working in the garden just like at home with daddy

Driving a big horse

Outside time!

She "rescued" all of the duckies and then took them for a ride in the little boat.  Being around so many babies makes her a mama to everything lately!

Catching up

V put two girls in the bed and gave them each a mimi and lovey.  She joined them so it would be 3 girls in the bed!

CSA #2: fresh spinach, huge head of romaine, fresh mushrooms, big bunch of green onions, large container vanilla greek yogurt, fresh spinach linguine, charlie gitto's pasta sauce from the hill, apple butter, and 2 kakoa specialty chocolate truffles for Mother's Day

Silly kids

Our morning activity stick: playing with tiny beans a.k.a. lentils

Fun to scoop and pour!

Picnic lunch for 2 girls