For your enjoyment!

Carter's Christmas, sorry, holiday extravaganza at his school this week. Love IT!!!!

Isn't she just glorious?

Athena has had some big milestones this month. On Friday, December 11, she lost one of her front teeth. It happened at school, no less. Could life be much cooler for a seven year old? Why yes, read on after you look at these photos:

Her other front top tooth is hanging on just on one side. The lost tooth helped prop this one up. We keep on telling her when she smiles she looks like she's got in the Billy Bob Halloween teeth. She's hoping to sing "All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth".

Earlier in December, Athena came home with a vision referral from school. She was not very happy. She was actually quite mad about it. We took her to her doctor, Dr. Lenkauskas, and she failed the vision test there as well. Off we went yesterday to an Optometrist. And here is the end result:

She was so sweet about her glasses. One minute proclaiming how much she didn't want them and the next jumping up and down with excitement about having them. She only needs them for things a bit farther away- boards, tv viewing and such. We think she's just beautiful.

And finally, our good friends and neighbors: Susan, David, Zoe and Max gave Athena a body art kit for an early Christmas present. Boy oh boy has she had fun with this. I foresee lots of arguments as she becomes a teenager about what she can (or can't) pierce, tattoo, etc.

Athena's Ballet Performance

Athena was part of a Winter recital that included her ballet group as well as the Cincinnati Russian Children's Theatre. Here's some photos and a few videos from one of the two performances.

Carter Turned Five!!!!

Here's our bat boy:

Here's bat boys bat cake:

Here's photos from his party with his friends:

Here's Carter's party at Thanksgiving with my family. Carter asked for a Turkey cake:

Here's one of his favorite presents. It flashes lights. Pretty cool stuff.

Here they are digging out some dinosaur bones.

Stitches Boy

Thursday night Patrick and I went to Athena's parent/teacher conference. I asked my Mom & Dad to watch the kids for the hour we'd be gone. They let Carter fall asleep on the couch which meant that at his bedtime, he wasn't tired. We let him stay up with Athena to play. This ended up in a trip to Urgent Care and three stitches in his noggin. Here's two photos:

I like the one with the goofy smile as you can just see his two dead front teeth from when he tried to knock them out when he was two. Too bad I didn't get a photo showing the staple he had in the back of his head, then the trilogy would be complete. Why is it always his head that he injures?

He picked out a Ben10 toy last night (how does he even know who Ben10 is???) at Walgreen's for being such a brave boy. The stitches come out this coming Thursday. Who wants to take bets on whether he'll try to weazle a toy out of that one as well?

Boo!

Here's photos from Halloween 2009. The kids went trick or treating with our neighbors, Zoe and Max. David and Patrick took the kids around while Susan and I drank ourselves silly handed out candy. It was a perfect fall night - a little cool and most awesomest of all? no rain!!!! We sat out by a fire in a chimney thingy. Perfection is what I say.

Group Photo (Zoe, Athena, Max and Carter):

Athena (a witch's black cat but she kept messing up and telling people she was a black witch's cat :~) and Carter, our Knight:

Max and Zoe:

My gorgeous girl Athena:

Carter - have you ever seen a bigger smile?

The school Halloween Haunted Festival was on Friday night. On Thursday night, Susan and I gathered the kids at the Stehling's and had a pizza party and cake decorating party. Here's some photos of the cake that were submitted to the cake decorating contest:

This one Carter did on his own:

This one was a joint effort of Zoe and Athena. They spent a week designing the cake on their bus ride to and from school. I think they did a great job:

Jenna Sings a Song

Jenna sang me this song today and I thought it was so beautiful I asked her to sing it again so I could record it. This is the only way I can think of so I can share it with her Mommy. Enjoy!