School Pics Are In!

So the school pics are in-and I love them!  Looking at them I am struck by how grown-up Mia looks.  These are terrible scans-my scanner makes the color super-wonky, but you get the idea....

Love this smile!

 Much better than last year!!

School Pics-Ava and Mia, 1 year later

The school year is now in full-swing and Mia is loving school and getting to go 5 days a week.  We are in our routine and that includes yearly traditions like field trips and school pictures.  Do you remember last year's school pictures?  I do, the pictures below are burned in my head and make me laugh out loud every time.  Mia had taken her individual pictures, but when it came time to do one with Ava, was not having it.  It resulted in this...

Luckily I had taken this one earlier that morning :)

Although I was pretty sure we wouldn't have a repeat of that experience this year, I picked up Ava a couple minutes early on picture day and took the girls out to a small tree farm in our neighborhood and got this, my new favorite picture of the two of them.  Look how they have changed-no longer toddlers, they are looking so grown up.

I now anxiously await seeing their school pictures...

Mia's 1st Dance Class

Today Mia had her first ever dance class at Dance Dimensions in Bolingbrook.  I have been meaning to sign her up for dance FOREVER, but Venessa gave me the push I needed by suggesting we join the class she had signed Erica up for. Thanks Ness!  It is a 1-hour class that is a combo of Tap, Ballet, and Tumbling.  The last couple of days have been building up the excitement as we got her shoes, tried on her leotards (Thanks Lisa!) and talked about what class would be like.  Needless to say, it was a hit!  She really liked having Erica in the class and she made a new friend Lily, the daughter of one my friends from my junior high days.  What a great surprise!  She had a great time and I think this will be a great way to improve her coordination.  :)  And of course, pictures... 

Waiting for class to begin

Erica and Mia

So excited to be in the studio for the first time

Not so sure...

But then jumping right in!

All the girls dancing

Tapping her heel

The girls concentrating

Mia and Erica again

Jumping :)

Love this! You can see how excited she is :)

The girls

Pretending to sleep-part of one of the songs

Hi Mom!

Fall Pictures-Take 1

Can I tell you how much I love these two???  :)  These shots may have cost me some M&Ms, but was well worth it!

Mia-4 Years

Cole-2 Years

Wish they looked more enthused, but glad to have one of them just to document them together at this age.

Happy Fall!

Cornfest at Graue Mill

Today we went to Graue Mill to both celebrate Grandparent's Day with my mom, but also to enjoy their annual Cornfest.   The last time we had been to this event was when Mia was just 1 year old.  Click here for a blast from the past. :)  It couldn't have been a more perfect day, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the weather was just beautiful!  There was good food and lots of fun activities.  Here are some pictures from the day. 

I bet you didn't all know I was an expert at the stilts!  It is one of my hidden talents-watch out, I am good.  My grandpa made me a pair when I was a kid and I have had lots of practice  :)

After showing off my skills, the family had to all give it a try.

Cort's competitive side came out. :)

Even Cole got in on the action

When did she get so big?

Him too!

Cole looking for "Nemos"

Walking across the bridge

Right here Cole is demonstrating his new skill of walking backwards :)  I like this because for once it actually allows me to get a picture of his face instead of the back of his head.

Cole never wants to take off his Lightning McQueen glasses

Seriously, when did she grow from this into this?

The musical instruments were once again a hit.

With Grammy

Cole tried to drive the firetruck that was visiting

So did Mia

The kids had fun playing some old fashioned games (so did I!)

Mia had a blast trying out the potato sacks...

While Cole didn't quite understand the concept even though he had fun hopping.

Our family (don't the kids look thrilled?)

Happy Grandparent's Day to the best Grammy ever!!

Look Who's Riding a Bike!

Yikes!  How can it already be September?  As usual I am super-behind on blogging, most specifically the kids birthdays and our trip out to California this summer, so hopefully I will get caught up soon.

Before I do though, here are some pics from today.  We are enjoying the wonderful, cooler early fall weather (as much as it pains me to say summer is over) and we have been spending some time outside.  We have had a bike with training wheels sitting in our garage for quite awhile that was a hand-me-down from a friend.  Mia has been on it a time or two, but in true Mia fashion her talents lie more in the verbal realm than the physical realm.  :)  After a very long trip to the park the other day on a much smaller tricycle-type bike, I realized that Mia needed some help practicing her peddling and steering.  You see Mia has some short little legs (she is short for her age) and lacks a bit of leg strength.  She is also easily distracted by leaves, acorns, birds and bunnies. :)

However, I have to say Mia pleasantly surprised us and was riding her bike rather well after just a little bit of practice.  We were very proud of her and she was very proud of herself.  She even took one fairly nasty fall and when I said she could walk the rest of the way home, she was crying that she wanted to get back on her bike. That a girl!

Mia posing with her bike

Riding