Winding Down

Oops! Time to catch up on all those pictures that I've taken but haven't posted about. The problem is I'm so busy being in the middle of things, that I rarely stop and think, "Hey, this would make a great blog post." None the less, here's what's been going on since...September! Yikes! (Blogger has a new photo format, so these are not necessarily in order. You'll be okay.)

A young man and his love of fishing! He was the only one who caught anything that day!

A trip to Missouri ALWAYS includes Braum's ice cream. Ryan has "cake batter" all over his mouth.

Dad put all the leaves in the ditch and we burned them. That's one of the best smells! But first, Ryan gets to play!

Remember this picture from 2007?

Here's the 2011 version. (I couldn't get them side by side.)

Kept the kids busy forever letting them throw rocks in the river.

We went here to see the thousands and thousands of lights. Bella rode her first roller coaster-she loved it!

A trip to "Ko-go" as Ryan calls it (Kroger). I didn't have to push a cart at all!

Ryan's new obsession is Cars. He asks to watch it every day. This is him, pleading his case with an adorable "Pweeeeease?" It's tough to resist!

Bella asked for another library picture. She practically covers the flower now.

The lobster tank. We visit this every.single.time we go to Meijer. Notice how Bella's dressed to go grocery shopping. In November.

Here's Bella in her little scrubs before her mole removal surgery. Despite the look on her face, this is before the meds kicked in! She had an amazing recovery and didn't have a bit of pain.

Bella loved her costume and told everyone she was Queen Esther. I had to bribe Ryan with the idea of candy in order for him to wear his prince cape (hard to see in the photo). In the end he wore it, and mopped up in mini candy bars and sugary treats.

This is classic Isabella-in her cute little flowered apron, having just helped me in the kitchen, with a toad she caught in the back yard! She's a brave one-I wouldn't go near it!

Not the clearest shot of this, but when Ryan doesn't get his way (or walk the direction he wants, as in this picture), we crinkles up his face and pouts. Although disobedient, it's absolutely adorable.

One of our treats is going to Arby's. The kids can split a $1 sandwich, I always have some sort of coupon for mine, and we split a $1 Jamocha shake. I have no idea what Bella's doing here.

A boy in love. Our library had a model train show and the four of us headed over. Ryan was enamored of all the different layouts and sizes, went back to this one twice, didn't want to leave, and cried when we had to. My poor baby boy!