Fiona is ELEVEN?!?!

Eleven years ago yesterday, I called Scott in the morning and told him I thought he needed to get home and take me to the hospital.  He gathered himself and left the job fair he was at to head home in the Ford F150.  Fiona was born without a hitch on her due date, with Gammy and Auntie in the delivery room for support.  I vividly remember looking at my mother and sister, and the two of them giving me thumbs up between pushes!  We brought home our bundle of joy to our little oasis in Lynn, and began life as a new family.  Zevon was a tender one year old, with a nice black muzzle, and strong back legs.  Eleven years...my baby is a beautiful, stubborn, genius at times, loving big sister, formidable foe to her brother, naturalist.  I love her so much it makes my heart hurt.

This was the best piñata spot yet!

Grill Master!

"Land, Sea, Air"

Fiona and Tess

A friendly game of "Screaming Toes".

Tiger swung the killer blow!

Candy explosion!!!!

The boys enjoyed the adjoining ball field.

Inhaling helium.

There were also a few playgrounds...

Our Walmart trip to gather party decor.

School table after an average day of lessons.

Now, Ethan just eats the entire box of mac'n cheese.

Party favor preparations.

My twelve year old first born.

Fiona's party location also had a pond to fish and play in.

She got this fairy garden kit as a gift.  So sweet.

Banana-choco-chip pancakes on her REAL birthday.

For her actual bday, I had us do an origami theme for the entire school day.  In art we unfolded sculptures and colored in between the crease lines.

These were Fiona's creation

A days work.  Ethan and I struggled through fish and samurai hats...

Our neighbors stopped by to give Fiona flowers and a homemade card.

Scott has made the trip "over the hill".

I was wondering if 16 year old me would have thought 40 year old Scott was so handsome, and vice versa...  Can you imagine?  I know my answer at 16.  "EEEEWwwwwwww, he's so old!"  But thankfully we have aged together at a relatively slow rate, and are pretty impressed with how we have turned out so far.  We often remind the kids of how cool their parents are.  So hip and innovative. So in touch with the funky-fresh kid things going on. So young at heart and fashionable....  Seriously, we rock.
Anyway, kids had a relatively normal week.  They played in the pool with friends, enjoyed hours of school work and forced labor around the house.  They volunteered to help out at a horse show at their barn this past Sunday.  It was eye opening to see how much work those are.  I think they may be up for participating in one as soon as the weather cools down.  We had a busy day yesterday making preparations for Scotts birthday dinner.  We made and decorated his cake.  Made pizza from scratch...wrapped presents and embellished the house with balloons.  We are now looking ahead to this weekend and Fiona's birthday party on Saturday.

Now that I am old, I get to get an annual mammogram.  Yay! BUT, check out the waiting room (fully stocked with snacks and coffee)!

Felt like a spa.  I got a heated, plush robe!

Kids, pool, fun.

Some of the riders lined up for the show.

"Doc" always puts himself right in the middle of things.

Our homemade pizza dough.

Lot's of socks!

Thank you Heather for the "snake" socks.

Fiona was put in charge of opening and closing the gate, and Ethan presented riders with their ribbons.

Look how young these kids are!

Awwww.

Fiona's self portrait.  Lovely.

I think it is finally cooling off!

We have completed our first full week of school.  It went by really quickly!  As the kids were reviewing their new spelling lists this morning, we were feeling like we had just done this....(By the way, they each got 100% on their spelling tests last week).  The week ended with a bang at MinuteMaid Park.  We watched as the Astros beat the Cubs 2-1!  Best of all the first 10,000 fans got free bobble-heads...and we were there early for that!!!  This also allowed Ethan to get a few more signatures for his signed ball collection.  Yesterday we enjoyed a family bike ride to one of the many ponds nearby, and the kids caught some little fish.  At last the weather is getting to a point where outdoor activities are not an insane idea!  I am also excited about the new growing season that has begun.  I got a cantaloupe sprout, and two new small tomato plants.  I am hoping that by the time Gammy and Gampy get here in December, the tomatoes will be ready to pick!

I took these weirdos to IHOP after Spanish class.

A fun game we call swing jumping!

"Mommy!!!"

Yummy farm fresh salad with dinner.

These clouds rolled in while I was sipping my tea.  About a storm a day here.

Look at my boy!  Pushed right up to the front for those autographs!

Panoramic of the fishing spot.

President of the "No Handed Bike Club"

Ethan's final product from our self portrait lesson.  Fiona should be done in a few days....