Kids Carnival

Ethan got to go to a really cute "Kids Carnival" tonight. It was actually put on by a friend of Vincent's, who also has a bunch of nieces and nephews that are 2-3 years old. The idea was so cute that I think I'm going to use it for Ethan's next birthday party! They had it all set up in the backyard and had a bunch of games/projects that are perfect for kids 2-5 years old.

They had a ring toss game (where the younger kids could actually just put the rings on the pole), someone making balloon animals and hats, a cake walk game drawn on the patio area, a face painting station, a mini golf game (where the kids only had to hit the golf ball into a hula-hoop), and fishing.

The fishing was by far the most popular. One of the girls helped the kids throw their "pole" over the blue sheet that was hanging on the fence. The pole was a dowel rod with string and a clothes pin as the hook. The dad was behind the sheet, and would attach a toy to the clothes pin, then tug on the string to make the kids feel like they had a fish.

All the kids got a prize for every game, no matter how well they did. They even had the toys divided into "2 years and under" and "3 years and older." It was so sweet of them to invite Ethan, and he had so much fun!

4th of July

This year, Ethan had a blast with the 4th of July.  We went down to where "Uncle T and Uncle V" had scout camp to get Nehi floats.  (They're sort of like rootbeer floats, but you can get them in peach, grape, strawberry, and other fun flavors.)  Then we came back to do fireworks.  It was the first year that he was able to do fireworks "all on his own"...with lots of help from mommy and his uncles.  

He got to do some sparklers and other fireworks before it got dark, and had a lot of fun.  We promised him that after we went and watched the big fireworks, he could come home and do more fun fireworks with his uncles.  So, the whole time during the firework show he kept saying "All done?  Go home?  Fireworks done, go home with Uncle T."  He really couldn't have cared less about the big firework show!  Oh well!  I'm so glad he's got such great uncles that are so patient with him!  It was a great 4th for us!  

What we've been up to....

Just some random photos from our activities over the past week or so.

We went back to DeAnna Rose Farm and Ethan enjoyed driving on a old fashioned tractor, just like Harold! (For those of you who've read or seen Thomas the Tank Engine.) 

I also finished "baby sister's" quilt. We still haven't settled on a name, so Ethan and I are just calling her baby sister right now.  We've narrowed down names to Mia (well, Chris doesn't like this one, but I do!), Kailee, Kaylee, and of course we're still debating new names every day.  Who knows!  

DeAnna Rose Farm

Okay, so it's been a long time since I've updated anything on here.  It's not that we haven't been doing a ton of fun things, Ethan's having a summer jam-packed full of great activities.  I've just been so busy doing work on the computer that when I'm done writing at night I don't even want to look at the computer anymore!  Sorry!  I'll make a renewed effort to get more pics on here!

We went to the DeAnna Rose Farm a couple of weeks ago.  It's a HUGE place that has a petting zoo, a fishing pond, and all sorts of fun activities.  Kids can climb on real tractors, race around the track on little tike-sized peddle tractors, see Long Horns, take pony rides...you name it!  We were there a couple of hours and didn't even get through half of it.  We're definitely going back.  Anyway, here are some of the pictures I had time to snap when Ethan wasn't trying to lick the pig's snout, climb through the fence to see the pony, or throwing sticks and growling at the bobcat.  (Yes, I think he keeps be pretty busy!)

Just enjoying the nice weather...

Not too much has happened this past week.  The weather has finally warmed up here, so Ethan has been enjoying his "outside toys" like his lawn mower, bubble gun, and bug catcher.  Seriously, between the bug catcher and the lawn mower, this child doesn't ask for anything else.  The first thing in the morning he asks for is the lawn mower, then he asks to see if the bug we caught the day before is still alive.  Invariably, the bug has died overnight.  I don't really feel too bad, since they are just bugs.  We can't catch the lizards that we did in Florida--those I always let go because I would have felt bad if one died.   

Ethan and his new train table.  He loves it!  And I love it when it's raining--a great activity that keeps him playing for hours. 

Ethan in "scientist" mode.  He will watch his little bugs for quite a while, then shake the catcher up to see if the bugs get mad and fly around more.  Notice he's also making his bubble gun blow bubbles at the same time-- always a multi-tasker.    

The Lawn Mower!  Need I say more?  His favorite thing to do is take a watering can, fill it with water and "pour gas" in his mower.  How much fun it is to spend summers with Grandma and his uncles! 

I'm making May 13th the start of my month!

Have you ever started writing something, decided you didn't like it, crumpled it up and started over?  Well, that's what I'd like to do with the way this month started.  Literally, from May 1st we have been passing around a horrible stomach bug that is finally gone (knock on wood).  Ethan was sick for about a week, and the day after he was fully recovered, Tristin (the older of my two younger brothers) came down sick.  Within 48 hours, my mom, Vincent, and I were all horribly sick.  Luckily Tristin recovered relatively quickly and helped quite a bit.  

Yesterday, to celebrate our renewed health, Ethan, Vincent, and I went to a science fair at the local library.  Ethan had a lot of fun!  There was a booth where a man was making "lightning," (his personal favorite as it was the loudest booth), a station about butterflies, huge model airplanes, cockroaches (because I didn't see enough of those in Hawaii and Florida), and so many more booths I can't remember.  It was a great, low-key way to "re-join" the world of the healthy! 

Ethan and Vincent looking through a replica of Galileo's telescope.  

Ethan making his butterfly. 

The finished butterfly.  Now, this is a very unique butterfly that scientists may not have discovered.   When I asked Ethan what his butterfly did, the conversation went as follows:

Me:  What a cool butterfly!  Can you show me how it flies?

Ethan: Hisses and makes the butterfly sting me.

Me:  Honey, that's a butterfly, they fly and land on flowers, but they don't sting like bees.  

Ethan:  Makes the butterfly hiss again and says "BITE!"

Me:  Is the butterfly biting me?  (A little incredulously)

Ethan: Bite Mommy!  Butterfly Bite Mommy!  (He is screaming it at this point, and very proud of himself!)

My son has discovered the first hissing, biting butterfly!  What an accomplishment at only 2 years old! 

Playing Tourist

My mom and brother came to visit for two weeks and we had a blast. We took off to Orlando, St. Augustine, and explored around Jacksonville. Mom also watched Ethan so that Vincent and I could go to a movie and then again when Chris, Vincent, and I went to see the new Batman movie. Thanks, Mom!

Meeting an astronaut at NASA

Petting the sting rays at Sea World.

We found this really neat kids park at St. Augustine in between seeing the San Marco fort and the St. Augustine lighthouse. This park was built as a memorial to a little girl who passed away. It was perfect for kiddos Ethan's age...he played there for about an hour going on the carousel, going down slides, and chasing his uncle everywhere.

We went to the Museum of Science and History here in Jacksonville. It was a lot of fun too. While Ethan didn't understand all of the exhibits, he loved being able to touch and explore everything.