Lydia's pictures

I just took Lydia for her 7 year pictures. I know...didn't she turn 7 in October? Well yes...but I am the mom of 3 kids and this is the first time I have had a chance to get her in. Anyway, you can see them here...

http://www.myonlineportraits.com/ViewSharedAlbum.aspx?ShareID=a8404518-3b24-485b-b853-d9b593eef71a

I honestly don't know how she got to be so grown up!

Kristin

Watch out Mickey Mouse...

here we come! Off to Disney World tomorrow morning. Pictures to come!

Halloween

Yeah, I know...it is a little late, but better late than never! Lydia, Erynn, and Colin made up my own little version of "farmer in the dell".

He does NOT give up!

So Colin loves the bath tub...If one way doesn't work...

Try the other side...

Ahhhh...sweet success!

Car Show

So at Erynn's school they have a car show every year. They use it to learn about transportation and have to actually make a car out of a cardboard box. They then have a "car parade" around the block, then they returned to school and went to a "drive in" movie...complete with popcorn. I won't lie, it isn't my favorite day of the year, but the kids really seem to love it!

Watch out!

We have a walker now...lordy, help us!

Lydia's belt ceremony

Lydia tested up another belt while Tom and I were in Chicago. Even without us cheering her on, she did a great job. She did have grandma and grandpa there as support though...I am sure that helped!

Lydia is now a blue tip belt!

The Pumpkin Farm

After our relatively easy Apple Farm outing, the next weekend we decided to head to the Pumpkin farm for some yes, PUMPKINS!

After finding the perfect pumpkins, and loading them onto the stroller, we fed some goats...

the girls played in a maze...

And Colin played on a tractor!

All in all, a very good day, except for the bloody lip after falling face first on the wagon and the subsequent crying when we had to leave, and the carrying of Erynn on my shoulders while trying to push the stroller through the rut laden dirt parking lot. But we survived and we would do it again!

Somedays are just not good...

Somedays you just can't help but be sad...

Somedays, you just can't help but cry...

And somedays, just keep getting worse...

Colin was having one of "those" days recently...

The Apple Farm

So we originally decided to go to the Apple Farm for pumpkins...I know weird thinking, but I know we went last year or the year before and got pumpkins. So one Sunday, while Tom was working, I decided that a trip to get pumpkins was in order. Once we got there, I discovered that there were no pumpkins, but it was too late! Lydia and Erynn wanted to ride on the wagons and go pick some apples. It took some manuevering since it was just me and 3 children, one of whom could not walk, and a whole orchard of apple trees. But it actually was a lot of fun!

Lydia became an apple farmer!

Erynn and Lydia played on the tractor wheels, the "chicken coop" playground, and the glider swings. Oh and while I was paying for our apples, some little boy had a disagreement with Erynn and bit her! My poor baby had a bruise and teeth marks on her arm for a week. I wasn't too mad because I know that kids are kids, but his mother didn't even reprimand him...things like that I have yet to figure out how to explain to my children.

Erynn and Lydia picked some apples.

And Colin, well he ate many bites of apples that I would give him and emptied out my purse while waiting for a ride back to our car!

I am so glad that I decided to take this on and go. It would have been a very trying day if we would have just stayed home! And I learned that the girls are pretty good at listening when out in public. We just wish that Daddy could have come too!

What were you doing today, 7 years ago?!?

Well, I remember...I was sitting in St Mary's Health Center becoming a mother for the first time. I was scared out of my mind and excited all at the same time. I remember watching an episode of The Amazing Race (I believe that was the time that Zac and Flo won!), I remember trying to make a final decision on her name, and I remember Tom being much more scared than I thought he was going to be. It was a LONG time though...it seemed like, well, 28 hours or so! :) But in the end it was all worth is because

at 11:18pm
on October 16, 2002,
Lydia Kay Donaldson
was born into our family,
Weighing in at 6lbs, 10oz
and measuring 20 inches long

Now look at her...in 1st grade, a reading machine, pretty good at Tae Kwon Do, a wonderful, helpful big sister, and always making jokes! I have always had dreams of having children, but I don't think that I truely knew what I was getting into...none of us do, but Lydia certainly gave me more than I expected! She is wonderful and stubborn and her own person, and I love her for that!

Happy 7th Birthday Lydia!

A little giveaway...

Target $50 Gift Card Giveaway
.
It's time for me to give something to you since you take time out of your busy lives to visit STL Mommy.

The giveaway this month is a $50 Target Gift Card!

Check out how to win it at...




Kristin

Catching up on posts...

Before school started, we also went to the Arch. The kids sitting outside, waiting for Ryan and Will.
The Arch itself...it was a gorgeous day!

The boys posing before going inside.

Picture taking in front of the bear. The Arch was sold out for the next like 3 hours, so we decided to come back another day to make the trek up. It was fun walking around in the museum and just hanging out with cousins!

Green Belts

A little while back Tom and Lydia tested for their green belts. I got a babysitter and watched not only the testing, but also the belt ceremony. I was so excited that I got to watch and really see what they get to do at Tae Kwon Do! Lydia being "questioned" by Master Myung on her behavior at home and some of the

Tae Kwon Do rules!
Getting their new belts.

Bowing to the rest of the class. Lydia was excited to be moving to the next level!

Erynn's first day of school

So it started...school that is! Erynn's first day of school was Sept 1st! We weren't sure she was going to make it since you have to be potty trained, but when met with a deadline, this girl aims to please! Or more than likely she just decided to do it! :) Eating a breakfast of fruity cheerios and milk...yum!
Hanging up her bookbag in her cubby and getting her name tag.

Sitting on the carpet, reading a book...waiting for all the moms & dads to leave. Erynn didn't shed a single tear. She actually waved goodbye and I had to ask for a kiss! I wasn't sure that this child who would cling to me for most of her 1st to 2nd year of life would ever be this independant. I think she might be even more independant that Lydia was at this age...and I didn't think that was possible!

Erynn coming out of class. That is her teacher Ms Shari making sure she has her bookbag!

The first week of school went great...then she got Hand Foot and Mouth disease (and possibly strep throat). She missed the whole second week of school...this girl was completely

MIS ER A BLE!

Hopefully we will be back into the swing of things tomorrow and for the rest of the year! :)

We also went to...

Grant's Farm. Going there is always fun. It is calmer than the zoo and yet the kids always have fun. The free beer is a little added bonus too! :) Lydia loves the goats, although Colin was glad they were on the other side of the fence!

Just some things that passed the time...

So before school started, we decided to do just about every tourist thing in St. Louis. :) This was a day at Cahokia Mounds. It was fun and the girls had a good time. The especially liked playing with the primative toys and seeing how the children lived. I think in a few years they will get more out of it...I know I will! :)

1st day...hurray!

New shoes and an old bookbag...both ready for 1st grade!

(too bad I can't figure out how to rotate it)
Eating breakfast...yum!

Yesterday was the official first day of school for Lydia. I don't know that I consider it a full day since she was there for just a little over 3 hours. Anyway, it was a good 1st day of 1st grade!

May it rest in peace...

Well my computer died...it just won't turn on anymore. So no longer can I blog or read email, etc from the comfort of my bed. *sigh* Anyway, I will be using Tom's computer or the kids' computer, but since it isn't right next to my bed, it will take a more concerted effort on my part to post.

Kristin

Oh...Tom and I are thinking about going away for a weekend for our 10th anniversary...anyone want to "borrow" 3 kids for a couple of days?!?! :)

Send some passing thoughts...

My cousin Simon is taking the IL bar exam as we speak! I know that he doesn't really NEED them, but if you could send some "positive-passing vibes" his way, it would be appreciated. I know that it is stressful, no matter how much you have studied and how ready you are...boy do I know! Oh and it is his and his lovely wife, Emily's, 2nd wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary guys! :) (maybe wait until the weekend to celebrate though!)

Kristin

Erynn is THREE!

So like I posted before, Erynn and Colin pretty much share their birthdays. We had the party at her Aunt and Uncle's house and it was lots of fun with lots of family!! Erynn checking out her own special cake...she was excited to not have to share with anyone!

Erynn loves, loves, loves to swim! She is our little fish!! :)

As you can tell, she also liked opening presents! She was so fast that I didn't get to see half of it until we were home because she moved so fast!

Kristin

More Party Pics...

I sort of feel guilty because Colin and Erynn kind of have to "share" a birthday. This cake was my attempt to make it special and unforgettable. It turned out really good and I didn't pay all that much for it...it actually was a steal! (Thanks to Aunt Kathy for turning me on to halfoffdeals.com)This banner was something I have thought about having for a while now. All I had ever seen was the plastic kind though and I wanted to be able to use it for many birthdays and for all the kids. Thanks to etsy.com, I found this one that is made out of fabric letters and I can add or take off the kids' names (I have Lydia's name too). I think that I will be using it every year for all 3 kids and maybe for Tom and myself too. I love it!

Kristin

Colin turns ONE!

Officially, today, Colin Patrick Donaldson is ONE year old. I honestly don't know where the time has gone...I feel like just yesterday we were so excited to tell everyone that we were pregnant! He is amazing though...happy and plump and adventureous and loving.

We love you little boy!! Happy Birthday!!

Kristin