Claire is a preschooler!!!

First day of 4-year old preschool :) (I can NOT figure out why these pics keep being turned sideways?)

She chose her breakfast- chocolate pop tart and then only ate like 4 bites!

Mommy and Claire on her first day of preschool

At her table with her name tag on!

A kiss from Daddy to start the day!

Back pack ready and off we go!!

 

 

 

She was so excited and also a little scared! Our big girl is off to preschool :) sniff sniff!

Brett's first day of 2nd grade!!

Dan, Claire, and I on the morning that Brett started school

As you can see, we had nobody to take the photo and no time to figure out the auto setting- 

so just one kid at a time in our photos!!!

This was flipped over in my pics- but you get the idea- Brett on first day of school 2011- 2nd grade!!

Mrs. Metier- his 2nd grade teacher :)

Brett and Claire at his locker!

2nd grade...where has the time gone??

Brett, Nan, and Claire on his first day of school

Amusement park fun!

We took a family trip to the amusement park and went camping with my brother, sis-in-law, and their 3 kids. We all had a great time and the kids loved the amusement park! Brett was a MAJOR daredevil...doing all the roller coasters and water slides he could! Claire did two roller coasters- and one she was NOT fond of (and will probably never go on it again! Ooops!) Here are some photos of the fun :)

Brett and Jacob enjoy some time at the pool at the campground

Olivia, Claire and Brett doing some swimming!

Brett and Jacob on the ferris wheel

Dan and the boys up very high :)

Claire, Olivia, and I

Claire and Olivia on the boats

Claire LOVED the frog hopper (the kids version of the space shot). She would have done it over and over and over again!

Cutie cousins :)

Watching the horse races

Go Brew Crew!

We were happy to take a family vacation to Milwaukee this weekend. My mom and dad and Dan and the kids and myself met Ann and Tim and the kids there for some hotel swimming, Brewer game, and Sprecher brewery tour. Here are some photos of the fun :)

For some reason, I can't get this to turn over??!!

Brett was tickling Maggie, making her giggle :)

Brett and I enjoying the game at Miller Park

Brett and Claire with Bernie Brewer!

Brett got a new little bat with the sausage racers on it at the ball park...he's ready to pinch hit for the Crew now!

Claire gets a shoulder ride from Daddy

Claire and Daddy with their new Brewers hats

Making ice cream

Claire making shake-up ice cream (2 plastic baggies- one with ingredients and the other with ice and salt)

Brett gets serious about his shaking

The result....delicious- RICH- ice cream :)

Brett adds some butterscotch....

And Claire adds some chocolate :) Gotta love summer!!

Baseball

Claire and a little buddy at the ball park do somersaults while the teams warm up!

Brett hits the ball- they have started to pitch it now instead of doing the tee and he loves that!

Screwing around during warm ups!

Fielding a grounder

Good game....nice job....

One gorgeous 7 year old baseball player :)

Ready to run to 2nd

Again- screwing around during warm ups....do you see a pattern here??!!

 

 

Brett's baseball season is almost finished. He has enjoyed it- been much more into it this year than last year. He likes that they don't have to hit it off the tee now. He really just likes hitting he says, but we always tell him there's more to the game and he'll have to suffer through defense!

Butterflies!

I had to capture this priceless photo of Brett and Claire sleeping in June 2011. Seems like I hear a lot of bickering between these two recently, so it warmed my heart to come in and find them all snuggled up asleep! When it comes right down to it, they really do love each other!! :)

Brett with a butterfly resting on his short, spiky hair! We took a quick trip to meet up with some of my friends from the AEA and visited the butterfly garden. We learned many interesting things about these amazing creatures- a few tidbits for you...butterflies smell through their antennae, taste through their feet, and live only on average 2 short weeks!

Chrys, Penny, Kathy, me, Becky, Claire, and Steph...some of my AEA buddies :)
It's nice to work with people you call friends!

Brett and Claire with a giant gnome (Gma is a gnome lover so this one is for her!)

Claire- age 4

Brett took this photo of Chrys, Claire, and I!

Brett- age 7