Two things that never get old

Petey clomping around the house in whatever shoes he can find:

... and Rocky sunbathing in a patch of sun:

It doesn't take much to amuse me, as you can see.  My two baby boys are the sweetest things ever (unless they are annoying the crap out of me).

Happy birthday Corey!

We took Corey to a Mustang car show this morning at the Nashville Superspeedway (yes it's all one word!) for his 36th birthday.  More on that later, but I just had to post this ridiculously adorable photo.  Like father, like son.

Another typical school day

School (well, preschool anyway) is becoming part of the regular routine.  I'm still getting up extra early to actually shower before drop-off because I still want to make a good impression.  We'll introduce the other parents to "unshowered Niki" once I have earned their trust and/or fallen back into my slothful habits.  Thanks to last night's storm, it was cold enough to dress Charlie Jo in a cool new top courtesy of Grandma JoJo and Grandpa Spike.

Peter and I dropped her off and then ran a bunch of errands (library, gas station, drug store).  We ate lunch, played some with Alicia, and then headed back to school to get Charlie Jo.  While we waited the last few minutes before it was time to go in, Petey watched forlornly as other kids played on the super cool playground.

Then, Petey raced up and down the hallways as other moms admired his overalls.  Finally it was time to reunite with his beloved sister (aka his nemesis).  They hugged and then trotted down the hallway hand in hand.  My stupid cell phone only managed a blurry photo of the cuteness.

Now we're home and it's time for naps.  Just like clockwork!

Camping!

This past weekend, we went camping with some friends of ours to Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park.  This was our first time camping together, and we had a blast!  

We looked at turtles at the Nature Center at the Land Between the Lakes . . .

We played in Kentucky Lake . . .

We played in the dirt at the campsite . . .

Home sweet home (in the field) . . .

TENT!

More photos from rainy play and today's playgroup

Ugh!  You're heavy!

Today, at Monkey Joe's, the playgroup goofballs all ended up in the bathroom at the same time.  Had we known what a hit the automatic hand dryer would be, we would have saved the admission fee and taken them to the local gas station bathroom for free.

At lunch at Oscar's Taco Shop afterward, we let the kids sit at their own table (GASP!).  Well, the older kids sat, anyway.  They're getting so big!

First day of "real" preschool

Today we sent Charlie Jo off to her first day of preschool.  This is preschool for which you have to be potty-trained.  Since her potty training is pretty solid for #1 (yesterday's epic accident in front of Alicia and Faith Carol notwithstanding), I'm feeling okay about her chances of success.  Just as long as she doesn't have to go #2, we'll be fine.  Oh how I pray she won't have to go #2 . . .

Anyway, since the mid-50s temperature and rain forced me to scrap my plan to dress Charlie Jo in the super cute gray and pink sleeveless dress Grandma JoJo bought her, I was able to substitute another cool Grandma JoJo gift originally meant for later in the year.  I tried to take photos of Charlie Jo alone in the outfit, but Peter (also wearing a cool shirt from Grandma JoJo) refused to let his sister hog the spotlight.

CHEESE!

I finally got Charlie Jo alone and asked her to pose in her new sneakers.  This is apparently her idea of how to model footwear:

Then Peter caught wind of the modeling session and had to get in on the action.  Those Converse were originally his sister's.

The preschool explicitly requested "FULL-SIZE backpacks" in the instructions sent to the parents, so I complied.  Charlie Jo looks a little goofy wearing a backpack that hangs down to her knees (even though I tightened the straps as much as I could).

Drop-off went very smoothly.  Charlie Jo's experience at the early learning program last year made this not such a big deal for either of us.  Peter was the only one upset because he didn't get to stay and play with all of the toys and kids.  Poor little dude!

Forty degrees cooler and super soggy

On Saturday, it was 101 degrees and we just about melted waiting to ride on Thomas.  Today, it is 61 degrees and has been raining since yesterday afternoon.  When I dressed the kids to go outside to play in the rain, they acted like I was putting them in space suits or something.  Peter pulled at the sleeves and kept yanking up his pant legs to make sure his legs were still there under the long pants.  I guess it has been a while since we dressed in anything but shorts and sandals!  We lasted a little over an hour outside until Charlotte started asking me to wipe the water off her wet clothes (she doesn't believe me when I tell her it just doesn't work like that) and Peter was covered in mud from head to toe.  Here are some shots of the goofballs dancing in the rain when we first got out there.

Thomas comes to town

Yesterday, we took the kids to see the biggest rock star in the land of the toddler/preschooler.  If you haven't heard of Thomas the Tank Engine, you must not have spent much time with anyone under four feet tall in the last decade.  His show is sometimes the only thing that will soothe Petey during a freak-out temper tantrum, so Thomas is very near and dear to my heart.

He looked so cool up close!

Unfortunately, the ridiculous heat and humidity wilted the kids a little while we waited for our turn to ride the train.

CHOO CHOO!  CHOO CHOO!

Even Corey got in the spirit.  Too bad the engineer's hat was a little small.

The car we rode in had a cool upper level that scored us a terrific view.

The view of the Cumberland River was great.

Just what every kid wants -- a certificate.

Taking in the sights.

Not sure what precipitated this display of affection.

 Thank you, Thomas, for such a fun ride!

Aaaaaaargh!

There was no good explanation given for why there was a large parade-float-sized pirate ship at the local farmers' market this weekend, so we figured we had better check it out.  Of course we had to dress Charlotte up as a pirate for the adventure.  Faith Carol was home from college for the weekend so she, Alicia, and Dan came along to see what the kids thought of the spectacle.

Yo ho ho!

A pirate hat for Petey!

Neither of the kids turned out to be all that interested in the ship.  Charlotte refused to get on it and Peter begged to get off as soon as he boarded.  Oh well.  At least there was kettle corn!

We had to at least pose the kids by the ship (which is, according to the sign, available for rent for children's parties).

Peter found a live bluegrass band and just had to dance.

It was a pirate adventure cut short by rising temperatures and oppressive humidity, but we're glad we went!

The hair affair

Yes, I know gals with curly hair have a MUCH tougher time taming their manes in the morning than someone like Charlotte who has stick-straight hair.  But this is what Charlotte wakes up to every day, regardless of whether her hair is wet or dry when she goes to bed.  What on EARTH does she do in her sleep?

Poor little cup o' cat

Rocky recently had a little bit of surgery to make sure he doesn't, well, reproduce.  He's home from the vet but still with the indignity of the special collar to keep him from licking himself.  Poor little dude.

READY TO CONQUER THE WORLD!

Well, ready to conquer preschool, anyway.

You may not be able to tell it, but she's holding a long stick like a sword or something.  I'm not sure this teacher knows what she's in for when Charlotte officially starts school next Tuesday.  Today was just a preview day, and Charlotte marched right in like she owned the place and told her teacher "I'M POTTY TWAINED!"  Her teacher was greatly amused.

I filled out a bunch of forms while Charlotte explored the centers of the classroom and introduced herself to a few kids.  There will be eight kids in her class, and they all seemed pretty normal.  None of the mothers looked like "Brentwood Barbies" (over-bleached blonde, over-tanned, over teeth-whitened, etc.) and none of the kids had bizarre names like Apple or Moxie CrimeFighter.  Corey even got to come and meet the teacher.  So far, so good!