Knoebels

Yesterday we went to Knoebel's for the school employee picninc.  Annalise had a great time taking everything in and even rode rides by herself for the first time!  I was really questioning whether or not she would sit still on a ride for the entire ride or if she would try to climb out but she did well.  She rode on the fire trucks, the boats, the cars and the train.  She said that she wanted to go on the helicopters but once I put her in and pushed the lap bar over she panicked and wanted out.  That was the only ride with a lap bar and not a strap so it must have been something about the bar that freaked her out.  Anyway, I can't wait to take her back this summer!

On the fire trucks.  She liked ringing the bell!

She spent much of the fire truck ride looking at the other kids on the ride so it was hard to get  a picture of her face.

Aidan and Anna going for a spin on the cars.

Following the cars, they enjoyed a nice boat ride.

They both kept turning around and looking back at the water but neither one ever stuck their hands in.

Annalise likes the Smith's double stroller.  She liked to stand on Aidan's spot on the back.

Anna and Lily in the double stroller.

Aidan nicely shared the back standing part with Anna.  Poor Brad ended up pushing it with both of them on it!

Free Swingset!

Wait, free?  Yes, free.  A few weeks ago Stan came home from work and told me that on the way home he noticed a house that had a free sign hanging on the swingset in the yard but he couldn't tell if the sign was for the set or if there was something below the sign on the ground that he didn't see.  So, we went down to the house and stopped and asked and it was confirmed.  The swingset was free for the taking but we had to move it.  I couldn't believe they were getting rid of it becuase it is in really good shape!  Stan even said that he felt weird just taking it and he NEVER says stuff like that.  Anyway, moving it would have been a real chore if we would have had to take it all apart, but since we were able to use the box truck from Renco, they were able to move it in two big pieces.  So we moved it, found the perfect spot for it under some shade trees in the yard and set it up.  Annalise LOVES it!

Trying to climb up on her own

(Nobody worry.  It was a night that Stan was home and he is actually right there, just not in the pictures.)

Sitting in her "Clubhouse" as her daddy calls it.

Having fun!

On the slide.

Lovin' it!

Cart

We still tend to spend about an hour or two outside each day which I love after being cooped up inside the school building all day! One thing that Anna likes to do outside is push around this cart. Usually when we get home from a walk and go into the garage she starts exclaiming, "Cart! Cart!". Yes, this little cart has many miles on it!

Sometimes she pushes it one handed...

...and sometimes two handed

Checking to make sure her flowers are stil in the little compartment in the front.

By the way, that dog is still hanging around the house....again I ask, did anyone lose a dog?

Memorial Day

This is Annalise on Memorial Day this year and a comparison picture from last year. She is sitting in the same spot on our bed with the same flag. This year she was not into having her picture taken at the time and was very much not interested in the flag I gave her to hold. I wanted to get a comparison shot of her though so here they are. It is amazing how much difference a year makes at this age!

MEMORIAL DAY 2010

"Do I really have to sit here?"

I then pointed out her Puppy thinking she would be more apt to sit there but all it did was distract her completely from looking at me.

So I took it away and she flopped down on the bed.  Photo session over.

MEMORIAL DAY 2009

This Girl Loves Her Watermelon!

I wonder where she got that from....It will be interesting to see how many watermelons she and I guzzle down this summer!

Nothing Is Safe!

I said before that nobody is safe in this house from Annalise's accessorizing and love of clothes. I now need to say that nothing is safe because she now likes to bring you clothes and a stuffed animal and likes to help you put the clothes on it.

Apparently Tad needed an assortment of capris and shorts that morning!

The Newest Member of Our Family.......

......is a plastic dog Anna calls "Puppy".  Actually, we have had it since Christmas but Anna just opened it this past weekend.  Since her birthday and Christmas are so close together and she recieved so many nice things, we decided to keep some for later and we periodically get them out and give them to her.  Anyway, Anna really likes Puppy and I like him too.  She likes him because you can turn him on and let him walk around.  I like him because you can turn him off when you are done playing with him and he doesn't bring dirt into the house!  My kind of dog!  Puppy also swims so we are going to try him out this summer. Since he swims he came with a pair of goggles and a towel.  Anna calls the goggles his "gasses" (glasses) which she enjoys putting on too.  She also likes to "wipe him" with his towel.

Meet "Puppy"

Annalise with Puppy's "gasses" on.  You can't tell it by the look on her face in this picture, but she does ask you to put them on her!