Tooth Fairies and Frankenstein

Wednesday, November 7th, 2012

This morning while Carson was eating breakfast, he must have bumped his tooth just enough to notice that it was wiggly!  He wiggled it all day long of course!  On our way home from swimming lessons this evening, he just casually said, "Hey, my tooth is out of my mouth."  Camryn and I were so excited for him and told him all about how the Tooth Fairy will come if he puts it under his pillow.  Well, we put it there and sure enough she came and brought him a $5 bill!  He was so excited!  He came running downstairs to show Jerrod and me.  I asked him if he knew whose picture was on that $5 bill to which he replied, "Yep, Frankenstein!"

Hawkeye Football Player & The Queen of Hearts

Fall Festival

Every year the kindergarten classes have a Fall Festival.  The parents are invited to join their child in all kinds of fun fall activities.  Carson and I had lots of fun creating!

Carson insisted on having this vampire shirt because his friend, Jack has the same one!  Never mind the fact that the largest size it comes in is a 4T and he needs a 5/6!

Back to School

August 16th was the first day of school for Camryn and Carson.  Camryn started 3rd grade and Carson is in kindergarten.  We live close enough to school that we can walk every morning.  Not as close as our 4 houses down in Pittsburgh, but it's a nice walk through the park in our neighborhood.  Most days it's a refreshing way to start the day.  Other days it turns into a 1 mile sprint! The kids are adjusting well and come home smiling everyday.

Iowa State Fair

The month of August slowed down a little, but not much!  The kids and I spent our days trying out all of the pools in the area.  We also took a trip to Des Moines for the famous Iowa State Fair!  We had fun meeting Jenny and her family and my mom.  We also got to catch up with our friends Chad and Jennifer and their 4 kids.

Our First Iowa Summer

One of the things we were looking forward to most about living in Iowa was being close to family.  This summer we definitely took advantage of that!  Every weekend in July was filled with a family event.

We spent the 4th of July in Reinbeck with California cousins.

The following weekend was in Bronson, Iowa with the Brink family.

Celebrating 60 years of marriage!

                                               

Celebrating my Dad's 60th birthday on the Mighty Mississippi!

A family vacation to the Dells!

Whew!  It was fun to have Jerrod home for the entire month of July!  I'm sure after that whirlwind of a month, he's ready to get to work!

We're Home!

The morning after graduation in Pittsburgh, we headed to Iowa!  We arrived in Iowa City and got to stay in a hotel WITH Cooper!  The kids thought that was pretty neat.  We enjoyed our old Iowa City favorite take out pizza and swimming in the hotel pool.  Monday morning, Jerrod and I closed on our new house and the movers met us there right on schedule!  The kids had so much fun running through all of the open space.

UPMC Graduation

Jerrod and I have almost been married 12 years.  Four of those were spent in medical school and the last 8  in residency!  It's hard to believe Jerrod's training has come to an end!  (If it ever really does!)  At his graduation from The University of Pittsburgh, Jerrod received The Resident Teaching Award for recognition in being an amazing teacher for his junior residents.  What an honor!

The proud parents!

Liz and Alex are our close friends from Pittsburgh.  Super hard to say good bye!

The kids and I have been joking during residency about all of the things we would like to do "When Daddy's a 'real' doctor!"  I guess it's time to start checking some of those things off the list!  Congratulations, Dr. Keith!  The University of Iowa is lucky to have you join their team!

Farewell Pittsburgh

Well, it's been a fun 3 years here in Pittsburgh.  I have to admit I was incredibly hesitant to move here from beautiful Denver, Colorado!  We rented a house we found on Craigslist, had no family close by and no idea what to expect.  Pittsburgh definitely deserves more credit than I gave it at first.  Our family built lifelong relationships with friends across the world!  We now have vacation spots in Brazil and Singapore!  I will forever cherish the opportunities offered and  memories made in Pittsburgh.

On this last night before Jerrod's graduation, we made reservations at a restaurant atop Mt. Washington.  What a beautiful view of the city!

Riding the Inclines one last time

The family at the top of Mt. Washington

Dick and Jerrod

Jerrod will kill me for posting this picture, but I think it says so much.  He's come a long way and been through so much  in 8 years.  I can only imagine what he's thinking about the next big step!

Spray Park

The spray parks in Pittsburgh are one of our favorite summer activities.  The kids had fun with friends from school and neighbors.

 Camryn, Rosie and Max (neighbor friends)

 Carson & Eva, his friend from preschool

Eva is cracking Carson up!

Camryn's 8th Birthday

We attempted our first slumber party birthday this year.  I'd say it was an overall success!  Camryn requested tacos, movies, crafts and cake with 4 of her BFFs.  Check out the diversity in this group!  I LOVE it!

 Rosie, Kira, Camryn, Jodi, & Refa

 Painting our Gumball Machines

 The Finished Products

 Time for Cake

Dunkin' Donuts at 6:30am!  The girls were awake at 5:30.  In an effort to allow Carson and Jerrod some extra sleep, the girls and I walked up to Dunkin' Donuts.

Idlewild and Soakzone

As part of our farewell to Pittsburgh, we wanted to take the kids to Idlewild and Soakzone.  It was voted "Best Amusement Park in the world" according to Amusement Today Magazine.  The kids, especially Camryn, were happy to see that the roller coasters were not working that day.  It was a gorgeous day and we had fun spending time together as a family.

Hospital Stay or Street Fair?

A week ago, Carson was stung by a bee on his right tall finger.  We kept an eye on it that evening.  By morning, his entire right hand was swollen, red and very warm.  He was complaining of a belly ache and just wasn't his usual self.  I kept him home from school and we just watched throughout the day.  Well, despite antibiotics, the swelling persisted and he just wasn't turning the corner.  So, Jerrod talked to another hand surgeon on call and they recommended we admit Carson for IV antibiotics Wednesday night.  (Thursday morning was his preschool graduation.)  :(

I spent all of Wednesday night worried about my little man.  Thursday morning I stopped in at his school to drop off teacher gifts and pick up his "diploma".  I was so sad for him that he would be missing out on seeing his friends and teachers for the last time.  It was probably harder on me than Carson; I like to have closure.

Anyway, when I arrived at the hospital Thursday morning, Carson was lounging in his room watching Dinosaur Train.  Shortly after, Child Life came in and asked if Carson would like to come to the playroom for a little bit.  He played the Wii, built a cool train track and played some board games. (And his incredible teachers came to visit him!) Later that afternoon, the hospital hosted Family Game Day!!!  By this time I knew this trumped any preschool graduation any day!  Check out all the fun he had!

 Giant Mickey from Cousins Harper and Liam!

 Grandma Dottie and Alex sent a bubble balloon!

 Dancing on the piano

 Face painting?  At a hospital!  This place is incredible!

And croquet/mini golf!

If we were staying in Pittsburgh, this would be where we'd host all of our birthday parties!  Haha!  Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh truly is an amazing place! 

Camryn's 8th Birthday

Friday, June 1, 2012

We decided to try out our first sleepover party this year for Camryn's 8th birthday.  Four of Camryn's closest friends were invited over for tacos and corn on the cob as was the birthday girl's request!  Following dinner we took on a Pinterest project Camryn and I were excited to try.

Gumball machines!

 Finally settling in at 11pm!  But this would only happen at a "girls" slumber party!  They're all reading!

...and they're up...at 5am...playing Apples to Apples!

 What do you do with 5 girls at 5am when everyone else in the house is asleep?  

You walk to Dunkin Donuts!

I absolutely love the diversity in Camryn's group of friends!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!  Thanks for making me giggle!  Love you!

Pittsburgh International Children's Festival

The Children's Festival is one of the many things we'll miss about living in Pittsburgh.  I took the kids down today to check it out for the last time.  We spent some time going through Mirazozo .  Camryn took some great pictures inside!

Camryn had 2 birthday parties today, so Carson and I dropped her off and headed back to the Children's Festival.  He had a great time bottle feeding piglets, goats and calves.  One of the calves kept following him around, trying to get the cup of feed we bought.  So sweet!

But, the highlight of the Children's Festival for Carson, was riding the carousel, not 1, not 3, but 5 times!!!!  I'll be spending the rest of the evening trying to "unwind".

One great thing about Pittsburgh is that even though it's a big city, it has a small town feel.  While we were at the festival, we saw 4 different families that we knew!  I can't even imagine what it will be like living in Iowa City again.  We'll see someone we know wherever we go.  Guess I won't be leaving the house without make-up anymore!