I got tagged

Ok, i got tagged twice actually, so I'll answer Erin's tag today and Amy's tag tomorrow :)
I am supposed to go to my 4th folder and post the 4th picture. Erin this one's for you:
This picture is from Evan's 3rd birthday party. I think that look says it all!

Hmmm.....the only other person I know who reads my blog is Amy, so Amy, I tag you :)

my addiction to books

I love to read, no doubt about it. That's even how I ended up getting my degree in English--I just kept taking all these literature classes, and, the next thing I knew, that's what I was closest to getting a degree in. I really can't remember a time I didn't read. Mom says I started reading Ten Apples Up on Top at the age of three and I haven't stopped since then. I really had to slow down my reading after the kids were born because I suddenly didn't have enough time in the day to take care of them and read. Since Alex and Ashlee are both in school now and Erik naps in the afternoon, I've started to read a lot more again. Plus, I've been trying to watch less tv lately in the evenings so I've been reading then too. When I read, I read voraciously. I don't want to do anything else until I have finished that book. I had a book reading binge this last week. Adam had an unexpected business trip on wednesday and wasn't able to come back home until saturday night. I was depressed that he was gone--especially since it was unplanned. I had New Moon on hold at the library and Mom watched the kids wednesday night so I could go down to the library and pick it up. I haven't been to the library without the kids in a long long time, so i browsed and ended up w/ 5 books. I read them all in the time Adam was gone. Sometimes it's nice to do that because it reminds me that I have hobbies and interests still. I love being a mother, especially a SAHM, but it's nice to know that I haven't completely lost myself either.

Soccer

Saturday marked the end of soccer season for Alex. The day was pretty nice considering it was towards the end of October. Adam was home sick, so I left Erik and Ashlee home with him and I went to cheer on my little guy. The other team was short some people so Alex got nominated by the substitute coach to go play on the other team for the first half.




Here's Alex looking peeved that he had to play against his own team. In fact, that was the worst I've seen Alex play all season. He tried to be helpful, but he felt guilty that he was playing on the other team. Ah, yes, my competitive little guy.




Alex hadn't scored a goal yet this season and I was beginning to get a little concerned because, for Alex, it is a really big deal that he score one goal per season. I think he just wanted to add to my suspense because in the last minute of the game, literally, he scored his one goal of the season! I was so proud of him!!
I wasn't so much proud that he scored a goal, but I was more proud that he played his best!
Go Alex!!

Gardner Village

As most of you know, Gardner Village (www.gardnervillage.com) is one of my favorite places to go. It reminds me a bit of Ohio with that quaint small-town feel, cobbled pathways, and yummy eateries. I am also a huge fan of small eclectic shops because my parents took Erin and I to many similar shops when I was growing up. Apropos in Wadsworth, OH was one of my favorites! Anyway, the kids and I took our usual jaunt over to Gardner Village last week to look at the witches. The kids think it's great, though, I know Alex is getting bigger because he said to me, "Aren't these all the same witches we saw last year, just in different spots?"





I almost convinced Alex that if he drank that magic potion that the witches were brewing, he'd turn into a frog!














I told Ashlee to give me her best witch face!











It was a freezing, cold day, but even Erik was having fun.









It is nice that Alex is finally big enough to take a decent picture, so I actually make it in one every once in awhile!

Overcoming Fears

Ashlee has been in swim lessons, on and off, for 2 1/2 years and has yet to really put her face in the water. She is deathly afraid to put her face under and I've never tried to force her because I don't want her to become even more scared than she already is. So, I've been letting her learn swimming at her own pace. Though, this summer I did move her up to the lvl 1 class instead of the toddler class. I also bought her some goggles in the hope that she would put her eyes in. As my typical stubborn Ashlee, that didn't help one bit. At least, not until last week. Her teacher is an older woman and not the usual high school boys she has normally had. Ashlee has a way of batting her eyes and getting her way--she is a very good flirt. Her flirting doesn't work well on an older lady LOL This amazing teacher has done what no other person has done before *drumroll* gotten Ashlee to put her entire head underwater, willingly! I don't know what magic voodoo she used on her daughter, but I worked. I am so proud of my daughter for overcoming one of her big fears.

my daughter the soccer player

I often thought this year about signing Ashlee up for soccer. For a long time, she told me that she only wanted to dance, but i thought that soccer might be good for her. I was so very, very wrong. Tonight we decided to go out in the back yard and play some soccer. Alex was on my team and Ashlee was with Adam. Earlier that day, Ashlee had somehow suckered my dad into raking leaves with her to make a leaf pile that she could jump in. Unfortunately for her, there aren't enough leaves on the ground yet to make a good leaf pile.
see, it's a pretty pathetic leaf pile....
As Adam is trying so hard to get her to play soccer with him, she lays down in her leaf pile and makes leaf angels! I really wish I'd been able to get a picture of her doing that! Anyway, so Adam tells her to go get the ball. Ashlee proceeds to get up and get the ball and then goes back to her leaf pile and jumps around. Where's her team spirit? LOL
Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't waste the money putting her in soccer. She is right, dance is definitely her thing.