Evelyn turns 1!

 Our Mini Miss is 1!  It's hard to believe that it's been a year already.  She has quite the personality and we love her to pieces.  She's such a trooper handling all the run around with Carter and Audrey's activities well.  She continues to sleep through the night and be our good eater.  She's a mama's girl but gets so excited when daddy comes home from work.  She loves her big brother and sister and misses them when they are at school.  Although, I like the one on one time with her.  She's attached to her blanky and we can't leave home without it.  She's trying to help me type right now so I'll wrap it up and get on with the pictures.

 The crown didn't last real long

Thanks Bunkelmans for the crown and wand :)

 She loved opening her presents.  She had no problem ripping all the paper off by herself.

 Checking out her new mailbox.  This seemed to be her favorite present.  She still loves to play with this one.

 Every 1 year old needs their own smash cake.  She was mesmerized by the candle.  Carter and Audrey helped her blow it out.

 She started out neat and slow.  Almost like she wasn't sure if she was really allowed to have it.

 Before long she was really getting into it!

 Fists full of chocolaty goodness 

 What?  Do I have something on my face?

 Once Evelyn started to slow down and fall into a cake coma Carter and Audrey got forks and helped her out.

Then they had to have ice cream cake too.  The kids have made ice cream cake the cake of choice for birthdays.

Back to Ballet

Ballet & tap started up again the end of August.  Audrey was so excited to get back to "my studio" and to have her same teacher as last year Miss. Alexe.  I was also happy she gets to have the same teacher again.  She was great with the little ones.  Audrey loves dance and it's so fun to watch her learn more and more.  She dances around the house all the time and I even catch her reciting the correct terminology with her moves. 

Quick Milwaukee weekend

 Chuck participated in Uncle Mike's Brasky golf tournament this year.  We went up to Milwaukee Friday after Carter got home from school.  Grandma Debbie came down just for the afternoon and brought Evelyn's birthday presents along.  She loves ripping the paper.  Audrey was right there ready to help if needed.

 The kids always have fun on the swing set

 We went out to dinner before Grandma Debbie went home.

 More presents from Tita Angela and Uncle Brett

We drove through a Dunkin Donuts on the way home for coffee and the kids got munchkins.  While we were unloading the car Evelyn got into box of munchkins and was going to town on them.  I think Carter or Audrey carried them in and left them within reach.  This girl likes to eat!

What?  I'm not eating anything )

Back to school

 School started mid August for Carter.  I wish that Illinois would get the memo that school doesn't start until AFTER Labor Day!  I was not ready for summer to be over and have the kids go back to school.

The night before Carter's first day his school hosted a back to school night.  It gave him a chance to meet his teacher and get his supplies set up in his spot.  He was so excited for school to start.  Yes, his teacher spelled his last name wrong on his name tag.  She was so embarrassed and made him a new one.  

 I have to take the backpack picture in front of the door pictures :)

He's looking so big!

End of summer

 We really had a great summer.  We enjoyed the cooler weather (compared to last summer).  Once August came along it was the count down to the start of school.  We squeezed in some fun before the kids had to go back.  The kids love to eat outside on the deck.  We grill a lot in the summer and the deck has been a nice dinner spot.

 We swam a lot at the club but when there wasn't time for that the kids asked for the little pool.  We only got that out a few times this year.

 The kids really like it at the club pool so we really tried to get there a few more times before summer ended.

 Evelyn napped pool side in her stroller so we were able to spend a full afternoon there.

Evelyn really took off walking!  Carter and Audrey are so cute and encouraging.  They love to cheer her on.

ditch the training wheels

 In Birmingham our driveway and surrounding roads were hills.  It made it too hard to teach Carter to ride without training wheels.  We would have to take the kids to a park with a bike path.  Obviously, Chuck's schedule didn't allow for that to happen much.  Now that we have flat sidewalks and roads it was time to work on it.  At first Carter was his hesitant self and didn't put much effort into it.  With some encouragement and many pep talks he got it!

 2 wheeling!  He always had such a serious look on his face.  It still takes serious concentration :)

 He would ride into the grass where the sidewalk ends.  Eventually, we got him out onto the road.

Audrey got hot and went inside.  I found her watching in the window.

back home again

 As much as we love the beach it's always nice to get back home.  I was starting to get us unpacked while the kids were getting ready for bed,  I went up to read Audrey her bed time book and found Carter reading to her.  For the next couple of nights I got the boot.  She kept wanting Carter to read to her instead of me.  Carter was happy to do it and it was so cute.  I love it when they have moments like this.

 Chuck's new car was ready to pick up when we got home from the beach which was perfect timing.  Uncle Len and Aunt Nancy were visiting with Karen and George and were able to give her a ride up here on their way home.  Karen was able to stay for a quick visit before having to get home.  She took Chuck's old car back for George to use as his commuter car. 

The weather was so nice this summer!  We got into a routine of having lunch on the terrace at the club followed up by an afternoon of swimming.  The kids loved it!