Lots going on

We've had a busy couple weeks and I've been pretty lazy about updating this so here ya go:

It's been nice enough out to get the pool out a couple of times. The girls love being in the water. Getting them out is a bit of a challenge. Ellen's teeth were chattering at one point and her lips were blue. When I asked her if she was cold she said "NO!!!!" Mara is not as excited about getting her head wet, but loves the pool just as much as Ellen. Me, I do my fatherly duty when they are in the pool. I keep my eye on them while putting my feet on the edge of the pool and crack open a cold one.

Mara playing in the pool.

Ellen eating turtle. Great Grampa Ritter would be proud.

Mara finished up preschool on Friday. They had a little "graduation" ceremony for all the kids. I couldn't make it, but Stacey made it. Mara has really come out of her shell in the last year. I never thought in a million years she would walk across a stage in front of a lot of people, but she did. She had to carry her bear of course.

Mara and her teacher, Miss Amy

Mara being a clown, exiting stage right.

The weather wasn't that great this weekend. I wanted to get a night of camping in on Saturday night, but that wasn't in the cards. I have a paper to write and mother nature had other plans too. I used to not care about the rain. Figured it was part of the deal, but I'd rather not deal with it now. It's not the rain itself, it's the mess afterwards. Firewood won't light, tent is all wet, chairs are wet, blah blah, blah. That camper I've been wanting would alleviate all of that nonsense. (Hint Hint Stacey). So instead of camping, I went to the library and wrote for my paper until I ran out of battery in my laptop. After that we decided to take the girls, check that, Stacey decided we were taking the girls to a carnival that Rockwell Collins was putting on. The girls had a great time playing on the inflatable stuff. Mara got to stand inside a firetruck, and they went for a little train wagon ride. They had a good time and we capped the night off with dinner at a brewpub that I like.

Ellen and Daddy on the big slide.

Mara says, "Me Too!"

Riding in the wagon train

They both loved this ride.