1st Day of School 2011

Dominic's first day of Kindergarten and Isabella's first day of 3rd grade. They are so excited! 8.22.11

Worlds of Fun

We had "team day" at Worlds of Fun with our track team. Grandma got to join us for the first half of the day and she got to see Isabella ride her first roller coaster and got to get splashed on the Fury of the Nile. We had a great day at Planet Snoopy and went home to pick up dad for an evening full of fun. 8.19.11

Happy 89th Birthday Great Grandma

We got to be with Grandma on her 89th birthday. We love you Grandma. 8.19.11

The Johnson Shut-Ins

Here are some pictures from our fun day at the Johnson Shut-ins. What are the Johnson Shut-Ins you ask. Here is the info:
Nearly 1.5 billion years ago, violently explosive volcanoes hurled hot gasses and ash into the air. The ashes and gas fell and cooled, forming rhyolite rock. A billion years later, shallow inland seas swallowed the ancient, worn-down mountains, burying the igneous rock under thousands of feet of sedimentary rock such as limestone, sandstone, shale and dolomite.

About 250 million years later, the entire Ozark region lifted and the seas retreated. The wind and rain took their toll on the upraised land, sending streams of sand- and gravel-laden water to slice away the layers of soft sedimentary rock and expose the rhyolite below. In low places, the swift Black River became shut-in by the hard igneous rocks, swirling and churning to form huge potholes, and breaking away the weaker rock to create natural water slides and canyon-like gorges .8.14.11

Elephant Rocks

The weather finally cleared up and we got to do some hiking at the Elephant Rocks. This park is amazing. Good thing we came when we did some of the rocks needed to be pushed back into place. 8.14.11

Floating on the River

8.2.11

Sweet Dominic

Dominic is a big 6 year old now. He continues to be filled with joy and enthusiasm everyday. He still loves Super Heros and celebrated his birthday with a Justice League birthday cake. He adores our two cats, Stella & Krypto. Every free minute he spends "loving" on them. I am amazed at what the cats will tolerate. He is really enjoying his first year of Kindergarten and is becoming a good reader. He gets to take art classes and piano and is doing great in both. When he isn't playing with cats he is building with Legos or playing Super Heros.

My sweet Isabella

Isabella is growing into quite the little lady. She turned 8 over the summer and continues to be a voracious reader. She is currently loving the Classic Starts series and American Girl Mysteries. Her favorite 3rd grade subjects are history and spelling. She was in a constant battle with long division but there seems to be somewhat of a truce lately between the two. She continues to love her art class and is really enjoying our new family music lessons. She has an amazing ear for music and a natural talent for playing. She loves all her book clubs that she is currently in...there are 3! In her free time she loves to be creating something, playing with her dolls or reading.

Canoeing Fun

We finished up our vacation week with the B-W's at the lake. We had nice cool weather for canoeing and biking. 8.7.11

Jefferson City

11 years ago we took a similar picture of just Michael and I at the state capital someday I will get that picture scanned in and we can compare the two...who knows when that will happen so we will just enjoy the ones with the kids. 8.6.11

Our Lady of Lourdes: When we "knew"

On our way back from vacation we stopped in Jefferson City to visit some of the places Michael and I went to when we were first dating and falling in love. It was fun to be there with the kids and tell them the story of when we "knew" we were supposed to get married. Michael and I were attending 1st Saturday Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes church when we both felt the Holy Spirit answering our question if we were meant to be together. We walked out of Mass that morning and turned to each other and said "did you feel that? I think we are supposed to be together!" This church will always have a special place in our hearts. 8.6.11

Central Dairy, Jefferson City

When I lived in Jefferson City I LOVED going to Central Dairy. They had great ice cream an super cheap. Here we are sharing their classic banana split ...not sure if one person could handle it but with the 4 of us we managed. Barely...but we did it. Our split had chocolate-peanut butter, cookies & cream and strawberry cheesecake ice cream topped with whipped cream (minus the chocolate syrup and cherries per Isabella's request--and really did we need more calories?) 8.5.11

Civil War Battle Site: Fort Davidson

We had planned to spend the day at Elephant Rocks but the weather didn't cooperate. It was raining most of the morning. Due to the rain we got to have breakfast at the Fort Davidson Restaurant (which had amazing murals all over the walls that fascinated the kids) in Pilot Knob and we got to see the Fort Davidson Museum. The rain even cleared enough for us to visit the actual fort. 8.4.11

Our Stay at the Bearcat Cabins

For our vacation we got to stay in a secluded cabin in the woods in southern Missouri. It had an indoor jacuzzi tub and an outdoor hot tub. The kids got their fill of water between floating on the river, the Johnson Shut-Ins, and all the bubbling tubs. Grandma & Papa Paoletti got to join us for our cabin fun. Papa helped Dominic make a fire in the fire pit. 8.3.11

Farewell to Ms. Jenny

Over the past 6 years we have been attending the North Kansas City Public Library. The Children librarians there are phenomenal. They have been such an important part of our school week. We see them every week and my children adore them. We were so sad to hear that Ms. Jenny was moving on to a new job. Here are some pictures from her surprise farewell party.

I know Karate

The last two times we have been at friends houses having a play date I have had the opportunity to hear Dominic announce to his friends "I know karate! I use it for protection...but I don't know that much, just front kick, to the back kick and to the side kick. I learned it from my cousin (6 years old) because he knows karate." He then proceeds to tell them all about his skills as a karate fighter.
I am sure this is just "par for the course" having a boy but this is funny in many ways. 1. I wasn't even aware that Dominic knew what karate was. 2. He has never taken lessons. 3. His 6 year old cousin also has not taken karate. 4. Apparently skills in karate are linked to having the ability to kick.....in which case I also know karate!
7.15.11

The new Summer doo

All year Isabella has been saying that she wanted to cut her hair but not until after her birthday. What was the rationale? Not really sure. But when her birthday came she told me that she had changed her mind and she wanted to grow it longer. I have to admit I was sad to hear that she had changed her mind. I was tired of the hair brushing battles that we had daily getting out all the tangles. But once the heat hit in July she decided short hair would be cooler and we got it cut. Everyone here is happy with the new doo. Best part is that she cut 10 inches off the back and we got to donate it to Locks of Love. I love happy endings. (I like that the "after" picture she has a bit more attitude). Doesn't she look so grown up? 7.13.11

Swimming Adventures 2011

Congratulations Chad & Oksana

Chad & Oksana recently moved into their new home that the built this year. Here is a picture of their beautiful house in St. Joseph. We were invited to celebrate Oksana's birthday this weekend. It was a lovely meal in a lovely home. 7.3.11

Happy 4th of July 2011

We love our snap-pops, smoke balls and smoking snakes. Here are some pictures of the kids from the Holiday weekend. 7.3.11

Ninja Turtle

Who would have thought that Dominic's love of turtles would carry over into his older years? I made the turtle costume when he was 2 years old and he has now morphed the turtle shell into a ninja turtle costume and his uses his ninja skills and his num-chucks ( not sure how to spell that?) to fight injustice. 7.1.11