First Day of Preschool

Monday was Cara's first day of preschool! We decided a little bit of socialization and structure would be good for her this year. She will be going on Monday and Wednesday for a couple of hours each day.

On the porch dressed and ready to go!

Side view to show off her backpack which she was so excited to wear!

In the school parking lot and so excited to go inside!

Walking down the school hallway!

Sitting at her spot on the Noah's Ark rug waiting for class to start. She didn't hesitate to say bye Mommy!

When we were little kids my Mom always made us cookies on our first day back to school, which my mom reminded me of on Sunday. So I rushed home from dropping her off and whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies before I had to pick her up again!

She was excited to come home to her cookie and milk snack!

But after eating half a cookie she told me she would rather have an apple! No problem, apple it is!

Summer's End Festival 2009

Saturday was the Annual Summer's End Festival in Rossville. Daddy's one and only parade for his band!

Playing with the camera waiting for the parade to start

Cara caught of glimpse of the parade coming, she was excited!

The band, they only had 5 days of school to learn the music and practice marching this year

Daddy and Cara walking to the park for the rest of the festival. Notice her John Deere jacket, not normal in her wardrobe :) We knew it was going to be cooler that day, but not as cold as it felt and I didn't pack a jacket for her. I mentioned to the superintendent of Scott's school that I may run to Lafayette to buy her a jacket and he asked what size and returned with one. How nice! At least the green kinda matched our green watermelon shorts!

At the festival in the bouncer! This was after eating a corn dog, sharing an elephant ear, and a few bites of ice cream, can you say sugar high?

I drove home and when I pulled into the garage I turned around to find both of them fast asleep! Which after getting up at 6:30am I am not surprised!

The start of ballet

On Wednesday night we registered Cara for ballet classes and then went to buy a couple of leotards for class! She wanted to try them on when we got home of course!

Pink leotard

Black leotard

Ready for her first ballet class on Thursday evening. I asked her to give me a ballerina pose and instead got the diva model one :)

So I showed her a more appropriate ballerina pose and got this one

Ready to go, wearing her little backpack which we are using for a dance bag

After class she came out with a sucker and a huge smile!

Next class is Monday night! The last class of the month starting in September is "viewing" night in which parents can watch rehearsal so I am hoping to have more pictures then!

Last Weekend Before School Starts!

Hard to believe but the school year has returned and that means back to work for Daddy! Boo! But we wanted one last summer weekend at Grandma and Grandpa Abbott's to relax, swim, and play games. Going to their house is like a little retreat with the pond, peaceful surroundings, pool, and so many things for Cara to do!

On Friday night we went to one of our favorite Ft Wayne restaurants and had dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Chris, Amy and Owen!
Here is Owen feeding Cara because she was not being a good eater that night, so Owen thought he would help. It worked and was so cute!

You may remember the cute cat Bubbles from previous blog posts, well here she is INSIDE! She has a new name Gracie Bubbles and is adapting to her new life as a spoiled, wonderfully treated, well fed cat. Grandma and Grandpa are adjusting to having an indoor cat, a first for both of them, but they all seem very happy together!

Here she is napping on the kitchen chair in the sunlight, very cute!

We got to spend more time with Great Grandma Abbott!

And of course, more cornhole! Uncle Duane came for a visit on Sunday and he and Scott enjoyed playing!

Grandpa and GreatGrandma taking a paddle boat ride!

And swimming and more swimming!

Cara chasing Uncle Duane with a water balloon

While we were swimming the clouds kept rolling in, I loved this picture of the sun behind the clouds!

State Fair 2009

Thursday was great weather to head down to the Indiana State Fair, it helped that we had free tickets too!
Grandma and Cara walking down the ramp from the infield parking

Taking a ride on the shuttle around the fairgrouds to get to Riley Fun Park

One of her traditional things to do (in her whole 3 years of going to the fair), be a Little helper on the farm

Picking vegetables out of the garden

Milking a cow Cara brushing a cow

Cara taking a pony ride

And yummy fair food! Lovin' an ear of corn!!

And for the first time ever she wanted to do carnie rides! She would have done them all night if they weren't so stinkin' expensive!

Mommy and Cara getting ready to ride the bee

And away we go!

Some fancy car driving!

We also went up in the big ferris wheel but the camera batteries were dead by then :(

We can't wait to go again next year!!

Chicago Trip Day 2

After a quick swim to start the day we got ready and packed up and headed out to see more sights!


Again the girls wanted to match!

We started out and realized the beautiful sunny day (it had been raining the day before) meant it was perfect weather for going to Millenium Park! Every summer we have taken Cara to Chicago for some reason and always gone to Millenium Park and have pictures of her playing in the big fountain!

Here and her and Charlotte and Scott playing in the water

Scott and I in the water, Cara was over it pretty fast so we were trying to show her it was fun!

Then we went to the outdoor cafe for some lunch and cool drinks (it was 90 that day!)

Standing at the reflective sculpture ( I love the reflection of the city buildings in it as well)

Cara is bending over checking out the bottom of it which I thought was cute that she was the inquisitive!

After a trip to my favorite popcorn store (Garrett's) and then some more shopping on the Magnificent Mile it was time to head back to the car for the long drive home!! Thanks to Grandma and Charlotte for going with us! We had a great time!

Chicago Trip Day 1

We took an end of the summer trip to Chicago this past weekend! Scott was going up anyway to go to a concert with his friend Chris, so the girls tagged along!


In the car on the way to Chicago. The girls wanted to wear matching outfits and match their dolls! Poor Charlotte kept asking "are we there yet, when are we going to be there" It was a long car ride for two excited little girls!

Walking down the street on the way to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch!

Mommy and Cara at the Rainforest Cafe

The girls checking out the wildlife at the cafe

Back to the hotel for some swimming and rest time before shopping and dinner at American Girl

Waiting outside the cafe for our dinner reservation! Cara was pretty tired by this point because she was too excited to take nap earlier in the day

I thought this was a cute picture of Cara reading the menu, while Charlotte and Grandma F watched her

Group shot (sorry the picture quality is not that good, guess that happens when you ask someone else to use your camera)

Yummy dessert time! Cara was licking the chocolate mousse off the flower that was in the mousse pot

Time for bed! The girls and their baby dolls wore matching pajamas for the night!