Who needs training wheels? Not Ethan!

Ethan mastered the two-wheeler yesterday!  We were extremely proud!  I have video, but for some reason it plays back in slow motion.  Veerrrrryyyyy booooorrrrrriiiiinnnngggg to watch.  These capture the excitement better.  

Jeff and Zoe cheering him on!  

Fall Break, Chattanooga style!

We spent Fall Break camping just outside Chattanooga.  Great city, great camping weather, great vacation. 

Ethan got to ride a camel at the zoo.

...and act like a monkey.

Our campsite was...ok.  Not going to win any prizes.   

But Penny liked it okay.

And it was fine for reading.  I read this book sooooo many times!  Her new favorite.   The Tale of Custard the Dragon.  

And they had this jumpy thing.  

We also went to the Creative Discovery Museum.

It was too much for Zoe, but she did love the play-dough and books...you know, same stuff we have at home.

This is her being REALLY into it.  She was pounding, pounding, pounding. 

Ethan loved the climbing wall.  

He made it all the way around. 

Cloudland Canyon.  Gorgeous.  Too hard of a hike for the kids, and def. not stroller friendly.   600 steps down....really disappointed we couldn't do it.  Next time....

The required selfie. 

We finished up at Lake Winnie.  Jeff was a good sport!!

Zoe did not want to share her fries!

This place is great because there we so many kiddie rides!  They don't charge for parking and you can take your  coolers inside!   

We were staying right around the corner from Lookout Mountain and still didn't get to any of those activities.  (Ruby Falls, Incline Railway).   So now we're practically required  to go back!  And with fall leaves are right around the corner, I think it will be soon!

Ethan's first 5K!

I'm posting lots of" Ethan running" stuff lately because its really exciting around here.  We found something he likes, is good at, and that gets us out and about as a family.  Finally something centered around Ethan!  

We probably should have signed him up for the 1mile.  That's the farthest he's ever run...and even that, only for the past few weeks.  But no....around here, we believe go big or go home, so we signed him up for his first 5K.  His cousin was kind enough to run with him.  His time was 38:35...so less than 13 min/mile.  He finished 5 out of  9 in his age group...the under 10's.   

The Before Picture.

Pre-race Ninja poses with cousin.  

Waiting for them to go by.

The action shot.

The After picture.  I promise he was happier than he looks!

Ethan, my runner!!

Ethan had his first running club meeting tonight, and he did awesome!  They meet 2x/ week for 11 weeks for runs and running games. Tonight the kids were paced.  They ran a mile with their age groups and then were divided into smaller groups by their times. 

Before the fun...

Zoe wasn't impressed.  I think she was worried about running out of quesadilla before the thing was over.

Ethan started fast!  Perhaps a little too fast.

He would have had a better time if not for the checking up on everyone else.  I saw him stop to pat a boy on the shoulder who was taking a walk break. 

Finishing strong!!

And he's sorted into the red group!!

He's hiked up to 5 miles, but this was the first time he ran a mile.  His time was 10:49.  Not too shabby!!  I'm proud because he went in with a good attitude, listened to his coaches, and gave it his best!  

As loud and chatty as he is, he's really kind of shy and nervous about making new friends.  He wants me to run with him.  Oh silly, boy!  You're already faster than I am.  

A Super Great Weekend

Ethan:  Went to his first drop-off birthday party.  Rode his first serious roller coaster (The Scream Machine).  And told me he wants to help out around the house.  Yes!  I love that boy.  He now makes his bed daily, puts away his own laundry, and today started vacuuming.  As a treat for being so awesome, he got a new Lego set he put together all by himself.

Zoe:  Is making huge strides in receptive language.  Its like we are having richer interactions (thats hard to explain, just trust me.)  Played on the iPad independently, which is huge, and we ran her all over the place this weekend with minimal behavior issues.  Not a single full-blown melt down.  

Our highlight was Six Flags.  And here are the kids with their respective cousin/keeper.  It will be a sad day when Zoe can't get on kiddie rides.  Ethan, however is a thrill seeker.  Didn't expect that.

I just wanted a picture!!!

Our wonderful adoption agency is about to complete adoption #11,000!!
They wanted pictures.
I love sharing pictures.
But getting pictures of us is hard!!

Nice, but the sign says, "2 of"

Ethan tries to help

almost...

"Look that way"

"No, thanks"

And then she looks while she walks...right in front of Ethan.

You say blurry;  I say artsy.  But the point is the sign that is blocked and illegible.

How 'bout if we add a baggie of chocolate morsels?

Kind of, but put the bag down,  buddy.

Gah!  She will not look!!

This was my second choice, but they look, shall we say, not excited.

Dad starts doing funny stuff to get a smile.

"So funny I have to go hug him!"

In the end, this is the one I sent in.  It showed some personality and they were both looking forward.  Score!   or close enough.

First day/Last day of 1st grade

Seriously, we don't take good pictures.  Zoe is uncooperative and Ethan can't stop being silly.  Here are the distracted photos from the first day of school.

And here's the best I could do on the last day of school.