Spring and Such

This isn't the greatest photo but I don't want to look at the snow pictures anymore. Something happened in Columbus a couple of week ago and we went from freezing weather to flowers. I don't ever want to go back. Ok maybe next year but right now I'm trying to soak up the rays any chance I get.
This week is spring break but not really, next week the maddness begins anew. Eric and I are spending the week in preparation for next term.
On a happy note, we signed up for a community garden plot again and have been planning our veggies. Yum yum. I love summer.

Snow and Such
We had to play in the snow at first while it was all new and pretty but now I just want it gone. In the meantime, we've tried to come up with creative indoor activities.
Here is my snow angel - notice the corduroy pants and rain boots. I avoided buying snow clothes for Cadie this year in hopes that we wouldn't need them.




I love this picture, Cadie and Eric wearing their baby carriers.


Eric and I went to the Columbus Blue Jackets game Friday night. It was my first professional hockey game. There were some similarities to the high school and college (USU) games that I've been to - mainly the exact same music was still blasted and the occasional punches were thrown. Overall the Blue Jackets were much more exciting to watch especially with a goal at the first 22 seconds and two more within 3 minutes. One weird thing (to me at least) was the man playing the organ. I expected Brewmeister Smith to pop out somewhere.

Last night's bedtime stall tactic

After all the kisses, hugs, songs, stories, etc. as I was walking out of her room:
CADIE: Mama?
E: Yes?
C: Dee-dee baby bum?
E: Yes, Cadie you have a little bum.
C: Mama whoa bum?
E: Thank you, Cadie, yes I have a big bum.
C: night-night mama.

I think this came from a bathroom conversation earlier when I was explaining that she needed to sit on the kiddy insert for the toilet or she might fall through...

Goings on
We have kept ourselves busy lately. Eric and I are both teaching this term and my sister Paige has moved in with us to help watch Cadie. This little girl has grown up so much in the past few months. It seems she learns something new each day. My recent favorite: I asked her to hold my hand as we walked through a parking lot and she replied "Cadie's self," and held her own hand as we walked.

Thankful
Thanksgiving is such a great holiday. We spent a great weekend together and were able to focus on the things that we are most thankful for. (Family, Friends, Food, Fun!)
Started off with the Turkey Trot and Tot Trot. Cadie was excited to run the 100 yard tot trot and practiced running beforehand but as soon as the air horn went off and kids were running en masse she sat down in the middle of the road and needed to be carried. She was very pleased with her finisher's medal, however.
Eric had better luck with the turkey trot - he met his goal of being one of the first 1000 men to cross the finish line (there were close to 5000 participants!) and qualify for a free pumpkin pie!
We ate a large and yummy Thanksgiving dinner with friends Jeremy and Liz and Cadie was able to chase their cat around all night and wrestle with Baxter. We found a tree farm not too far outside of town and cut a Christmas tree. Cadie had a great time chasing the cats...

Birthday on the Toman Farm
We had a crazy kid party to celebrate Cadie's b-day. We wanted to keep it small but with with parents and siblings we packed in 30 people (including newborns). We had a farm theme and I'll spare all the details but here are the cute cupcakes.

Cadie was so excited to have her favorite people in the same place together. Every time I saw her she was dragging someone new around by the hand. When everyone left she totally crashed, here she is in the collapsed tent gripping her balloons.

It took a few days to decompress from the craziness so for her actual birthday we were pretty mellow. I had to go into campus and so Cadie and Eric got to hang out. We made Cadie's day by riding the campus bus - seriously this smile didn't leave the entire time we were riding.

She's 2! "Deedee two!"
[Cadie about to take a worm that she dug up down the slide with her and then push it on the swing]

Happy birthday my sweet girl.

Great Weather and Good Friends
I think I have said this before but I love all of the hardwood trees here in Ohio and all the color! We have been spending as much time as possible outside. This week the spectacular weather made it even better to enjoy the outdoors. Someday I will take a basic photography class and learn how to take amazing pictures but in the meantime my photos may have either great colors in the background or good detail up close but probably not both.


My good friend and advisor from Oregon State, Arne, was in Ann Arbor Michigan for the weekend. Cadie wasn't feeling great so I drove up (about 3.5 hours) on my own to meet Arne and his family for dinner. I was able to hang out with my friend Amy from high school as well - I was planning on staying at her home but her family was wiped out with a flu so I ended up crashing at Amy's sister's home. It was so fun to see everyone and nice to be on my own for a night. This was the first time that I have ever been away from Cadie a full 24 hours! Between caring for sick kids and husband Amy still managed to make me a fine apple crisp and peach french toast. YUM.

I drove home just in time to attend the "rally in the ally" on the next block. Our neighbors invited us to their block party where they had closed off the ally, rented a bounce house for the kids, pulled out a big screen with the OSU game for the adults, and were grilling up some grub. We have really great neighbors!