St. Louis, Part 2

Sunday in the Lou was the buddy walk, Step up for Down Syndrome.  

We all met at Forest Park.  We had a little time after registration before the walk started.  

Zac and I were a bit late to the party since we decided a diner breakfast was in order.  Zac got some crazy concoction of hash browns with hamburger patties and eggs, covered in chili.  I went with the more traditional pancakes.  There is something odd about pancakes.  Not sure quite what it is in their ingredients that makes them weigh 3 times as much after they make their way to your gullet...but it happens.    

Anyway, the family was all there.  The event was really pretty fantastic if you were a kiddo.  There were bounce houses, craft tents, bubble machines and free Popsicles and drinks.  Basically a thousand ways to make you jacked out of your mind excited!

PiaGirl was pumped.  

So were the other beanzillas.

The kids played until it was time to line up.  Then we all fell into ranks.

This is what Kylie called his "intimidation" face.  We all know a man's toughest look is bunched sleeves.  

Shortly after snapping a few family photos the walk actually started.  It was great to see all the "teams" rally.  Here's my team...with Zac, towering as per the usual. 

With plenty more behind us. 

Have no fear, Cliff participated too.  Look at Maggie eyein' my bump.  She tells me all the time that she can't believe how "out there" he is now.  I tell her that I'm "packing a belly."  Either way, she digs it.  

It was only a mile...but it was exhausting.  

Thank goodness for popsicles, and family weekends.

St. Louis, Part 1

Last weekend the family made the short jaunt to St. Louis.  Saturday was a family day for us.  Zacman was working so I headed down with Maggie's family.  Annie's family and Mom + Dad were already in the Lou, doing their thing.  We all met up at City Museum.  It's a blast and a half.....well, except when you are 7 months pregnant and can fit in anything...and the thought of climbing three flights of stairs to do the big slide was the same in my mind as running wind sprints in a sweatsuit for an hour.  Breathless and chubby.  That's my m.o. now and it's pretty awesome. So I mostly sat. And watched.  As the kids slid.  

Look at Aubrie go.  Again, in true Fox style, we go nowhere, NOWHERE, without a beverage.    

And isn't her scowl hilarious!

Kylie and Cline

Maggie and the kids climbing the dreaded stairs....

Comin down

Blurry euphoria

While the kiddos slid, Pa Stuart and Mama Janie held crazy babies and played in their own way.  

It was a really close call...but Mom's crazy eyes half-assed ruined the picture.  

Good photo, blighted again.   

Eventually we found an elevator and made our way to the 3rd floor.  The kids quickly found the train.  

They were pumped.  

Ollie took the solo-time opportunity to show off her flexibility, 

and the incredible, perfect knobby-ness of her tiny chin.

After the train, Everett was off to tame the big cats.  

The girlies decided to craft.  

It takes serious focus. 

Serious.  

From all parties...even at 25....fine motor skill is takes concentration.  

Noticed that tucked bottom lip.  

But a beautiful purple unicorn, thats stands knee-high to the daisies, and lives only inches away from the swirly sun, is totally worth the minutes of silence.  

I did discover in the process that a truly well worn, well loved craft table is inches thick with craft shrapnel....glitters, paint, and the such.  Dually noted.  

Don't worry that the babies were left out.  We found soft blocks.  Pia girl spread her teething germies all over them.

Shortly there after we checked into the hotel.  It was nice.  I liked the sink.

The bed was cute.   

The giant mirror that reflected onto the bed...I found to be oddly slutty.  

But next to that slutty looking glass was a great view of the Arch.  

The family all got together for dinner.  On the way back the sisters and mom insisted on a carriage ride.  

Initially things got crazy when the driverless carriage took off at near breakneck speeds and promptly scared the bejesus out of the less-than-enthused-that-all-his-women-were-on-horseback-in-traffic Stuey and locked up it's wheels in a carriage directly in front of it.  It was terrifying for approximately 7 feet.  It did not, however, stop us from cheerfully going about our way.  

Pia has the best eyebrows! 

Kylie, waving us away from the hotel.  What a handsome European model he is.  

The others headed in for the night.  I had to wait for Zac to get to town so we could go put our peeps on some minivans we've been contemplating for the new addition.  To kill a little time, I took my camera to take super artistic shots of the arch.  Photography is not my forte, but the arch was awfully pretty.

As is the St. Louis skyline.  

Zac showed up shortly thereafter and picked me up curbside.  Our minivan expedition was successful, and we have a couple options for carrying up to 7 people now.  We made it back to the hotel exhausted and promptly hit the sack to get geared up for the walk the following day! Stay tuned :)

Garage Sale!

I don't know if you know, but putting on a garage sale is not high on my list of fun summer activities.  Going, maybe, but hosting, no.  There is a whole lotta prep work, followed by a whole lotta praying, then a whole lotta clean-up.  When Annie said she wanted to do a donations-only garage sale, I was not exactly pumped, but you get on board when you know it is a good cause.  And people, how can ya hate when this little munchkin is the reason for all of it.  You can't.  She makes you too happy.  

So the family rallied.  We dug out stuff from all corners of our basements and closets and proceeded to sweat off a few pounds hauling tables and displaying poorly thousands of things.

This is the sisters on the day in question.

And Ollie, flirting as usual.

Since the sisters and I have lived by the "you can do it all, and all in one day" philosophy for our entire lives, we decided to add a little fuel to the crazy fire.  After spending some of Thursday, and all of Friday morning setting up the garage sale, we had mom haul the cattle trailer to town loaded with Ethel Edith stuff.  Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.  Get rid of inventory in the basement, and in our barns :)  Plus, we got an opportunity to make another donation from our business.  Win-win folks.  That's what it's all about. 

This is a view of our Saturday sale.  We were pumped because we sold enough on Friday to be able to consolidate a few tables.  We had SO many clothes it was unbelievable.  

Inside of the garage was lined on all sides by clothes and housewares.  

Mom kept telling me to put the ugly stuff in the back and the good stuff out front to draw people in.  I tried to assure her that when it comes to garage sales, no one really believes the gems are buried in the back.  But anyone that knows mom knows, when it comes to display, she is the queen-bee and better than you.  Really.  She is.  So there is no point in arguing.  It's just that occasionally, I forget.  Plus, mom cares more, and that is a dangerous combination that sets you up for losing the battle.      

I concede ma.   You are better than me.

Here are just a few pictures of the sale. 

Because garage sales are generally ugly, here are pictures of Ethel Edith stuff. 

And a few pictures of the best thing at the garage sale, Miss Ollie O!

She's big!

Aren't those fat rolls superb?  Ollie is chubby goodness at it's best.  I, on the other hand, am chubby in all the ways that make me wish that men had to carry the babies.  

Our garage sale was a complete success.  Aside from being sweaty and sunburned and snapping at Maggie out of hunger, I had a good time.  Plus, the family was able to raise over $1600 to donate to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis.  How awesome is that?!  This weekend is the Buddy Walk in St. Louis and I look forward to that.  It should also be a good time.  My family consists of all my favorite people and they are stupid in all the best ways that make you belly-laugh til you cry.  

Thank you to everyone that came out to our sale.  That bought our junk (garage sale or Ethel Edith goods) and to all the family that donated to a worthy cause.  

The whole family, and our rockstar Ollie, thank you from the bottom of our healthy hearts :)