Say What?

I always tell myself I'm going to write down the important stories but I never do. And then I forget. I am determined this time to start writing things down. Even if it has to be here. So here are a few cute things that happened with the girls this week.

Chris put Sadie down for a nap just before he left to go back to work (yes my husband eats at home for lunch everyday). About 5 minutes after he left Sadie came down stairs holding her blanket and stuffed pony looking as cute as ever and says to me "Momma, I woke up!" It was so cute.

This morning, after I had already told her no a few times, Ava asked me yet again if she could watch a movie. The conversation went like this:

Ava: "Mom can I watch a movie?"
Me: "No, not right now."
Ava: "Can I watch a cartoon?"
Me: "NO."
Ava: "Can I watch basketball?"

I just started laughing. She must be pretty desperate if she'll resort to asking if she can watch sports.

Sadie Turns 2!

Friday my baby girl turned 2! I can't believe it. Time has flown by so quickly. It strange almost to have a two year old as my baby because when Ava turned two Sadie was already 6 months old. Thank goodness we aren't repeating that!

We had a fun day all in all. It started out with a little birthday haircut, courtesy of my friend and hairdresser Ashley. She did an amazing job. It makes her look so grown up!

She had a nice afternoon nap that she woke up from super grumpy but by the time the party started she was in pretty good spirits.

We had cake and ice cream with a bunch of family and a few friends. Sadie is really into horses and ponies right now so she got a horse on her cake and a lot of horse/pony toys. She loves them all!

 Wyatt, Paul, (Charlie sitting with Papa), Oakley, Sadie, Bennet, and Ava

It ended with Sadie not being able to decide which toy to take to bed with her.....so she took 3.

Happy birthday my sweet girl!!

Summer Fun

So far it's been a busy summer. And it's only the middle of June!! But we've been having tons of fun. We've been spending time at the pool, the park, with family, with friends, and as much time outside as possible.  Here are a few highlights from the last couple of weeks.

It started with our friends the Roberts coming to visit us for a long weekend with their two little boys. Below is a picture of Ava and Carter sitting around the campfire getting ready to roast marshmallows.

 Here is Jake (the dad) leading the horse around with Carter on the back and Sadie in front.

 Ava and Carter also rode the horse together. I think their younger boy rode too but I don't have any pictures of Jason. He's a cutie though!

 After the Roberts left Chris's sister Lorie and her family came to visit for a week. We took the kids to the pool one day and Ava was so happy to have friends to play with her in the pool. (Left to right is Bennet, Kate, and Ava).

 It's been so nice this year going to the pool because both of my girls are old enough to wear floaties and play in the shallow end of the big pool. We've have loads of fun.

 I love that my girls aren't afraid to get dirty. Chris told a friend that Ava was "girly" and that I "corrupted" her but the truth is she came that way all on her own. And yet she's not afraid to get dirty which makes her a whole lot of fun. Here are the girls playing in the creek below grammy's "condo". (I so wish I had a picture of the condo to show you. You'd laugh that we call it the condo.)

 Ava happily enjoying the mud she is digging up in the creek.

 I'm not sure what Sadie is doing here. Playing the water or looking for something. Possible going #2.

 Both girls were soaked and covered in mud by the time we were done but they had a blast. And mom remembered to bring PJ's to put them in after knowing that this would happen.

 Sadie never smiles for the camera. I don't know why. And I don't know how to make her. But it's a cute picture anyway.

We hope you are having a fun summer too!

8 year surprise!

This year I got a special treat. For our anniversary Chris planned a special surprise date. Our 8 year anniversary was on Monday but the date wasn't until Friday so I've been in suspense for 5 days. Last night as we got in the car to drive to the designated location I finally found out what the big surprise was. Chris took me to Georgetown, CO for the Moonlight in the Mountains Dinner Train. It was so fun. It was a 2 hour and 15 minute train ride with a few stops along the way for pictures and gift shops. Then we stopped on top of the Devil's Gate Bridge to enjoy a nice dinner. I am so impressed with my husbands thoughtfulness in preparing this special day. Here's a few pictures.

This picture was taken in the car shortly after we left. We were still happy and excited about going. About 10 minutes after the picture was taken we hit a bad traffic jam and it took us an hour and a half to go 10 miles. We were still happy and excited to go of course, just a little bit annoyed and a lot happy that we left a couple of hours early. (It's a 2 hour drive to Georgetown).

 Another self portrait. On the train getting ready to leave.

 A view of the other train cars from the platform.

 I think this is the only picture taken of us by someone else. The rest are self taken.

 Some pretty scenery that we passed on the way.

 View from the top of Devil's Gate Bridge, looking down on Georgetown. This is where we ate dinner.

 Oh, I guess we had one more picture taken by someone else. Not that great but the napkin says "8 years". 

We think we might make this an annual trip because it was so fun.

Let Kids Be Kids

It's been a rainy spring this year. Living on a dirt road and having a dirt driveway means when lots of mud. The girls really discovered it this year and as kids usually do, couldn't resist jumping in it and making a mess.

 And why is it that they always find the puddles. Later this same day they found more puddles on the road as we were walking home from grammy's and they were so muddy that they got stuck and their shoes came off.

 I love how Chris is drinking out of the hose in the background of this picutre!

This was a good half an hour worth of entertainment and all I had to do to clean up was throw their pants in the wash and their bodies in the bath.

Gymnastics!

It's that time of  year again. Ava only does gymnastics from September until May and at the end of the session they have a recital or sorts that they put on for the parents so we can see what they've been up to. Last year we did a parent & me class so I was with her all the time. This year she was a big girl and went to the 3 year old class all by herself. I was so proud of her.

 They started by having the kids march out and then do a little routine with the teacher. I was so impressed by how much Ava actually did. She's very obedient to her teacher (if only it were so at home!)

 Ava doing a backwards roll.

 Forward roll.

 Water break!

 I had no idea she could do the balance beam so well.

 She still needs help on the bar but she's getting stronger.

 And they all love to do the high bar too, of course!

 At the end they each go their gymnastics medal and Ava was very proud.

 Sadie, of course, wanted to be out on the floor so badly that as soon as it was over she was off doing whatever she could.

Daddy helping the girls on the bar. We are out for the summer now so we can focus on swimming! Wahoo! We love summer time!

Catching Up

I am currently blogging regularly on 3 blogs. Unfortunately my personal one is the blog that gets the least amount of attention and time.  So I'm going to post a few pictures from over the last month to try and get caught up a bit.

We took the girls up to the fish hatchery a few weeks ago and it was a big hit. They loved feeding the fish.  And the fish food was free so it was great free entertainment for the kids.

 We've started having nice weather here and there so I've been trying to get out with the girls as much as possible. We've made several trips to the park now and this is my favorite picture. Ava is holding out her hand to Sadie and telling "let me help you". It was so cute.

 Ava and Sadie playing with a couple of friends at the park.

 We went to a small fair here in town with another couple who has a daughter Ava's age and it was so much fun. We put the girls on this little roller coaster and Sadie LOVED it. She cried everytime she had to get off and she probably rode it at least 5 times.

 We also did the Merry-Go-Round......

 And this spinning dinasour. Exactly the kind of ride I would never, ever, be caught dead on. But the girls had a good time. Sadie was too small for this one so I took her back to the roller coaster with Ava and Oakley went on this ride.

We've been having a lot of fun now that summer is finally here. We went to the new sprayground yesterday with some friends and it was also a big hit. And since it's free (and the pool isn't) we'll be spending a lot of time there this summer.  Can't wait!