Soccer Time!

Haylee's at that age where it's time to introduce sports.

I played every sport growing up, until middle school when I settled on volleyball.

When I was around Haylee's age on a soccer team apparently I made a break away on the field,

my mom in an effort to encourage me started yelling,

"go punkin, go!" I guess I stopped right then and there and scolded her for "embarrassing me" in front of my friends! Oh the stresses of being young and having embarrassing parents!

The fun part is I get to be that parent to my kids!!

This was the evaluation so they could determine

the team that would be best for her!

It is a weird feeling watching my child play a sport while getting direction from

someone else. I guess it is just the beginning of letting my child go into this world and

make mistakes on her own. It's hard to let go, and I'm just talking about 4 year old soccer, imagine how I'll be when she graduates high school...ok lets not think about that, I'm already getting highly anxious! ;)

Now this is my favorite picture because it shows who my daughter really is,

all girl! Though Ryan and I really want her to do some type of sport,

we both have a feeling that she is going to get into dance, cheerleading, or gymnastics.

None of which we have a problem with, it is just more of an area where we are clueless.

But maybe that would make it more fun, to have to learn more together!

I guess we will see what happens

Micah's first swim

It has been a hot summer, luckily we have not only

the lake with Gramie and Papa, but also the pool our neighbors have!

Since Micah is 4 months now it is about time to get him in the pool!

He actually enjoyed it, he was really cute!

Dress Rehearsal

Colin & Rachel are getting married this weekend, and I thought it would

be a good idea to have the girls and I try on our dresses to make sure they fit!

They look miserable in the pictures but they actually loved twirling in their "princess dresses!"

I wanted to show the back because it is such a beautiful design

but it looks like the cops pulled my girls over and are frisking them!

A letter to my cousin Elizabeth

To my cousin, Miss Elizabeth Gilman, (though everyone else can read this too!)

Although I could write your grandmother and ask for you email I thought it more appropriate to state for all who can see that I greatly appreciate your words of encouragement and affirmation. I love seeing that not only are you getting on my blog but also that it brings you smiles and laughs as stated in your comments. I haven't seen you in years, I can only imagine how much older you have gotten and what joy you bring to your family! I am blessed to call you my cousin, and I hope and pray that you continue to blossom into the woman that God has created you to be.
I know that as you get into middle school and high school that things seem very confusing and sometimes you feel lost in it all; but take heart because we have ALL been through it and we DO make it out alive! ;) More importantly, we make it out knowing a little bit more about ourselves, and sometimes we even find that we actually like ourselves for who we are! Though that sometimes takes more time to establish than just the years of high school. So don't worry if you don't have it all together by the time you go to college, just ask my brother, I think he is still trying to live up to the awesomeness that is his sister!!! ;) (j/k)

To be honest I'm nervous about my girls getting older, it's a tough world out there. I just hope when you got it figured out that you can come back and give them a few pointers! As for Micah, well he's a guy, they seem to have it much easier; although he may have a difficult time getting married because I'm not sure ANY girl will be good enough for my baby! ;) I think we have a few years to worry about that though~

So to my sweet cousin, take care love and remember to be yourself unashamedly!

Miss you and Love you too,
Paige

My Bilingual Baby

Sophia LOVES Dora. When she watches it she always interacts with the show. Ryan started noticing that she was counting, then asked me if she was counting in Spanish. Surely not...well I guess TV does teach our kids something important! ;) Now if they would just listen to the other teaching moments-"clean up clean up everybody clean up!" "Nap time Nap Time," "There's a party in my belly, oh yummie oh yummie!" (I just like that last one, Ryan and I often sing it to each other while eating dinner!)

She can count to Eleven in english and Ten in spanish. Since we asked her to count she got a little nervous and didn't complete it, but you get the point! My favorite is 4 in spanish, I love the way she says it-it is so cute!

Galbladder Surgery

When I was pregnant with haylee I kept having intense pain in my

upper back on the right side. Turns out that was my first experience with

gallbladder issues. This pregnancy it had gotten so bad that I got an ultrasound

to determine the problem.

And here they were, gallstones!

Only treatment option is to remove the gallbladder, so that's what I did

They did it laposcopically (sp?), so they only made four incisions.

I also had a hernia, so they repaired that too.

Overall it wasn't too bad. I was nervous since it was my first surgery, but

it was quick and not too uncomfortable.

It's been 5 days post-op and I'm getting better each day.

I'm trying to take it easy but it's hard when you have little ones.

Hopefully with time it will be completely healed and feeling 100% again!

Where's my belly-button?

I asked Colin if it would come back, and he said he wasn't sure,

ok I didn't see that in the fine print that I would loose my belly-button.

Who doesn't have their belly-button?

I guess I can't get it pierced now! Just kidding

Swimmer diaper needed

We do have swimmer diapers but she jumped in the pool

before I could get one on her

Daddy likes this shirt

imagine that...

I think it's time to change it

Minivan Daddy

This was Ryan's father's day present!

Isn't it so cute?

So he may not have wanted it for Father's day, but he did agree

that it's cute.

Now it's a offical he is a mini-van dad!

Haylee's birthday bunny

We didn't do a big party this year for Haylee, we did separate party/get togethers instead.

With my side we went to the mall and GG got Haylee a "build-a-bear" rabbit with all the

extras. She loves it and carries it everywhere! She even gave it a name- "Princess"

Hank

Colin's new dog Hank

He is super cute, really laid-back, and very lovable!

I wish he was mine, but we'll take babysitting over nothing

He's just 10 weeks now, but he will get big.

He's a boxer, which is the breed colin and I grew up with.

Sleep Over

Slumper Party

I don't even know what to say about this pic, she looks so cute/goofy

You can tell from the background that they did more than sleep

Haylee is still cashed out, guess it was a long night!

Annual Block Party

We had our annual block party!

This time we used the back yards of two of the neighbors houses.

They both have pools, so we went from house to house.

The turn out wasn't as good, but we are planning to do

another party at the end of the summer to have those that didn't make it

come to another one.

Micah got plenty of love and comfort

This is Debbi H., they own one of the houses

that has a pool

Girls had fun swimming with Daddy

Micah had all the ladies attention~ such a stud!

Another annual tradition- Haylee hurting her face at the block party!

This time she face planted on Denny's cement blocks next to the pool,

this one was a bleeder, but nothing serious!

This was from last year...hopefully this won't happen again

Birthday at the Lake

Up near clear lake is a buffalo farm. Haylee

went with Ryan and Gramie the weekend we celebrated her birthday!

She told me all about it when I saw her next, she had a good time.

Happy 4th Birthday!

Her Dora blanket that I got when she was one, is a little tattered,

so Gramie got her a Princess blanket!

I guess she really likes Vera Bradley! ;)

Sophie even got a purse

Ryan wanted to take the girls tubing. Sophie was the only one

willing, or really the only one that was oblivious about what was going on!

She seemed to like it

She is also Papa Mark's boating budding.

He lets her drive and they go out just the two of them,

I think it's pretty cute!

Family Zoo Day

First family trip to the zoo this year.

We brought a picnic, had lunch and spent the rest of the day there.

The girls really enjoyed it this year, Haylee had fun pointing out the animals

she knew, and Sophie kept asking 'wha dat?"

Haylee was actually excited to feed the Giraffe

Sophie wasn't sure what that tongue was

Micah enjoyed people watching and mama making silly faces at him!

Again this year was so much better for Haylee, she was all about riding the

ponies by herself. Sophie was nervous but she did it anyways.

Gramie won the silent auction for a carousel birthday party. So next year we will do a combination birthday for Soph and haylee. Expect the invites in a year! ;)