Duluth- June- 2011

The girls, puppers and I packed up one morning in late June- prior to our move --and headed up to visit w/my parents and some family and friends. It was another whirlwind trip, as it usually it- trying to see and visit family and friends. I'm' hoping to visit more friends the next visit we do - so know that IF I haven't seen you this summer (Duluth friends) - we'll be home for a long weekend again soon! :)

When we arrived, Kyla was so excited to play with the old Fisher Price Airport!

Kyla made sure she didn't walk too fast for Great Grandma - she kept the pace alongside the wheelchair

Cousins! Aubrie, Keifer, Kyla & Wyatt! * and I should explain Kyla- she think she is using her phone to take a picture of ME* LOL

Visiting Great Grandma!
Click HERE for a video clip of the chaos that defined who we were when we were visiting! Music, Ipods, Dancing, Whoa.......

Visiting Mama's good friend Alicia and her boys- Soren & Talen - Keifer called them "wild boys" - LOL - but she was just as wild as them!

Visiting our favorite spot in Duluth- Lake Superior! This was Kyla's FIRST time throwing rocks into the BIG LAKE!

Keifer was a bit crabby once we got down there. I think the HYPE of getting down there tired her out, perhaps?

Doing our pose! Aubrie, Keifer & Kyla

The girls saw a baby crawling in the grass and quickly became friends with her and her family!

Aubrie & Keifer checking out the fountain on the street

Nana Di, Me holding Kyla & Aubrie, Keifer and Auntie Barbara!

Mama's sweaty baby, taking a lunch break

Ready to get back out and walk, with baby strapped in!

Aubrie & Keifer holding hands with Auntie!

Lots of fun was had in the whirlwind trip. Next time, we'll be staying for a longer period of time and have a lot more people to see! It's exciting for my girls and makes me all the more excited when they are so happy to visit. We are hoping to FINALLY take the girls out in Papa Dale's boat when we are home - it's unheard of that my girl is 4 years old and hasn't been in a boat or fishing yet (yikes!). Let's cross our fingers for some more NICE weather and good sleeping nights!

Mary, Don't You Weep

This past Sunday, Keifer and Mama took part of our church's Worship Band's rendition of "Mary Don't You Weep". Keifer adored it, and Kyla came along for the sway factor.

Sissy See, Sissy Do (otherwise known as "world's smallest hair pony?")

Sissy had ponies in her hair, so naturally Kyla wanted one in HER hair. It was finally time- her hair had gotten to a long enough point that we could put an itsy-bitsy pony in! She also insisted upon the barrette!

Pretty girl, pleased as punch! We now put little ponies in her hair about 4/7 days of the week! When she decides she does NOT want to wear one (while getting dressed in her crib) she'll tell me, "no pony, no pony" to let me know her decision ahead of time!

Friends (and Sissies!) give Friends (and sissies!) a hand!

*thanks to the Fresh Beat Band, I can't get the song lyrics out of my head when I watch my girls play together and help each other out*

Wordless Wednesday: Serious "Beaver" Fever

Ice cream social- 2011

Every year, at the end of the school year, and as a kick-off to summer, our daycare, Elaine, has an "ice cream social" for parents to come and enjoy some ice cream treats w/their children, and get to socialize with the other parents. This year, the girls were part of the singing brave, and showed us how they learned a song in sign language! Keifer was VERY proud to demonstrate her signing knowledge! Kyla knew some of the words and signs, and as you can see in the video at the end, she also is very good at "rolling" her arms/hands for the song, too !:)

Keifer and her buddy, Brandt, playing chase

Friends Mazzy & Mia enjoying ice cream w/K1

Smiley Swinger!

K1 enjoying Eddie...

as well as her friend, Maz!

Enjoy!

Wy-guy love

My brother Darren, and his girlfriend Steph, and her 5year old, Wyatt, visited us for a night in June. Did I mention before that Wyatt and Keifer ADORE each other? Um, yeah. So they were in hog heaven. I think it's the first time Keifer has EVER played with someone separated from me for hours at a time! I love it- and I love him! And I love Steph! (sigh) Oh yeah, and Uncle! LOL

Lovebirds out to eat

Getting ghetto fab letting our kids run around in their undies! LOL

Enjoy Keifer and Wyatt running through the association's sprinklers! Yeah, we're "those" people! LOL

Mama's Girls!

Mama has bragging rights, right? :) My girls- a few random shots here and there from last month.....Princess K1, out to eat, Kyla in her new PJ's from her birthday-complete with her socks, that she insists upon wearing (and ironically, she matched her jammies! LOL).

Mama & her girls before a mom's night out! I liked how I looked- rare that I do-so I had to grab a shot or two! Kyla dressed herself, yes!

And this was my last official day of work in June!!! Where is the summer going?

"Mom, I Loved my Picnic!"

Katelyn, Keifer, Brynlee & Teah

At the end of May, in our "old house", we had a sizzling hot day of sun and warm weather. I invited our neighbor friends over, and they obliged happily! Keifer ADORES Teah, Brynlee and their older sister, Katelyn! We had 2 pools (Sharkie pool!), water table and another neighbor's slip n' slide that CJ blew up for them. What fun! Three straight hours of sun and water and our girls were exhausted!
During a break, I served the girls a "picnic" snack on a blanket in the shade. It consisted of raisins, apple slices, crackers and juice. Two months later, Keifer is STILL commenting to me on how much she LOVED her picnic with her friends!! Ahhh, so sweet!

The Little Mermaid swim suit girls!

The picnic!

Hot dogs supervising the fun

Slip sliding - yes, our yard was FULL of water fun! Keifer's jumping on her knees hurt MY knees just watching! Ouch!

I found this hooded Princess towel at a consignment sale- Kyla adores it.

I think she resembles a future Jedi or Ewok, no? LOL

And the swallows that invade our garage every year, were in the process of rebuilding their nest yet again. It is now complete and they are in it.

How do we pick? 4 & 2 year pics!

How to pick! How to pick! How the heck do we pick which gorgeous pictures to display around our spacious new house? *sigh*. Not that I'm complaining, but it's so hard for me to pick which pictures to order! Any favorites stand out to you? :) Yes, we did this in early June, for the girls' 2 year and 4 year "annual" pictures, but finally getting around to figuring out what to order! We used a girl who did our friends' newborn and family pictures- I like these!! My girls- my heart-on display! Enjoy!