September 2014

Izzy and Addie introducing Max to some new friends. 

Our photo shoot with Max on the trail behind Val's Mom's house. 

Addie was telling me, "No more pictures." 

Addie, Izzy, and Max.

Izzy, Maia, and Addie. Friends forever. They even fight like sisters. 

These next two pictures are the epitome of how my girls are. Izzy is always trying to be prim, proper, and perfect, and Addie is a bull in a china shop. 

Max also went to Lazlos with us and Izzy drew our family picture with Max in it.

My two favorite girls. 

Cowboy day! Notice the boots on the wrong feet. 

Bellevue Berry Farm and Pumpkin Patch. 

Zip line. 

Relaxing for a couple of minutes. 

We spent the majority of the time on these slides.

Our dear friends, Heather and Ella.

Hay rack ride to the pumpkins. 

Picking the perfect one. 

Well the football season is in full throttle and Mark is loving it. The weather has been great and it's good to see friends that you haven't seen in a while. It's amazing what Nebraska Football can do to one's spirit and the people it brings together. It's quite the phenomenon. I managed to go to a game with Mark. We went to the Miami game and I had so much fun. I use to go to them all, but with two little sweet hearts at home I have a hard time leaving them all day.

Izzy continues to make the birthday circuit. She went to our friend Avery's birthday at Sempecks and then to Finn's birthday at their house with pizza and fun. It is so great to have these dear friends. Izzy has also kept me on my toes. She calls my bluff and will definitely challenge me. One day I was going off on how I had been working and cleaning all day and I hadn't sat down once. Well, Izzy remembered I ran to Target and she goes," Well, you sat when you were driving." I just hear Mark off in the distance trying not to spit out the drink he just took. She had gotten me, I did sit when I was driving. Dang, she's too smart for her own good. She also continues to well at school and has gotten many awards for moving her clip up the board. She even got to take the class pet home. Max the Moose (stuffed animal). Many of the pictures above are from our adventure with Max.

Addie also continues to entertain Mark and I with her stories and wit. I called her crazy one day and she made a point to tell me, "I am not crazy, I'm too pretty to be crazy." It was classic. She also had cowboy day at school and loved dressing up. I think her favorite part was the stick horse that neighed when you push a button.

This year we went to the pumpkin patch early to beat the crowd. We went to the Bellevue Berry Farma and Pumpkin Patch. It was great. The girls loved the zip line and all the slides. The best slides were the big bouncy ones. We went through the corn maze but it was unsuccessful due to improper foot wear. Izzy got cut by one of the stalks and then she was upset. Nothing that a Band-Aid couldn't fix. After the pumpkin patch we went to the Mulligan's for a picnic dinner and watched the Huskers play. Izzy had her first sleep over. I went to get her the next morning and it was a success. Thanks Mulligans.

Can't wait for October. Beautiful weather and I love Halloween. Until then.

August 2014

Maia and Izzy cruising in the Barbie dune buggy. A great past time on our street. You haven't been initiated until you've had your toes ran over by this thing. 

A typical day in our neighborhood is to dress like your favorite character. Addie chose Snow White today. 

Hudson chose Bat-turtle. 

Mark's sister, BIL, and neice came to spend some time with us for a weekend. We went to the zoo and had a great time. The girls' favorite part was the stingrays. 

Also the Ferris Wheel.

Cousin Ladelle

Petting the stingrays. They said they have to clip the stingers every so often like fingernails. 

Petting zoo.

Bear cove

Mark's favorite part. 

We all rode the Skyfari. I made Addie ride with Mark because I'm terrified of heights. I held on tight to Izzy. 

Dave, Ladelle and Trish

First day of school. A monumental moment. Sigh.

All grown up.

A daddy and his girls. 

Our neighbor and good friend Hudson. Hudson is in Kindergarten with Izzy, but has Mrs. T instead. 

Izzy and Miss Waller. 

Izzy had her first overnight guest. It was Jaycee from across the street. We built a fort and played games. Lights out at 11. 

Well it has happened. My baby is a Kindergartner. We began the month with open houses and meet and greets and the big day came on August 11, 2014. I did pretty well. I only had to wipe my eyes once and that is when she was walking with her class into the building. After the first day she said she loved it and hasn't looked back. Addie had a hard time adjusting the first few weeks. She wanted to always know where Izzy was and screamed that she didn't want to go to school. There were a few days of holding onto my or Mark's pants and just bawling. That has since gotten better and she is adjusting to the new life without Izzy at daycare.

Izzy has struggled a little bit with rhyming words and after a few days of school she has them down pat. I can't wait to see what more is in store for her. I hope she can be a smart and nice little girl, but the nice is going to be a lesson learned. Just kidding, she is a sweet girl most of the time but she can sure push buttons...and not only mine. I have caught her being bossy with her friends and when I call her out she acts like she knows it's wrong. I think she just wants to see how much she can get away with. It could be also that she is tired with her new schedule at school and a lot shorter "quiet time."

Addie is growing leaps and bounds. I think she is going to be a lot taller than her sister. She is still as funny as ever. There are many times where Mark and I are sitting at the kitchen table just giggling at the silly little things she says. She is into telling stories at dinner time about a queen and a princess and a monster that gets them. The animation on her face is enough to make you laugh.

Mark and I continue to work away. Trying to keep our heads above water between work, running girls and keeping our house presentable. It never ends! Oh well, it keeps life interesting.