August 2013

 Addie wearing her "hat" because Izzy is. She just pushes her bike around instead of riding it. When she does sit on it she actually keeps her feet on the pedals pretty good.

 Oh, the "ci-ci." How will we ever let go?

 

 Hanging out by the fire at Gamma and PopPop's,

 

 The new fire pit my dad built,

 

 Great for roasting marsh mellows.

 

 First to arrive at the reception. Watching a movie to pass the time.

 

 Still waiting...

 

 Me and my girls.

 

 Izzy and the Princess, Morgan.

 

 Family photo at the Moonlight Vineyard during the reception.

 

Mark's mom and step-dad.

 

 I love their sober faces.

 

 Enjoying the swings in the back yard on a beautiful night.

 

This picture says a thousand words...

 Sisterly love.

 

Go Big Red! First spirit day of the year at school.

 



Wow! That month flew by. At the beginning of August we all went back to Grand Island for Mark's cousin's wedding. Izzy loves to go to weddings because she gets to see and dance with a princess. Morgan sure looked like a beautiful princess. Her wedding gown was the palest of pink and gorgeous.

Nothing is really new with the girls. Both growing and playing, dancing, and talking back all the same. We've managed to stay healthy and have a great summer.

My friend Ashley came home from Australia for a few weeks and we managed to get together and have dinner. It was great to see her. I wish there was more time.

Mark is happier than ever because football season started the last day of this month. Gamma and PopPop took the girls to the State Fair in Grand Island and Mark and I got to enjoy the first Husker Game together. The Huskers won, but only by 4 points. Should have been a blow out. Hope the season looks up. While at the fair, Izzy got to ride an elephant and thought it was the coolest thing. She talked about it for days.

We have inherited three new pests (I mean pets...) this month. Izzy's teacher at school was teaching them about the life cycle of a meal worm. The chrysalis of all three have now turned into beetles and she doesn't want to free them. What is a mother to do? Any suggestions are helpful.

On to another month. Hope all is well.

P.S. Izzy had her first sleep over at our house. Why can't I keep her little? I'm not ready for this.

July 2013

 Brock showing his boys how it's done. Fourth of July was great this year.

 

 Jaycee and Izzy solving the world's problems.

 

 Izzy caught her first parachute.

 

 It's a race for the second!

 

 TROUBLE!

 

 Izzy had a great time at Gary's birthday. She finally figured out she could go down the slide and touch at the end. Mommy didn't have to catch anymore.

 

Birthday Boy!

 



Addie and Daddy!

 



The girls!

 



Enjoying the  BBQ weenies.

 

Best of friends!

 



Camping at Branched Oak. Playing a little Candy Land at the camp site.

Great Grandma Brown. Enjoying camping and a cup of joe.

Digging in the sand at Party Cove.

Gamma and Addie.

Great Grandma and Izzy.

PopPop and Great Grandpa Brown.

My Dad and I.

 

Branched Oak at sunset.

 



Giving big sister a little help.

Addie enjoying the swings just like "Izzy-Izzy."

 



Izzy learned how to pump the swing and get going really high about a week after getting the swing set. Thanks to Xavier showing her how.

 

At the end of their sliding choo choo train.

Izzy made this hula skirt in her class. She loved it and wanted to wear it all the time for about two days.

Back outside. Loving the weather.

Sister train.

My little poser.

Sorry so many pictures of Izzy. Normally she won't even look at the camera and today she was asking me to take her picture.

Addie is crawling all over the playset like a little monkey. I watch with caution but she does really well.

 Izzy's airplane from a diaper box. She loved it and so did Addie as you can see.

 

 



July is here and gone. It always seems summer is a downhill slope from the July 4th on. This summer in particular. It had a slow start and didn't stay hot long. We had a great time on the 4th this year. Our yearly plans had totally changed and we didn't skip a beat. Mark still bought a ton of fireworks and he just blew them up in front of different people. He loves his fireworks. We just stayed in the neighborhood on the 3rd and 4th and had a great time. Izzy did awesome this year. She wore her noise blockers and got right in the game.

Izzy has also started to "read." She loves to sit down and look through the pictures and make her own story out of them and what I have read to her in the past. She is a smart little one and she will tell you that too. My mom told her that she should listen to her mom because she is a smart mommy. Izzy replied with ,"I'm already a smart kid."

Izzy lost her first good friend. The daycare we go to built a second location and her friend went to the new school. Izzy cried the whole way home and a little while after because Aubrey was gone. She wanted to go to the school Aubrey was at. The weekend had past and I didn't hear much about it and then on Monday Izzy wanted a side ponytail. She told me she wished Aubrey could see it because she loved side ponytails. She broke my heart. The following Sunday she went to Aubrey's birthday party and had a blast.

Addie again is developing so fast. She is 19 months.  She is counting "one, two, three" and singing her ABC's . She is also singing right along with the lyrics to Disney Jr. shows. I love to hear her sing Jake and the Neverland Pirates theme song. She is asking "why" all the time. I think we might be on our way to potty training. She tells us when she has pooped and sometimes when she has peed her pants. She will sit on the potty but no action yet. She loves her Elmo potty seat.

Mark and I were lucky to get away to a Dave Matthews concert in St. Louis. We had a great time staying in Old St. Charles, MO. We stayed in an old hotel and shopped the quaint boutiques along the brick road way. The concert was great as usual. But the trip was a whirlwind. There and gone in 40 hours. I'm getting too old to do that anymore.

Hope your summer has been great.

Ariann