If you are clever – you can use existing furniture to make a home-made slide!
It’s quite simple really – just find an opening that you think might be big enough to squeeze through. Carefully slide in and hope you don’t get stuck. Then wiggle your way to the other side. Ta Da! A home-made slide!
Now go do it again!
I love snuggle time! I usually get some great snuggle time in about 30 minutes before naptime. (Side note: I don’t understand why Katelyn won’t look at the camera when I am behind it trying to take her picture yet when I set the camera on the timer she’ll look dead straight into the camera…)
Brad was a sweetheart and gave me some beautiful, happy flowers for our anniversary. I love the roses that he usually gives, but it was fun to have something different. I am so grateful that I have such a wonderful husband! We’ve been married for FIVE years now, it’s crazy how fast time moves!
We had so much fun feeding the ducks and geese. Katelyn is always happy to go out and explore new places.
Katelyn was running all over the place – I usually don’t mind so much, but we were on a dock and the river is quite deep. I was very grateful that Brad would walk right next to her and let me play photographer so I could get some cute pictures of her.
The poor ducks didn’t stand a chance against the geese. The geese were so much bigger and faster. They would swim next to Katelyn as she ran back and forth just waiting for her to feed them more goldfish crackers. They actually flew up to try and take the crackers out of our hands.
Katelyn felt bad for the little birds that kept hopping closer, trying to get their own piece of food. So, she decided to share with them. (Side note: I LOVE her hair! It’s so cute and curly.)
I sure love this little girl! She is so cute and is so full of life. I love her personality – when she was a little baby I used to feel sad that she wasn’t more cuddly and shy (more what I would like to be like) but instead she is outgoing, friendly, very happy and spontaneous! She’s a little ball of energy and the most lovable girl. I am grateful that she’s just the way she is!
We like to take lots of picture in this family. Every time I pull out my camera so does Katelyn…
Katelyn loves necklaces…and beads. So the next logical step was to make a necklace from her bead collection. She loved hers so much she wanted to make one for me too.
The rain here is insane! It’s no wonder that everything here is so green! And, when it rains – it pours – literally! If you get caught outside it’s like stepping into the shower.
The thunder and lightening shows are pretty incredible too. I had apprehensions about Katelyn being afraid of the thunder, but she did fairly well. There were a few times when she would be startled awake by a loud clap of thunder or a particularly bright flash of lightening close by – sometimes at the same time – but she was really brave and not too afraid. There were weeks when we would fall asleep watching the lightening in the sky.
One thing I really miss about home is the smell of rain. Well – the smell of rain hitting the hot roads and sidewalks, or the smell of rain on the wind. That wonderful feeling of playing in the warm rain that finally cooled the hot air.
On one of our afternoons of enjoying the rain we decided to try to take some pictures of what it is like when it rains.
This lovely surprise came to us in the mail a few months back…
It was full of presents and goodies, and a little note…
My lovely sister Anna sent this fun package to us! We were instructed to open a present when we were feeling blue – to help give us a little pick-me-up. Isn’t she the sweetest?
Katelyn was feeling awfully sad that I wouldn’t let her open her presents – so since she was feeling so sad she got to open them anyway – right? (or we have no sense of self-control!) hehehe
Katelyn was so excited to open presents – of course! She loved all the cute little toys and the fun things that Anna and Danny sent. (They were sweet and sent three gifts for each of us.) And yes, Brad opened all his presents too! (Katelyn’ was goading him along – “Open the next one Daddy!”)
Anna was right – these were the perfect pick-me-up and a very fun afternoon. Katelyn and I have been sporting hot pink fingers and toes several times in the past few months. Katelyn has enjoyed all her girly gifts too! What’s a princess to do with fun jewelry, a hair dryer, chapstick, and a little doll to play with?!
Thank you Anna and Danny for spoiling us with the best surprise in the mail! We might just have to continue this fun tradition…
Katelyn wanted me to make her a journal too! I tried a different technique than what we had learned earlier. Instead of two different materials to cover the book and the binding – it’s one continuous piece of paper.
Katelyn loves having her own journal. It’s the perfect size for her and they are so easy to make!
There are moments when I see Katelyn doing something exactly like me and it just makes me want to say “aawww.” She’s so cute! I love it when she wants to play with me. I am so glad I kept my old old camera to give to her. She’s getting really good with it. It cracks me up that she think she needs to look through the view finder to take pictures – even though she has an LCD screen on the back. It’s alright – I’ll start her young with the proper techniques…
After we had taken our pictures, we opened the back door to enjoy some summer breeze and sunshine. Then Katelyn looks over to the railing and sees…
… the BIGGEST Daddy Long Legs spider I have EVER seen! Eeeekkk! I grabbed her so fast! She looked at me bewildered. I’m sure her expression said “Mom, it’s just a spider.” However, my irrational fear made me automatically grab her from harms way – yes, I know they aren’t dangerous! But Hey – it’s still a spider about the size of my hand…I wasn’t about to stick my hand next to him to give you a size reference – so you’ll just have to take my word on the matter.
I think we’ll call him “Grandpa Long Legs” instead.
We love painting in this family! Katelyn loves painting and mixing the colors together. I love the artwork! (although I need to send some of it to family!)
There’s nothing quite like painting your hand or squishing paint through your fingers. Katelyn loves to create new artworks for the front of my fridge. I need to find a prettier place to display them!
We had a very fun play date/craft day with some friends! My good friend Rachel was super sweet and taught us how to make journals! It was so cool to learn how to make them from scratch! I LOVE mine! (Rachel made one for me as a gift last year and I can’t wait to use my new one!)
We had fun – the kids played and watched Blue’s Clues. We had yummy crepes for lunch and doughnuts for a treat. I could’ve kept little baby Penny she was so cute. Katelyn wanted to play crafts with us to.
It was really fun to make these journals – I really want to make these as birthday gifts for next year.
See what I mean? She’s super cute and smily!
Her big brother is pretty cute too! This was a baked version of the doughnuts. They were pretty good – but I don’t know if I’ll make them again. I think I like my doughnuts deep fried.
My finished journal! The picture on the right is my current scripture journal (the one that Rachel made me) I LOVE it! It is perfect and I love that it reminds me of her. I use it for preparing my lessons all the time. I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs of all time: Shannon of The Red Headed Hostess. She is amazing and is such an great inspiration to me!
We pulled out our baby bouncy chair for Penny so she could have a nap and her mama could play a little longer with us. Once they left Katelyn thought that it was the perfect chair to watch TV. I couldn’t believe how big she looks sitting in it!
This little girl is so fun. I remember playing with olives – back when they would fit on my fingers. I don’t know why but they would taste better if you could eat them off your fingers.
Our lunch dates are always so fun and so messy! I tried out a new recipe – Orange Chicken. It was oh so yummy.
She’s so happy! I love playing with her. She actually ate the entire can of olives!
