Hailey is a silly girl

Hailey decided she didn't want to wait for her oatmeal so she pulled it down from the counter herself and started eating without me. She's a pretty determined little girl.

Hailey's new favorite thing is dressing up. Here she is with Ian's pajama pants and shoes.
The funniest new thing she does is put her swimsuit on like a little cape. She puts the straps on her arms then flips it over her head to her back. She's super swimsuit baby!

Happy Birthday Ian!!

Ian's birthday was July 12th. He is a big 4 year old now! He had his first party with friends this year, it was a little party, but he had a blast.

I made a "pin the smokestack on Thomas game." The kids loved it.
Ian and his party friends, A.J. and Alexis.
Ian picked out the exact same cake he had last year. Oh well, it tasted really good. I was just glad I didn't have to make it, it's too hot to turn the oven on!
Ian and his cake.
Ian and his presents.
Ian got a Hot Wheels race track for his birthday. He loves it, although Hailey tries to wreck it all the time, so is life with a little sister.
The birthday boy.

More Vacation Pics

On the 4th of July Ian and Hailey ate tons of watermelon. I think it was Hailey's first time. Aren't they cute in their little matching shirts?

Hailey also discovered corn on the cob. Yum.
Ian had his first diving board experience. Once he got the hang of it he loved it.
My friend Joy and her husband Jeff came over and made ice cream with Ian.
Ian got to smash up the Oreos, definitely his favorite part of the whole thing.
On our way home we stopped at my sister Amy's house in Fresno for a day. Ian and his cousin Emily are only a month apart. Here they are with their babies, Hailey and Allison.

Thankful Thursday

For some reason I knew it was Thursday but didn't realize it was Thankful Thursday until I saw someone else's blog. Ha.

1. Adam saved the day - On Tuesday I had an appointment and 2 babysitters cancelled on me so Adam took a half day off work and came home to watch the kids so I could make it. Thanks Adam!
2. Pasta Roni - My kids have been picky eaters lately but they will always eat Pasta Roni.
3. Hailey can use a fork and spoon - Yay!
4. My new fan - I got a new stand fan and I like it a lot. More air circulation is always a plus.
5. Happy Hailey - I like happy Hailey, not a huge fan of unhappy Hailey.
6. Jill's coming home next week - My sister Jill left town the same day I got back into town and has been gone a long time. I miss her!
7. Sno Shack - We got a Sno Shack right by us, it is my favorite ever! Shaved ice is what got me through my pregnancy with Ian (he was born in July....). I love red rasberry with cream, yum yum yum!

Thankful Thursday

Thursday already?

1. Ian - Ian just turned 4 on the 12th. I am so thankful to have him, he is a sweet sweet boy. I love how he sings and tells me everything. Earlier today he told me he wanted to "do fun stuff together like blowing bubbles and playing the Wii." He gives great hugs and gets excited about small stuff like mandarin oranges. I love my little boy (even if he drives me crazy sometimes).
2. Less stress in my life - It is nice to not have to worry about getting settled in a new apartment like we usually are at this time of year. I just have to find ways to keep the kids occupied and do chores around the house. Not too shabby.
3. Snuggles from Hailey - Hailey is very independent, but sometimes she just likes to snuggle. She also learned how to give kisses yesterday, cute cute cute!
4. Good old books - Adam and I have been reading The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. They're pretty good, and not very long.
5. Going to bed earlier - It really helps, it just takes discipline!
6. Garbage day is twice a week - It makes my garage a lot less smelly.
7. Outdoor/indoor thermometer - It's really cool. Now I know just how hot it really is outside (106 right now).
8. Earplugs - With all the noise my ceiling fan makes I don't think I could survive without earplugs in the summer. It's too hot without the fan, too noisy without the earplugs.

Belated Thankful Thursday

I totally forgot yesterday to do Thankful Thursday, how sad. We just got back on Wednesday and are adjusting back to regular life in hot Las Vegas (it got up to 114 in the shade yesterday).

1. Sleeping in till 9am - Hailey didn't get up till 9 today, so I didn't have to get up either. Yippee!!!
2. Back in our big bed - I think Adam, especially, is thankful to be back in our Cal King sized bed.
3. Ian can entertain himself in the morning - Or, I guess the TV can entertain him. I wouldn't have been able to stay in bed otherwise.
4. Frozen food - It makes my life easier.
5. Air conditioning - Even though it's still hot in the house, it's not as hot as outside.

Diving Fun

Don't worry, Ian wanted to jump in, he just needed a little help from Grandpa. After that he did pretty good!

Mmmm, Yummy Corn!

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!

Thankful Thursday

1. Generous Friends - My friend Heather invited Adam and me to a restaurant where her husband is a chef. It was SO yummy and so wonderful to spend the evening with her and see what her husband (Adam also) does. I think I ate enough food to hibernate through the winter. Thanks Heather!
2. Cooler weather - I am probably going to cry when we get back to Las Vegas. I heard it is at least 110 there right now.
3. Ian is getting older - It is so fun to be able to do a lot more things with Ian because he is capable of actually doing them. He got to go to the fair with Grandma and "Mantie Marianne" yesterday and he went on a bunch of rides and kept up with them, and the best part: I didn't have to go. I love babies, but you can do a lot more with older kids.
4. A new addition to the family - Adam's sister, Audrey, had her baby girl yesterday, 3 weeks early. What a blessing little spirits are.
5. The USA - I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
6. A nap - I got to take a 3 hour nap today, yippee!
7. Friends who keep in touch - I love to hear and see what old friends are doing with their lives.
8. Reading stories - Ian loves to read stories and Grandpa loves to read them to him. Cute, cute, cute!

Monterey Aquarium and Dennis the Menace Park

We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with Adam's mom, brother, and nephews. I don't have a pic of all of us, but this is the same seashell that we took a picture of Ian and Grandma K when Ian was Hailey's age. It's fun to see time moving along. The most important thing for Ian was to see scuba divers. We missed the ones in the kelp forest, but he did get to see some outside in the bay.

Hailey liked sticking her hand in the water.

After the Aquarium, we went to the "Dennis the Menace Park." Ian's favorite was, of course, the big real train engine they had. It was hard to get him to go play on the playground once he saw it.

Ian ran across this bridge at least 25 times. He sang as he ran, it was pretty funny.

Again, Ian looks like a psycho when he says "cheese." He actually looks scared in this picture...haha.

Vacation Update

So far vacation has been pretty fun. We spent a few days at Adam's mom's house. Now we're at my parents' house but they aren't here because they went up to Boise for my grandpa's funeral. We are sad we couldn't go too, but it is kind of nice to have a little vacation house all to ourselves.

Hailey learned to feed herself French Toast. Yum.

We had a little "surprise party" for Ian's birthday (a little early). He loved the cupcakes and, of course, presents. This is his cousin Nick in the picture, and Papa Evans in the background.

Ian learned how to write his whole name on his new Thomas Magnadoodle. This is his very first time. Exciting!

My sister Marianne stopped by for a visit on her way up to Pleasanton. Ian can't say "cheese" without looking like a psycho.