I love this heat!

This is the time of year that I love... I wish I could be outside ALL day, laying by the pool of course but...outside!

Summer really seems to be flying by. I can't believe that it's already July 21st (by the way today is Mike's birthday - Happy Birthday to you!

Brooke is really growing and I think you'll enjoy the pictures in this update. In August my mom and I are taking her to see the Wiggles at the Scott Trade Center. Since Brooke was a few months old she has loved to watch the Wiggles DVD's and to listen to their CD's so a couple of weeks ago my mom called to say they were going to be in St.Louis and we should take Brookie - I think we are probably going to enjoy it more than Brooke! Anyway, so when you say "Brooke do you want to go see the wiggles?" She stops whatever she is doing - drops anything that might be in her hands and doubles her fists up, pumps her arms up and down and says ..."Me Wiggle!"

It's too cute. It is so fun to watch how quick she is learning new things. She is getting big, too. In the pictures she has a pair of sandals on that I bought just a month or so ago and they are already too little. So.... that will be our next shopping trip! New shoes!

Suzanna left yesterday to go to girl scout camp. She was pretty excited to go and I know she was looking forward to it. She was slowed down a little bit this week by the stomach flu but by Saturday night she was feeling better and couldn't wait to go. Mike said when he dropped her off there was a little girl she knew and so they were off to get water and she didn't seem to be concerned about missing him at all. I'm sure she will but ... I think that he ...and I will miss her more than she misses us!

She comes back on Friday - which is her birthday. She's going to be double digits! Then she starts back to school on August 13 - it sure seems like the summer flew by!

Here are some pics:

Brooke loves her wagon.... I have made the mistake of putting it next to the front door, so every time we go in or out, she goes straight for the wagon and if I don't take her for a ride she screams. So yesterday morning I felt bad for not getting her out there early to go for a wagon ride. I decided not to put her church dress on her and to let her play in the wagon for a few minutes... so, here it is. She smiles the whole timeee....even after the ride is over and I want her to get out!

So when I finally got her out of the wagon, I sat her in the back of the hatch and put her dress on. As you can see, I was having to be really goofy to keep her from screaming over the wagon.

I'll take those sweet little laughs over screaming any day!

Then she had to do some more roaming around before we left. I'm sure the friendly neighbor next door doesn't mind her smelling the flowers! Speaking of which, I'm looking for a house - probably to rent for now, if anyone knows of one.

And then she must go down to the end of the sidewalk and get in the grass - notice that she is carefully backing down that little bitty step. I think she's still a little bit afraid on the concrete because she doesn't carefully do anything else!

And here we are again...back in the wagon. How can you say "no" when you look into those beautiful blue eyes???

I'll show you.......

You act like a complete and total idiot, singing and dancing the Wiggles (and praying none of the neighbors see you) and tickling and anything else that will make this girl belly laugh!

That's it for now - hope you enjoy!

Pics and the Olympics....

Here are the pics of Brooke and Suzanna that were made the weekend of Mother's Day.... aren't they great?!

Now, on to the Olympics.... I am a competitor at heart and man do I love watching the trials and then the actual games. This weekend I am hooked on watching the softball games - I'm telling you it just makes me miss the game sooo much! Suzanna only has two games left in the season, it's been fun watching her improve and learn a bit about the game. I'm not sure she has the love for it that I had hoped she would but.... maybe that'll come??

Anyway...so I know there are others of you out there that do this, but I must at last confess. When I watch these athletes competing at this level I get so emotional! I mean, I cry when they lose, I cry when they win... I'm not kidding! Did anyone else see Corey Hall miss his chance for one last Olympics in the 50 meter free style? Well...lemme just tell you, I cried like a baby! I do the same thing when I watch the superbowl or the World Series and the Stanley Cup playoffs.

I really miss being able to play at a competitive level. Actually, I just miss being able to play... I'm not sure I miss the hard work it takes to play competitively!

Anyway... that's my blog for today! :)

Oh wait... .a couple of pics that are just too cute not to post....

My girl does not like anything on her head!

I'm not sure if she is admiring her belly or looking for her toes...either way someday she will hate me for posting this picture!

Hard to Believe June is Over!

This month has just flown by..... we're gearing up for the July 4th Parade & Celebration at the park. I really love our special events because it's fun to see the people in our community out enjoying family time in our parks. If you aren't doing anything, come visit us! Our parade starts at 10am, followed by free swim, music and a great fireworks display. Let me know if you want directions!





On to one of the sweet baby girls in my life. Brooke was a real ham all day today, so I took the opportunity to take some pictures of her.


My kinda girl - a purse on one arm and a ball in the other hand!





"Cya... I'm taking YOUR purse to the mall! I need some new shoes, I don't have any to match this outfit!"




Just having a little fun on her Tigger rocking horse.



Wore out and napping with her brothers! (For those of you who are freaking out right now - the cat isn't going to smother her - I was sitting in the room watching TV.) By the way, isn't the quilt beautiful? My grandma gave me this for my birthday.


Things have been pretty interesting with Brooke's mother and grandmother lately. Let's just say that I could use some prayers - specifically that God give me the strength to continue to handle the situation the best way I know how and the courage to make decisions that are best for Brooke. I personally pray every night that I am helping her have a better life in some way. I don't know what the future holds but I know that this beautiful little girl is a blessing in my life and I enjoy every moment that I have with her.

Suzanna is doing great! Last week her softball team won their first game - she has a game tomorrow night and then Tuesday she and Mike leave to visit his parents. Things will be pretty quiet around here, but I'm going to take advantage of the time and do some reading I've been wanting to do. Suzanna will actually be gone for two weeks and then she is home for a week and then gone for another two weeks to Girl Scout camp.


Leaving you with one of the sweetest kisses!

Brooke's Swim Lessons

Brookie started swim lessons yesterday. I had to get in the water with her and Suzanna was there to cheer us on!

It was a lot of fun, but the temperature dropped a little bit and her lips turned blue - I felt bad!

She had fun for the most part, she's not afraid of the water at all - last year I started taking her to the pool when she was only 4 months old. She has a little pool here at home and likes to play in it and she has one at her Grandma and Grandpa Collin's house, too. So, she's bound to be a little fish!

She learned to splash, kick, scoop ice cream, put her face in the water (which she was doing last year) and jump in off the side. Here are some pictures of the evening

This is a picture of her jumping in off the side of the pool. She's only holding on to my fingers and though I was suppose to let her come up, I'm pretty sure I probably lifted her out! (sheesh it's the first lesson!) Anyway, sorry this picture is so small but .. uh... you probably can't tell but I was leaning slightly forward and after seeing these pictures I now know that I have a wardrobe malfunction and need a different bathing suit.... I'll leave it at that! :)

Here is one of several times that she went under water. Look how relaxed her legs are - no fear!

And we both survived! I think I look a bit more distressed than she does. Kidding, it was fine and I think if the temperature hadn't dropped she would have really loved it. We'll see what the next few nights bring. I'm hoping before the end of summer she is swimming like a fish!

Suzanna - what can I say about the girl. She is such a blessing in my life. This little girl seems so insightful to me for a 9 year old. There was something on TV about Tim Russert and they were talking about risk factors for a heart attack and they mentioned all the ones we all know -including being overweight and diabetes. Suzanna looked at me and goes... "Hey, I don't want you to die. Listen to this show." Yes ma'am! :) Anyway, she is doing great and she spends every day up at the park at the summer day camp. She is really having fun - I can tell by the huge smile on her face at the end of every day and the stories she can't wait to tell me. She has become so much more social in the past few months - she has lots of new friends at camp and seems to be doing really well.

When day camp gets out, I go to the gym and pick her up and then she comes to my office for the last half hour with me. I give her little things to do to help out and she always does them and is really quite helpful. Well, the other day, as we were walking out the office to leave - Suzanna was ribbing me about something, just being a little bit of a smart arse... and I said "Hey... not nice." One of my friends in the office said..."Um, unfortunately that was so much like something YOU would do you have NO way to deny that she's starting to act like you and pick up on your personality traits." The even funnier thing is that Suzanna and I have this little hand action that we do to each other when one says or does something kinda silly...we looked at each other and did it at exactly the same time. So... I hope and pray every day that I am having some sort of a positive influence on her and that her picking up on some of my personality traits isn't going to drive her proud poppa right to the looney bin! :)

She's doing very well in softball - though she doesn't have the fire in her belly I was hoping she would have. Who knows, maybe it will come. She's is really getting alot better at fielding, catching, throwing and batting. She has two games this week and I'm hoping to get some action shots. Mike actually records the games and I might see if I can figure out how to put a video clip up here.

I'll probably try to update again this week - I have some great new pictures of her and brooke that I had done at Walmart.

I'm on my lunch hour and have to get back to work - everyone have a great week!

Lots of catching up to do....

Wow what a busy month! Not alot of time to really write anything - the graduation went fine and a was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures from the weekend and some from Mother's Day weekend. One thing about this blog, it doesn't let you move the pictures around very well and then add text. So, I'm not even going to try - feel free to ask questions! lol easier than going back for explanations.

Have a great holiday weekend!