Let's Try This Again...

Hello Old Friend,

It's been a while.  My bad.  ;)  My last blog was over a year ago.  Well, it's been a BUSY year, to say the least!  Where do I even begin.... I guess where I left off?!  Which was Spring of last year, I believe.

So instead of writing a lengthy blog describing the last 14 months of my life, I am just going to paraphrase it. And later I will add a TON of photo blogs, with actual details regarding said 14 months.
Sound good?  I agree.  :)

Ok... May of 2012 until today, right now!  Don't blink:
Olivia's First movie, Chase's First field trip, Camping, swimming, living at the beach, Goodbye PreSchool, Chase turns 5!  Olivia's first time fishing, Chase's first year of t-ball, more camping, Como zoo, MN zoo, visiting with friends & family, Olivia turns 3!  New job for Dad, Kindergarten, Dance class, PTA, Lego Club, Godson is born, Batman-themed-family-Halloween-costumes, excessive snow, visit family & friends, , VEGAS!  Advent calendar, Christmas, Nanny-baby Jordyn, New Doggy, Golden (7th) Wedding Anniversary, my Dirty Thirty, still snowing, New Place, Super Hero bedroom, Princess bedroom, Dance Recital, Summer Vacation, excessive rain, camping, bonfires, Summer School, Second year of t-ball, Chase turns 6!  visit friends & family...
and that's where we are now!

Pictures to come soon!

As for this Summer, it is mid-July, therefore the half way point, and I feel like it is slipping away from me.  The entire month of June was rain, and July has been very hot.  Regardless, I need to get out and start living my life!  I think I need to accept that no matter how much I clean, the kids will destroy the house.  So I need to spend my days as I did last Summer; at the beach and the park; just being outside in general.

This is my mid-Summer resolution: to spend every day outside, and doing something, anything, no matter how small, that makes me feel ALIVE.

Thanks for listening.... :)      

UPDATED: The blogs posted below this one are all new. Most of them, I have taken the captions from when I originally posted the pictures on FB, and turned it into a blog.  Wanted authentic feelings.   New starting with the blog, "The Lorax".  Or you can scroll all the way down to the bottom, and everything in the tab 'July' is new.  woo hoo!  Only 12 months behind on blogs now!  lol

Chase is 5!

My baby boy is FIVE years old!?!

These last 5 years have gone so fast!  

But they have been the most rewarding, fulfilling, challenging, amazing, 

wonderful 5 years of my life!

We went out for lunch, and Chase chose chocolate cheese cake as his cake of choice.  After that, we went and saw a movie at our favorite spot.  In sticking to this year's Birthday Theme, we saw the movie "Pirates".

He had a great birthday, and we loved sharing it with him!  

Now to get ready for his party this weekend.  :)

June 20, 2012

I'm a T-Ball Mom :)

Chase joined T-Ball!

I'm so excited to watch his games.  

I have been looking forward to cheering my babies on, for as long as I can remember!  

He looks so cute with his t-ball outfit!

My little superstar, running into Home.

 Chase with his #1 Fan- his personal cheerleader, Olivia.

I'm so proud of him, and so happy to be opening up another chapter with him!  :)

June 2012

A day at the Park...

June 2012

First Camping Trip of the Season!

Finally!  It's camping season!  

 We had a great time!  The kids swam in the river...

 And we all got new squirt guns, so there were a lot of squirt gun fights!

 The kids played at the park as well.
They thought it would be funny to bury Chase in the sand.  

 We roasted weenies, and made s'mores...

 Had such a busy day that Chase fell asleep right at the camp fire.

Great weekend!  So happy Summer is here, and we can camp our hearts out!  :)

Farewell PreSchool

Chase on his last day of PreSchool

June 2012

 Parents and siblings came in for the last half of the class.  We all sat together as their teacher read to us.

After that we did arts and crafts.  The kids made their own puppets.

Olivia loved spending the day playing with the big kids.

 Chase and I made treats for him to pass out to his teachers and classmates.

 For his teachers: You are O-"fish"-ally the best!

 For his classmates: Hope your Summer is a real treat!

I loved Chase's teachers, and I could not have asked for a better experience for both he, and I, as his Mommy.

Beauty Day

We decided to 'style' Olivia's hair today.  

First we blew dry it...

Then we straightened it.
It has grown so much, and I wanted to see how long it actually is now.

I couldn't believe she sat there so patiently, but she did.  And her hair looked so cute straight!

Her usual untamed curls and waves, definitely suit her.  

But it was fun to see her with a different look.

 My little fashionista!  Beautiful on the inside, and out!

May 2012

Chase's PreSchool Program

Peppermint Fence's PreSchool Program

 May, 2012

 Chase looked so handsome!

 And it was so fun to watch he and his class perform.

We were very proud.  :)

My Little Princess

My little Wonder Woman

Olivia working on a puzzle, because she wants to be just like her big brother!

Olivia modeling the bib I made for baby Rory

 Sleeping Beauty

 My pretty girl!

My baby is growing much too quickly!

May 2012

Chase's First Field Trip

Minnesota Orchestra

May 3rd, 2012

The Lorax

We took Olivia to see her very first movie, in the theater!

'The Lorax'

April 16, 2012

Olivia wore her Lorax shirt, and brought her Lorax stuffed toy along.  :)

 It was such a cute movie!  The animation was amazing, and we saw it in 3D, so it was that much cooler!

Flashback:

Chase's first movie, June 29th, 2010.

We saw 'Toy Story 3'.  Another terrific movie!

 Chase also wore a Toy Story t-shirt, and brought along his Buzz Light Year action figure.  

These were both such special days for me.  I love getting to be with them, and share in all of their first experiences.  It's like being a kid again.  Makes me so grateful to have them both in my life!