The Un-Birthday Party

My sister in-law threw a little birthday party at our house this weekend for her daughters. They both have July birthdays. It was an Alice in Wonderland theme. It was so cute and the kids had so much fun. The decorations were so cute...

The cute little party goers!

Pin the grin

Don't eat Pete!

Cute lil birthday girls!

Our little Hayley thinks she is a big girl and I don't like it. We took the gates down blocking the stairs cause she was doing so well crawling up and down them. But then she decided she was big enough to walk down them. Well she's not. So we've had a few too many falls and now I have the gates back up. Crazy girl.

Drinking from Mommy's water bottle

Proof of the trying to walk up stairs. Playing at the Play Place.

Please stop growing little girl.

Swimming

We have had such a beautiful summer so far. It has been hot, hot, hot. I love the heat. Especially when there is a body of water near by. We have been swimming a few times. Twice in our friends family pool, and once in the little girls I use to babysit's pool. All the kids love the water!

I told Ryan that if he built me a nice pool out at the farm then I'd move out there in an instance...I think that's fair...don't you.

Waterton

We made it to Waterton this weekend! We are so, so blessed to live close to such a beautiful place! We hiked Bear's Hump, played in the lake, played at the spray park and playground, had ice cream or a treat (N & M chose sprite, and Ty a candy necklace), walked around main street and by the boats, then head back to my in-laws for supper. Then our cousin's came to play for a couple of hours before we headed home to bed. What a great day!

When we were out at the farm Ryan and his brother Dave, and Grandpa were playing football with the boys, while the girls were climbing trees and playing on the swingset. Connie and I were sitting on the front step while Hayley walked around us, watching everyone play, and I couldn't help but think this is what Heaven must be like. I couldn't help feel immense joy. I always leave feeling great about moving out there one day, but then I think about all the things we'll miss because we live so far away from the city and then I'm torn again. Hopefully one day I'll have no doubts about moving out there. I just wish the farm were closer to the city, then the decision wouldn't be so hard. Anyway, here are some pic from our Waterton adventure...

11 Months

Our little Hayley girl is now 11 months! I cannot believe that in such a short time she will be a 1 year old and will no longer be my baby (well technically anyway), but a toddler. It is crazy how fast the time has flown by and it scares me how fast all my little's are growing up. Why can't they stay little forever?

This is what my big little girl is doing:

She is full on walking. Has been for a few weeks now.

She can climb up and down the stairs all by herself, although the going down part still makes Momma pretty nervous.

She loves music, and loves to sing and dance. Her favorite right now is wheels on the bus, and she'll even do a few of the actions.

She says: Mama, Dada, hi, cow (and makes a moo sound), go (for outside) and she signs "more". She laughs and babbles a lot too.

She is down to three bottle's a day, and still has two naps. She is also sleeping through the night and has been for probably atleast 5 or so months.

She loves being outside and gets so mad when the kids go out to play without her. She'll stand at the back window watching them and yelling at them.

She is very curious and like Ty, keeps me on my toes.

No means nothing to her and she completely ignores it. I'm hoping this means she doesn't have a clue as to what it means!

She loves her soother.

She loves to watch baby einstein.

She loves playing with her brothers and sister

She is a pretty good eater and is eating lots of big people food. Yeah. Can't wait to take formula out of her diet completely.

She is so sweet, and cute, and brings so much joy into our lives! We love and adore her.

I don't have any new pictures to post, but this is one of my favs I've taken in the last few weeks:

She is just so smooshy. We'll be getting her 1 year photo's done soon...so stay tuned for those!

Year End Show

McKenna had her year end show for dance almost a month ago now. We finally got her pictures so we are in need of a little post. The Year End Show is a crazy time. She had a rehearsal the Sunday before, just a quick 15 minute thing, and then a big dress rehearsal on Tuesday (which she cried at for awhile but ended up putting on her brave face and getting it done). We just drop them off so I think it was a little scary and chaotic for her at first. Then she had a matinee show on Saturday (which is the one we all went to), and a Saturday evening show. Then I had to volunteer to help out at some point during the week. I helped out with clean up on Saturday night. McKenna did such an awesome job. She was brave and loved being out on the stage performing. She was so stinkin cute and Momma even got a little emotional. Her little class danced to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (the ukulele version), it was such an adorable routine. We ordered a video of it. I can't wait to get it so I can watch it over and over. She starts her Combo 1 class in September. It will be 20 minutes of ballet, and then 20 minutes of tap. She is excited.

Sleepover

Ryan was away for work last week, so we tried to keep as busy as possible. He use to have to travel a few summer's ago all the time and it was definitely a lot harder then. I had 3 really little one's and I remember it was a huge headache to get kids to bed. It was not a very happy time for me. This time has been a lot easier with older kids to help out with Hayley. They all go to bed pretty good and sleep through the night. That makes a big difference. I NEED sleep. We all miss Ry very much though and by the end of the week, I am frazzled. I don't know how single parents or wives who's husbands travel all the time do it. Major props to them. Anyways, one night we went out to my brother and sister in-laws and had a sleepover. It was a lot of fun and Britt made a yummy potato and ham dinner. The kids always have fun playing with their cousins. It was a nice break for me as well. Thanks for the fun Malacko's!

The boys love playing the wii at their cousin's. And yes, Ty is wearing a dress!

Beatin the Heat

Last week it was hot, hot, hot! I definitely prefer the heat over the cold so I am not complaining. The only time it kind of sucks is at night when the house is like an oven. I love wrapping up in my blankets so a hot house at night is not so fun. We spent most of the time by water of some sort, whether it was a spray park, pool, or sprinkler on the trampoline in the backyard. We love getting wet!

Bring on some more hot weather please!