Who is this little girl I call Ayla??

So, about 75% of the time my precious girl looks like some version of this......Crazy hair, colored tongue and a habitual unkempt appearance. This is not because I don't groom her. She is wild. She climbs, jumps and runs everywhere she goes. She ALWAYS has at least one scraped knee. Along with all of this, she almost always has this gorgeous smile too.
She is silly and fiesty and loving and wild

...and can charm her way out of darn near any situation

Well, who is she?? I'm not sure yet, she has so much growing to do. But today she is energetic and smiley. She is huggy and lovey. She is crazy and witty. She's just perfect!

Hole update....we're on our way to foundation

The footings are in, rebar is up and the molds for the foundation are there. It's not going to be a hole for much longer!! This is standing right in front of where our front door will be. This view is of the footings with the rebar in place. If you follow the footing back to the spot that it turns left...you're at our basement door.

Darren and I...our first pic in the new house! Don't mind my goofy face, I was trying to do a self portrait here.

I have a feeling that the foundation has been poured, these pics were from Friday...more updates soon.

Our trip to Sears

Okay, my sassy little lady had portraits done on Sunday and I was shocked and thrilled that they turned out so well! Since our engagement, we've been using a wonderful photographer who sadly for us, has moved to San Diego. So we gave the local Sears a whirl and were pleasantly surprised. I previously posted some of her pics in a slideshow but thy were cut down quite a bit...here they are in all their glory.

Innocent and cute enough to eat

Strawberry Shortcake...only watermelon instead

Does she look like she's two?? Or like, 5? Maybe it's just me

By the way, we are still on look-out for a photographer who does outdoor pictures/comes to your home etc. If you've had great experiences with anyone in the area, send a message our way!!

Our new home....errr, hole

Woo-Hoooo!! Two months in and we've finally got....dirt! Who would ever think that could be so exciting, only someone who has built I guess! ?! Anyway, we have a hole!! This is the first view of our basement. The corner shown(which is the back of the house...I mean hole) will be a bedroom, behind it will be a bathroom and storage. The rest is family room area.

This is from the other back corner, Darren and Ayla are hanging out in the family room.

This is standing on the huge mound of dirt in the backyard, looking toward the creek. Our lot line goes all the way to the creek. We'll sod and fence a few of the front trees into our 'used' portion of the backyard.

A little math for you............... MUDDY hole + 2 y/o = muddy mess

Good job Ayla! Get in there, don't be shy now :) She kept saying "My crocks are stuck...heavy Mommy"

We hope to have many more "hole" updates now that the ball is rolling!

Pictures from today...I got lazy and made slideshows!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Father's Day Darren!

sweet. sweet. Daddy and Ayla reading "Pinkalicious" Darren,

For Father's Day this year, I wanted to be sure you knew exactly what you mean to me...to 'us'...to your family. The simple explanation would be "You're everything" but that's much too vague. I made a small list of just some of the wonderful things I appreciate about you.

You are smart, trustworthy, funny, honest, true, tolerant, kind, responsible, attractive, loving, sensitive, sweet, thoughtful, fair, giving, hard working, sincere and fun.

You are full of faith and a constant reminder to me, of how blessed we truly are.

You are a fantastic provider allowing for things I've never expected.

Today and every day, you are a father. A playful, loving, teaching, patient father. Watching you and Ayla on a daily basis makes me so proud to be your wife and the mother of your child. My hope for us is that we continue on this incredible journey we're on, because together...we're amazing. You truly are our world and we love you to the moon!

Happy Father's Day

Jamie

Art by..........

Okay moms and dads(babysitters, nannies anyone who cares for kids really)...have I got a summer fun idea for YOU!! Ayla and I have been looking for fun things to do outside. We blow bubbles, play with sidewalk chalk, go for wagon rides to the park, play in our sandbox and ride bikes every.single.day. We fill her small pool when it's warm enough and have pulled out the Mickey Mouse sprinkler a couple of times(we need warmer weather for that). It's fun, but our days become very repetative and we're both excited when we find something new to do.

I've considered sidewalk paint as she LOVES to paint and would paint 3 times a day if I let her. So to help foster her creativity and give us a new activity, we decided to give it a try. SO MUCH FUN!! We painted for an hour this morning and it was a great time. It's not nearly as messy as regular old indoor painting on paper and we love to be outside too. I bought a Crayola set with 3 bottles of paint, a paint tray, a brush and a spong eroller for $9.44. We also picked up some extra brushes for another $4.00. So, $15 later we have hours of fun....but that isn't even the best part!! I'm starting to sound like an infomercial, huh?? Haha. Anyway, you can actually MAKE sidewalk paint for next to nothing price-wise AND it is completely earth friendly and non toxic. I bought the start up kit only because I wanted the paint tray **blushing**.

So...making paint. One part cornstarch, one part water and a few drops of food coloring! How easy is that? It doesn't stain because the food coloring is so dilute and it couldn't be anymore "green" for our Mother Earth. I'm very excited, pathetic I know - but remember - It's me and a 2 year old for 12 hours a day...it doesn't take much.

Super fun...look at her go

She's making "paw prints"

Getting very serious now

Our first Monster-isms and an Ayla-ism

Monster-isms.....these are different than Ayla-isms because they are things Ayla DOES rather than what she says. Some are also fantastic combos. This child is spirited, smart, funny and way too verbal ;)

Yesterday when I was in the shower, Ayla was playing in her bedroom. I walked in there to see what she was doing when I finished my shower and she was sitting on her bed with Gracie(Our very sweet and very kid friendly 65lb dog). When Ayla saw me she jumped and said "Not put me in timeout" That would be because she took a 32 oz bottle of Baby Magic Soap and COVERED Gracie with it. Soooo, 30 minutes of rinsing later....I think we got half of the soap out of poor Gracie's hair!!

A few days before the soap incident, Ayla was walking around with a toothpick. As I was carrying laundry past the living room I saw her out of the corner of my eye standing near our other dog, Boston. Boston is the same size as Grace, somewhat tolerant of her but not nearly as kid friendly. He would never hurt her but gets annoyed with her fairly quickly. Anyway, he's standing there completely unaware of Ayla. Ayla is standing behind him with a toothpick about an inch away from his uh....rectum. I screech "AYLA STOP!!! We don't put toothpicks in butts!!" I have to say there was never a time in my life before that moment that I'd ever imagined those words would come out of my mouth. Her response? "Oh, okay Mommy" My mistake, I guess I should have told her that before!?

Ayla-ism - This morning I was getting her dressed. I put a flowy, white poplin shirt on her and she looked down and exclaimed(not stated, but exclaimed) "Oh Mommy, thank-you! Now I can get married today !!" I had no idea that she knew the word married. I asked who she was going to marry and she said "Ummmmm, I don't know yet." Wow. This evening when Darren asked her, she said "Uh, CALEB!" Duh Daddy, did you even have to ask?

This is sweet Gracie girl...she's getting old and it makes me so sad.

And here is Boston bad-boy, God love him

A taste of Omaha

On Saturday we ventured downtown for a Taste of Omaha. The weather was great and the kids had a good time. We went with my mom, Sue, Tom, Sabrina, Holly, Jeff and our kids. It was great entertainment for the kiddos who ran around the entire time.

Ayla got her face painted. She REALLY wanted to but I wasn't sure she'd actually let them do it. She did and sat as still as a statue Here's pink butterfly girl. She picked it out all by herself, she was very proud
Caleb and Ayla being silly....they were so sweaty from running
On the train

Riding a motorcycle

The Greatest Show on Earth!

We went to the circus on Friday and it was so much fun. Ayla was excited and mesmerized by all of the action. We were in the front row and in the "Circus Celebrity" section...too funny. Basically this meant that aside from having an amazing view, clowns and characters came to shake hands and say hello during the show. There was also a 20 minute period where we went out onto the arena floor and were guests to the action. It was fun. This is what our seat covers looked like...hahaha!! This is the fabulous $10 snocone....yep, ten big ones!
The Ringmaster saying hello and shaking Ayla's hand during the show

We were so close, we could almost touch the people as they walked by

End of the show...notice the VIP passes around our necks, too funny

I almost forgot....

While we were in Boise, Ayla had fun playing in a small plastic wading pool. It was in Lesley and Nathan's front yard. Weeeeeell, Ayla decided that as soon as her swimsuit got wet, she wanted it off. Every. Single. Time. This meant that she spent some naked time in the front yard. Here she is doing some sidewalk chalk in the driveway. Bwahahahah!!!!!

We finally met baby cousin!

Well, one of them anyway. We have a couple....yes I said couple more on the way! Livi will be here in under 2 months and baby cousin #3 will be here in January. Kyle and Tressa are expecting baby 'Tad' short for Tadpole on January 6th, 2010(Ayla's due date was January 6th 2007 although she graced us with her presence on October 31, 2006). Whoo Hoo! Ayla is going to get lots of big cousin experience - she will be all ready for when we are blessed to make her a big sister.

We were in Boise visiting Darren's brother and sister along with their spouses and of course our new niece/cousin! She is loveable for sure. She's 3 1/2 months and smiley, she likes to be outside and to play with her hanging toys on her play mat. She DOESN'T however like to sleep :) She puts up a little fight when it's time to go down but does well once she's down. Little sweet pea just doesn't want to miss a thing.

We had a great time in Boise even though it was a bit too short. As usual, I didn't get nearly enough pictures. It seems that when I am wrapped up in watching/playing etc, the camera stays in my bag...I need to get that figured out!

Here are Ayla and Arin(pronounced R-en) sharing some cousinly love on a blanket in the park!

We brought matching outfits for them and have another for Livi...we'll get her pictures before too long

Leaning tower of baby...we need a spotter!

She's not heavy, she's my cousin

Baby hands...

Yummy fist

Blowing really BIG bubbles with Aunt Lesley and Uncle Kyle at the Science Center

Ayla loved Aunt Tressa....I think she read her Yo Gabba Gabba book to her 224 times

Ayla and Arin