Camping!

We finally got a decent weekend that we actually had (mostly) free to go camping.  We found a really nice county campground.  There was a nice playground just down the trail and an arboretum with trails to bike through.  It was perfect for us.  I'm sure we will camp here often in the future. 

There is just something great about watching your kids create play with whatever they can find.  My girls spent a lot of time making "food", riding bikes, playing in the small pool I brought, and just collecting things they found aroud the site.  It was pretty hot on Sunday and poor Paige must take after me.  The girl was drenched in sweat.

Parade. Pedal Pull. Pals.

We headed back to my parents' for Frontier Days.  This is the first year since having kids that we have actually gone back.  My parents usually just have the girls and Mark and I have a weekend to ourselves, but this year we went along for the weekend, then left the girls with them for a few days.

Papa "found" them some new big wheels.  They were super excited and proceeded to drive around collecting things to put in the baskets.

There is aways a parade on Saturday.  It was actually a nice parade and had actual floats and things to see, instead of all advertisements.

Alaina doesn't like the loud firetrucks that had just passed.  You can kind of see The Lone Ranger and Tonto in the background.

Aunt Jenna brought Olivia up for the day.  Papa is in his element with his grand-daughters.  We then headed out to the fort where Paige participated in her first pedal pull.  She had fun and pulled 18.3 feet. 

How many women does it take to strap in a toddler?  Answer:  Two too many!

The girls got to pet "Tonto".

And we went to jail!

Nana swinging with the girls.

We ended the day with their first ever cousin bath.  Olivia actually didn't scream to take a bath for the first time in a while.  I'm sure it was because of her cool older cousins.

Photoshoot!

In case you missed them.

To check out Paige's birthday posts go here and here.

And to see her dance recital go here.

A girl and her bike.

Paige learned to ride her bike "on 2 wheels" last week. We are so proud of her and she is SOOOO EXCITED! She has been wanting to, but when we took the training wheels off a few weeks ago it didn't seem that she was at all ready. So she asked again and we thought that maybe if we used Alaina's bike she would be more comfortable as she would be closer to the ground. We started out on the sidewalk, but she (and by she, I mean me)was too afraid to have me let go. (I just knew that she would get all skinned up.) So we took her and the bike into the park behind our house and practiced in the grass. That night she could go about 10 yards by herself. The next afternoon her and I went back out and worked on the sidewalk. Since she had gotten a feel for it and we both were more comfortable there. Within a half hour she had it. Here are a couple videos of her maiden voyages. Until I was taking the first video, I didn't know she could start herself.

Of course now she is riding her own big bike, starting by herself, and stopping using the brakes.  It is so fun to watch her go and know that this is something she will never forget how to do.  My girls are growing up.  It is so bitter sweet!



Sweet, Caring Alaina, or is she...

you be the judge.

Last evening we were hanging out front of the house letting the girls run off some energy before putting them to bed.  Paige was riding her bike (more on that in the next post) and Alaina was just playing with random toys she was finding in the garage.

So the next thing we hear is Alaina yelling....

"Paige come here so I can hit you with this shobel."

What!?  Mark and I look over and there stands Alaina in the driveway holding a toy snow shovel like a batter taking her stance, positioned just right so when Paige rides by on her bike she can take a swing at her.

Oh my stars, this child is giving me gray hair.  The things she comes up with.  We had to physically get up and get her to talk to her (but not before she started running after Paige swinging the shovel to hit her).  We are going to spend a lot of time on our knees until this one leaves the house.

PS.  I know you need some new pics.  They will be up by this weekend.

No More Diapers!

It's official!  Alaina is potty-trained!  Yay!  We are still doing diapers for naps and bedtime, but we are diaper free when she's awake!  Way to go baby girl!

By the way, I know you are needing some pics.  They are coming.........SOOON!