Getting there….

On our flight to Seattle, the pilot and co-pilot on our JET BLUE flight (I LOVE Jet Blue) welcomed Maya and me into their cockpit – had us sit down in the driver’s seat – and the co-pilot, who is also an amateur photographer, took great pride in framing these shots.

We started our first morning of our trip with a pajama trip to Starbucks (how wonderfully cliché) – and even Lizzie and Maya got little hot cocoa’s.

The day was fun and packed with Toy Story 3, lots of play, Lizzie & Maya’s magic tricks, time with Arthur, Natalie, Jennifer and Everitt (who we haven’t seen for 5 years!!) – who, by the way all loved the iPad, and lots of fun hanging out!! I SOOO enjoyed getting to know Natalie – and getting reconnected with the whole family – Jennifer & Everitt are such GREAT young people!!

Amy, Hakon and I ended the day relaxing in the hot tub…

What a special time!

Enjoy the picts!

i just wrote a lot for the first time from my iPad for your blog and lost it – let’s try a short post to see if this works…

It DID work – I think the first time I must have forgotten to hit SAVE. Bummer.

All I really said was this new toy of mine is SOOOO sweet. It is the perfect size for me to create interesting things, read documents online (my phone was far too small for that), do email faster and easier than my laptop. This things has tools on it that make my life easier – and the resolution is SOOOO sweet that it is even fun to look at the weather forecast. I loaded it with games and books for you, dan and mad – you all love it! (Like me)

I fall asleep to the sound of a camp fire and crickets made my one app. Totally cracks me up.

And I downloaded the COOLEST ASL translator app today that will help you and me as we continue to work on learning sign language (you have been really interested in that lately).

So Fun!! I cannot even imagine what will be designed and created by the time you grow up. I am so unbelievably grateful that I get to be with you for the long haul!! What amazing adventures you will have!!

I love you Beautiful!
Your Mama

let’s see – I want to try your new blog format – and there are about a million things I wish I had written down for you, so let’s see if, in my tired state, I can remember any of them 😉

funny story:
We were at a very loud restaurant Saturday night (mad, dan, you, me, daddy jim, daddy’s best friend dave, and our friend christine). You and I were sitting on one side of the table hanging out. You said, “Mom, let’s have a staring contest.” So we did… and laughed and laughed and laughed. Sometimes I won, sometimes you won. Once when you won, you looked across the table and excitedly told Daddy Jim, “I won! I won!!” He yelled back to you (so you could hear), “What did you win sweetheart?!?” “A staring contest with Mama!!”

He looked truly perplexed and yelled back,
“A Scary Cow Test?!?!?!”

We both immediately CRACKED up laughing, looked at each other and broke out in the meanest looking and sounding MOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! toward each other that we could come up with!!! Then we laughed so hard our sides split!!!! It took us many rounds of Scary Cow Test and laughter before we could breath enough to explain to Daddy Jim.

How fun!!

Started slowly with a lot of snuggles and giggles in bed… Then we watched two “Peeps” together. We really watched them together – I listened and we laughed together and commented and questioned together. Quack cracks me up!!! So “always confident, rarely correct.” He’s a trip!!

Our family has started measuring time in “Peeps” by the way. You’ll say how long is 3 hours? We’ll answer 6 “Peeps.” You’ll ask, “How long till where there?” We’ll answer, “3 Peeps.” It’s all quite comical.

Pictures from Peep-Watching

The following picture says it all – a very common image of our dining room table with your artwork on one end and my something-else work on the other end… Today it was 5 loads of laundry and going through all of your size 4 clothes and replacing them with size 5 summer clothes.

Then we went to shop for your friend Marlie’s birthday present, and stopped for a picnic at this fun bench along the way. Before we ate, we decorated Marlie’s gift bag with some of our original art. These benches are popping up all over Brighton – I wonder what the back story is…. Very fun!!

Picnic Pictures

Then onto Marlie’s belated birthday party… So many of your old friends from Asbury were there – Else, Natalie, Jaydon, Raine, Missy… It was a good time.

A few pictures from Marlie’s party

(You took the next picture)

(We did a lot of bouncing together – I’m pretty sure I was the only parent bouncing – what an honor…)

After the party, we changed clothes in the back seat together and headed out for a hike with Casey and her parents – I’ve told you this many times, but Casey’s Mom and I have been friends since prenatal yoga. We were all in the same “play group” for the first 2+ years of your life. It’s so fun that we have reconnected through Cobblestone! After our hike and some good tree-climbing, we went to their house for dinner and strawberry shortcake! : )

Some pictures from the park:

A quick snack, bath, teeth-brushing, book and chat with Daddy Jim, and you were out (me too almost… I’m struggling to stay awake to write this post, but I promised Daddy Jim he could keep tabs on us while he is away through your blog…)

As I told you Baby – Life with you is SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

Maya: “what is this Mama, and why is it here?” (referring to the ironing board and iron that she is never seen in her entire 5 years of life)