I can not keep this a secret....

 

I keep looking at pictures on my phone and every time I come across these pictures, they make me smile and I want to share them.....  Why not? :)

 



HALLOWEEN 2012!!!

 

Rapunzel and Merida

 

Kiara has talked about being Merida (Brave) for halloween since we saw the movie.  When we saw the costume at Costco - we had to get it.  Mckenna didn't want to wait to get her costume :) so she picked out Rapunzel.  The next week we went back to Costco and these two costumes were sold out - glad we got them when we did because I do not make costumes (surprise) and I think they would have been really expensive anywhere else.  So, we are ready for Halloween!! I am so glad they both have wigs - I think they look adorable!

 

Trick or Treat!

 

 

Randoms

Wagon Ride through the sprinklers! 

Watching

Playing

Smiling!

The girls and I at Taco Bell.  We took this pic to send to Daddy!

Tom was home with Ava and sent this pic to me after Ava's bath. 

I LOVE this picture. 

Kiara and Mckenna playing at their friend Kayla's house. 

These 3 girls have a lot of fun together!!

Daddy in the pool with the girls!

I am not sure how we got a picture of Ava in this whale because she HATES this toy :)! 

She loves the pool but will not get in this floaty - hahahahaha

Daisy to Brownie

When we moved to Ohio from Seattle we were excited for Kiara to start Kindergarten so we could meet some people.  Kiara took a bus to and from school for only a half day so it was a lot more difficult than we anticipated for me to meet moms and for Kiara to have time to play with other kids.  That is when we decided to sign up for girl scouts.  Kiara and 4 other girls met every other week and participated in activities a few times a year.  She loved it and continued to do it in 1st grade.  The group grew last year to 9 girls and the amount of activities grew as well.  It is a great group of girls and moms as well. 

Kiara's girl scout title the past 2 years was Daisy. 

At the end of the school year we got together for a BBQ and the girls participated in a bridging ceremony to move from being a Daisy to a Brownie.

Here is the whole crew

Mckenna hanging with the girls!  We have had a such a good experience with Girl Scouts, we hope that Mckenna's class will have a group next year and she will have as much fun as Kiara has had!

Sarah & Jeff

On April 26th, Mckenna and I boarded a plane and headed to sunny California for a very important event.  Sarah Williams was getting married!!!!  It was such a fabulous weekend and perfect wedding.  I have way to many photos to share but hopefully can pick some highlights that can show how beautiful and wonderful the weekend and wedding was. 

We arrived at LAX and drove an hour and a half to Temecula, California.

After we dropped our bags off at the hotel we drove a few minutes to Thornton winery to meet the Williams family.  It was SO great to see Sarah, Jeff, Aunt Chris, Uncle Gary, Jen, Alex, and Wyatt. I LOVE this family!!! 

Uncle Gary, Sarah, and Aunt Chris

Mckenna and I with Wyatt!  He is such a cutie!!  Mckenna told Jen and Alex she was "available" for babysitting throughout the weekend - she loved spending time with him!

Aunt Chris and Gram - these two have SO much fun together!! 

After the winery we went back to the hotel to watch the 1st round of the NFL draft.

Thank goodness for Alex - he and I were able to rally the troops and got everyone to the hotel bar for the first pick!

Mckenna was such a trooper all weekend.  She loved all the attention :)

Buddies!

On Friday morning Sarah and Jeff surprised the wedding party with a hot air balloon ride. 

I cannot describe what this was like except to say that it was right up there for me with the Alaskan glacier cruise as an amazing experience. 

These balloons were huge!

Seriously - beautiful....

Cheers :)!

Uncle Steven took Mckenna swimming a couple of times.  This is actually the place and the person that she really swam to for the first time.   She jumped off the side and swam to Uncle Steven - it was awesome!!

Brittney was Mckenna's best friend for the weekend and went everywhere with her.  She even had a plan for Brittney during the wedding.  Mckenna thought it was a great idea for Brittney to be in Grams purse for the wedding but she was insistent that her head needed to be out of the purse so she could watch.

The Williams family (without Jeff) the night before the wedding!!

Aunt Heather getting Mckenna's toes pretty for the big day.

Aunt Carin and MC

During the rehearsal dinner, Sarah gave Mckenna a necklace and bracelet to wear to the wedding so the two of them could be matching.  Mckenna was SO excited.  She still keeps the necklace and bracelet in the same box they came in.  Almost daily since the wedding, she takes them out, wears them, and then carefully puts them back in the box.

Mckenna and Mommy all dressed and ready for the wedding.

Mckenna doing cheers with the ladies!!

Sarah's hair look gorgeous!

The Bride!!!

Final touch before the big moment!

My little princess. 

So nice to spend time with Jeff and Steven!

Uncle Jeff, MC, and Uncle Steven.

One very happy girl!!

Steven and Mckenna watching Sarah and Jeff's first dance.

Time to hit the dance floor! 

Lots of dancing and not a lot of pictures!!  It was a great party!

Congrats Sarah and Jeff!

I am so happy for these two and it was awesome to share in their special time!!

Safety Town

The city of Strongsville puts on a program called Safety Town for all incoming Kindergartners.

Two hours a day for a week the kids learn about bus safety, learn their phone # & address, go to the police station, go to the fire station, learn about traffic signs, and get to ride in little cars around the town pictured above.  Before we came to Seattle, Mckenna got to participate in Safety Town.  Mckenna had a blast - who wouldn't :)!

On the last day of Safety Town the kids sing a few songs, get a certificate, and shake hands with all the police officers and firefighters they have met throughout the week.

Mckenna looks so little!!!

One of the neat things that I like about living in Strongsville, Ohio!!!

Spa Day

During the first week of summer vacation the girls opened an AMAZING Spa!  Everyone got a chance to visit the spa, choose a treatment (long list prepared by the girls), and lay down for some relaxation.  Even Daddy got a spa treatment when he got home from work.  He choose "the everything" treatment but soon realized that he didn't really want his feet sprayed & wrapped, his ears rubbed, or lip gloss put on - hahahaha!

Mckenna's Spa Treatment!

Mommy's turn!!! 

Who needs to pay for a spa with this treatment at home!

Kiara's turn!  MC loved the spray bottle :)!

Love the creativity of these girls - wonder what the plan is for today!!!

Shoes

Yesterday our family was heading out to run a couple of errands.  The instructions I shouted to Kiara and Mckenna were fairly normal and sounded something like this "Girls, go potty, get your shoes on, and get into the car."  We all piled in the Yukon and began our errands.  We drove to the other side of Strongsville to drop off Kiara's registration for travel soccer and then made our way back towards our house to hit Costco and then Best Buy.  We pulled up to Costco and all got out of the car except Mckenna.  She poked her head out of the car and shouted "I forgot my shoes!!!  I went potty and then forgot to get my shoes!!!!"  Tom, Kiara, and I looked at each other and started rolling.  Only Mckenna could get into the car without shoes on, travel with us for 30 minutes and not realize what she has forgotten until she was climbing out of the car!  Oh - I LOVE this little girl and all her silly antics :)!  We still went to Costco, Mckenna just had to ride in the cart.  The whole time she complained that her feet were cold (with a huge smile on her face of course)!!

 *This is Ava smiling for the camera - hahaha