July 27 - Celebrating Grandma Diamond's Birthday

Always a reason to celebrate in our family. This time it was time to celebrate Mom, Grandma Diamond's Birthday! She does so much for all of us and we cannot begin to thank her for everything she does for us. She deserves to be celebrated every day of the year. Thanks Mom for all you do. We love you and we think you look FABULOUS and YOUNG. But then again, you are only 35, right? Hehe!Here are some pix from our fun night!

The girls lookin' cute

Tommy scoops up a cheeseburger! Hi Tommy!

Everyone was fighting for a turn on the Wii! Even Grandma got to do some downhill skiing!

The girls loved helping Grandma blow out the candles. And we love seeing Tommy & Cassie!

Grandma enjoys a piece of birthday cake and looks FABULOUS while doing so!

Amanda gives Grandma her homemade card. Amanda put so much love and effort in to it!

Natalie gives Grandma her handmade card with love!

The girls love to see Uncle Tommy & Auntie Cassie!

Our nerdy girlies!

Smarty pants Sydney w/her spectacles!

July 26 - Trader Joe's, Welcome Banner & Camping

Daddy and Natalie set off for their weekend camping trip and so Amanda, Ryan & I headed to Trader Joe's. We always have so much fun shopping there and Amanda just LOVES being able to push her own little cart. She loves putting anything in there and filling it up. She asks me to go to Trader Joe's all of the time. She gets that balloon on the way out too, so she loves that and she loves sampling there too. What a sweetheart!

Then we headed to Grandma Catey's to visit her & Alivia who was there for the day. Alivia and Amanda made a WELCOME HOME banner for Sydney & Catey who would be moving in with Grandma & Grandpa in a couple of days. It turned out so cute and they had a lot of fun creating it.

Then it was time to take Amanda to the campground for the 2nd night. The first night was just Natalie and Daddy. We stayed for awhile....got in the tent...and Daddy made S'mores for us. It was time for Mommy & Ryan to go home and we said goodbye. Daddy and the girls were going swimming at the pool and spend the night having fun and quality time together. Well, I left my baby girl but not without reminding Daddy to be careful and finally he MADE me leave. Haha. I no longer got home and gave Ryan a bath and the phone rang. It was Daddy. Amanda's nurse maid's elbow kicked in and her elbow was out of socket for the 4th time in a year. I went to pick her up immediately. She wouldn't move it at all. So, her camping experience was all of a couple of hours. Poo pumpkin. A trip to the urgent care on Sunday was in order.
Happy Amanda and Sad Amanda when her camping trip was cut short...

Mardi Gras Masks & Beads from camping

July 23 - Another Fun Day In Our Lives!!!!

We attended a cute little program at the library called Music for Children and Those That Love Them. A wife & husband duo sang and played the drums to African music for the kids. It was very interactive as you can see in the pictures and at first the kids were a little hesitant, but once they got the colorful movement scarves out for the kids they were making a train and boogying around!

The new Super Target opened up in the next town over so Grandma Diamond joined us and we went to take a look. It's very nice and I love Target, so it's great to have one on the way to Grandma's house now!

Ryan tries on a hard hat

This is the cupcake backpack Amanda is getting for preschool! Yummy cute huh?!?

July 22 - Makeup T-Ball Game!

Daddy thought he saw Natalie's last t-ball game before he left for Europe. But, while he was gone, one of her games was canceled due to thunderstorms....so we surprised Daddy when he got home with the news that he would be able to see Natalie play one more game. He was so excited.

Here is Natalie sitting on the bench (closest) w/her teammates

Coach pitching to Natalie!

WHACK! She hits the ball and RUNS! Grandma Diamond & Papa Dan are there to witness this too!

The season officially ends at CULVER's for ICE CREAM w/Papa Dan and Grandma Diamond too!

Kit Kittredge Movie & Amanda's Preschool Open House

The anticipation of the new AMERICAN GIRL movie, Kit Kittredge, has been building....I recently got Natalie's Kit doll out of the closet and brought it to Grandma's for her to re-give to Natalie. She has been taking Kit everywhwere and enjoying every minute playing w/her and Amanda with her Bitty Baby. So, you can imagine how excited she was when I told her about the movie coming out. We planned a Mommy & Me Day and it was just Natalie & I (and Kit!)

1. Amanda jumped in the picture too 2. Natalie & Kit 3. Kit in the car, ready to go to the movie!

1. Natalie poses in front of the sign at the theatre 2. Kit & Natalie have some popcorn 3. Kit & her best friend Ruthie and friends at the movie theatre!

Daddy holds Amanda's hand as they enter her preschool classroom for the first time, for orientation!

Amanda LOVES her new school! Her & Daddy find lots of fun things to play with!

Ryan loves preschool too! Not yet, buddy!

Natalie loves Amanda's new preschool too! BLOCKS!

Over to the bike shop to pick up Mommy's bike w/Ryan's baby seat installed on the back!

Then over to the library to check in for the summer reading program. The girls & Ryan get their prizes and pose by the Teddy Bear Sleepover pictures that are still displayed in the library!

Daddy takes Ryan for a quick test-run on Mommy's bike. Check out that cool helmet on Ry! He loves going for bike rides!