Girls just wanna have fun!

I can't tell you how much fun it was having my nieces up here. Even just being an hour and a half away makes me feel like I'm missing out on so much and it felt good to be able to spend time with them. I promise, you will never meet two girls who are as kind, respectful, and helpful as my nieces. They are incredible. Jaime and Schuyler are such an amazing example for Brian and I, we listen closely to their parenting advice and take notes like crazy because their kids are simply wonderful.

Kailey has the most infectious laugh ever. Bria and Reese would laugh purely because they loved Kailey's laugh so much. Bria loved dragging Kailey around to play different games and was so thrilled when Kailey would color pictures for her. Kailey's quiet nature is so precious and calming. She was so willing to walk Reese around and try and make her giggle. Reese enjoyed trying to grab Kailey's glasses and her braces :) It was so fun to watch Kailey play games with my girls and happily go "camping" in the living room.

Kailey, your sweet spirit and laugh is admirable and infectious. It's impossible not to smile when you are around, I love you so much and am so grateful for your positivity in life.

Going camping

Jaidyn is so mature for her age. She is 11 but I would trust her to watch Bria by herself, she is that responsible. She was so good at playing with Bria, knowing what Bria liked and which games to play. She helped me so much and was so good about cleaning up after herself and reminding Bria to clean up her toys. Reese was so easily comforted by Jaidyn. Bria bonked her head pretty hard on the table outside and I quickly handed a fussy Reese to Jaidyn while I scooped up Bria and comforted her. Jaidyn calmed Reese down like it was nothing and had her content and playing. It was magical.

Jaidyn, you are such a special girl and I feel so lucky that my girls have you in their lives to look up to and to strive to be like. Thank you for being you, I love you so much.

All their camping gear :)

Watching a movie: Madagascar

Jaidyn helping with bedtime

After bath time :)

As hard as it is to be "far away" from my family, it's been fun having Cassidy, Jaidyn, and Kailey come and stay with us for a few days. I feel like I get to spend quality time with them that I might not get to otherwise.

Here's a hint...

...can you guess what our weekend looks like? 

 Girls girls girls!!! Brian is out of town for business stuff and I get to have my two nieces stay with me!
Bria is in heaven. I'm in heaven. Reese is in heaven.
We are so happy to have them :)

More later, but right now it's time to go play and/or be productive :)

Put yourself in my shoes

I can't even believe how much I love this picture, it's going in her wedding video (really wish I would've made the bed, and cleaned the mirror!)

My little lady just primping away

Realizing at an early age that heels are painful

Reese wanted to try them on too :)

I appreciate my girls walking in my shoes and realizing what a tough job I have ;) Bria has been obsessed with my shoes lately, she loves going into my closet and putting them all on. I think my favorite is when she puts my boots on and they go all the way up her legs. I remember trying on my moms shoes and loving it so it makes me smile to watch my girls do the same thing.

My baby loves babies

Hugging her baby

 I know I've already mentioned that Reese loves babies. But seriously, she LOVES babies. She will crawl over to them, hug them, kiss them, look at them, crawl around with them, laugh with them, talk to them, I could go on.

 Let's just say they make her super happy and it is beyond adorable to watch her with them.

 

Baby said something hilarious apparently :)

I think this child needs a special dolly for her first birthday :)

I'm fired

I can't believe it's been a week since I blogged, bad me!
We did have a busy week last week, although I couldn't exactly tell you what we did every minute of the day, all I know is we were running around like crazy and enjoying the sunshine. We have spent a lot of time swimming and a lot of time at the local parks.
Saturday was Kayla's bridal shower and it went great. I brought Bria down with me and left Reese with Brian. My Dad watched Bria during the shower and I think they all had a good time. Bria was very happy and very tired when I got there to pick her up, she slept most the way home :)
Sunday was kind of a lazy day, I slept in (thanks babe!) then when I got up Brian took a nap. I organized and cleaned a little then we went to our friends for a little BBQ and some swimming.
Last night my friend Randi took some family pictures for us and I cannot wait to see them. She has a gorgeous yard so we took them at her house. She has a great eye for photography and is wanting to get into it professionally so I told her we were more than willing to help build her portfolio. You know I will be posting a bazillion of them when she gets them all finished up.
So that's what we've been up to lately. My friends have started asking me what I'm going to do for Reese's 1st birthday and I keep saying how I'm totally behind in planning it. So yeah, I'm not really sure. I think we are going to have a small party at our house with family and a few friends. I better get on that since it's about a month away.
I have been horrible about taking pictures lately so here are a few random ones from a week or so ago:

Bria planted some veggies in Aunt Heather's garden and here she is devouring her sweet peas, she LOVES them

Just playing

Okay, I'm gonna try and be better about pictures and blogging!

Birthday busyness

Bristol turned 3 yesterday and had a BBQ to celebrate this momentous occasion. Bria was so excited to go to her party, although after while she decided it was her own party and when I corrected her she told me that wasn't very nice (for all my Friends viewers, this reminds of when Phoebe said to Monica, "I would NEVER tell you it wasn't your birthday!").

Giving Bristol loves on the run

My crazy haired child 

Party fun!

Reese is such a cuddler, even if it's just a water bottle :)

Reese has become a little stinker these days, and also a mama's girl

But she still loves her Daddy

And Bria still loves cupcakes

And I love Lanie's friend Brindy, she's an awesome photographer

Oh the eyes, they kill me!

The girls devouring their cupcakes

The birthday girl and her beautiful Mommy!

My youngest and me

It was quite a fun party and we got quite a few cute pictures :)
I was insanely busy this weekend, it was crazy. Brian's hike went well, he's safe. The girls and I got some swimming in and lots of time with Grammy, Heather, and Tracy. All in all, it was successful, just busy! More on it later :)

Summer swimming

This week has flown by, I can't believe the weekend is already in full swing. Brian left on his big Timberline hike and should get back tomorrow night, 40 miles around the base of Mt. Hood. It's the same one he did last year when I was 9 months pregnant. So yeah, I'm super happy I'm not 9 months pregnant this time because that made me nervous.

Grammy came up to stay with us and I'm definitely excited to have the help. Plus I think Grammy and I are going to get a little shopping in :)

We have done a lot of swimming this week at our friends' house. Randi is very sweet to have us over whenever we want to take a dip.

 Bria absolutely loves the water and wants to swim every day, all day. You think it would wipe her out but she still isn't napping and still waking up early, silly girl.

Reese has reached a new level of attitude and when she gets mad, she screams and cries until she gets exactly what she wants. The past two days she has also decided to scream in her crib instead of nap. Awesome.
I am super tired so I can't remember what else to write about, I'll be back when I get some rest...or at least when I've had some coffee :)