kate....

I love how you love to color.  By the end of the day you've given me hours of self entertainment and I LOVE it...

I also love your passion for the r.o.b.o.t. dance.  I remember the first time I glanced in the rearview mirror only to find you in full swing--totally unaware of any of us--and thinking I was the luckiest mom ever!

And remember those curls hanging down...the ones you cut off? Twice!!! They are missed and you are lucky you have curly hair to soften the harsh cut they got. They will grow back and you are so your mother when it comes to scissors and hair! 

I love having my girl!

D.A.N.C.E...DANCE...dance....

Kate had her first dance recital this summer...(June sometime?) It was so adorable to see those littles up there dancing away.  I kind of grumbled this year about dance (the ONLY reason we went is because she begged--like I wasn't in the car enough!)  but I am so glad we did it.  She loved it!  And we loved her little dance!

ps...anyone else wish they could dance like those dancer on SYTYD???FAVORITE SHOW EVER!

Hi....

I'm the baby that is running my mom wild!  I was a super mellow baby that could do a 5 1/2 hour car ride awake the whole time without a peep.  But now...I can do awesome tricks!  Like when I climb up on the stool, stand up, and try to jump on the desk.  And I'm really good at letting you know what I want.  It goes something like this. "nuh! nuh! nuh! (scream) (SCREAM) (S.C.R.E.A.M)."  Totally works. Like a charm.  I'm told I have a great personality and I'm a ton of fun...but I'm still kind of lost on the whole "use your words" thing.  HELLO--I just turned one!  So yah, it's a party at my house.  Oh, and you should see me in the pool.  Awesome.

i knew it....

i knew I had more pictures....thank you Tammy for reminding me!  They just happened to be on a different card that I hadn't even unpacked (from um, a week and a half ago?)  

Here is an introduction to Grandpa Wirth's pool.

There's the rope swing and the balance beam....

And the swing--swing....

And the high-dive displaying  Truman and his poses (plus the low-dive and the newly built platform which my children will NEVER be allowed to use....for they are not leaving this earth before me and that platform pretty much guarantees they will.)

Then there's the pole sticking out on the side just enough in front of the high dive that you think your child's going to crack their head or remove a limb everytime they jump!  But Grandpa likes to mix it up and always keep everyone on their toes!  :)  It's a party pool that's for sure!  And such a fun weekend!

still going....

And yes, we did have a 45 minute miracle.  Closed eyes and mouth.  That only lasted until the little girls a row ahead decided to take their turn screaming.  I totally empathize with their parents!  The other two munchkins... fabulous!   And the paint-by-number books were awesome!  A little water + paint brush = hours of entertainment!  

We spent the night at Mikes and headed to Dave and Jody's first thing in the morning.  (Except it was 11 am their time...Mikes basement was pitch dark and awesome!  The time transitions wasn't bad at all :)

Meet Jake.  The only dog my kids aren't afraid of.  He's the type of dog that makes you want one for a pet (minus the fur...)  He will play fetch at any given time and that was Truman's favorite!!!  Dave and Jody also live on the golf course and it is absolutely beautiful!!!  We had such a great time and it made us wish Virginia we about a five hour car ride in stead of a five hour plane ride away.
Oh, and here's Grey enjoying his first sucker ever!  It was so short lived....boo!  You'd think that would provide at least some lasting entertainment (and trust me...I was that desperate!) but oh no....not for him! 
And lastly...we spent last weekend in St. George with Joe's family.  His sister Laura and her kids were in town.  It was such a great time.  Miss Mia had a birthday, Truman arm wrested his cousin Brad and little Grey was walking around!
I am loving summer!

`

This is serious picture overload!  And since Maria (link below) documented it all I'm not writing a thing (until of course I get to this date in my blog book...she rocks btw) and this isn't even the last installment.  

thanks Maria for documenting the trip!!!  And thank you guys for an AMAZING vacation!!! 

huh????

I'm actually posting???  I know...totally uncharacteristic of me!  This is just an intro to out trip to the "OBX"....it's on--I'm going to document our lives and get caught up this summer!  (Always helps to write goals down, right?  Maybe it will actually get done?)  So if you've had enough of these pics don't check back because I've got way more!  It was SO MUCH FUN (minus the plane rides which were a total nightmare, thanks Grey!)