Camping

We went on a camping trip with our church from Sunday to Tuesday night. It was an adventure, that's for sure! I would have to say it was more work than I expected, but there were some really great moments with the girls and they had a blast with their friends!


Mackenzie really enjoyed hanging out with the older girls, here she is with our friend Hannah.

These boys were so adorable I just had to take their picture... I love how Ezra can hang out with kids years older than him and how well they include him!

Doesn't Stephen look like a teenager now?

Andy made steak over a wood fire for my parents and the Yoder famiy one night... I think he won over their entire family with his steak!

Love these sisters!

When they finally fell asleep...

My gorgeous lover!

There she goes... she loved pushing her stroller up and down the hill!

Getting cuddles from Memom

And treats...

Look at that happy smile!

I wouldn't say that camping was a success or if I could do it over, I would even go... but we lived through it and learned a lot. We do want to do it again in the future (next year might be too soon though). As our friend put it, going on a cruise with your spouse if FUN, going camping with your kids has moments of fun... and that is what I will try to remember, those precious (few!) moments!

BEST NEWS EVER!!!

Last week Jeff and Angie scared me to death while I was at the sink doing dishes... they banged on the sliding glass door and when I turned around they held up two POSITIVE pregnancy tests!! Woohoo!!

The girls wanted to get a picture with their new cousin... Mackenzie is very excited about this big step in "her life" and is hoping that Tia and Jeff with name the baby Mackenzie so there can be "two Kenzie's." Aubrey was just excited they were here, they are some of her very favorite people in the world!

Early morning sister kisses...

After dinner... wiping her up is not my favorite part of the day... but she is so stinkin cute!

One of my favorite sights... watching Aubrey read to herself now and point to pictures and try to say the words!

Back to Jeff and Angie... Angie is feeling good and is having fun figuring out exactly how she should be eating and calls me almost once a day with a question (which I LOVE)... her last question involved cleaning products and I told her that her safest bet was just to let Jeff do all the cleaning :) She liked that answer! She is going to be the funnest mom ever and I can't wait to see Jeff be a dad, he is going to do such a great job!! I can't wait to share parenthood with them!!

Fun in the Sun

So after a crazy busy week and weekend, we ended it with an impromptu trip to Ocean City from 6-8 on Sunday night! It was so much fun watching Aubrey experience the ocean for the first time! They both loved watching their daddy be "very brave" in the waves and they enjoyed "helping" build a sand castle! We ended it with a slice of pizza and pink ice cream with sprinkles and called it a night. Some dumb mom forgot the change of clothes and baby wipes at home, so they got wiped down with damp beach towels and fell asleep in their diapers on the way home... very sandy, sweaty, and adorable!
"Half Moon"... she'll kill me for this later!



Beach Baby with hands full of sand for the sand castle!

Bringing water for to daddy for the sand castle... chanting, "very careful, very careful..." so she wouldn't spill a drop... so cute!

The love of my life for over 5 years now... how is it possible that he only gets more handsome everyday??

My 27th Birthday!

Jake absolutely lavished me for my birthday this year! He bought me this much coveted bike trailer/double jogging stroller that I've been eyeing in Target advertisements for months. It means I can take the girls for a bike ride during the day now instead of waiting for Jake to get home since I could only fit on kid on my bike with me! And it is a dream for walking to the lake with, the big tires make it so easy to push on the sand and it has plenty of storage behind the seats! Kenzie and Aubrey love it!

Then Jake surprised me on July 1st and took me to NYC to see a show and spend the night! He set it all up ahead of time and surprised me while I was at the lake with a whole bunch of friends. He had Amy take care of the girls for the afternoon and my mom came and got them for the night. He whisked me away to Times Square where we stayed in the Paramount hotel in walking distance to everything! We got 1/2 price tickets to see Mary Poppins, a show I've been wanting to see, but never thought I would get to! Then the next morning we slept in till 9 a.m. (woohoo!!) and had a yummy bagel and coffee and walked down 5th Ave. going into all kinds of crazy expensive stores! We went to the 8th floor of Saks where they sell $1,000.00 shoes and delicious chocolate. We bought ONE chocolate... and since it was my birthday the chocolate guy gave me two for free! Then we went to the 2nd floor of Tiffany's where they sell the engagement rings and saw a ring worth $1.8 million!! Then we walked to central park and ate our chocolate and sipped water and people watched. It was bliss!

I was so blessed by the whole thing, the surprise, the events he planned for us, his desire to really bless me and enjoy time with me even if it meant crazy stores, and the fact that I didn't have to worry about anything for 24 hrs. except being a wife... which is the most amazing job in the world when you're married to the most amazing man!

Nana and Poppop's Visit

We really enjoyed having Jake's parents stay with us for almost a week... it was a few weeks ago, it's taken me a while to get these pictures up!


Here is Mackenzie before she got hit by the Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease that got her and Aubrey and about 50 of their friends from church! Mackenzie only got the high fever, Aubrey had the fever, sore throat, and the rash. Whatever this strain of HFMD was it was nasty, taking down quite a few adults even though it is a childhood illness. I think almost everyone in their Sunday School classes had it... what a memory! Anyway... life as a princess...
Jake's Aunt Anne came and stayed with us for two nights... the girls adore her!

Mackenzie is obsessed with flashlights right now... can't wait to take her camping! Look how excited she is that Aubrey is playing "flashlights" with her! They are best friends and I love it!

We celebrated Father's Day with Jake's sister and her family since Dad Moon was here. Here is Mackenzie thinking she is quite the big deal in the back seat with her cousins on the way to the lake.

Three beautiful pictures of my miserable baby... she didn't perk up until after Nana and Poppop left... so sad she was so sick! She is usually the happiest baby and very content, but that was not the case while they were visiting :(

Nana and Poppop took Kenzie out in the kayak and they let her "paddle!"

Anne did such a great job playing with Aubrey at the lake... I think it was the only time Aubrey wasn't completely miserable the whole weekend!

Mackenzie jumping into the "deep end!"

Family dinner!

Conor and Mackenzie played GREAT together!

Aubrey learned a new trick... she can now climb on the table! Look at her perched there like a little vulture! Of course I'm training her not to climb on the table, but I had to take a picture first!

Playing with Nana in the outfits she gave them!

Giving Daddy his Father's Day gift!

What a great dad he is!

Playing "lotions" with Nana... only for "big" girls!

Aubrey finally found a comfortable position on Poppop's lap!