Tahoe

We had so much fun with the Hickeys in Tahoe. Love, love, love their cabin as usual. We put the kids in chariots and on bikes and rode down to the Lake. Burrrrrr. We went trout fishing with no luck. We hiked (and Jane napped). The weather was awesome and the kids loved just playing around the cabin.

I attempted my first "fancy" cake thanks to Melissa. Lucy has been asking for an Elmo party for literally an entire year. So she got it.

Latest Happenings

We're off to Tahoe this weekend with the kiddos. Should be fun- hike-bike-enjoy the last little bit of summer. Lucy turns 3 on Sunday so I'm making an ELMO cake, thanks to the help of my talented girlfriend Melissa. Stay tuned for pictures. Then Lucy's taking two buddies to build a bear next week. And then we're celebrating again with the family on the 13th. The Hobbys (my in-laws of course) will have moved back from NC by then - yipeeeee. A birthday just like I like, it goes on for weeks and weeks.

Here are Reese and Janie this week. Janie loves dance parties in the family room with the girls while mom tries to make a living "working" nearby on the computer. Gotta keep them entertained somehow. Here she is at 10 months.

Cousin Amelia

Reese and Lucy love their cousin Amelia- or "Melia" as they call her. She's 11 weeks now and is approaching Jane in size and weight. Kristina sure grows them healthy.

Reese Starts School!

YIPPEEEEEEE! Reese started Kindergarten this week. I think the buildup all summer was almost too much. The morning of she was so excited she dressed herself and was ready two hours early. Here she is right before we left.

She loves Mrs. Bambury. Everyday this week she's said "Can you believe I go to Kindergarten?" Lucy will start preschool on Tuesday and Thursday in a few weeks. Just 2 1/2 hours. But then it will be just me and Jane for a grand 5 hours a week (less driving time, prep time, etc. of course)! Whatever will I do with myself? :)

Jane Pops Up

Jane is pulling herself up now. I love the first time you walk into their room and they've popped up so proud of themselves. I ran and got my camera.

She loves to say uuh-ooo. And dadadada. And when I say "Say mama" she says "dadadadadada," just to prove to me who she loves best. And now she's waving. It's so fun to watch Reese and Lucy try to get her to perform her tricks.

We hit the 4th of July parade downtown for the 5th year in a row. It was the 50th anniversary of the parade, and 150th anniversary of Danville. These are the kind of facts I used to find lame, now I find quaint and a sweet bonus to living in such a nice place. Uncle Mike and Cousin Mason joined us while Auntie stayed at home with 3 week old Milly. Lucy melted down first as we were leaving the parade. We hit a few more parties and rallied for the fireworks with our friends at Central Park. Jane even stayed up until 10. Then they all collapsed in a heap of whining and were asleep before we made it out of the parking lot. Oh, I love holidays.

The Dresses Grandma Bunny Made

These are the dresses my mom made for the girls for our trip to Hawaii last month. The girls love them and wanted to wear them to church today.

It's been too long since my last post

I know my last blog entry was right after Jane was born. And yes, she's now 8 months old! I had originally intended this as a journal and a way to share prego and newborn pictures. I get emails from quite a few family and friends asking "where's an update?" Between the 3 kiddos, work, and just life I've been soooooo bad. So I'm not even going to go back and try to recreate pictures from October forward. So here it is.

Jane Jane (as she's known in our family) is sitting up. She wants to crawl but I say what's the hurry (means more work for me :) She's eating jar food but wants desperately to eat what her sisters are eating. She's starting to us her pinchers to pick a few things up so we're moving onto that soon I'm sure. She is such a sweet easy baby (now! the first few months are always rough I don't care who you are, and if you say they weren't you were either still high on hormones and delivery drugs or you've blacked it out). She's sleeping pretty much 8 to 6 with a little bottle and back for an hour or so. I'll take that. 3 or so naps a day but random thanks to the schedule the rest of the girls keep with school, etc. I just want to kiss her chubby cheeks all day. I can't get enough.

Reese graduated from preschool on the 2nd. Just like me she hates when things are over. The teachers had pulled me aside the past few weeks telling me she'd been upset. She had also been saying the same things at home. She is "sad" to leave Noah's Ark. "Not scared" about kindergarten just misses her teachers and friends. They said it was great she could articulate it and that most others don't- that's my talker! Wonder where she gets that?

Lucy is so funny right now, she makes me laugh outloud just thinking about her. Super sweet and funny. I don't think I've ever gotten a normal smile out of her in a picture, always this goofy look that is so her. If she beats Jane up in the morning she can hardly wait for Jane to get up so we can sing our morning song to her. Definitely different than Reese, apprehensive about starting preschool in August. I always wondered what was wrong with those kids whose parents had to stay in the classroom the first few days. I think I'll know in August- nothing! I love when I feel one way and along comes one of my kids to knock me down and keep me humble.

Brady and I are too boring to write about :) Just kidding. Things have been really fun lately. Taking 3 kids to Maui for a week was awesome but we never sat down. Lots of beach, pool, BBQ, more beach and pool. Brady rode up the volcano 38 miles, 6 hours uphill. Not my idea of fun but I'm so proud of him. He has two other "mini" triathalons planned for later this summer with buddies.

A few weekends ago I ran in my first ever anything. The Mud Run down at Camp Pendelton in San Diego. About 20 of my cousins and friends were running and I signed up back in January. I'd been running about 3 times a week to prepare- which was a first. I'd always liked to work out before kids- but running not so much. I just wanted to finish. The 6 plus miles is a mix of sand, rivers, lakes, mudpits, tires, tunnels, 2 miles uphill, and mud, mud, mud. I finished in 1:18, 50th in my age group and 883 out of 4,000. I know I can do better next year and can't wait. I'll post pictures of that day when the guy we ran with sends them on.