Happy Birthday Samantha!

Today was Samantha's 2nd birthday! We started out with donuts & chocolate milk for breakfast. It never crossed my mind to work on blowing out candles with her but she figured it out right away. (Although she kept asking 'What's that?' and trying to touch it while Lance & I sang to her this morning. I guess we need to work on not touching fire....!)

Ooh, fire! What's that?

Momma, why are you & daddy singing? When can I eat?

Yummy!

Chocolate milk!! (Or as Sami says chocolate juice!)

And this is what you get when you ask a 2 year old to say 'cheese' for the camera!

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We played all morning with daddy while momma finished some cleaning around the house & finished decorating these.... (thank you Nana for your help.)

Meme, we LOVE the backpack! Thank you!

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After a good nap, it was party time! Samantha had a blast swimming with all 3 of her grandparents & her cousins!

Great-grandma & the great-grandchildren

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Just some fun.

Samantha saw this princess birthday hat at the store & begged for it- since it's her birthday & I can sometimes be a pushover with her-I gave in!

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Now that we are 2, Samantha has presents down pat- she knows what they are & what to do! Thank you to everyone who showered our daughter with love on her special day! From the birthday cards & well wishes, to coming to her party & even the gifts & thoughts. Thank you for all of it!

Grandma time & some bragging...

Grandma Time

Linda came into town to pick up Caitlin & we got to spend a morning with great grandma Norma & grandma. Grandma brought Samantha's birthday gifts with her & Sami has come a long way from her first birthday as far as opening gifts!

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Great-Grandma (Meme)

Meme has been in town for a bit & Samantha has glommed onto her. I haven't been bringing my camera most of the time but here are a few shots from the pool this morning.

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Bragging Time

My mom smocked this beautiful silk gown for baby Maynard #2. Of course we eliminated all of the lace & flowers from the design to make it gender neutral! It is gorgeous & I am so excited to put it onto him/her to come home from the hospital!

Happy Independence Day!!!!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!
Hail & Rain

According to Lance we got 5 inches in an hour- It's been on again & off again all day. We got out to assess damage & make repairs during a short break- hopefully they are all holding because it's been on again for the last hour!

Samantha played in the hail a bit.

For those of you who've not seen our property, there is a dry creek bed that runs behind us. It was full, overflowing & probably at triple capacity!

This is the road to leave our subdivision- washed away- & if you look at the left side of the photo, the water tore the fence down.

We watched countless cars debate crossing the water & turn around.

On the other side of our property- where the dry creek enters there was just as much water but more controlled.


As for the damages- a leaky basement window well that filled with water. Luckily the window was in the bathroom so no wet carpet. We did however find a visitor in the full well... Can you see him?

How about now?

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Neighbors

You've gotta love living in the country, especially come the holidays! Our neighbors had a tent town of family in their back yard! Oh & what you don't see are the 4 RVs & campers behind the trees as well!

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Baby Maynard- how's (s)he cookin'?

We are at 34 weeks! It's a relief to be at the point that medicine can keep him/her alive if premature labor were to happen but it's also annoying to be on that last leg. (That was always the most difficult part of races for me; knowing how close I was to being finished and yet still trying to give it my all.) Let's just say I'm not good at the last leg....

I tried to get a sweet picture of Samantha's hands on her little brother/sister- instead she put the phone up to my belly for them to talk!

Water fun for everyone!

LANCE

Lance & my dad took off for a day to fly fish with Pat Dorsey (for those of you who do not know who Pat is, he is a fly fishing guide).

Lance & Pat

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MOMMA & SAMI

Samantha loves to "paint" our deck with water. For some reason she found it imperative to paint my feet the other day.

Of course she painted her's too.

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NANA & SAMI

Nana was able to join us for some pool time!

Samantha is becoming quite the water baby!

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AVERY & SAMI
We were able to catch up with the Kents at the pool as well. Here is Samantha with her little friend Avery.

Happy 80th Birthday Meme!!

Happy 80th Birthday Meme! Sorry for spilling the beans about your age! Hope today is a great day!
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Since our last post we got the chance to dine with the Fitzgeralds & learn how to make smores! Samantha only wanted the chocolate. Of course no camera batteries so no photos...
Then my niece came in town & we went to American Girls to get her doll's ears pierced. Samantha thought it was so cool & although she has played off & on with her Bitty Baby, it was her favorite toy while Madison was here- again faulty camera so no photos.
My brother & sister-in-law came up with their other 2 kids. Zachary & Samantha played rather well together & Sami definitely enjoyed his company, as well as cooing over Baby Katie as she calls her. We even had a short appearance from my younger brother for a day!
That's about all of the "big" stuff lately; the rest- well here's some photos.
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Samantha in another of my old dresses. This dress was mine at her age- then my aunt gave me a lifesize doll of me & I put this dress on her. I have quite a few memories of this dress.

Daddy got some new running shoes so Samantha had to break them in. Oh yeah, we are in the Naked Stage. Clothes are a BATTLE!!!!

Here is a 31 week belly photo, just out of the blue!

We've had a ton of rain lately- this is the first warm, sunny rain that we let Sami play in. (Again no pants.)

Showing daddy the raindrops on the ground.

With the return of the 80 degree weather comes pool time & water fun! Momma likes this!