Zoo fun!

Lance took the day off of work & we took the girls to the zoo today. Samantha has been begging for months to see a baby hippo.

Sami & daddy watching the lion.



Eliana checking out the gorillas

We rode the carosel

Eliana got sunscreen in her right eye & it swoll up & her face started turning red & splotchy. Poor girl was mirserable.

A very tired Eliana

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We made peanut butter pudding to fill up these chocolate bowls. Samantha loved popping the balloons!

Eliana loved the chocolate!

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Samantha is very excited about this...

a baby watermelon.

Summer Sun!

Uncle Chris!

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Dandelions!

Samantha learned how to blow dandelions...

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Parktime fun

Samantha is really learning to play well with her friends.
Blowing bubbles...

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Yummy crawfish

Samantha actually ate 5- she ate more the next day in fetuccine!

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10 months

The girls are really starting to interact together well. Our home is full of giggles & squeals quite often now- gift idea? Ear plugs!

Pinkalicious!!!

Pinkalicious! Yum!

I am addicted to this cream cheese, chocolate chip, brownie cupcake recipe that I found! (As is Sami!) If anyone knows the character Pinkalicious she gorges on pink cupcakes & turns pink; Sami was determined to do the same & insisted our cupcakes were pink! (No worries she's still pasty white!)

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Imitation is the best form of flattery

Oh & look who's pulling up now (crawling too!)

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Summer Sun

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Can you see my two new friends?

Grandma

What a great day!

Eliana
Guess who popped her first tooth today?! Eliana! She also learned how to get into a sitting position from laying down on Wed. She's trying hard to pull up on things but can only get to her knees so far. Here's her 9 month teddy photo.

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Samantha
Samantha got a surprise set of skates from momma & daddy & because of the rain she got to try them out in the kitchen. She spent all day going between the sink & table- her smile was worth every penny!

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Our day ended on this note. This is our next door neighbor's barn. It was a brilliant, full, double rainbow! What a great day with our kids!

Happy Mother's Day

I know this is late but we're still sick! Just when we kicked the last virus around comes a new one! I'm not used to being prone to bugs & this is really getting annoying!

Anyways- for Mother's Day my thoughtful husband gave me the sweetest gift that I didn't know I wanted. An Ann Magnolia tree (really more of a shrub here!) Magnolias are my birth state flower & are so beautiful! Even though this one is a "tulip magnolia" I am still so excited that he thought of it! It's gorgeous & every time I look out the window or walk by it, it warms my heart. What a thoughtful man, thank you!

Sami was napping but Eliana got to "help" daddy plant.


The "tulip" magnolia flower.

Easter & other things...

Hello to all. It's been awhile since I've put up pics but we were all taken down by that nasty little virus that hit town. Needless to say we spent Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Easter & many other days living life from our couch & downing meds. We're still trying to kick it completely but for all but Eliana the fevers are gone. Please say a prayer for her- it's hard to be 9 months old & sick!
Anyways...here's some pics of our non-sick moments lately.

Easter
As for Easter baskets- we try to stay away from candy but Lance deemed that his princess needed a chocolate bunny & boy was he rewarded!

"Oh daddy, I love chocolate!"

Eliana wore her bunny ears all morning- she was too precious!

Dying Easter eggs.

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Other stuff

Look what I can do!

Since we aren't crawling forwards yet, only backwards, we get into some interesting situations. (And yes, Samantha is laughing at her "silly baby!")

My "little momma" loves to help with "her Ellie"

Daddy jungle gym

Lance is making a table for a friend & decided to spruce it up with some carving/burning. Looks good, right!