A WHOLE Bunch of Silly!

That's right.  Paige, Paityn & Lincoln came to our house to play for a Saturday so our Titi could sleep & their Daddy could work.  Look at this silly bunch!  We definitely had our hands full!

Easter Weekend in Pictures

Our Easter Weekend was packed FULL.  Of our Jesus, family & lots of fun stuff!!

 Walking so fast they're blurry!

 This sums of these four PERFECTLY.  Crazy fun!!

 Pure joy on the little brown girl's face!

Little Lincoln!  Poor only boy with these silly girls!

Wordless Wednesday -- Family at it's Finest

Our silly Family....it doesn't get any better than this!

Andrade Aamodt Elias

This is our nephew & the newest member of our family born to Aaron's sister Leah & her husband Eddie.....they live far, far away in California so we were so excited when they all came for a family visit last week.  We packed so much time in just being together.  It was so much fun and Halle just LOVES her cousin.  Of course, all of us do as well.  We have lots more pictures....but, I don't want you all to get overloaded with all his baby cuteness...stay tuned for more family fun!!

 This is my favorite picture....look at those eyes!!

 The two Aamodt's: Aaron Aamodt & Andrade Aamodt

 Hmmm...the little brown girl says, "I think I want to touch his hair"....

 Insert binky...touch "Baby Andrade"....ahhhh, so soft!

I think he really wanted Cousin Eden's bunny.....

LaConner -- Celebrating Birthdays!

Over Labor Day Weekend we jam-packed a BUNCH of stuff in....On Sunday we loaded Halle up after a short nap and drove to LaConner.  Aunt Ione & Uncle Ron were camping out there and our extended family would all be there to celebrate Jessie & Evan's birthdays.  Jess turned 17 on August 31 and Evan will turn 16 on September 11.  We made sure we were all dressed for the beach....good thing!!  Halle ABSOLUTELY loved it.....good thing she had her super cute boots on!!  Thanks TiTi for those!!  We spent time practicing our rock throwing skills and just walked and walked the beach!  Hal loved picking blackberries right off the bushes and was very well behaved.  PHEW!  We only had a meltdown when she wasn't allowed to walk RIGHT into the water.  Silly Girl!!

Northwest Washington Fair 2010

We took Halle to the Fair for the very first time today.  OH MY!  She loved every single stinkin' minute of it.  We chose to park in one of the free shuttle bus parking lots and ride the bus.  We usually do that any way, but this time was extra special.  This little brown girl thinks buses are the best thing since sliced bread!  Her excitement is contagious and it makes me want to enjoy riding the bus as much as she does.  We could hardly keep her in her seat.  We met Grammie, her friend Roy (he was visiting from Texas and here to attend his class reunion) and TiTi!  Hal was sportin' her oh so cute puffs in her hair....I love it like that!!  We started off the night with a few rides.  I wasn't sure how she would do as recently she has become a little timid on the swings at the park.  Boy, you sure couldn't tell....she faced the rides HEAD ON...just as this little girl faces life.  You'll see from the pictures below the sheer joy and excitement on her little face.  Even though the slide one is blurry you should have been there to see her expression...I'll never forget it!  It was all worth it just for this....seriously, do you know how long I have been waiting for a little person of my own to take to the Fair???  So many years I can't even count.  My heart was so happy watching this little girl of our's having so much fun.  And then....we went to see the animals...yes, my daughter is wearing a bear backpack/harness.  It worked super....and this time she didn't run around like a crazy girl with it on.  She had to touch every single one of the animals....and even their water...SHEESH!  We had to keep her hands out of that.  I enjoyed my King Corn dog, french fries and had my ice cream cone from the Dariy Wives booth...LOVE IT!!  We didn't get home until 9:30pm and she was still awake.  We just had to snap one last picture of her hair...after we took the puffs out.  She was laughing so hard at herself in the mirror...yes, my mirror is dirty.  It somehow doesn't look that bad in person...honestly.   

With Jessie.....

This is Halle and her cousin Jessie...Pam, Jessie's Mom is my first cousin. We are so blessed to have this family in our lives! This summer Jess is watching Hal on Tuesdays or any other day that works for her. She needs some extra cash and Halle LOVES her...not to mention she loves Jess' friend Pete! Pete and his family also have adopted children.....today they ALL went to the beach and had some fun.....Excuse Hal only in her diaper...she peed through her swim diaper and bathing suit before they left the house...silly girl!!

***These are a few of my favorites from today...Jess, I stole them off your FB page...I knew you wouldn't mind***

Parade Time!

This is what we did today!! YEP...we're the crazy Daddy and Mommy who left early to get a "good" seat at the parade for our little brown girl!! AND...guess what? It was well worth it. We finished off our day with lunch at the "Dutch Treat"....and so, apparently did everyone else. It was quite the place to be on this sunny Saturday!

Memorial Day Weekend!!!

For the last many, many years we have gone camping with the TenKley's over Memorial Day Weekend...always to the same place...Birch Bay State Park! Notoriously, it rains...but, it seems like the past couple of years have been relatively nice, well...not this year! It poured most of the time. We did get a break on Sunday and walked down to the beach. Halle LOVED it and we really need to go back soon. Despite the wet weather, mud and pine needles...I loved being with my family and these wonderful friends of ours...I can't wait until next year. Well....let's just say I'll be checking the forecast up until the day we leave! Rain, tents & an almost two year old don't really mix!

Daddy & Hal in the tent Saturday morning...yes, Aaron needs COFFEE!

Running down Grammies SHORT trailer hall

LOVE our flag....

One of many silly faces...

Love this pic of Daddy & His girl...

Sweet Madie girl

Mazie & Rylee

Kyle, Conner & Sydney...digging for clams

Drumming on a bucket....

Writing in the sand with Grammie

Grammie, Mommy & Hal

Watch out...here I come!!!

Our Church

I love our church...I could list the reasons here and my post would get very, very long. Every week I learn something new....and I feel like I'm with my family. This morning I went to use the restroom after church was finished. As I sat down I heard two women chatting while washing their hands. One was explaining that she was a new attender to our church and how she just LOVED it. The other was agreeing whole-heartedly. My ears perked up....while the first gal explained that she had only been to about 5 services. And, how, on her first or second visit she had filled out a prayer request card....she explained to the other gal how the transmission went out on her car and she was unable to pay for it as the total bill was $2000. She was ecstatic when the church offered to pay $500 towards the repair of her car and not only that, they were able to find her a shop that would allow her to make payments!! That is the love of Christ working! Thank you NCCTK for listening to Jesus and carrying out his work!! What a generous and loving gift.....

**Edited to add** This just brought to my mind that old chorus: "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood. Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I'm part of the family, the family of God"

Mother's Day Thoughts 2010

Today is Mother's Day....mine didn't start out so hot. We needed to get to the early service at 9am this morning. So, I hopped in the shower and was in the process of getting ready when Aaron went to wake up our Halle girl. She was taking a her sweet time waking up....that's when Aaron noticed she had spit/thrown up in her crib last night. Um....not a pretty site, but...it could have been worse...much worse. So, Aaron got Hal dressed I stripped the bed of EVERYTHING, mattress pad, sheet, blankets, stuffed animals and even her bumper pad. I didn't want any of that left in her crib. This, of course, put us behind. This is when the day started to get better. I was still untying the bumper when my little girl walked in with a gift bag for me, her Mommy. Inside was a new CD, a card from her & Daddy &....her crayon! She had signed her card and wanted to put the crayon she used in with it too...sometimes we just don't fight her on things. We all made it to church....safe and sound and only 15 minutes late. We enjoyed our lunch at "Anthony's" with Grammie and now, I think I may take a nap. Or enjoy one of my favorite shows while Hal is napping in her crib with her newly laundered sheets....MINUS her bumper pad that still needs to be washed. God is good.......and being a Mommy is a HUGE blessing. Happy Mother's Day!!!

The day after CHRISTmas....

The day after Christmas is spent with Aaron's family! We eat, open gifts and let the kids play! This year we also got together with Aaron's extended family and we took a picture of the great-grandkids that were there...they are sitting on the very same fireplace that many years ago Aaron and all his cousins sat on. It may seem like A LOT of great-grandkids, but....at least five or more weren't there. Aaron's Dad comes from a big family....and it's lots of fun to see all those people we don't see very often. I made Eden & Hayden tutu's and Hayden is modeling one in the pictures...Halle got a baby buggy from Nana and Papa and she LOVES it...just not when she can't get tables, chairs and people out of the way or...doesn't turn the corner very well.

Reading with her Nana...

Seriously, this was one of about 5 shots...and it's as good as it gets!

All the great-grandkids...Elijah, Jayden, Tate (on Eden's lap), Eden, Hayden, Kai, Bryce and Halle...she's the brown one....hehehe!