On The Go!

It felt like we were hardly home this past weekend.  Saturday morning we left home pretty early to get down to the Farmer's Market.  We had to drop my van off first to get some work done and while we were doing that it started pouring rain, which ruined our Farmer's Market plans.  We were going to meet my mom and the Cathcart's downtown too!  Bummer!  Instead we went carpet shopping to pass the time until the van was done.  We are in major need of new living room carpet...so, off to Lowe's it was.  When we were done there, it was still raining, so we hung out at the Cathcart's and played for awhile.  We had a quick lunch, got the van, and then headed home so sis could nap.  Once she got up, we all got ready and headed back to West Des Moines for Taste of Hope.  It's an annual party put on by our church, which is just amazing!  We went to church service first, which you could either do indoors or outdoors, then we ate some yummy grilled hot dogs and hamburgers before taking part in all the free festivities.  Indoors they had an arts and crafts room set up and outdoors they had tons of inflatables, face painting, petting zoo, funnel cakes, mini golf, etc.  It was great!  We took sis into the petting zoo so she could "feed" some goats and see some chickens and even a pig!  We didn't stick around for the fireworks, but I heard they were awesome!  Even though there are around 8,000 members of Hope, we always feel right at home.
Sunday we ventured over to Grimes to visit Grandma Emerson.  We haven't seen her in quite awhile, I know it was before Alexandria was crawling because I knew I hadn't been concerned about her getting into anything.  She has A LOT of nick knack items, which are so enticing to a mobile baby!  Grandma Emerson is doing very well and was happy to see us.  The rest of our day was spent doing yard work...oh how our yard needs SO much help!  That's a whole other topic of conversation.
As busy as we were this weekend, we didn't get many pics because I forgot the camera in the van when we went to church and since we had to park across the street, I wasn't going back for it.  I need to remember to leave it in the diaper bag at all times...cuz we can't forget that!

Can't have enough of these!!!

Priceless!!!

Like I said.

  

Sis is 11 months!

Our little sweetie is 11 months old already!!  I got to stay home with her on Monday, which was so nice!  She just gets more fun all the time.  I can't believe we're planning for her 1st birthday party already...I don't know where the time has gone.  I wish it would slow down!  She just gets more loveable all the time!  She is also getting her own little personality with a twist of an attitude in there!  Here is a little update on our  Sis! 

Current Talents:  trying to snap her fingers, clicking her tongue, signing for "all done", waving bye-bye, saying "uh-oh", "mum", "da". 

Favorite Toys: her pink and white puppy, anything with music, her pink ball, and anything she isn't supposed to get in to

Favorite Foods:  yogurt, crackers, banana, hot dog

Favorite Activities To Do With Daddy: "wrestle" on floor, play peek-a-boo, bounce on bed, cuddle

Favorite Activities To Do With Mommy:  read books, tickle time, be with me in kitchen, bath time

Favorite Activities To Do With Kade:  listen to music, dance, clap and follow him everywhere 

 

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

I love me some food!!!

Class of 96

This past weekend was my 15 year H.S. class reunion back in Radcliffe during Summerfest.  I was so excited for it too as I helped plan it and spent most of the week prior getting ready for it such as: making phone calls, packing up the van, buying supplies for our float, etc.  I also knew that 2 of my good H.S. friends were planning on being there that I haven't seen in 10+ years, so that made it even extra special!  Friday evening we met at Shane's and a few of us put together the float.  Rachel made some nice signs to hang on the front and back of the rack, we blew up balloons and put streamers down the sides.  We were kind of nervous during the decorating because it started to rain and as far as we knew there wasn't any rain in the forecast...whatever!  So, we found a place to store it overnight until the parade the next day.  We had our candy, squirt guns, and silly string all ready to go!

Saturday morning came and very few people showed up to be in the parade.  We had a total of 7 classmates on the float plus 2 in the truck that was pulling us.  Oh well, we were going to make the best of it and planned to soak any classmates along the parade route that should have been on the float!  While waiting in line for the parade to start it started pouring rain.  All we could do was sit there and laugh.  We did round up a couple of umbrellas to huddle under until the parade got going...because it still went on...rain and all!  I was concerned because I knew my family was along the parade route waiting for us to go by.  So much for soaking everyone to cool them off...the rain did that for us!  Our float got ruined, we were wet, no one really showed up, and no one really cared that we had squirt guns since they were already soaked.

After the parade, we all met back at Shane's place, grilled, got caught up, and watched the kids soak one of our classmates with water balloons.  It was so stinkin' hot out that halfway through the afternoon I started feeling not so well.  We headed back to Renae's house to check on the kiddos and get out of the sun.  I really started feeling icky.  We went back to my mom's house and by the time we got there I really didn't feel well.  I thought it was just the heat, but I believe I had a stomach bug because I couldn't really eat anything from Sat. afternoon until Sun. evening.  By this time I was thinking that I wasn't going to be able to go the street dance, which was also part of our reunion. I was so looking forward to it and I opted out and stayed at my mom's due to my stomachache.  Boy, so much for celebrating my 15-year reunion....I was so bummed.  Heath went in my place, so I was well represented!  Grandma, Wendy, Patty, Uncle Kenny, Aunt Marilyn, Brandon and Jess all came over so I did get to visit with them which was nice.  

Sunday was the Dougan family reunion.  We didn't stay long there because it was Alexandria's nap time and I still wasn't feeling well.  Kade had a good time spending the weekend with Grandma Renae and taking part in the festivities.  He played Minute To Win It and came in 2nd place.  He also got to drive a golf cart around town, which he thought was pretty cool!  

Class of 1996.

Sorry to bother you, I just wanted a picture for the blog.

Trying to stay dry at the parade.

Shane keeping the kids occupied during the reunion lunch.

Kade sniping some cans.

Sis taking Grandma Renae's wagon for a ride.

Happy 4th!!!!

Our holiday weekend started with Heath and I having a "date day" on Saturday.  Taylor, our neighbor girl, babysat Alexandria while we had a day and evening out.  We did some shopping...mainly for house updates and even popped into Trader Joe's to check it out.  I couldn't leave without getting a couple bottles of the "2 buck Chuck" wine to help stock my wine fridge!  After shopping, we headed out for sushi to our normal place, Taki.  It was nice to sit in quiet and not have to worry about entertaining a little one.  We were planning on going to a movie after supper, but we both thought that we would fall asleep so opted to hit up Tonic for one of our favorites...a chocolate martini.  It was so nice out, so we sat on their patio and enjoyed conversing while we sipped on our tasty cocktail.  I'm sad to report that we were home by 8:30pm.  We are officially lame! 
Sunday we spent time outside doing garden and yard work. I probably spent a good 3 hours hoeing the garden to get rid of all the weeds...ugh, I had blisters on my hands and was so sore the next day!  Wish I could hire a garden boy!  LOL!  Heath got to get a round of golf in with a buddy at Jester Park.  Later that afternoon we went up to Slater to some friends house and had a bar-b-que.  We couldn't stick around for the fireworks since Sis is pretty programmed with her bedtime of 8pm.
The 4th of July was pretty laid back for us...we just stuck around home.  It was fun to enjoy a day with Alexandria and take in all of her cuteness!  She sure did show her patriotism off!      

Sis is ready for her first 4th.  So people...... 

lets put your hands together and get the party started....

now everyone fall down, party's over.

Sis showing mommy how to unfold laundry.

Al loved my bench ladder, she loves to help.

She gets intense when it come to reading books.

Watching me mow the yard.  She doesn't like the weed whacker.

Tanya got a picnic blanket & butterfly from the Cathcarts for her birthday.