Easter celebrations

This year was full of so many fun Easter events. Being Colorado, many events included a warm jacket due to the cold weather. We started with an egg hunt at Southglenn Country Club. Gracie at first was a bit scared of the bunny though after the hunt she was so excited to show him what she found. It still makes me laugh when I think about my foreign exchange student from Japan, Noriki, wanting to know why a bunny brought eggs. Who knows?!!?!
Gracie did learn quickly that the eggs had yummy candy inside. She even shared the candy with us.

Next was finally learning from our family friend an neighbor Lois how to die eggs using silk ties. I don't know who had more fun, Gracie or Lois. So many laughs and no broken eggs only beautiful eggs with wonderful memories.

Gracie unrolling her creations.

Next was dying eggs with Nana & Papa's house.

The ladies smiling as we got started.

Daddy did a great job writing on the eggs while watching Gracie dye hers.

Next was actually Easter. Here is a great photo taken by Bapa showing Gracie's personal paparazzi as she searched for eggs. She is use to it by now, since she says cheese any time a camera comes out. The monster has been created.

She looked all over the backyard for her eggs, it was so much fun as you can see in her smile.

Happy Easter!!! An event the whole family enjoyed, including Brandy. Gracie got a bowling set, garden set, and other fun items from the Easter Bunny.

April 10 & 11th, more birthdays

Happy Birthday Grandpas! April is a month of wonderful birthday celebrations, some could say superpowerful. Gracie sure enjoyed dressing up with her cousins at Papa's birthday celebration.
We quickly made a sign for Bapa before he came home from work. He was so excited to see his girls there to celebrate his birthday. Gracie had so much fun decorating the sign.

The big birthday celebration for Bapa & Mama happened at the farm. All activities were stopped though any time she heard a train horn. She made sure that Uncle Brad came with her to look for the train.

Here is Gracie helping Bapa open his present, after she got to open and play with her present the farm you can see on the table. The farm will be a big hit for months and months.

Here is Uncle Brad teaching Gracie how to raise pheasants so Uncle Brad and Bapa can hunt them. The photos of the birds were something she liked but having Uncle Brad read to her was more important.

Here is Gracie holding a family friend's son, Grady. She is going to be ready to help Beth with their new addition. The practice with her baby does help her with real babies. She is so cute with them.

Birthdays in the family are celebrated together, so here we are with our desserts. Brad made Bapa his favorite pie, sour cream raisin. Mmm. Happy Birthday!!

April 2, Ian's birthday (birthdays, birthdays, birthdays)

Ian's birthday was such a wonderful time for Gracie to spend with some of her two favorite people, Ian & Abigail, though Aaron & Madison are right there too. The birthday was at a park near Ian's house. Gracie got to enjoy the swings, her favorite activity at the park with Abigail...her favorite person in the whole world.
Ian had a pinata at the park. As you can see from her excited face, it was her turn!! Ian watched the fun for a bit.

The girl can swing, we just have to work on her her grip. No matter what, she enjoyed the candy that came down after Phil got out his frustrations on the basketball.

Finally it was the most important time of the party, singing, candles & cupcakes!!!!

After the birthday celebrations were done, Adam took the kids out for a little court time. Many that girl can dunk. After picking Ian & Gracie up for many, many, many dunks, Adam didn't have to go to the gym that night. They have skills!

Go Jayhawks

Gracie has learned to love both Cam the Ram and the Kansas Jayhawks. This year she got to cheer on the Jayhawks for so many different KU basketball games. Here she is cheering them on.



Rock Chalk Jayhawk go KU

March 24th, Mommy's birthday

It is about 10 days from Gracie's third birthday and I am just now updating the blog with my birthday. Most of these posts are going to be full of photos with a few updates.

My birthday celebration included some great family time at dinner and then my favorite strawberry shortcake for dessert. Mmmm.

Beth was very sweet and helped Gracie to make me a Jayhawks banner, since it was basketball season. That was big since her husband is a huge Illinois fan.

Gracie was so very excited to blow our the candles, we had to light them multiple times.

Her expression is priceless here. She is the queen of expressions.

Gracie made me a wonderful frame that is up on the fridge :) Bapa gave me a card in for my birthday that was really for Gracie, it of course played a song.

Where does the time go?!?! I am not ready to celebrate any more birthdays...she is going to be driving soon.

March 22 - Finally the first hair cut

It took two years and 6 months to finally have Gracie's first official hair cut. We went to Lollilocks one day after work to have a fun first cut. Gracie had allowed me to trim her bangs and she often asks for an trim. She did amazing for so many reasons.

Here she is trying to "help" the stylist by looking up to see what was happening.

She sat still the whole time because of being in an adorable pink car while watching Monkey George on the tv. She is always so happy to try new experiences and meet new people. We are so lucky!

Of course the girl was ready with a killer smile at the end of a fun experience. I know she is ready for another visit soon.

March 19th - Go KU, for a little bit

Some people might call me a fair weather fan when it comes to KU basketball, I say I am a realist who usually goes with the past performances to make my calls. My background is analysis as we know. We had a great time cheering on KU during the tournament, celebrating wins, singing The Chant, but ultimately were saddened by the loss. I told people not to pick them to win, when they are ranked #1 it isn't good for their stats. Oh well, here is Gracie cheering on her Jayhawks. Though Jessica was a Crimson Girl, I think she would be proud of Gracie's attempt at being a cheerleader. She is getting the pose down!

Now I need to get the video of her saying "Rock Chalk Jayhawk, Go KU" when we were cheering them on with Julianne. She will always be a Jayhawk fan! Gracie did so well entertaining herself by watering plants and playing with Teddy during the game. Now to post a photo of Gracie in the dress Vi got from Hawaii. Adorable doesn't even do the dress justice.

Other KU celebrations will be coming, they did give me a great birthday gift.

Early March 2011 - Where does the time go

So I am only behind about two months, which isn't much...haha: multiple birthdays, family gatherings, fun times, and great stories aren't captured. I will do my best to remember.

Early March we went to Fort Collins to celebrate our friend Melissa's birthday. The guys stayed home with the kids as the ladies took a brewery tour. It is hard to say who had more fun the kids or mothers. We did get a photo of Gracie & Abigail, man they grow way too fast.

After on celebration we moved to another, Margie's birthday right before they left for Hawaii. Gracie loves her Nana & Papa very much, as you can see by the smiles here. When Gracie says her prayers at night they are usually the first on the list. It is such a blessing that they are able to spend every other Friday with her. The bond between grandchild and grandparent is so amazing, especially with the loving grandparents Gracie has.

Super Bowl 2011 - Go Steelers

We got to spend the Superbowl with some great friends, though with a different outcome to the game than in 2009. Dave and Melissa hosting a wonderful party with many Steelers supporters and their children. Gracie was over the moon to spend the afternoon with Abigail and Ian.

Here she was sporting Auntie Shawna's boa that I wore to the Superbowl in 2009 that the Steelers won.

There were great games of Ring around the Rosie.

Gracie has also has learned how to navigate my phone better then I can.

The kids play bowling over and over again. Then they enjoyed the riding toys by pushing each other around.

We loved spending the time with friends while enjoying such a good game. If only the Steelers could have pulled it out.

Birthday Buddy's new little buddy

Gracie's birthday buddy George became a big brother to Gus. After much practice with her babies, Gracie got to try her hand at holding and caring for a real baby. She would make a great big sister that is for sure, she loved holding Gus. Then again she couldn't get enough of playing with George either. They two of them read to eachother, George sang for us, and they raced each other.

Here is Gracie reading her favorite book right now "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" Her favorite books keep changing...another new favorite is documented in future photos.



They were ready for us to say go.

Like usual since they were little, George continues to run circles around Gracie.

Oh it was so fun!!!

Way behind in updating, back to January

January was full of fun and family. Here are a couple photos just to capture this month.

Here is a great side-by-side comparison from 2011 vs 2010. Man Gracie has grown so much in one year. One year ago she had no hair and now she actually can do fun things with her hair. It only took two and a half years before we actually need to get a hair cut...not just trimming the bangs.

Dressing up continues to be fun especially after finding an umbrella from Jake and Karin's wedding. It is even better when we actually start singing "Singing In the Rain"

Me as a human canvas for Gracie and her stickers.

My secretary sure does cost a lot by the hour since she surfs the web for great videos all day if she could. In the morning, or really any time during the day, she loves to watch all the short videos of people on facebook. Right now her favorites: Katie laughing, Elizabeth dancing to Wiggles, and dogs playing in the snow.

Gracie living up to her shirt, she is a hug waiting to happen.

We got a great costume free from Whole Foods after Halloween, Gracie sure loves to cook and now has an outfit to wear.

So much Gym time

Over the past couple months G and I have had a whole lot of gym time: Mama's Gym, Gracie's Gym, and Beth's Gym (her daycare person). At my gym she loves the computer and people there while at Beth's gym she likes to play on the soccer fields. Now is what she loves at Little Gym.For about a year now Gracie has been going to The Little Gym with Gigi on Fridays and now with the Peters too. First they start with time on the red mat, which can be harder for Gracie some days. Here she is getting sticks from Mr. Scott. She has always been a fan of bubble time, is a pro at forward rolls, keeps busy going up and down the climbing wall, and of course the bars. I am proud of her climbing skills, I foresee that in her future if she has her daddy's legs.

Rings continue to be her favorite right along with the parachute. Of course I had to capture some photos to remember the great times.

Now after this great play time comes the highlight of the hour, she gets to wash her hand get get a stamp on her feet. Well, it started with feet and then moved to hands, both feet, and even the belly. She is so proud of those stamps. I love the activity she gets and the coordination she is developing. What a lucky lady.