Washington Trip

Last week, Maci & I went to Tacoma, WA to visit one of my best friends, Rachel! We were suppose to be there Thursday, however we had some plane problems so we didn't end up on a flight until Friday morning. Let me tell you, Maci was NOT please at all to wait at the airport for hours just to turn around and go back home! She was ticked all the way home that she didn't get to ride a plane! The next morning we caught a flight out!

Maci on the plane ride! She was excited to go up in the air and was such a good girl! I don't think she cried once and she sang to all the other passengers at least once during every flight (I'm sure every one loved that haha):

While at Rachel's house we colored and carved pumpkins! Maci love doing this, but to be honest she loves anything that can get messy! She wasn't really sure about helping to clean out the insides at first, but then she dug right in!

Coloring away (actually she was busy making sure Jamie, Rachel's brother and the new love of Maci's life, was watching her every move! The poor guy couldn't do anything without Maci the whole time we were there!)

She was really serious about the pumpkin coloring business!

She was really proud of all her creations! Rachel's mantel looks nice and festive now!

Jamie made a cat pumpkin. Maci loved it!

We went to Seattle for the day and had dinner at Benihana's. Maci loved the hat they gave her and loved watching the cook! She even tried chop sticks and did pretty good for a 2 year old! When the cook threw a shrimp tail on her plate, she tried to eat it!

Another serious picture! She was ready to eat!

Also while in Seattle, we went to the best aquarium I have ever been to. They had so many neat things!

Rachel, Jamie & Maci checking out the seals

They had a place set up where you could touch all kinds of little sea animals. Maci had to touch everything! In this picture what ever she touched scared her a little!

Touching more little critters

Outside on the pier

My little angel posing cute for a picture!

We went to the Tacoma Zoo also. Maci LOVES all animals so we had a great time there too!

With a seal statue

On the carousel in the zoo (which almost made me sick but hey my kid loved it!)

I think I was hanging on to her more than holding her up!

We had such a good time visiting Rachel and can't wait to come back. Next time will be in the summer though! Thanks Rachel for having us and doing all the tourist stuff with us - we really enjoyed it! Maci still cries for you when she's in trouble (I don't think that has anything to do with you giving her whatever she wanted but...) She talks about you and her boyfriend Jamie daily and can't wait to see you guys at Christmas! Also thanks for mailing all the clothes that Maci bought back to her, she was pretty out of control with her shopping so I really appreciate you sending it all to her! She has a shopping problem (-:

Oooops!

So I realize I was bragging in an earlier post about how much I have blogged recently... so it's with a little embarrassment that I add even more old stuff! I realized tonight that I have 2 cameras and I hadn't downloaded any pictures from 1 of them.. You know it's pretty pathetic when you download over 300 pictures from the end of July through today!!! Anyway here are a few more haha!

For TRC's 10 year anniversary, my parents had a company BBQ, complete with a huge water slide for the kids and all kinds of other stuff! Maci had a blast in this HUGE slide/swimming pool! Believe it or not, after her second try, she could climb all the way to the top by herself! A little water in her eyes...

My Grandma, Aunt Linda, cousin's Kaitlyn & Morgyn, Maci & I went to the fair a few weekends ago. Maci and Morgyn got to pet a rabbit. Maci loved it, but I was scared she would want one! I kept thinking that if she did I would tell her to tell Nana & Papa that she wanted one at their house! Thankfully she didn't ask for one!

Maci being a cowgirl!

Maci & I riding the tube at the lake. I swear my daughter is fearless on the water sometimes! She kept saying that she wanted to go faster and faster! I had to put my foot down a couple of times and say that it was fast enough!

Maci & Uncle JP riding the tube! She had to take turns with everyone!

Maci & her Auntie Loni riding the tube some more! She has such a great time at the lake!

I wanted to post some pictures of our trip to the river, but somehow my camera ate those... maybe next time!

A weekend at the zoo

We took Maci to the zoo for the 4th time this weekend and it was by far the best trip yet! She loved all the animals and had such a good time! She got a little grossed out by a baby monkey eating it's own poop but... I guess that's what happens at the zoo! When I asked her what her favorite animal was I think she told me every animal we saw there!

My Mom & Maci feeding the biggest swan I have ever seen in my life. My mom thought it would be neat to feed it out of her hand, but that big sucker almost took her hand off!

FINALLY Maci got to try out a splash pad & she loved it! She wasn't sure about it at first, but then she was running around like a crazy lady trying to get to the water!

My mom & Maci posing for a picture!

It was a nice weekend to get away and Maci really loved the zoo! Next we are headed to Tacoma to see our friend Rachel - which Maci is super excited about, she can't wait to go on an airplane again! Hopefully it goes ok... I'm a little nervous for us to fly by ourselves! Hopefully I will remember to take pictures!

I still haven't been able to take any pictures of her in gymnastics because she's not really sure about it yet... I'm hoping that over the next few months she will get a little more used to it so I can hang back and take some pictures!

She also has an invisible friend (I think...) I really thought 2 years old was a little young, but tonight she has been playing for at least an hour with her "cousin". She has even had arguments with "her" because "she" doesn't want to share toys. It's pretty comical! She's become quite the story teller too... She told me "Mama, Nana said me not getting big, me getting fat"! I don't know where she learned fat from but... she cracks me up! She also told me that when she has a baby in her belly like Cole, it's going to come out of her ears! She is one funny girl!

School update

So I just have to have a little proud mommy moment! Today when I dropped Maci off at school one of her teacher's came up to me to tell me how great Maci was doing in school and that she is soooo smart! Then I saw the main teacher and she told me that all the teachers were talking about the kids and none of them could believe that she was only 2 because she is so smart and that she is doing great! I told her that I was so relieved because I've been so worried since she is so young and she said NO WAY SHE IS AWESOME!!! After months of worrying whether or not to put her in because of her age, it is such a relief to have a little confirmation that I did the right thing!

Maci really LOVES school so that is another big relief! She can't wait to go and isn't ready to leave. She loves her teachers, especially Ms. Teresa (Resa as Maci calls her) so it's been fun listening to school stories already! Every day she tells me "Mama, I had a great time"! That's all I've got for now but I had to share that!

p.s. I hope that when you are back from maternity leave Nicole - you appreciate how much I've blogged recently! Of course I pick the time to stay on top of it when you have a baby! Haha, just kidding! Congratulations to Nicole, Nathan & Kaylee Pruetz for their new baby girl Addison Faith! She is BEAUTIFUL, just like Kaylee (-:

School at last (-:

Well after a few tears (believe it or not, they were not mine this time...) Maci is at school and hopefully having fun! She was fine until she saw another little boy clinging to his mom crying hysterically... then she got scared and cried a tad. I think tomorrow will be fine!

Posing in front of her new school:

Her and Papa saying goodbye:

Mama & Maci saying cheese:

Nana & Maci saying goodbye!

Her new classroom:

Saying goodbye was a little sad, especially since she started crying a little, but I had to bite the bullett and leave her... Of course Nana & Papa had too see their girl off too! Who could ask for better grandparents?? Maci was really excited that they came with us to see her new school! We peaked through the window after we dropped her off and even though she still looked a tad bit nervous, I think she was fine... I hope (-: Come on 3:15!

Who's ready for school??? We are!

Well the day is finally here... my baby starts preschool! I CANNOT believe that she is actually old enough to go! She is super excited! She doesn't start until this afternoon but I wanted to get pictures of her this morning before going to the baby sitter's house! When I took her to meet her teacher she didn't want to leave which I'm praying was a good sign! I will post more pictures later when I take her, that is if I can see through the camera lense while crying my eyes out! Just kidding, hopefully I really don't cry this time...

Maci being a ham!

Where oh where have the last 2-1/2 years gone? It seems like yesterday that she was just a babe and now I have a preschooler??? How does that happen SOOOOO fast? Time is flying by faster than I would like, but it's exciting to see how she's growing up. I can hardly even picture her as a baby anymore... Well wish us luck with her first day!

Just some randoms to catch up (:

I had yet another early morning surprise from Maci recently! I woke up to her covered in orange marker! Even the bottom of her feet were colored on! Good thing I only buy washable markers or we would be in trouble! She thought she looked pretty cute though!

Her legs... Even though they were washable, it was still a pain to get off! She finally just had to soak in the tub for awhile which she didn't mind at all. Come to think of it, maybe that's the reason why she does this stuff all the time (:

I thought this picture of Maci, Uncle BB & Aunt Courtney (or Auntie Cordy as Maci calls her) was cute! We had a BBQ at my house, so they were just relaxing together in the hammock!

These are Maci's newest friends at Nana & Papa's! Baby ducks and geese! They are so cute! At first they followed every one around and when they followed Maci, they scared her so she took off running away from them!

My curly haired girl! I love Maci's curly hair (she probably won't later but...) I just liked this picture of her!

That's all I've got for now, but I thought I better update them soon before Nicole gets onto me (: I do have an excuse for taking so long (this time...) my monitor went out so... I promise to be better eventually! Maybe I'll even remember to bring my camera along with us more often!

Vallecito Lake

The weekend after the 4th of July, our friend Amanda was nice enough to let us join her family at their cabin in Vallecito! We had such a nice relaxing time taking nature walks and just hanging out. The kids played their little hearts out and had such a great time, we didn't want to come home! Maci loved the spraying ball until it messed up her hair!

Maci & Isely playing in an outdoor fireplace...

Amanda, Isely & Dax. This is Maci's babysitter also!

Maci & Dax cruising in the jeep -

Maci with the silly glasses on! She loved those things!

Thanks Amanda for letting us crash your weekend get-away! We had a great time!

4th of July... just a little late (:

Over the 4th of July, 3 of my favorite people came to see us! Nicole, Nathan & sweet, sweet Kaylee came for the weekend! We had such a good time with them and were so happy that they drove all this way! We had our own firework show: (Nicole has much better pictures of our firework show...)

We went camping in Silverton and watched the fireworks show there. It was really cool - however I hardly used my camera so I have no pictures to post except one of BB & the babies! Kaylee was not happy with crazy BB holding her (: All the other girls loved him, but Kaylee thought he was a little scary! James was ok with it though!


We hung out at the house too and just relaxed:

Kaylee looking soooo cute, I love her little onry look:

Maci giving Kaylee kisses! Such sweet girls I swear! I'm ALMOST jealous that Nicole & Nathan are about to have two of them!

Kaylee getting ready to give Chloe kisses!

Nicole, Kaylee & Maci swinging away!

The weekend went by way too fast, but we enjoyed their company so much and are really looking forward to our next visit! Maybe when little Addison gets here (: Maci really misses them all and talks about them still almost daily! Every night in the bath tub she fills up cups of water for her "friends". Usually Nicole, Nathan, BB, Aunt Cordy, Loni or JP get there own cup of "coffee"! She says Kaylee can't have any because babies don't drink coffee! She also thinks that all babies should be named Kaylee!

Thanks to the Pruetz family for making such a long trip just to see us! We're hoping that you guys make it at least an annual thing! We miss you already!