This is What Happens...

This is what happens when you are sick for two months straight.  I have neglected my sweet blog for sometime and have so much catching up to do, I feel a bit overwhelmed (hmmm...this is also how I feel whenever I walk into my laundry room!).  So to ease my stress and make me feel better, I am going to post A LOT of pictures with brief captions.  I'm hoping the pictures themselves will tell the story of the memories we've made as a family these past couple months here in Moses Lake.  Of course the big news is that we are expecting another baby!  HOORAY!  We are so excited and can't wait to meet him/her.  I am due sometime in January.  I have been horribly sick and this has affected our family a great deal.  I am hoping and praying that it eases up soon but for now we are making the best of it.  These pictures show a lot of fun and life but all the time in between I have had my face hung over a bucket.  Yuck.  I am so thankful that Dan has been home so much lately and has basically taken care of all of us.  Even Ellie has learned to make lunch for her and her sister.  She makes PB and J sandwiches with the crust cut off, adds some grapes on the side and pours their glasses of milk.  What a helper she has been to me!  And what a crazy ride its been for all of us!  In any case, I have to remind myself:  Ellie is almost six, Kate is well into her second year, and this is the last summer before our family of five (counting Jaxie of course) becomes a family of six!  Time moves so quickly! 

We have done A LOT of back and forth between Seattle and Spokane this spring and summer.  Here are some pictures from my dearest friend Claire's engagement party on Vashon Island.

Chris and Claire, the happy couple!

 Me and my besties Claire and Elizabeth (but missing Erin!)

 Ellie and Elizabeth's daughter Riley. Clearly two of the cutest girls ever!

Back home, Ellie got a new bike!  We wanted to wait for her birthday but her other bike is so small, it fits Kate!  This one is seriously cool.  I told Ellie I wish they made one in my size.  It has sparkles and tassels of course!

Kate on her "new" (Ellie's old) big little girl bike.

At her first Bike-a-Thon!  This little lady rode for almost two hours straight!

I walked with Kate in the stroller and Ellie joined us for a lap or two

These next few pictures need a little more explanation.  Ellie has been saving since January for the 2012 American Girl Doll of the Year, McKenna.  McKenna is a gymnast from Seattle so obviously she would be a favorite with Ellie.  Ellie has had to earn every cent for this doll so we were so proud of her when she finally met her goal!  She has done A LOT of cleaning...picking up playroom, washing fingerprints off sliding door, putting away laundry, etc...to earn the bulk of the money but she has earned a few dollars here and there for tickling Mommy's back (hey, I get what I can) or for helping her grandparents.  This doll means SO much more to her now and I am so glad she understands how expensive they are and how much work it takes to make that kind of money.  Anyway, Job well done Ellie girl!  

love at first sight

Not sure if you can tell, but Ellie is paying with all her coins and bills from her bank.  She rolled as much as she could and helped count and sort it all.  I just love this picture.

yep, a bit excited!

One of the many advantages of traveling to Seattle is seeing our family and friends.  Here is Kate with her cousin Cole.

Just hangin' out at Nana and Papa's

Kate got to go to the zoo with Daddy.  This was really special and rare time with just the two of them.  It's all she could talk about for weeks!

Ellie made Nana's birthday cake this year.  It was delicious! 

The girls with Nana and Cole...all the grandbabies so far, but two more on the way! 

A stop at Taco Del Mar on the way home to Moses Lake. Just getting some sweet love from my baby girl.  These two pictures really capture how Kate is with her mommy most of the time.  She is a love bug!

Ellie posing for her first gymnastics fun meet.  Notice little sister is taking notes.  :)

I styled her hair special for her big day

Ellie ROCKED the bars.  She is one strong little mama!

Each girl gets her picture taken here in any pose they want.  Ellie's hands crack me up!

This is how I will think of my girls when I think back to this time.  LOVE them.

Ellie standing near her garden. She and Dan have worked really hard on it this year.  Ellie made the rock walkway in the background. 

We spend a lot of time in our backyard these days because 1) It is so hot here in Moses Lake we have to be in the pool and 2) I'm so sick I can't really go anywhere.  The girls come up with all kinds of things to play and this picture Dan took captures one of their cuter moments.  We looked out the window and saw them totally absorbed in their cell phones.  Can't wait for the teenage years...yikes!

Geocaching

A great week at the girls' first Vacation Bible School.  LOVE Moses Lake Alliance Church!

One of my favorite pictures from our first camping trip in our new tent trailer.  We have wanted a trailer for so long and we couldn't be happier.  I can't wait to make more memories with the kids in years to come.  I loved the view from the girls' bed.  What a great way to wake up!

Finally a picture with Daddy!  Ellie had a bloody nose and Kate is still clutching her candy bag that she WOULD NOT PUT DOWN all weekend. Dan is making our favorite: Jiffy Pop over the campfire.

The girls each got a little money to spend at the candy store.  My goodness they are just like me and my sister were when we were little.  Picking out their candy was the highlight of the trip.  It took what seemed like forever and they were so excited.  Kate is holding some Laffy Taffy sticks and a sucker and honestly kept a tight grip on them for the remainder of the day.  Ellie got an Indian shooting a star on her Tootsie Pop and I told her how when I was little, that meant you could get a free sucker.  Sure enough, we tried it and it worked.  It was like magic.  She could not believe it.  Honestly, neither could I.  I am so glad some things haven't changed. 

We rented a boat for the day and Kate was a bit scared.  Good thing she had her candy to help her feel secure.  :)

Ellie's first lake swim