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

On to Kindergarten!

It's official! Ellie is a kindergartener! I cannot believe how quickly time flies. Tonight we attended her final preschool graduation. The best part was that Nana and Papa drove all the way from Federal Way to be here for Ellie's special day! Ellie is beyond ready for kindergarten (even if I am not ready to let her go!) She can read, count indefinitely, print clearly, and shows a passion for science-- especially rocks, bugs, and the human body. Most importantly, she is thoughtful, empathetic and caring. Ellie girl, we are so proud of you!!!

My Favorite of the Day

Kate and Ellie are adorable but very difficult to capture on film because they never stop moving! I realized most of the pictures I have of the two girls are of them snuggled on the couch because they are then too tired to run away! Anyway, I tried to get a picture of each of them today but only got this one of Kate. It was a favorite moment of the day when she kept whispering, "I love you Mama." She was just being still, quiet, sweet, and snuggly and I loved it!  I love that she is holding Ga-Ca (her lovey) by her face because she does this all the time and I have yet to get a photo.  I think this picture is how I will remember her when I am old and she is all grown up.  She is so beautiful.

On the Bright Side

It was a rough winter for the McDonald family but today we really started to look on the bright side! Literally!  I cannot believe how gorgeous Moses Lake can be when the sun is shining!  It was a cool 80 degrees today and it's only April!  What in the world?  I had to laugh out loud when we arrived at church today and I quickly realized that I was THE whitest person there...counting the senior citizens!  :)  No worries, I made sure to lay out in the sunshine and get a start on my summer tan.  I was out there for several hours and I am only slightly brown...this may take awhile!  And how did I manage to lay in the grass for so long undisturbed?  Simple.  We broke out Kate's birthday present for the first time and let me just say it was worth every penny.  Happy girls.  Relaxed mommy.  This is going to be a GREAT summer!  Life is good!

Kate was a tiny bit overwhelmed by such a sight.  She quickly got over it!  :)

Happy Birthday Kate!

 

Today is April 10, 2012 and Kate is 2 years old!  I cannot believe how quickly that time has passed.  As one might guess, I cannot imagine life without our little sweet, charming, stubborn little bug!  Already, Kate has managed to wrap all of us around her little finger.  She is just as willful and spirited as she is sweet and snugly and I think it is the combination of these elements that makes her so hard to figure out and just so darn adorable! 

At first glance, anyone would be captured by her eyes.  Not just because they are big, brown and beautiful but because at the early age of two, she has already mastered the art of speaking without saying a word.  In fact, she does this better than anyone I know!  But spend more time with Kate and her affectionate nature, independent spirit, and tough attitude will surely capture you as well.

At two, Kate can say a lot of words but speaks in phrases and sentences most of the time.  Our favorite sentence as of late is "Mama! Kate hit Ellie for no reason."  Lovely.

To her, we are the Donald family...Dan Donald, Angela Donald, Ellie Donald, and Kate Donald.  I'm not sure why she doesn't say "Mc." 

Octopus is "Ah-Buh-Gus" and is by far my favorite mispronunciation.  Kate is VERY good at reciting songs and rhymes.  Her favorites are the ABC song (and the ABC sign language song "A a Alligator..."), Jesus Loves Me (hear this once and you are in love with her forever), Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Happy Birthday to You, and 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

Thankfully, Kate likes to read like her big sister.  She loves books that rhyme: her favorites include Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Goodnight Moon, Mother Goose, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Who's in the Forest?, and Little Golden Books Goodnight Baby.  She also loves The Three Bears and Goodnight Gorilla but these are the only non-rhyming books she will tolerate right now.  :)

Kate developed strong gross motor skills from the start and continues to amaze us with what she can do.  Although she can draw a circle, hold a crayon correctly, and manipulate a smartphone, she is best at climbing, jumping, running, and in general mastering a playground toy.  She is FEARLESS so of course, I should be fearful but she is also VERY tough and recovers quickly from any fall, bump or bruise.

I could go on and on about our little Kate.  She brings us so much joy and laughter (when she isn't making me pull my hair out) and I am so thankful God blessed us with her two years ago today.  We love you Kate Bug!