We're home!

Rachel here. WE'RE HOME! I'm the first to admit that I LOVE my husband and kids, and I love traveling with them. HOWEVER... I'M SO FLIPPIN' HAPPY TO BE HOME IT'S REDONKULOUS! :) Our Summer has been jam packed since the beginning of May, and we're just so happy to have some down time. That doesn't mean that we didn't have a blast and a half on all of our adventures. I have so much to write about, pictures to print and order, memories to scrapbook... and the dreaded cleaning and readjusting to our home. This is the time where the projects around here take the front seat once again. Oy.

Enough about what needs to be done around here. Let's go back to around June 17th shall we? ;) We were visiting the girls' great grand mothers in Iowa. Here are just a few of my favorite shots to tide you over. There will be TONS more... trust me.

Great Gma #1... Gma Betty. :)

Reese was such a great helper. Great Gma #2... Gma Nita had some "chores" for Bryan around the house. First on the list... trimming the bushes outside. Reese had a blast helping.

It also may have helped that she got to drive the "tractor" once the trailer was full. :)

The girls spent A LOT of time adjusting to the time difference and not being at home... which unfortunately meant tons of meltdowns... but the times where they were disgustingly adorable more than made up for those.

Gma Nita found an old purse (one that was her mother's) filled to the brim with bracelets and necklaces... Reese was in heaven!

Great Gma #2... Gma Nita! She was a great hostess to our traveling circus.

We spent a lot of time outside playing in the backyard... when it wasn't monsooning. :)

Hopefully I can crank out some more posts while the girls are napping...

Happy Birthday Emma Grace

Rachel here. Today our sweet girl turns 1. We love you so much Emma Grace!!!

Evolution...

... of spaghetti eating. :) Rachel here. Emma Grace ate spaghetti for the first time last night for dinner. It was entertaining to say the least.

I think it's safe to say she liked it. :)

Toys toys everywhere!

Emma Grace here! My sister and I conned my mommy into taking us outside for marathon play. It was awesome. Check out my phatty ride. Forget that show "My Sweet 16." I got those girls beat... I got my first car at the age of 1. HOLLER! Seriously though... thank you to my Funk and Rapier friends... I'm stylin'.
My big sister isn't too shabby herself.

Of course once my sister spots a slide all craziness breaks out. I fancy the swings myself.

Wow... she's SO SLOW. TURTLE POWER!

Upon arriving back at the homestead, we took it upon ourselves to go nutso in the backyard.

Don't you think we need more toys to keep us occupied? ;)

Summer Summer Summertime!

Could Summer be any better?

Emma Grace's 1st b-day party

Rachel here. While Emma Grace doesn't turn one for a few more days, we celebrated with friends and family on Saturday. My theme this year... LUAU. The backyard was decorated to the 9's. We had a blow up palm tree, grass skirt fringe everywhere, paper lanterns, pools, the bounce house... I was so proud. And then about an hour before the party... a monsoon came through. Not really a monsoon, but it was a heck of a lot of rain. We covered everything, dragged it in the house, everything was crowded under canopies. It was dreadful. The sun did manage to grace us with his presence once again right before the party luckily. The backyard looked like a hot mess, but the kids didn't know any better. It stayed nice long enough for them to play for about an hour, eat some yummy food, and allowed my wee nugget to pretend to eat her cake. Soon the rain pushed us inside for presents. It turned out to be okay in the end. I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I had hoped... luckily Meredith takes phenomenal pictures and will have some to share. :)

I wanted to go cutsie simple for Emma's smash cake. A while back I bought this cupcake pan and could not have been happier with EG's giant cupcake.

I didn't get many pictures of the kids... they were EVERYWHERE! It's hard to entertain and be the photographer... but the shots I did get were pretty cute.

Let her eat cake! EG did a mediocre job at best when put on the spot. Bryan and I showed her over and over again how to put her hands in it... nope... not our daintly one. I also have a short video of this production, but I can't seem to find my computer cord... oy.

Happy Birthday Party Day Emma Grace. Saturday you'll be 1 year old... and I can hardly contain myself.