Happenings of Summer

While I still don't have all the pictures from my mom's awesome camera, I'll share with you a little bit of what I do have. It means that my subsequent posts will not be in chronological order so I hope none of you really care about that.
Both my family and Allen's family were out of town for the Fourth of July so we just had a little BBQ at home. Yummy turkey burgers. Madi got to wear her little USA onesie (still way too big, of course, but we're used to that) and I made her a cute polka dot ribbon headband to wear so we could be patriot and matching (we're wearing blue jean skirts- red, white and blue!)
We've been swimming at cousin Julie's club a fair few times this summer. The goal has been to go once a week. We've missed a couple, but still enjoy going often with Uncle Austin, Auntie Anne, Aunt Jessie and cousin Kit.

Madi LOVES the water. On Monday we stayed in the pool for probably close to an hour, a record for her. She loves to kick her feet and splash with her hands. She's my little guppy. After swimming the babies are pretty tuckered out so we let them rest while we eat lunch.

Jess and I have also gotten together a few times for "crafting". One time we made babylegs (little baby leg warmers to protect Madi's poor rug-burned knees while she crawls) and this last time I made a couple headbands and Jess proved her skills by making a boss new cover for her ironing board.

Madi decided to get in on the crafting too by eating my empty thread spool.

And we have some new skills! Madi has been scooting around like a mad-woman for the last month but she has recently started showing some real crawling skills! Only a few inches at a time but it won't be long before it's the real thing! Also she has learned to sit up from a crawling position. I actually haven't seen this one happen yet but I find her sitting up occasionally. She sat up in bed the other day too. Which brings us to her next new skill. She loves to crawl to the corner of her crib and pull down the bumper pads to see outside (i know, i know... I shouldn't even have bumper pads on her crib).

You can't really tell but she was in a full fit seconds before this picture was taken but she knows what a camera is and watch she's supposed to do so she suspended her fit momentarily so she could smile for the camera.

Tejas!

Last month I went to visit my very very good friend, Jen, in Texas. A little history. I met Jen when my family moved to New Jersey when I was 14 years old. I was a freshman, she a senior. She's actually the same age as my older brother, Taylor. Anywho. We socialized through the ward (she was home-schooling her senior year so we weren't at school together) and seminary. Eventually she and her parents opened up the cutest bead shop and I went to work for them, throwing birthday parties for (mostly) cute little girls. We've been best friends ever since. Sisters, really. She started kind of living at my house, at least on Sundays. Now she and her hubby and two adorable little girls (and one more on the way!) live in Texas, just minutes from where I lived before moving to NJ! Crazy, huh? So at least once a year for the past four years, one of us has come to visit the other. I'll admit, it's getting harder to do now that we both have kids but still so, so worth it.

We did some fun things while there: shopping, going to the zoo, Rita's, the dollar movie (Date Night, laughed my rear end off) and watched the entire third season of the Office (something we do every time we are together.) She also nicely took some fabulous pictures of my sweet Madi.

Thanks for the awesome visit Jen. Had a blast. Love ya!

At the zoo

 Jen's girls love to ride the train.

They have this AWESOME bird exhibit at the Ft. Worth Zoo that is totally enclosed. You can buy bird food on a stick and feed the birds. The smaller ones will even hop onto the stick to eat!! (We got absolutely POURED on so don't mind my nasty hair. I wasn't sweating... that much.)

At the Grapevine Mills Mall

Around the house

 Madi and Emi Jane (15 months)

Madi and Kylie (3 1/2)

We had a lot of fun with this tube. Might have to get one of those eventually.

Madi and Pickle. I know you would think a Dachshund wouldn't look a lot like/remind me of Muddy but Pickle sure did. He made me a little home sick. He's almost exactly the same color as my Muddler and has some other similar features too. 

Pickle

Muddler

 

It was exciting for me to see how much Emi can do and to realize that soon Madi will be doing all of those things!

Here are some of the amazing pictures Jen took. I won't put all 50 gazillion up. These are some of my favorites.