Family pictures from vacation

We had family pictures taken again this year while we were on vacation. I really like getting these done each year to see how our family is changing. It's kind of a chore getting everyone ready and then trying to get the kids to behave long enough to get a few shots that are worth it! Gotta love the photographer (Alison Hoover Photography) who bears with our crazy family! :) I think they turned out really well this year.

Oh, and (not-so) funny story... Erin said she wanted to have the pictures done early in the week since she was worried about her kids getting hurt or something beforehand. Well, wouldn't you know it, Beckett took a major tumble on the driveway the day before we had the pictures taken! He had a huge scrape and fat lip! :(

70th birthday

My aunt Jean is turning 70 very soon and we all got together in Quincy to celebrate.

She runs a physical therapy company called Seniors in Motion, so that is why the cake says she's our favorite "Senior in Motion".

Erin and Hunter... he always looks so worried! :)

Here she is... my Aunt Jean... giving us a speech!

Brett and Nolan drove down for the festivities!

My cousin Rudy Allyn played songs on his guitar. The kids made requests, so for the first 15 minutes or so, we were listening to the ABC's and Row Row Your Boat. Ha!

Avery had a blast dancing. She made me get her a twirling dress to wear for maximum effect! She was really mad that I hadn't brought her ballerina costume with us to Quincy. :(

On our way home to Chicago, we stopped off at the playground near my parents house to let the kids burn off some energy. All six of them! With four adults, it was a little crazy. I mean, six kids who all want to run a different direction... yikes!

We did manage to wrangle them in this "cage" for a picture. But, this really only lasted the two minutes we took the pictures... then they were off again!

Happy 40th Birthday Matt!

Well, it didn't exactly turn out like we had planned... but we did get a little celebration in for Matt's big 4-0 birthday. 

After we got home from the Michigan vacation with my family (which I will hopefully post pictures from shortly), my Dad and Ross got super sick. Like not able to move sick. Like Ross was in the hospital for four days sick. Like pneumonia and viral meningitis sick. We think they must have picked it up at the casino as that was the only place the two of them were together that others weren't around them. They are finally feeling better, thank goodness! BUT, my parents were supposed to come watch the girls for our night in the city. Since my Dad was so sick, they didn't come up and we ended up canceling the 40th b-day plans. We are rescheduling!

Instead of the city, we had a little party at our house. My friend from high school (JJ) and her family stopped at our house on their way home to Omaha from their vacation. On Friday, we made a cake and decorated before Matt got home from work.

Ha - I love this! Matt is counting to 3 to blow out the candles, but the kids have already blown them out!

After the kiddos went to bed, the adults played Cards Against Humanity. Such fun! The next morning, everyone was really tired! There was a major nap-a-thon going on at our house!

And the best part... Matt's birthday gift! He is beyond excited to get this thing going. I am beyond excited to have some smoked meats, etc this fall!

Official recital pictures

These pictures were taken on dress rehearsal day. Right before these were taken, the parents were asked to leave and Morgan was pretty upset about that. But, she looks like she recovered pretty well. The video should be ready mid-September. I can't wait to see that!

Catching up

We've been busy here with typical summer stuff!

Since our vacation with Matt's family in early July, it seems like the time has flown by!

First, we went to my cousin's wedding. I didn't take many pictures, but the girls had a total blast dancing. Morgan tried so hard to stay awake but ended up falling asleep on my shoulder while I was holding her dancing on the dance floor! Avery could have danced all night. That girl absolutely loves to dance and takes any opportunity to do so! And usually it involves wearing her ballerina costume from her dance recital.

Getting a snooze in on the way to the wedding!

Hanging out with cousin Nolan (the girls wanted to wear their ballet shoes to the wedding)

And here is Avery... kind of hard to see because it was dark, but she cracks me up!


Speaking of dance costumes, this is a typical sight in our house. The girls ask to wear these almost daily. They put on recitals for us or they pretend they are the dance teachers teaching their students. So much fun!

When you really want to feel the rain drops, but you don't want to get your ballet shoes wet... you get a lift from Daddy!

Another trip to Home Depot for the kids workshop. Avery wants us to buy her a tractor. Ha!

Selfie of all the girls... well, sort of a photo bomb by Avery. Not sure what that look is for! :)

Any project that she gets to paint, she adores! This was a back-to-school skateboard pencil case. We had to scrape out some of the paint when we got home so we could actually open the pencil case part. Whoops!

Avery may need a few make-up lessons... found her putting the lip gloss all over her face! She asked "mommy, is this how it goes?" Um, sure, why not!

The girls spend hours playing dress up. Some of the scenarios they come up with are so crazy! It's really entertaining and so awesome to see them playing so well together.

We've been in swim lessons for a while now and the girls are getting more used to the water. Morgan has even been swimming with her head underwater with the help of goggles. We let them practice in the bathtub. :)

Now that the girls know the joys of taking selfies, they are obsessed. They will ask to take selfies with me. Avery even knows how to get my camera on and turn it to selfie mode and will take loads of pictures... which are a hoot to look at later.