More weekend fun...

Saturday evening we attended our friends' Nicki & Shannon's wedding reception. We had lots of fun and got to catch up with lots of people that we usually only see during the summer. Andi quickly remembered who she had lots of fun with last summer at the state fair and soon became inseparable from her friend Ally. They spent most of the night dancing and walking around the reception hall (without me of course!) When we were leaving we had to make sure that we said our goodbyes and even kissed the 2 little boys that she was dancing with...I think we might have to lock her up this summer :)

take 1...

take 2- I have no idea why she decided to "smile" like this!

Ally & Andi dancing the night away!

Andi & Shannon

Can you tell its late in the evening for Andi? Another one of Andi's favorite moves is head banging...don't ask me where she learned that ...but she has it down pretty good...I am guessing that did not help her keep her barrette in!

TJ has a new favorite pastime...sitting up and getting into Andi's toys...

Andi is quite the little helper...when it involves food! Her favorites are pizza and cookies! Travis caught her on camera "helping" me make the pizza...

whoops...then she realized he was taking a picture and decided to smile for the camera before she shoved the next handful of cheese in her mouth!

Beach Days

Saturday while Travis was in Columbia most of the day we decided to head to the beach! I didn't really figure that Andi would go for the whole water thing so first we took a walk along the dam, then played at the playground and then finally made our way to the beach.

singing while she plays...can you tell?

being very brave..

doesn't this look like fun?

TJ loves any park with a swing

mommy - see me?

So after the playground we headed to the beach. It was already a nice day and only 10 o'clock. There were only a handful of people at the beach but by the time we were leaving it was filling up rather quickly! Poor Andi- I felt like the worst mom in the world. We went to the beach and I didn't bring her swimsuit! In my defense I figured that she wouldn't like the water at all and would just love playing in the sand. Wrong!! She did like playing in the sand but she would have rather walked in the lake all day long. Later we saw 3 little kids running and jumping in the lake and that about brought a melt down when I wouldn't let her do that...so I promised that we would come back the next day with our swimsuits on!

taking it all in..

a cute picture of both of them playing

The next morning Andi woke us up by running into our room and yelling "beach!" We had to explain to her several times that first we had to go to church and then we would head to the beach!

We of course brought all of our swim toys...and Andi thought that we needed all of them in the water at once..

Andi trying to splash Travis by kicking water at him

Travis trying to get Andi to put her face in the water...

Andi decided that she was cold and needed a "blanket" on the ride home.

Poor TJ he didn't even make it out of the parking lot. He loves being in and around water but for some reason it wears him out big time and the minute he has a towel around him- its lights out!

Baby Lucas Ryan

Thursday afternoon we headed to Columbia to see our newest little cousin- Lucas Ryan or as Andi calls him baby "uke" Andi was excited to see baby Luke and kept asking he if she could hold him on our way to the hospital. Good thing I told her about it before the hour car ride!

It was sunny that day...if you couldnt tell :)

Luckily we had TJ's puppy that would "sing & play games"with us in between asking if she could hold baby "uke"

Amy Brooke & Lucas

We got to her room right when all of her family and big brother Alex were leaving. I asked Alex if he was a big brother and he shook his head yes and spread his arms almost as far a part as he could and told me he was "this big"

Lucas was awake off and on while we where there. He is such a little cutie and his little head of hair is so black and so thick! I couldnt belive how tiny he was even though he was 7 lbs 9 oz and 19 inches long! I guess because I was wrestling TJ it made it seem like a huge difference!

Andi & Lucas

She totally wanted to get closer but I wasn't sure..

Awww...what a cutie! Amy had some baby pictures laid out of her as a baby and I think that he looks exactly like her baby pictures!!

Amy was nice enough (and brave enough) to let Andi hold Lucas. I think it made Andi's day, especially when her next question "Andi kiss baby uke?" was answered with a yes.

Pool Time

So now that we have our nice new pool you had better believe that we have been in it every day that we have been home...at least once. That doesnt sound too bad until you remember what a nice week of weather we have had. "pleasant" is what they have been calling it on the weather updates...upper 70's, with a slight breeze...not exactly pool weather (especially when it is new water!)

Andi eating cheese and "cheesing" at me. I either get a dorky but cute smile or a mean grimace!

We now know that Andi can touch in the pool...rarely does her floating ring get used..she would rather walk, run, dance, or jump

TJ enjoying Andi's floating toy

Andi enjoying TJ's floating toy...I think she is ready for a float trip!

Uncle Kyle and Andi playing and splashing everyone! I think she wore him out!

TJ chillin in the pool...when it is just me with the kids during the day he can last about 10-15 minutes in the pool and then throws a fit...this day that there where 3 adults and 2 kids, he was content to sit in the pool the whole time!

fun times at the pool

Saturday we stayed home all day because we were going to have a crazy long day. Needless to say I was going a little stir crazy...thank goodness the afternoon soon became busy and fun! We spent a lot of time watching Andi and TJ playing in the little pool. It is crazy how much fun and how long little kids can stay in the water! TJ is definitely loving swim time and Andi loves playing with TJ and her baby in the pool. (She also loves to get in and out of the pool over and over and even better pulling her little lawn chair up to the pool and putting her feet in like her mom!)

my little fish!

cheese!

water baby- he could sit in the pool forever!

He is already picking up "hot ladies" at the pool! Needless to say, TJ having Andi's baby doll did not go over so well.

Andi trying to love on her brother by pulling his head up to give him a kiss...isn't she nice?!

singing away...I am sure that all of our neighbors enjoyed Andi singing at the top of her lungs to songs that she makes up.

time to play with her next favorite her sand & water table.

TJ taking a break from the pool too.

all that swimming makes a girl hungry!

Hey, mommy has any idea...who wants to get a "big" swimming pool? Andi- "me, me", TJ blows a raspberry and Travis smiling but still a little unsure.

I have been talking about this since last summer since we went to MI to see the Schusters...and trying to convince Travis to let us get one...he finally gave in and said we could get one...next summer after we move. Well, we all know that um we are not moving any time soon....so he gave in and we got one on Saturday!

umm...not convinced that it is going to be ready in 30 minutes (or whatever they claim on the box!) I think another reason that I convinced Travis to get the pool on Saturday afternoon is because Kyle had already called and was coming up to see us and spend the night AND I had talking to Debbie and Tonya about it might have helped a little too!

TJ watching from the shade

Andi kept saying "big swim, swim" and wanted to get in now...it took a little longer to fill than her little plastic pool but we did let her in the pool in the very beginning..

whoops...its slippery!

She had a lot of fun playing in the pool even though the bottom was barely covered with water. She didn't even complain how cold it was!

"no, ky-uhl, no!"

"oh, man!"

Even though there are no pictures of the pool completely up and filled...it is! Sunday we were gone all day and on Monday afternoon Travis came home and told Andi we could go swimming (I tried to stop him but as soon as he said it Andi wanted to go)...it was 78 degrees and breezy- a beautiful day but not for swimming in a pool that was just filled up!! Regardless of the icy water temps both kiddos loved it!! Yeah!!