august sixteenth

a year ago today

I set up chairs and a long table in my backyard.

I bought balloons and tied them to my fence.

I ate dinner with my whole family.

I wanted to make my Dad's 50th birthday a special one.

My mom suggested we put together a book with 50 favorite things about our Dad. Never did we realize just how special this book would become. My mom made one of her own. My Dad was thrilled. He read it slowly and smiled, and laughed, and was even surprised! The last favorite line I wrote on my page was, "I love that you will be there at the hospital when I have my baby in April."

I was 6 weeks pregnant.

All I can think about today is how awesome of a Dad I have. He would do ANYTHING for me.
And he did.

Today I wish I had met him at the salon to give him a fresh birthday haircut. We would have talked about the times me and my sisters would do his hair when we were little, spraying his hair with a water bottle, a half an inch away from his head. He'd just sit there with a towel around his neck getting soaked.

Then he'd ask me what he should do about all these grey hairs... and I'd tell him he earned them.

I would have told him about the latest laughs we've had on Taryn's behalf.
Today she took me to her make believe castle in our kitchen and told me about all the flowers in front of it and how she needed to call Cinderella because she was getting married and wants her to come.

Then when I'd be finishing up and trimming his neckline we'd talk about how hairy he is...and how I could keep trimming down his back.

Then he'd get out his checkbook and I'd tell him he does NOT have to pay me cause he's my Dad! That would just be silly!
But he does anyway, then he says part of it is for Mom's hair too. I know he does it because he loves me and wants to help me in any way possible.

Then he'd give me a big hug and say thanks. I'd tell him it's no problem. Then he'd say bye, I love you, and I'd tell him I love him back.

Today I am celebrating my Dad's birthday. I'll meet friends and family for dinner and we'll enjoy our time together. Because knowing now what I didn't know back then is that life is precious and we must Live It.

Enjoy it.
Honor it.
Learn from it.
Love it.
Build it.

and then
Return from it.

Happy Birthday Dad!
Thanks for teaching me about life and how to live it fully.

a little of this and that

Taryn is swimming now! Like really going at it!
Remember this...
Robbie must have the magic touch.


check it out, face in the water and all!


Tenley and I sat on the edge and cheered her on.
Her luscious locks are falling out :( or maybe her head just grew and it all spread out?


and every dad does this to their little ones

NEXT UP:
Dinosaur Museum.
We were first timers.
We of course went with our favorite peeps.
Ava & Gage & Kim :)

played in the sand...


has never been one that enjoys getting messy


Roooaarrr


save a horse, ride a dino!


Now these two together is so funny.
I think we have an arranged marriage on our hands.


see, this pose could end up like this...



I'd be a very proud mama if that pans out.


isn't he handsome?!

NEXT UP:
Some cute pictures of Tenley.
Ya know, cause it's my blog and I can't get enough of her oooey gooey yummy gobble her up scrumdidilyupmtiousness!!!!!!!!

YUM-O!

And now to leave you on a funny note...
this is what I noticed taryn doing while I waited in line at Tjmaxx

baby love

Tenley has reached my favorite baby stage.
the 4 month stage.

I am soooooooooooo in love with her! I want to eat her up.
her coos.
her rolls.
her smiles.
her breath.
wanting only her mama
her scrunchy nose.
her kicks.
her wanting to laugh.
her "talking"
her noticing Taryn
her baby smell

oh i love it.

i wish it would never end...

what we've learned this summer

3 year olds + dancing = good times

Taryn has been in a little "princess" summer dance class and has absolutely LOVED every second of it! She is in the class with her very best friend, Ava, and they are so funny to watch together. I love watching her learn and grow and just be a cute silly little girl.

{first day of class}


{listening to Miss Natalie}

{such posers!}


{and this video cracks me up... I guess that's what ya get when you have no bum!}

MY 3 year old + swimming = not so much good times

One of my friends from high school has been teaching swimming lessons, and this year I was so excited to get Taryn into one of her classes.

She did GREAT the first day... totally loved it and did everything.
Then it was chilly the next day, and all h.e.l.l. broke loose.

We had a two week course ahead of us and every day when we pulled up she would cry and say, "I don't want to go to swimming!!"

{scooping her way over to Whitney's arm}


{doing the "monkey crawl" along the wall}



I guess she had a few moments of fun and learning, but it took a lot of convincing!
{like having her "doggy" watch her swim}





in the end, she really did learn a lot...

but for now we just take advantage of the kid friendly flotation devices

sisterly luuuuuuuuuuv

Whenever I am cleaning up Taryn's room, I set Tenley on her bed... usually on the pillow, with her blankets tucked up, just like a big girl.

I think she feels cool, like a big girl, cause she never fusses on that bed.

Then one afternoon Taryn hopped on too and wanted to "get cozy" with baby Tenley.

so they got cozy and snuggly and cute.
and oooohhh I just love them :)

on this fathers day

On this fathers day I have a mix of emotions. I am happy to think of the past years. They are especially dear to me because my Dad and I have celebrated this day together on multiple occasions.

I was born on Father's day.

I will forever be grateful for that. My Dad was so excited to have a baby girl, he even wore a pink dress shirt to church. He was also the one who decided on my name. My mom wasn't so thrilled, she would call me Emily (what she originally wanted to name me) when my Dad would go off to work in the morning.

I love that my Dad had the final say on my name. I guess that was part of his Father's day gift.

Three years ago, Robbie and I had a new baby girl as well. She was 3 days shy of being born on Mother's day. I'm excited to share that special day with her when they fall together.

As I watched Robbie become a Father, I wanted nothing more than for him to follow in my own Dad's footsteps. I know he felt the same way.

My Dad IS Robbie's Dad. He looks up to him in so many ways. Today as he was getting ready for church, he pulled out his pink tie. I could see how proud he was to wear that for his girls.

He loves his girls. So so much. I know he learned part of how to love and raise daughter's from my Dad. When Robbie asked him if he could marry me, the one demand my Dad had of him was to make sure he would take me to the celestial kingdom

I will try my very best to get there Dad... to be with you.

Happy Father's Day.

summer so far

These last two days have felt like eternity
After the longest winter of my life, I am done...
done done done with being stuck inside.

So here's to hoping for the upcoming week to being brighter....

especially because we are starting swimming lessons Monday,
and who wants to swim when it's 50 degrees??

With that in mind, here are some good times we have had so far this summer.

Taryn flew her very first kite
She really did it all by herself! Got it in the air on her own and everything!
Pretty impressive :)

my little pony kite
$3 at Harmons


Tenley and I hung out on the sideline and watched


isn't she just the cutest?!?


So proud of herself.

We met the newest cousin.
Chamberlain (hope I spelled that right!)

He is a wee little thing...


Mommy Brooke (Robbie's little sister) and big brother Wyatt

We had quite the overload of fun
at America's Incredible pizza company. We had a VIP pass for the opening night and wow it was c.r.a.z.y!! We will definitely have to go back when there are not 1 million people there.
Think chuck-e-cheese, but totally upgraded!

The kids had their faces painted
and felt like rock stars!

These two kids are my best friend Kim's kids.
Ava (above) and Gage (below).
Taryn asks about 10 times a day when we are going to see them,
because we usually do see them about everyday :)

Gotta love a dance party in the parking lot!!!