Merry Christmas

New hair

Cuddles

More fun at the farm

Great Grandpa's

Picture

Dexter's 2 year appointment

Our little man is becoming not so little anymore.  He has surpassed the average in all areas.  :)
Here are his stats:

Weight:  29.5lbs (68%)
Height:  35 in (56%)
Head: 49.75 (77%)

He is doing great developmentally.  He does walk on his tippy toes so we really need to work with him to stop and we need to get him to stop sucking his thumb at the latest 3yrs.  We are going to start potty training so fingers crossed.  He is such a flirt & clown.  The nurses and doctor think he is a riot.

Fall vacation with dad

Fall fun!

Birthday round two!

He's getting very sleepy....

Sibling love

A pirate and her parrot

Happy 2nd Birthday Dexter!

2013 soccer

Cutest kids on the block

We're BAAACCCCCKKKK!

My apologies for being on a hiatus!  Honestly, I look back and see my last post was May and it feels I blinked and it is already August!  Geez I was a slacker!  If you scroll through about 20 posts I tried catching up with some significant happenings this summer and some randoms.   It is been a whirl wind.  Of course always traveling for me. Luckily,  I have been able to have only one event in August so that has been VERY nice to be home this month.  September is a different story though.

Yesterday was Elliana's first day of school!  She thinks it is no big deal!  She started a team soccer league, she is wrapping up swimming lessons next week.  She went to Alaska with Ryan. She turned 5!  Our little girl is growing up!

Dexter is growing too!  He is talking so much!  Everyday he has new words, making sentences and improving.  He is so FUNNY!  Dexter has started to be a little testy but that is in the age.  He is jokester . Already trying to crawl out of the crib but we have tried nipping that in the bud (temporarily).  Our goal is to start working with him to get him potty trained and stop sucking his thumb.  Both no easy tasks but we will ease into it!  He went to his first movie, Planes!  Dexter went to Vegas with me in June!
Adventures for both the kids! With lots of visits from Grandma & Grandpa, Aunt Kelly & Emmerson and sleep overs with Olivia!  FUN FUN FUN

As for Ryan he is plugging away.  He received a promotion at work at starts the being of September.  He is now an office guy managing the drivers for the sales staff.  It is the next step into one day being the BIG boss. :)

Lastly, for me all is the good.  My dear friend Kendra moved three houses down from us at the end of July! I am so excited.  She is due with her first baby Sept. 4th.  My best bud in Vegas Nicole is expecting her 3rd September 8th!  Then my other two great friends Anisa & April are expecting as well!  Anisa in November and April Feb. 2014.  So out of the 5 of my click of girls I am the only one who hasn't drank the preggo water.  I am thrilled for them all.  I get bummed I can't be there for them all physically and especially to get the first glimpse of the baby when born.  But they know I love them!  I have a trip planned to Vegas to meet Baby Johnson and attend Anisa's baby shower in October.  Looking forward to that!
I am counting down till November because my folks will be visiting!  It has been too long.  Miss'em.

Enjoy all the new updates!

Cousins!

Great Grandma West

On August 6th we lost an amazing woman, Ryan's Grandmother & the kids Great-Grandma, Dorothy West.  She left a print on this world in her 90 years and married for nearly 70 years.  Along with that she has 5 children, 11 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.   We were so blessed to have her in our lives.  Even while we were in Vegas and 5 hours away here in IL we chatted with her on Skype frequently.  We will cherish the memory of her warm, loving heart that we were able to be apart of!  It is never ever easy loosing someone we love but one thing we know for sure is that we will be will us always, watching us as our angel!

I had to post some special pictures I found.

 

WELCOME EMILY MARIE MORRIS!

We are so excited to have ANOTHER niece!  Jason & Nicole welcomed their second child on August 4th! Obviously, Elli loves her baby cousin and very excited!  We wouldn't let Dexter too close to precious Emily quite yet!  Dex was giving baby Emily welcoming stares but he is our little bull in a china shop so we had to be cautious.  It is hard to believe being and only child I now have 3 nieces!  AUNT & UNCLE of the YEAR to be, right here! :)  Ryan already is one up on us with all the kids.  He walks in a room and you hear RY RY and pitter patter of kids running to him.

Elliana's 5th birthday in Alaska

Talk about a lucky girl!  Daddy & Elli went to Alaska for a week to meet our dear friends (we miss tremendously) Tim, Cooper & Noah Johnson!  They had a BLAST!  Elli enjoy every moment reuniting with her best buds.