Weak Stomachs

If you have a weak stomach I suggest you NOT look any further...because these pictures MIGHT make you nauseous!!! That is if you have any design sense!!!

We are FINALLY remodeling our disgusting upstairs bathroom.  It is in between the kids' rooms and has ONLY a shower in it. Like that does me any good? So the kids have now been bathing in OUR bathroom for three wonderful years!! It's time for them to have their own!!

So the remodel has begun.  Please don't cringe when you see what we have been living with for the past 3 years...

Older than dirt cabinets and pink vanity top...

A beige toilet??? Who does that?

These sconces will REALLY make you jealous...

The wallpaper border is TO DIE for!!

Our hideous window decor...

Now the next pictures are of our FIRST day of demolition...

You'll notice the linoleum floor has been ripped out and the shower doors are already ripped out...

Wallpaper border is GONE!!! As well as the medicine cabinet and wall cabinet...

We got SO much done!! So proud of my hubby and his dad. They worked super hard.  These pictures were taken at about 3pm today...and by 8pm EVERYTHING was gone.  I will have to update those pictures tomorrow.  The kids are asleep and I don't want to disturb them!!

We will keep you posted on the progress!!

STUD MUFFIN

 My little sister, Maggie, is a stud.  She is the best softball player I have EVER seen in real life.  She just had THIS article in the paper and I wanted to share with everyone that I know. We are so proud!!

Congrats Maggie!!!!

A star in the making...

Meet Mia...

Mia is my cute niece who just started playing softball this Summer.  She is the oldest of 3 cuties in her family and is on her way to setting an AWESOME example for her little sisters and cousins!! My daughter, Ella, ADORES Mia and wants to do EVERYTHING she does.  So when we got the opportunity to go watch Mia play some ball this weekend we jumped right to it!

We loaded up the kids and took them for wagon rides during the games when they got bored.  Thankfully Marta provided the crayons and books for the older kids.  Tyler and Gracie mostly enjoyed the wagon!!!
Here is Mia playing the field and throwing the ball back to the pitcher...

Here is a close up of Mia ready to catch...

So cute of Steve coaching Mia. BEST. DAD. EVER...

Showing her how to swing...

Mia smacking the ball and getting a hit...

A five from her other coach when she gets to first base...

And running the bases after the big game. Sophie and Ella's favorite part of the game I am sure...

Here is Mia taking care of lil sister, Gracie.  See how they adore her...

All the girls on the field...

Thanks to her big cousin, Mia, Ella hasn't stopped talking about softball yet.  Thank goodness because Daddy wants her to play soccer.  If Mia does it...then I am pretty sure it's safe to say Ella will be doing the same in 3 years. :) Thanks Mia and good job! It was so fun watching you play ball! We love you lots.

New Friends

I would like to introduce you to TWO of Ella's new best friends...
ALBERT...

Albert is named after the ONE and ONLY Albert Pujols! The best baseball player EVER!!!!!! He came into our lives at Ella and Tyler's birthday party in the treasure hunt.  Ella dug him out of the sand and has been buddies with him ever since.
And this little guy is YADI...

Yadi is named after the best CATCHER (besides my sister Adie) Yadier Molina.  He also made his arrival at Ella and Tyler's bday party. However, he was left here by someone else and Ella adopted him!!!

Ella loves these little guys.  She carries them all over the house and takes care of them. It's actually pretty cute.  However, its also a little startling to see where they end up some times.  Sort of looks like  a real creepy animal in her bed

I have definitely FLINCHED a few times when seeing them and NOT remembering that we have little creatures around the house!!!

But Ella loves these little guys and they eat, hang out and sleep with her...so they are here to stay!

Enjoy your new home Yadi and Albert!!!!

Father's Day and Tyler's Birthday

This post is a little late, but it's SUMMER and we are all crazy busy. So...

This year Tyler's first birthday fell on Father's Day!!! So cute for the family.  The day before was my nieces' birthday party...so we were already with the family so we spent the morning doing a little shopping and the afternoon hanging out in the HEAT with my favorite people in the whole world...my family!

It was fun to celebrate Tyler's first birthday with our whole family as well.  Since we already had his birthday party, we celebrated by getting him a new car seat :) and letting him have as many popsicles as he wanted.
Here is is sharing one with daddy...

The "after" face is priceless...

He really did LOVE them...he kept going back for more.  When we got Tyler his car seat a present for Ella ACCIDENTALLY ended up in the cart thanks to Jimmy. He spoils these two to NO END!!

Ella was a huge fan of her new tunnel. It has already provided us HOURS of entertainment in it's first few weeks!!!
Tyler and Daddy on their big days...

Tyler cruising around Mimo and Grandpa's house...

Snapped an adorable picture of my twin sister and her family...

The boys in our family are VERY outnumbered by girls so I had to snap a picture of the boys hanging out together...

And a very SWEATY picture of all of us girls with our dad :) He has been an incredible role model for us as we have gotten older.  Him and our mom have made us sisters who we are today.  They have showed us how to be parents and how to live our lives with our family. Without them I know I would be totally lost.  So thank you to my Dad on this awesome Father's Day...and to mom for putting up with him :) ha ha ha!!!!

  And a thank you to my hubby, Jimmy.  The man who lets me lay out while he gets our children's party ready...and makes time for me...all while being an incredible dad :) Happy Father's Day!

The Beach

We got packed up and headed out to Cedar Lake Beach yesterday...only to get RAINED or "monsooned" OUT! Ella was devastated.  We were in the water for about 2 minutes when the lifeguard blew her whistle to get everyone out.  We waited for a few minutes, but the skies soon became black and we raced home!!!

But, I did snap a few pics of our time there.
Ella cheesin all dressed and ready...

Our friends, Michelle and Allison took Ella (in their car) and this was all their idea.  I wasn't planning on going, but since I was bored I packed Tyler up and decided to join them last minute!! It was totally during his nap time, so I was sure to bring my own car in case it was a disaster!!!

Michelle and Allison getting Ella all ready to dig in the sand!

Of course Ariel had to go with us!!

Ariel is a GREAT swimmer too :)

Tyler all smiles hanging out in the stroller for a snack!

Ella had so much fun with Allison and Michelle.

She was so confused AND devastated when they made us get out of the water!!! But, we have the best friends in the world because they took her back today to try again!! No rain in the forecast...Thank goodness!!!!
I have a feeling this was just the FIRST trip to the beach for Ella this summer.  We have a sandbox...and a pool at our house...but that is NOTHING compared to a real beach to a 3 year old! I love it!!!

SUMMER DAYS...

Summer...oh how I love you. I love all the freedom our days have. We can go WHEREVER we want WHENEVER we want and I LOVE it!!!!
The past few days have been heavenly.  Since the party planning is OVER it is now time to relax and start enjoying the Summer Days.

Here we are enjoying some of our new birthday toys.  Ella and Tyler were playing Supermarket with the new cash register.  Ella was scanning everything in the house and Tyler was along for the ride. I love when these two play together...ADORABLE.

Then we had a fun afternoon at the park.  I figured I could get a little exercise in and some fun in for the kiddos.  I ran to the park, and let them play...

Tyler was all smiles trying to creep up the blue slide

Ella loved the slides too...

Then we ACCIDENTALLY snuck across the street to get a SNO CONE from the awesome "Tropical Sno" that is so perfectly near the park. Ella and Tyler cooled off in the stroller while we waited...

Ella going to work on her strawberry sno cone!

Our next adventure for our Summer kick off was cooking our own pizza.  Ella got to make her own pizza and she was so excited!

Here she was smiling next to her pizza crust (Please ignore my dishes in the background) ha ha

Smearing the sauce and adding some serious cheese...

MORE cheese...

Time for the pepperoni...

So proud of her pizza...

Did I mention MORE cheese...

And the finished product...

The kick off to an exciting summer is ON!! I even started with a bang...I sprained the HECK out of my ankle working softball camp this morning!! W O W. Pain in the butt. I was smart and kept ice on it RIGHT away so I am hoping it will be better in a few days! I guess I will have to WALK my miles instead of run them for the next few days.

HAPPY
    SUMMER
         TO
            ALL!!!