Happy Fourth Birthday To My Baby Girl!!!

My baby girl turned four today!!! We are celebrating by going to Chuck E Cheese, with three of her friends. I can't believe it has been four years. Yes, I am sure at some point today I will cry about it!

Grace at One
Grace at Two
Grace at Three

Grace on her last day of Preschool (almost four)

I haven't taken four year old pics yet but they will be here soon!

Summer Fun

We have a wonderful neighbor girl that lives behind our house! Her name is Maddie. She is 10 and loves to hang out with Grace. They play together every time they are out at the same time. Maddie came over and played in the sprinkler and the little pool last week. They set up an obstacle course to slide into the pool. I am so glad we have neighbors that have children! We love our other neighbors but its just not the same.





The last two days Grace has went to her friend Jeremiah's house to play in the sprinkler and on the slip and slide. The slip n slide was a first time thing for her. She really liked it and wants one now. Jeremiah is her "boyfriend" so she says. Dylan is Jeremiah's little brother. I was told that the two boys got in a little fight yesterday about who's girlfriend Grace was. Too cute! I just hope these two kids are friends for a long time.

Working on the Roof

We are finally fixing our garage roof. It has been in dire need of repair. Marvin and Brooks started it this morning at 6, took a break when it got too hot out, and then got some more done tonight. Dylan and my dad helped out a little this morning too. It was way hot. Grace even got in on the action, even though it gave her mother a small heart attack!!!

Library

Grace has started the summer reading program for the third year in a row. She loves going to the library. This is about a weekly visit for us. This year she was old enough for the hometown reading program. She attended this for four days and received a t-shirt, some coupons to Casey's and a cup. She had a lot of fun because some of her classmates were there and her teachers are the ones who did the program. She loves all her teachers very much, they are wonderful people.

Grace is also doing the S.R.P. at the neighboring town. So far we have got to see a guy make Balloon Animals. That one I volunteered to go up and be a "giant" and had to talk sort of like Arnold Schwartzanagger(sp). It was lots of fun. Next up is a Magic Show.

Support your local library or contact me and you can support ours! We are looking to build a new building soon!

Update for June so far

June has been very busy so far. We have started the library program again this year in Knoxville. This year we are taking two or three friends of Grace's with us. Reagan(4) and Colin(2) Cox and Ben(5) Wood. Ben went to school with Grace this past year. All three boys are cousins. Reagan and Ben compete for Grace's attention and I think Grace loves that fact. They ran me ragged on Wednesday when I took all four kids to the library, McDonald's and then to the park to eat and play. At the park we ran into a friend of mine with her two boys and her sister's twin boys and daughter. So I ended up being the "monster" and had to chase all 9 children around the castle like playground equipment.

The past weekend brought Brooks, Grace and I going to Saylorville to camp. My Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Don are park attendants there. We had my cousin Jody's daughter Kendall, who is Grace's age, come camp with us. The two girls cracked us up with their talks, playing, and general goofiness! Kendall wanted to move in with us, but Jody told her she would miss her. I can't wait for the girls to get together again.

I still don't have a camera. I am working on that. I hopefully will get a new one or get this one fixed. Who knows? I will try to update more often, it just stinks not having pictures to go with it!

Fire Hydrant Fun

Grace has awesome Grandpas. Her Papa Wade is a city worker and yesterday he flushed the fire hydrants. It did warm up a little so we followed him around and she got to play in the water a little bit. She had so much fun.

p.s. sorry about the pics being so small but my camera is broke so I am using my cell phone.

Go Cyclones ???

Grandpa Jack and Grandma Linda took Grace to the Cyclone Spring game. Brooks and I do not approve but what can you do? Just kidding. She had so much fun and is very excited about going back. Don't worry Hawk fans we are going to take her to her first Hawkeye game this fall!

Hehehe...a little fix up to this picture done by me!!!

Day with Dave, Sidinia and the Goodwins

We went to our friends Sidinia and Dave's and then went up to Sidinia's mom and dad's to help dig "hens and chicks". Grace loves Sid and Dave SO much and is always very excited to spend time with them. Sidinia's mom and dad are really nice folks and love Gracie too.

Sidinia pushing Grace on the swing

Dave pushing Grace on the swing

Mini Olympics

Last Thursday was Grace's first field trip. The preschool and a bunch of parents went to Central College for the Mini Olympics. It was so much fun. Here are a few pics.

Mrs. Tammy made all these shirts for the kids!

Stacia (in the orange shirt), Grace and Tori

Throwing the football

Tori and Grace kicking the soccer ball.

Spring Show

Grace participated in the Spring Show for the Dance Team on Saturday. It was a lot of fun for her and a lot of fun for all of us to watch. She danced to Chipmunks Songs. It was really cute. The Dance Team did a great job of teaching all the kids their routines and dancing their own routines themselves. The Dads and Co-ed also did a fantastic job dancing with the girls too!

She is just a little behind

Ally & her dad Dennis dancing


Grace getting ready to do a dance with All the dancers and some of the audience at the end.

Thank you to Papa Jack, Grandma Linda, Grandma Diana, Grandma Martha, Aunt Mary, Carter, Zac, Dave and Sidinia for coming to watch Grace shake it!!!

Cubs Win

From earlier posts you probably already know that Grace is a Cubs fan. We made a chain to count down the days to opening day. Brooks and Grace watched them play tonight. I hang out in my room watching something else. I did however get the official report of "Cubs Win, Cubs Win Mom!" when the game was over. She then had to call Grandpa Waddle to let him know, as if he didn't watch, and then she called Trent, who most of us know is the ULTIMATE Cubs fan. I am so glad they won for her sake anyways.

Fishing with Dad and Grandpa

Grace and I went out to Roberts Creek to catch up with Papa Jack and Dad to go fishing. It was a little cold but not too bad. We didn't catch fish even though Grace said "Come on bobber catch a fish!" She of course had a good time and even got to drive the boat all by herself.

(click on the pictures to get a closer view)

Aunt Jen's Violin

Grace recently told me that she wanted to play the violin when she got big. So Aunt Jen brought hers to our house and played for Grace and helped Grace play too. Aunt Jen started out the lesson with teaching her how to take care of the violin and bow and how to hold everything properly. Grace loves hearing her Aunt Jen play!

Preschool Concert

Tonight we went to watch Grace sing at her Preschool Spring Concert. This was so much fun to see all the kids and listen to all the songs they know. Grace had a large group of admirers, she is so lucky to have so many people who care about her! Grandma Martha came and Grace saw her and yelled out "Hi Grandma Martha!" as Grandma was walking in to take her seat. Grace also yelled hello to everyone in our row that she knew. Grandpa Jack, Grandma Linda, Derek, Haley, Grandma Diana, Grandpa Wade, Grandma Martha, Raina, Uncle Dylan, Daddy and Mommy, were all there to watch her and her friends sing. It was great hearing all the songs and they even did an ABC Rock song that had sign language to go along with it. All the kids did very well, and we are so very proud of you Grace Marie!!!

FR:Owen & Jasmine

SR:Kasyn & Grace

BR:Sawyer, Aleea & Emma

Owen(cousin) he is not happy to be here and Grace

I like this one because Kasyn and Owen look so sad and Grace looks so happy?!?

Lexi, Grace and Jasmine...these three are going to be T.R.O.U.B.L.E

And last but not least this is the infamous "boyfriend" Jeremiah. They are good buddies and sadly Grace is not happy about school next year already because Jeremiah is one year older and will be attending Kindergarten :(

Friday Madness!!!

It started out as a lazy easy going day. Brooks and I were cleaning house and Grace was messing it back up. Then I got one call that asked "can you pick up my son from school and take him home for me?" Sure why not. I took him home and picked his sister up, Tori, who goes to school with Grace. She came over and they had a great time doing the usual dress up stuff. We took her back to her house and arrived back to our house to MAYHEM!!!

Haley had arrived with her boyfriend's twin daughters. Patience is the one who has a Drama Queen attitude, she also gets very mad very easily that it is almost funny. Raina is a little but not mush more calm. Raina and I bonded some what more than Patience. She loved on me all night! Grace was a little jealous of the two calling Haley "Mommy" and kept correcting them that her name was Haley. She was also very very lovey with Haley all weekend. We had a total mess in about ten minutes, toys toys everywhere. They sang, danced, dressed up, played dollhouse and partied like it was 1999. They took a bath together which the twins did not like at all and then got popcorn and a movie. The girls did not go to bed until 11:30 or later so it was a long night for everyone! The next morning the girls were treated to Uncle Brooks' famous biscuits and gravy which we all gobbled up!

We love the girls and can not wait for them to come back!

Grace decided at some point to be Spider Man!!! She looks very tough!

Lexie dropped by and joined in the fun of dressing up! She is so beautiful!

Grace, and the twins Patience and Raina

Raina, Grace and Patience enjoying their evening snack