Summer days

 We've been enjoying what's left of the summer these past few weeks.  We took advantage of that wonderful weather we had earlier this month and spent a lot of time outside!  Delaney is getting better and better with her tricycle!  She has figured out that pedaling makes it go!  She does had a knack for taking a few tumbles, so we invested in a helmet!  It's a little big on her (and not properly tightened in this picture), but we're hoping it will work for the rest of this year and next!

 Little Miss D has been going through an adjustment period over the last couple weeks.  She lost 3 of her daycare buddies to kindergarten this year and gained two new friends in their place.  Needless to say, this rocked Delaney's world.  I think she felt a little lost as to where she fits in now that her friends are gone and she's one of the "big kids".  After a few days of moping and extra neediness, Holly & I caught on and she's been doing better.  Nothing a few extra moments of attention and hugs won't cure! 

 We did a little baking last weekend, and Delaney enjoyed both the batter & the cupcakes!  This girl has definitely inherited our sweet tooths and her Momma's chocolate addiction!  Poor girl!  At least I have someone to share/split treats with...not that I ever share them ;)!  If she's ever given a choice, she will choose chocolate over any other flavor...that's my girl!

 We've been very artistic on the driveway lately!  She usually requests her Sesame Street friends, along with her name, and other various wildlife.  She loves to instruct us on what to draw & where!  She also has this new fascination with a sponge mop we store in the garage.  Her new thing is to use it to smudge up all our chalk drawings!  Silly girl!

With the cooler weather, we were able to let her hair down a bit!  Isn't it getting long?  I think we might be inching closer to her first hair cut (only a little trim) before too long!  It's so pretty when it's all down and curly, but I have to say it makes her look way to grown up!  My little baby is long gone! 

4 Years

Four years ago today, we got all dressed up, said our vows, and had an awesome party with our amazing families and friends!  Here is one of my all-time favorite pictures of that day...it's still proudly displayed 4 years later!  It really was an amazing day, and I wouldn't change a moment of it! 

We have done and seen a lot of things happen in the last four years, and I couldn't have asked for a better partner at my side!  It hasn't all been unicorns and rainbows, but it has been one incredible ride!  Cheers to the next 4 (and many more!)!  Love you Craig!

 

The $#*! My Kid Says

So, you know that William Shatner show, "$#*! My Dad Says" what was on a few years ago...well here's our version with little miss D.  We are really starting to get concerned that the wrong person will hear one of these sometime, and we'll end up in big trouble.

 D:  "Mommy, D go potty."
Me:  "Ok, let's go..."  as we head towards the bathroom because even through she's fully capable she will not start the process without a co-pilot.  I get her all sat down and situation, and I wait patiently.
D:  "No touch me, Mommy!"  as I'm standing at least 3 feet away from her.

We get home late one night from something, and my hands are full as I'm getting out of the car.   So, Craig reaches into the backseat to undo her carseat buckles, he struggles a little in the dark...
D:  "What is Daddy doing to me?"
Craig and I instantly look at each other with that deer in the headlights look.

Hearsay from Holly at daycare (but, I can totally see this happening).  Holly was folding laundry onto the kitchen table, and Delaney was there with her babydoll.  Holly asked her not to put her baby on the piles of clean clothes.  Of course, Delaney doesn't listen and puts her baby atop one of Holly's piles.  Naturally, Holly removes the baby from the clothes and continues with her task. 
D:  "Holly throw baby down!"

Between these instances (all of which have been in the last week!) and many others, we're beginning to fear a knock on the door from CPS. 

She does say some pretty sweet things too these days.  Like just yesterday, when I picked her up from Holly's.
D:  screaming and running towards me as I walk through the door "Mommy, you came back!"
M:  "Did you think I was never coming back?"
D:  "Yeah."

Then, as we're walking to the car, "Mommy, I love you so much!  I'm you're peanut!"

Or, last night as we're doing our nightly rockabye...
D:  "Mommy, I love Chase.  I give him hugs and kisses.  Let's go to Nick & Jessie's house."
Me:  "Chase loves you too, honey.  We will go to Jess & Nick's house soon."
D:  "Let's go tomorrow."
Me.  "I'm sorry, honey, but Mommy has to work tomorrow and you have to go to Holly's house to see your boys.  We'll go to Jess & Nick's house again soon."
D:  "Let's go to Papa's house."
Me:  "Well, sweetie, we will go to Papa's house soon, too!  Maybe they'll come to DD's house to see you!:
D:  "Yay!"

In Our 'Hood

While we were enjoying some R & R at Lake Okoboji, we asked our favorite neighbors from across the street to keep an eye on the house, gather our mail, and keep our little garden from catching on fire in this heat.  As always, they graciously accepted our tasks and did a wonderful job.  However, one night late in our trip, Craig got a call from these precious neighbors while they were attending the Def Leppard concert in Omaha (without us!)  Def Leppard is Craig's ALL-TIME favorite band, and he was totally bummed that we couldn't make it to the show this year.  Anyway, they called Craig a few times while at the concert and sent a few pictures of them enjoying the show.  Craig's jealousy got the best of him, and he replied to one of the message with a nasty comment referring to our neighbor and her friend as "Cougars out on the prowl".  Obviously, this didn't sit well with "A", and she retaliated...

We returned home to find our kitchen completely toilet papered, plastic wrap on our toilets, and plastic wrap on the shower head.  Of course, we found this quite amusing (and a little unnerving), and took it as a challenge to begin the "7th Street Mafia Wars".  We started compiling a list of different missions and tactics we would perform in our retaliation, and waited for a golden opportunity.

Last night, we had an early dinner and were hanging out in the shade in our front yard when "T" & "A" (with "G") stopped by to tell us they were headed over to a friend's house for dinner and evening activities.  They also happened to mention they wouldn't be home until later in the evening.  Naturally, this set the plan into motion.  (Honestly, we had no intention of doing any of this yet, but when an opportunity presents itself and we're beyond bored...we decided to seize it!) 

As soon as they turned the corner down the street, we gathered a few supplies and headed across the street for some shenanigans.  We left them a little package on their kitchen table last night with this photos.  I'll let the pictures we took do the talking from here...

We took a little test drive.  "Faster Daddy Faster", said Delaney!

Then, we went inside and contemplated holding Gabby (their puppy) hostage, and leaving Izzy as ransom...maybe another day...

Delaney did the Tango!

Then, we got hungry and looked for a little snack!

Which of course made us thirsty, so we had and beer & Delaney said "Yee-haw!"

Obviously, this led to Craig taking a S*%#!  He pooped some BIG snakes according to D!

We are super sneaky, aren't we!

We thought it was time for a work out!

Run, Forest, Run!

Craig might have taken another S*&#!

So, Delaney took a nap!

While, Craig took a shower!

Then, we played a little Peek-A-Boo!

And, you can decide what we did next!

            

Obviously, we had a little too much fun with this, and we're pretty lame for it!  I promise it was all PG-rated, harmless fun!  However, it was obviously not well-received when they got home about 10:40 last night.  We got the following text message from Miss "A" when shortly after their return (I censored it as much as I could while still maintaining it's greatness):

"Dear Funny f-ers,
We acknowledge your creativity and prowess.  We are speechless...Looks like a fun day at the "A-House"  D in the box was our favorite followed by a caged Izzy.

However, we are going to get bottles of bleach for shower/toilet violated by the snakes and Craig.  Disturbing photos.  Sure as hell hope they don't end up in the celebrate section of the Sunday newspaper.  Our new garage code is...write this down...
F*^$U then press # mother-fer Jones.
Sincerely,
East Side mafia motherf-ers"

I laughed so hard at this text that I couldn't choke it out to read to Craig as the tears streamed down my face.  It seriously made me laugh sooo hard I cried (which is much needed in a somewhat sad week)!  We then went over to try to call a truce.  I'm still not sure if they hate us, or were just completely caught off guard.  I am very nervous to return home this evening to find what awaits us! 

I must say that we simply adore our neighbors, and if or when the time ever comes for either of us to leave 7th Street it will be horrifically sad day in our house.  We couldn't dream of better friends to play crazy games with and have random crazy hat nights on the driveway with.  I only hope that our activities last night only deepened our bond with them and didn't permanently freak them out by our brand of crazy! 

Our parting words from them last night clearly did not call a "truce", so to that "A" Family...bring it!

LOVE YOU!