Wyoming Bound

The kids and I hit the road for Wyoming after our speedy (2 day) camping trip just prior to leaving! I was so very grateful that Aylah woke up only once on the way down and twice on the way home. It was a long trip - add in a little construction and a tired 3 year-old and it's always good to go back home! But we had a nice visit .... took part in a 60th birthday party, playing at the park, a trip to Flintstone Village, and overall just enjoying our time with friends and family (old and young ... LOL)!

Miss Alyah all dressed and ready for the birthday party for her Great Uncle Steve

Great Grandpa Fred meeting Aylah for the first time!!

Kailer and Carter enjoying hot dogs and "Chicken water" (There was a chicken on the label .. thanks Jan)!

Camryn and Aylah (2 months age difference)

The boys putting up the hay.

Aunt Jamie spoiling Little A.

Bitterroot Mountains!

Sometimes I truly believe that I'm a glutton for punishment! Who starts back to work (after being off for nearly 12 weeks) for two days, camping for 3 days and a 500 miles trip to Wyoming all within a 5 day time period? THIS MOMMA! I'm not really sure what I was thinking when I agreed to all of the above, but I did, and somehow I made it through all of it with success!! Just goes to show how we moms are very good at multi-tasking and just getting the job done in general! Our camping trip took us to one of our favorite areas close to home - the Bitterroot Mountains. We had a great time and even though it was a short trip, we enjoyed our last "hurrah" before the end of summer and the beginning of hunting season!

Hiking

The beginning of our 6+ mile hike - Kailer really was a trooper!

'Lil Miss A. enjoying some time in the woods!

Grabbing a bite to eat.

Headed back down the mountain - pretty sure Kailer is contemplating why he agreed to go hiking by this point! : )

Hitching a ride -  "Are we there yet?!"

An Apple A Day

On a recent trip to the local nursery, we acquired an apple tree in honor of Aylah (they give them out as gifts to babies born each year)! I know that "an apple a day keep the doctor away," but I'm thinking I better continue to buy apples - this tree has some time before it produces some fruit!!

Kailer adores his sister and everytime he's holding her he asks, "Can we take a picture?"

More face-painting (at the Potato Festival) ... you can never have enough!!

Kailer enjoying some time outside and playing with the hose on a hot summer night!

Agents of HOPE Carnival

Montana Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association!

There definitely is an advantage to living in a little bigger town (okay, so it's not Denver or L.A.) ... during the summer months you can usually always find something going on.  Last weekend my friend told me about the HOPE Carnival to benefit Muscular Dystrophy.  So I geared Kailer up for the fun by feeding him an early lunch, getting in a nap and then heading out.  The temperatures have continued to be quite warm, so we quickly stook in like for a rainbow snowcone!



But, no carnival would be complete without a little face-painting!

AND then, of course ... POPCORN!!

But by far the BEST part of the carnival (especially in Kailer's eyes) was getting to meet Ms. Batman!  Once he spotted her in the park, he couldn't help but be intrigued by her presence.  She visited with him and made him a sword.  Of course now that he's seen a girl batman he's convinced that that's who I need to be for Halloween this year! :)

Kailer pretending to "cut" Ms. Batman!!

Aylah in the Bumbo ... maybe getting ready for a boxing match?!

Those sparkly blue eyes will always steal mom's heart!

I leave the house for a few hours and I come home to Kailer running the computer - what's next?!

2 Months Old - with a lot to say!

She's got a lot to say - but as you can hear, she's already competing with Kailer! (He's in the background, in the back yard mind you, calling next door to his friend Edward) When Aylah puts her hand on her chest and 'talks' it reminds me of an opera singer!

Life Lessons -

Last week we were at the Splash Park and I felt like a broken record as I kept saying to Kailer, "Please don't run, you're going to fall." Well, Guess Who Was Right???

I think it's safe to say that Kailer loves his little sister. I even had to laugh to myself last night when Dan was holding Aylah and  Kailer said, "Dad it's my turn to hold Aylah!"