They got me, and oh, I am 30 now....

I am so lucky to have such great friends here in Ohio and I guess, kind of lucky that they surprised me big time for my 30th birthday. I honestly had no idea, I thought I was going to the baby shower that I helped plan. I showed up with my tray of recess bars and everything. Even at the end of the party I couldn't believe that we were still not doing the baby shower. Anyway, it was great fun with great ladies. They went with a kitchen theme, so everything I opened was a kitchen gift that had a recipe with it, the goal was for me to get 30 recipes. It was just so nice to have a ladies evening and to sit and chat.


Here are my goodies from my party, so much fun stuff!

As far as my b-day went, it was great. I started the morning with a 5 mile run, I got going in the dark and was able to see the sun rise over the lake, it was great. When I got home, we took a trip to the blueberry farm. We picked so many big berries that were so yummy, but the heat beat us out that morning and we headed home. In the afternoon Andy and I went to see a movie and to Cheesecake factory for linner. That is where Andy gave my most surprising gift.....a manila envelope with two passport applications!! That is all I know for now, that we are going on a trip, don't know when or where. I am so excited and looking forward to more clues to come!

So the birthday was great, and it feels good to be 30. It is weird to look back and think about how many things happen in 30 years, my life has gone in so many different directions, and I am so happy with the path I am now. Thanks to everyone for the b-day wishes and packages, cards, etc., I had a great day thanks to all of you!

Swim Team Sum-UP....

So it is over and it turned out pretty good. Swim team the past few months has been great for the kids. It was hard to be up and out the door every morning so early, but it was worth it, I felt like we weren't wasting our summer away. To sum things up I am so proud of Porter and Carlee and their willingness and excitement to compete and try different strokes. It is amazing to see them do backstroke, butterfly, etc. and compete. I love going up to their rooms and seeing their many ribbons and it makes them feel so good too. To celebrate the end of the season there was one big giant pool party at our pool with pizza and other junk food, the kids had a blast. It is sad to think that this is our last year at this pool.


Carlee getting her medal.


Marin has become quite the water skeeter.


More cute Marin.


Tessa is such a goon, she loves to play with Marin in the kiddie pool.


Team mates.


Porter and his medal.

Tessa May is 3.......

I know I always say that I can't believe how fast the time goes by, but really it does. It feels like a few months ago that we moved into this house and I was about ready to pop, but really it was over 3 years ago!

Tessa had a great day, I tried so hard to make her feel like a super special girl. It started with me getting up at 5:30 a.m. (which is something my body does automatically with trying to beat the heat for my runs) and instead of running I stayed home to make her cake. Porter of course came down stairs not to long after me and he was so excited to help. We wrapped some presents in between cake steps and he even made her a map/scavenger hunt for her to find the present loot. Eventually the princess came down too and I had her help me with her cake.







The gardener worked out in the yard for a bit and then I got everyone ready so we could get to Chuck E. Cheese. We wanted to go early so we could leave before lunch. Tessa has been asking for the longest time to go there and this was the perfect excuse for her, I couldn't say no any longer. After fun and games at Chuck your cheese we went to Chick Fil' A for lunch. The kids love it there, they have fun/clean toys and better food I think.











Then we headed home for a short rest, then it was time for cake and presents. Tessa was so cute about her cake, she just loved it. She had been asking me for a rainbow cake, so I played around a bit, and this is what we came up with.











The day ended with Andy taking the kids to Redbox and letting them pick a movie and he got them each slushies (we have the best slushies here). Andy found Tessa not to long after the movie started, asleep with her straw hanging out of her mouth. I think she had a great day.

When I think about Tessa I get a huge smile on my face and I shake my head. She is the cutest, funniest, most rascal three year girl ever. She has the most beautiful eyes and the best hair in the family. Last night she woke up in the night asking for a drink. She usually will go back up to her bed, but last night she asked to sleep with me and I just couldn't say no on the eve of her birthday. I had a hard time falling back to sleep after that. I just kept looking at how big she is now, and kept touching her face. Just as I was about to go off to dream land she rolled over and put her little arm around my neck and told me she loved me. Tears came to my eyes as I told her I loved her back. And I do I love that little girl so much and I am so grateful to be her mom.

Happy Birthday baby girl.

Chalkin' It Up to a Great Summer....

Our little peanut has discovered how much fun sidewalk chalk can be, although she is still learning that it is for the ground and not her mouth. Clearly from the pictures below it is one of her favorite things ever.


Look how she in covered in chalk, look at her shirt!


"No mom, I did not just eat chalk."


I love to bite these toes.


Marin is so proud of her ability to clap.


She is just so cute!


Her hand is always in the bucket reaching for more.


And here is Miss Tessa May on her bike.


And here is Carlee, always ready for a picture.

Moving on to the next fun thing about our summer is that we got to go to the Hill Cumorah Pageant last week. For some reason we thought it was further away than it really was and we ended up in Palmyra, New York just 4 1/2 hours later, it was great! We arrived just two hours before the show, it was perfect timing. They had some food vendors there and I enjoyed the chicken, slaw, rolls, and salt potatoes. It was fun picnicking on the huge hill, pretty amazing. The show started promptly at 9:15 and lasted about 1 hour and a half and we were pretty lucky to have seats in the very front. The show was nothing like I expected, there were lights, fire, water, and music!! They did a great job of bringing everything to life. I really am so grateful that we had the chance to go, I feel like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, who knows where we will be next summer.


Here is our front row spot.


Andy and the girls with some of the cast.


The setup at Hill Cumorah


Carlee and some cast people.


The costumes are all so great.


The family.



So, in other fun stuff, Porter's baseball season has officially ended (one more things off the list). It was great and he did a wonderful job. They ended the season with a pizza pool party at the pool at night, Porter didn't get home until 10 p.m.!!


Getting ready for a big hit.


Serious swinging.


Run, Porter, Run.....




Here he is making a play.


The team after the last game.

In other news, I hired a gardener, his name is Andy, and he is a very hard worker, oh wait, it's just my husband. He has been working so hard in the back yard, pulling out trees, pulling weeds, and as of right now, laying 6 cubic yards of mulch all over the place (and it happens to be the hottest day in 16 years here in the Cleve). The kids have been spending more time in the sand box than usual so they can be wherever their dad is, and the other day was Marin's first time in it. She only ate a little bit of sand, so it wasn't to bad. The only bad thing was when I brought her in to change her diaper and a ton of sand came out of her pants, add it on to the list of things I need to clean up.


Kiddos in the sand.


More evidence of sand eating.

Which speaking of cleaning up, Marin is at the "pull everything out" discovery stage. I happened to leave one of my dresser drawers a little open after putting laundry away, and she was right there and literally pulled everything out that I had in there. Not only did she pull it all out, she was so kind to spread it all over my room. Then she attacked Andy's medical books, then his dresser, and the next day she got into the kitchen towels, like I didn't have enough to do already. It's okay though, she is so cute and happy when she is making all of these discoveries, and it is fun to she her growing up and getting older.


My little mess maker.


She loves peek-a-boo


Oh my happy girl.

I think that is it for this update. We are just hitting the pool everyday to stay cool and getting ready for birthday mania, we have 3 approaching fast!!! This will be interesting!

A Fabulous Fourth....

We have had such a busy, but wonderful summer so far. The day after we got home from Maine, Andy's sister and her husband Caleb flew to the Cleve for another visit. It was so fun as usual and jammed packed with stuff everyday. The first night they were hit we hit Buffalo Wild Wings right after the airport, serisously, that place is so good, LOVE the sauce (and I love it so much I looked into how to franchise it, too bad I don't have a couple mill in the bank.) After BW3 we just played in the yard and hung out and talked, the fireflies were just starting to pop up. Oh, also that night, Marin was showing off her new ability to clap, so cute!




Lauren and Marin playing with the chalk.

The next day we headed over to Bay Days to the carnival and to get some funnel cake. The kids love the rides and games, me, not so much, I am more into people watching.


This right here is worth every penny, she is a whole different girl on the back of a horse.


And to my surprise, Tessa got on one too. I don't know why, but I just didn't think she was into it, but she loved it and is requesting a horse birthday at Chuck E Cheese....


Seeing these ponies brought back memories of me when I was little and had my own pony. If I remember correctly it died but my mom told me we had to give it away, don't know for sure though, I need to dig up old pics.


Porter wanted to ride this ride so badly, Uncle Caleb was more than willing to go.


It is hard to take pictures of people when they are spinning so fast!


Love these two.

We also had a fun day at the pool and a very relaxing Sunday where everyone took a nap in preparation for the 4th. Monday morning Lauren and I woke up early for the Bay Days 5 mile run, I repeat, 5 MILES, not a 5k. I was a little scared considering the most I have run was 4 miles and I had just come off vacation, but overall I felt like I could do it, especially with my race running pal Hillary. The race did go well, and I ran the whole time with Hill at my side, and there have been one point where we had the police car behind us, don't know though, but that is not important. What is important is that I did it, and I am considering bigger things, but nothing set in stone yet.

Here we are after the race, looking HOT, but not really.

After the race we went to the Lakewood parade for some candy action. I have seen better, but it got my need for the band music taken care of, I love the bands. During the day we played Catan and just hung, made dinner and then headed over to the lake to get a spot for fireworks. We ate more funnel cake and just played on the grass, it is just fun being together. We spotted the missionaries at Bay Days, the stick out like a sore thumb for sure.


Love the missionaries, they are so funny.


Did I mention I love these two??


Lauren and I, I can't believe how much she has changed over the years and that she has been married 3 years!


Caleb snagged this cute pic of Tessa while being the crazy camera man.


Notice the "paint face" that Caleb has done on the kids, he really is good.


These two are crazy together.


Porter at one point during the visit told Caleb that he was his best friend.


Sis and Bro


Love this of Lauren and the kids, Marin and Tessa are in their own world.


Take a picture, win a prize.

The firework show was awesome and after we walked home Andy got to work right away on doing a funny to the Kevesdey's car. I will sum up what could be a long story. Our house is kind of the place to park as we are in a good location for parking and walking to the lake grass. Two years ago as Andy and I walked back to the house after fireworks, the Kevesdy fam were on our grass trying to pull out of our driveway, but with so many cars it can be difficult and Andy and I could her Brother K saying "hurry, get in the car, hurry, HURRY!" We figured it was because they didn't want us to see them on our grass (which it is so not a big deal). So this year while at fireworks we got a text from them saying they had parked on the grass, so the wheels started spinning and this is what he came up with.


Kim taking a picture of the car. Andy printed off this sign and roped off the car, he is funny, I just have to admit it.

The next day Lauren and Caleb wanted to go to the lake so we went and it was so hot, but still so fun. I ended up taking Marin home early, she was exhausted. Caleb is very creative and transformed Carlee and Tessa into mermaids.



Tessa mer-messa.

On their last night here we took them over to Rocky River Park, it is just so beautiful there. Lauren wanted some pics of her and Caleb, so we got creative and this is the outcome...


So yeah, it goes without saying, we had a great visit. The kids were terribly sad when they left especially Tessa, her and Caleb became quite the pair, and she said that she still wanted to show La something. As we pulled away from the airport, Porter said "well, we have to go back to normal life now", and that about sums it up.