A Great Week!

Last Sunday, July 6, the door bell rang. When I got up to answer the door, I found my sister Steph there. She had flown all the way from Colorado for a surprise visit! It was such a great present! We hung out until Wednesday. Thanks for coming sis...you are such an encouragement to me!While Steph was here, we took Isabel swimming for the 1st time! She actually LOVED it!
OH and did I mention the bathing suit Izy is wearing was mine when I was a baby?! Craziness!
I have to share that on Wednesday Becky was burping Isabel over her shoulder, when she felt her pass gas. She did not think anything of it until she looked down at her shirt...Izy had pooped all over her! Lovely!
At the park, we decided to try swinging together! Izy loved it...Jac seemed like it was cramping her style a bit!
To end the week, I headed to Chicago for the weekend to celebrate my friend Brooke. She is getting married in August, so we had a weekend long bachelorette bash! It was so fun...and relaxing! I don't remember the last time I woke up on my own...I mean, without a baby's cry causing me to get out of bed! This picture is of her going out outfit...all dolled up! Congrats Brooke! I love you girl!

You know your a parent when...

Today at lunch I was ordering my meal and realized I said "I'll take the kid's chicken sandwich" when I really wanted a regular chicken sandwich off the adult menu. Cara laughed at me and gave me the idea to start a list of things that happen to us as parents that all parents understand. So here are a few of my favorites...please add yours so we can all laugh and sympathize together!

You know you are a parent when...
1. You constantly are wearing dirty clothes because there is some sort of food or bodily fluids from your children on them at all times...and in the weirdest places I might add!
2. You quote Baby Einstein, Brainy Baby, or any other very repetitive movie that your child likes with the exact tone and excitement as the woman on the video.
3. You have had to hang up the phone because you simply could not hear the other person over 1 or more of your children's noises.
4. You know how to open an oven while fending off a toddler.
5. You get joy in a poopy diaper before naptime!
6. For all you stay at home moms, you count down the minutes until daddy will be home...starting at 8:00 AM!
7. You know all of the people by name that take your tickets when you enter the Children's Museum.
8. You wish every restaraunt had a drive thru.
9. You find yourself always saying, "what does a ____ say?" everytime you speak any noun!
10. And finally, you have ever had to push that stupid, massive red cart at Target with the 2 seats attached that doesn't even turn and makes you feel like you are driving a school bus down a narrow alley!

I hope all you parents out there know that everytime one of these things happens...and you survive...you are making God smile by showing Him just how thankful you are for your children!

Fourth of July Festivities

We had an awesome 4th of July week celebrating our country! It started out at the Fishers Freedom Festival with one of the LONGEST parades I have ever seen...but it was still fun! Jac enjoyed it for sure and Izy was ...well, indifferent!We also hit up the Carmel Fest parade that was a little shorter, but rainier and still a good time!
The evening of the 4th we went over to Nic's Uncle Bruce's house on Lake Morse. It was a relaxing time with the family.
Living in the USA really does rock!
To watch the fireworks, we walked down to the dock and me be the overly parannoyed mom that I am, when it comes to water at least, made Jacklynn wear her life jacket. She was a little unsure as noted by the following face...
The fireworks were a lot of fun though! Jac LOVED them! Her facial expressions were priceless throughout the whole show!




On Saturday, we spent the day at the barn playing poker and hanging out with some more family. Jacklynn and Isabel love their Aunt CA!

To wrap up the holiday weekend, we went to our sister church downtown, Brookside, to serve breakfast. Jacklynn really enjoyed helping out...
It is so great to be able to spend the holidays with family! We are truly blessed to live in a country where we are allowed to live and worship as we please...and run around naked...:) You gotta love naked babies!!!

The Steve Foley Family

While we were in Colorado, we had family pictures taken as a present for my mom by Audrey Hannah. She did an amazing job on all of the pictures, but these are a few of my favorites...

Summer Pals

We have been clocking lots of hours outside so far this summer! This past week we went to a spray park with some of Nic's cousins kiddos...Jillian. Lauren. and Sophie.
One of Jac's favorite new buds is Julia Brammer...she just loves to play with her!
So I know there is not much of an update on life in this blog, but it will come soon...just wanted to share a few pics (cause that is 90% of the reason you look at this blog anyway :))! This next picture is so cute of the girls in their Matilda Jane that I could not resist including it! Hope you are all having a great summer!

We're Back!

I am so sorry for the lack of blogging over the past 7 weeks to be exact. A lot has been happening in our life...good and challenging! We finally closed on our house 6 weeks ago, but could not move in for another two weeks because of painting and plumbing issues. So the girls and I headed to Colorado...we needed a break! The drive was rough to say the least. Jacklynn did all right. She slept the majority of the time, but would wake up crying to remind us she was still stuck in her seat at every stop. Then the last two hours was a constant whine...but we made it!Isabel was the MVP! She slept the whole way except for when she would wake up to eat..which only happened 3 times...not to bad for an 18 hour trip!
I drove...the majority of the time! This is me taking a picture of myself in order to stay entertained and awake!
And Jenni...she pulled through! Although I am not sure she will be signing up to drive cross country with us again any time soon!
The van was a trooper. We only had one incident where the cargo carrier on top blew open for a few miles and we only realized after 9 people honked, flashed their lights, and pointed to the top of our car! But hey who doesn't want to stop for bungees in the middle of Kansas when it is freezing sideways rain?!
Being in Colorado was a great refreshing time for me spiritually and physically. It was so nice to have everyone there to help out with the girls! The weather is so unpredictable...Jacklynn had to wrap in this fleece blanket because it went from 70 to 30 while we were out one day!
Oh grandpa! The best part about the way he is carrying her is that she did not even seem to notice or care!
We went to 8 of Uncle Ben's basketball games while we were there. He is an amazing athlete...I am so proud! On Sunday, we went to 3 games in a row. The girls were such troopers...but the 3rd game did not have AC and Jac's face says it all!
Big Sister & Little Sister...
I am sorry we do not have many pictures from Colorado...we were there for a little over 2 weeks. While we were there, my sister Jenni graduated from high school too (way to go Jenni!). FYI I would not recommend trying to take 2 kids under 2 to a graduation...it did not really go over to well!
Soon after we got back, we went downtown to another Indians game to hear Nic's Uncle Steve do an AMAZING job singing the National Anthem! Jacklynn enjoyed for the very first time her own ice cream cone! Ha! It was so entertaining and she was so dead serious about eating it!
This past weekend all the Becky, Cecil, Cara, Nic, me, and the girls went to Holiday World. It was a beautiful day and we definitely had the most fun in the water park! Izy took a little dip...she wimpered at first, but then seemed to enjoy the water!


The whole fam at the entrance...
There was this cute white picket fence outside of our hotel, so while killing sometime we had a small photo shoot...


If you noticed, Jacklynn does have a massive scrape on her nose in a few of these pictures. She fell face first the other day on the concrete...OUCH! Here is a picture of me and my girls...

On Sunday, we drove home through French Lick. It was so pretty and definitely worth the drive! In one of the hotels, there was a bowling alley, so we decided to let Jac give it a try...
She hated it...
We were literally forcing her to push the ball...oh well! It was funny!
The hotels originally were founded in French Lick because of the springs. Here Cara and I are standing in front of one...and we forgot to bring the stroller in, so we just tagged a few wheelchairs!
There you have it! The past few weeks in a nut shell! Love you all!

Newborn Pictures

There are a few pictures of Jacklynn and Isabel from last week on the Carpenter Photography website (date: May 7), so check them out! I think they are just precious!