"these are all my cousins" [a trip to joplin]

Here's a little update for ya. 

Lauren says I haven't posted in awhile.  Life is busy these days!

So I'm doing this whole post from my phone while I sit by the lake.  

Seriously I'm so busy.    :)

Last week we drove to Joplin to see my auntie, cousins, and their kids.  Including Elise, there were 10 kids under the age of 7 and two sets of twins.  It was very peaceful and relaxing..... well maybe not that - but it sure was FUN.  

Here's Elle and Elise and Lola.  Or Lola and Elise and Elle.  Not sure... Sorry Stacy.  

Elise had her first sqeez-it.  She had no interest in participating in the "cheers!" because she was too busy sucking down the kool-aid. 

I wish I had a giant tree for a tire swing.   And look at sweet Maddie pushing Elise on the swing.  Seriously the nicest sweetest little 7 year old around.  

I think this is all the cousins.  I think.  

My mom brought a piñata for all the kids.  It was so fun, although we need to work on Elise's piñata skills.  It was a little pathetic. 

My cousin Pete was so nice to Elise.  Thanks Petey!  

Here's Pete swinging with Elise and cute William.  

Elise lounged around in the mornings at the hotel. 

They are cute.  :-)

Elise would tell everyone that "these are all my cousins!"   She had so much fun.  Thanks for such a fun time guys!! 

friday phone dump

We've been keeping busy! It is definitely summer around here.  Elise is getting fewer naps these days because we are just having too much fun.  It catches up with her though and she ends up in bed by 7pm.

We've been spending our days playing at the lake with some friends...

Playing with our own shadows...

And living it up at the carnival where Great Grandma lives. 
This kid was in heaven - cotton candy, watermelon, and ice cream.  She even got her own little can of pop.  Lucky. 

This week we went swimming with some friends.  Elise had the best time and swam for about three hours straight.  She would swim (with her swimmies) from one end of the pool to the other, climb out, run around, and do it again. 

She was dead asleep 5 minutes after we got in the car. 
She didn't even wake up when we got home so I left her sleeping in there for over half an hour.  I finally went to wake her up - and she's still snoring. I think she gets that from her daddy.  

flip flops

fathers day

Everyone came out to the lake today for Father's Day. 

It was the most perfect day.  

Look at sweet Elise and her daddy...aren't they the cutest??

They found a little frog! 

Aubrey and Tyler came too. 

She had to show her cousin how to do the ski trainer.  

I can't believe how big she is.

A little hot tub fun.

She was SO tired after everything today.  She fell asleep in the car on the way home and pretty much flipped out until we got her in her bed.  She couldn't stop crying.  We'd ask her why she was sad she would say things like "because my band-aid will fall off by itself!"  "because I have too many tears!"  "because I have a little owie on my piggy toe!"  "because my milk is way over there!"  Sweetheart was pooped. 

lately. random & the zoo.

Lauren's been bugging me for an update.

 So I guess this is for Auntie Wowo.

This week has been pretty nice so I busted out the water table.

This was SUCH a good idea. 

She played with this for an hour without any help from me. 

My tan is coming along pretty well, thank you very much.

We had a couple rainy days this week. 

They involved a little mall playland and umbrellas.

I'm pretty sure she thought I was super cool after I let her walk around in the rain in her rain boots and hello kitty umbrella. 

 

Nick and I went out for our SEVENTH anniversary last night.  

Whoa.  We are old. 

We totally enjoyed ourselves with dinner on the water at Boatwerks and then stuffing ourselves even more with ice cream in downtown Holland.  

Hello cute brewery in Holland.

On friday G&G Goote took Elise to the zoo.  I'm pretty sure she loved it - because Grandpa Goote sent me all these cute pictures...

And Lauren wanted a video....

sunday funday

Today after church we headed to the Lake. 

It was a beautiful perfect day. 

I also forgot my nice camera so these are all pictures from my phone. 

She loves her little scooter.   

I'll say it again.  This kid has it made. 

We went on our first tube ride of the year.  She loved it. 

They did a little exploring with the neighbors. 

Elise and her buddies Ava & Vivian.

It's so nice having these little friends next door. 

The best part of the day - Elise tried the little skiier!

She was so good!  I was surprised.  

She was standing up and waving. 

Her face was priceless.  

She's getting so big!

a

And a video for Lauren - we had to do it twice so Auntie Wo-wo could see. 

Pardon my shrill-ness - I was pretty excited.  :-)

Notice the part where she gets so happy she starts waving with BOTH hands...haha.  

baseballs & cotton candy

Friday night we headed to a Whitecaps game with G&G Goote.

We had free tickets and all you can eat dinner. 

Elise ate a lot of chips and cookies.

And she talked her Grandpa into buying her some cotton candy.

It was a gorgeous night. 

The giant pig wearing an inner tube gave her a baseball.  I'm pretty sure it's because she's so freaking adorable.  And she blew him a kiss.  :-)

a little phone update

Not much new over here.  

Lately Elise has spent some of her afternoons reorganizing the pantry.  

She moves everything to a different shelf...

...and then she does this.  I think she takes after her Grandma Terri. 

Last week we had our friends Kelly & Kaylin out to the lake to play.  

We took a golf cart ride to get pizza and ice cream cones at Maria's for lunch. 

We both decided we are so happy that we can stay home with our girls and live it up while our husbands are at work.  We've got it good.  And so do they.   :-)

I took this video tonight while reading her bedtime stories.  

She knows all her books by heart - she says she is 'reading' them.  

This one is called "What Daddies Do Best" - it's super cute. 

Pardon all my chins.