Beware - Forever Long Post

Maybe I should start updating a little
more often, yes?
we shall see....

I have too many pictures to post,
even though it still seems I have posted
a million in this one!

I honestly had no desire to get these pictures
in the right order whatsoever!!
So sorry for the jumping around:)

The last two months have been
BUSY, tiring,
but oh so fun!!

We have finished many projects on the house.
we've enjoyed MANY visitors!!
Plus we welcomed another
sweet little girl into our lives.

In July my 2 older brothers,
with their families came for a visit
as they headed west
to Utah to visit our family.

We took them to a fun lego museum!
It was amazing the skills this
guy had.
They even had a fun play area
where the kids could
build their own lego sculptures.

Madi and her cousin Ali Jo
building like pros!

I LOVE the cello....
sure with I could take it home!

Uncle Brz:)

We've come up with quite the creative
things for Madi to do!
She is scoping out the wild bunnies
and squirrels that scamper
around in our backyard.

Madison had a bad fever one week
so we missed out on church.
Luckily we had our own nursery
that Sunday!
We had our lesson and singing time
and colored pictures with
chocolate pudding!

Like I said, these are totally out of order!
Ali, Brig and Madi

Earlier in the month we had
stadium fireworks show
right in our driveway!!
Everyone here in Topeka goes
crazy over the 4th of July.
It was probably the best firework show
I have seen yet!

In memory of Madison's
obsession with my belly when I was pregnant!
She constantly was asking
"mommy, can I blow on your belly?"
She'd try to lift my shirt up in public!

Thank you Nana for the body paint!!

One of the sweet lakes that we live by!
There was a carnival
with lots of activities and stands
by the lake.
It was super hot that day...
pretty much like everyday here!
The last few weeks it's been
around 114 degrees almost everyday,
not to mention the lovely humidity
that makes your clothes automatically
stick to your skin as you walk out the door!
Lucky for us,
the last few days its only gotten to the mid 90's
and in the mornings its wonderful,
about 70!
We can actually go for walks now!!

Madi found herself a little friend one day
when we went out to go swimming
in her pool!
And yes, she did manage to pick up
this tiny little frog
to try and figure out his name!
I think it ended up being
buttons or something??

Trevor finished all the flooring in the kitchen
and all 3 bathrooms!
Glorious day I tell you!
It's been so nice to finally have
everything settled.
Painting was horrible,
I never knew my arms could hurt so bad!!
Everything is done, which is great
because Trevor starts school on Monday!
GULP!

Madison riding her train at the carnival
at Lake Shawnee

Madi and daddy chillin in the pool!
It honestly was like bath water
because of all the heat!

I don't know if it's the heat, humidity
or just all the fun we have been enjoying,
but little miss priss has been sleeping
3 -4 hours
EVERYDAY during nap time
this entire summer!

My daughter has quite the imagination
as of late.
It makes me laugh - harder than usual!
She found my box of extra fabric,
and well - we had some serious fun!

Bath time is always fun with daddy!
Daddy had to step in quite a bit
with bath time towards the end
of my pregnancy.
It was too hard to lift Madi in and out
and bend over to wash!

Trevor's parents were able to come visit
us for a whole week at the
very end of July!
And my younger brother Dave was able to
come for a long weekend!
It was so fun to have them.
Not to mention they helped out
a TON!

Madison painting daddy's toes!

They totally match - was so fun!
Daddy is such a great sport.
He even went to scout camp the next
day and didn't remove it!
Now that is love.

For FHE while Nana and Papa were here
we had a lesson about the Holy Ghost.
He teaches us when to STOP and GO
when making choices!
So, we totally taught Madi how
to play 'Red light, Green light'
She loved it!

Trev and his parents took Madi to the zoo
while Raelee and I stayed home.
It was way to hot for us to go out!

What luck - I got both girls sticking out
their tongues :)
I surely love my adorable girls!

Our very own cousin IT!

This pic is an inside joke for my family....
All I have to say is,
Dave on the cruise!!
hahahah

At Lake Shawnee they placed a bunch of rocks
and dug out the bottom and put in a bunch of
sand, plus made a big beach!!
They have little tiki huts and slides!
This is a favorite, and only 10 min
from home!!

Nana and Mads rockin' the
hankies!

This girl sleeps like a charm!
The other night, she slept
THE WHOLE NIGHT!!
It was marvelous,
and of course wasn't repeated:)
On average, Raelee will usually
sleep for 4-5 hours the first part of the night
and then 2-3 hrs the next.
So I usually only get up once or twice,
I really can't complain.
Like night and day my two girls!!

At birth Raelee weighed 7 lbs 15 oz
by 2 weeks they like the baby to be back
to his/her birth weight.....

At her 1 week appt
she weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz

At her 2 week appt
she weighed in at a whoppin
9 lbs 2 oz!!

Needless to say,
I don't think she is starving!

Madi doing Papa's hair

Every Wednesday they have
a fun activity at the library for the kids.
Madison lives for Wednesday mornings!!
Nana and Papa were able to go see
Mr. Stinky Feet :)
I'm not entirely sure what went
on, I think he did more
of a singing time with the kids.
The babe and I stayed home for this one.

My brother Dave flew in on a Friday morning.
Since we were out that way,
we drove over to see the new
temple being built in Kansas City,
then ventured to Liberty Jail
and our last stop was the Visitors Center in
Independence!
David and I have been to all these sights,
but Trevor and his parents haven't!
So it was so much fun to take them!!

Ahhhh, laughing with my brother again.

The temple is gorgeous!
Notice Dave and Madi.
I love watching those two play.
They both adore each other - its great!

Yee-haw!!

What a surprise!!
Everyone was taking pictures of the
'seashell' temple across the street
from the visitor's center.
It was super hot, so I wanted
to get my girls inside
before we died!
As I walked through the door
I see a sister missionary
running towards me with the BIGGEST
grin!
Who else than our sweet Sister Dodd!!
She was transferred to the VC
right after we had taken her to lunch
the month before!
We happened to be lucky
because she had JUST started her shift
and we were her first tour of the day!
It was really touching to see Sister Dodd
share her testimony with us
as we went through the new
'God's Plan' tour.
AWESOME!!
The Spirit was felt very strongly.
I don't know if it was extra special because
I have known Sister Dodd forever,
or because I had my family with me,
or because we had just added to our eternal family
with Raelee,
but it was AMAZING!
Even though I've seen the church
sites before,
it continues to help my testimony
grow that much more.

I am so grateful for MY eternal family!
How blessed my life has been.

I don't know how Joseph Smith
and the other pioneers did it.
Actually living out here now - I would
have died living in this heat!

Since we had some of our family here,
we wanted to take complete advantage!
Trevor was able to bless Raelee,
with the help of his father and my younger brother Dave
on July 31st.
Raelee was only 2 weeks!
Trevor did an amazing job.
I'm so grateful that he holds the priesthood!
It was different not having lots
of our family here,
especially my parents.
We do feel blessed to have had some family
here though!

My mother is a dear sweetheart!
A week and a half before
she was to be blessed,
by mom called to say she
was making Raelee a blessing dress!
Good gravy mom, you are on a mission
and super busy!
I was just planning on using
the dress she made for Madison.
She insisted though, since
this is something she does for all her
grand-daughters.
It arrived a few days before,
and it is so GORGEOUS!
She did an amazing job.
I can't say Thank-You enough!!
I love you mom!

ps.... my kids were both
ready to be done with pictures.
I think the only one I like,
is the one of both girls with Uncle Dave!

Every year we go to bear lake for a week
with Trevor's family and some friends.
They always have some T-shirts made.
Since we didn't get to go to bear lake this year,
we decided to make our own t-shirts for Topeka Kansas!
It was fun!

During the first part of August,
Brig and Ali stayed again
on their way back home to
Nashville.
We had a delicious breakfast,
and when we pulled out the eggs
they were totally frozen!
It was hilarious,
too bad it didn't work out so well
for our over easy eggs!

Ali saying " Aren't babies so cute!!"

I couldn't stop laughing at this picture!
we all had just woken up,
and you can tell he still has a sleep look!

Madi finally got strong enough to squirt the hose on her own!

Everyone just out of bed -
pretty sure Ali looks the best!
In case you were wondering,
letting your hair air dry, doesn't work here!

This past Monday for FHE
we decided to go bowling!!
We know with school starting up this next week
that we won't be seeing much
of Trevor till Christmas.
It was so much fun teaching Madison!
She was super proud of herself
every time she hit down a pin!