Bye Bye Nu-Nu's

As if I needed a reminder just how big my little girl is getting, she is now officially done with her Nukers.  Although I'm thrilled with her big step, I am a little sad about her shedding another 'baby' quality.  But it was time...

Here's my big girl's last morning waking up with her beloved nu-nu.

We'd been talking about the big day all week long, and she knew all about where we were going to put them...

Carrying the Nukers to the 'gow-bidge.'

Cooper, thanks for being a great big brother and helping Izzy with the transition.  (Several times over the course of the following week, if Izzy was sad or crying, he'd say, "I think she's sad about her nu-nu's mom!  He was a very concerned big brother!)

That first night, there were a few tears and a big fat lip when she actually realized that those nuks were not coming back... But she did great!  Just a little extra snuggle time and a couple midnight reminders to snuggle with her baby, and she did it!  There's no turning back now!  We've been nuk-free in this house for a week!

The next morning--big girl!!  Now she snuggles with her baby and baby's 'bankie.'

Baby always HAS to have her 'bankie'

I cannot believe how this little girl is becoming such a big girl right before our eyes ;)  But a fun perk of ditching the nuk is that our story and snuggle time before bed is a lot more lively and the conversations have been very memorable and super sweet this week!  Izzy likes to finish off a few words of her prayers, and she likes to rattle off all the names she can think of when we say, "God Bless _____." 

My little honey.  I love you sooo much!!

Camera Phone Share

I about had a heart attack thinking I lost our camera, so for a week and a half, I had I only my camera on my phone.  Not cool. But regardless, here's a little of what my good camera missed over the last couple weeks...  (Makes me realize I'm not ready to replace the brick, I mean camera, just yet!!)

A popsicle-kind-of-night!

Carrots from the garden for the horses down the street

"Horses... we got some carrots for ya!"  Maybe next time...

Derby season is here.  Cooper loves taking a ride, but Izzy's not too sure just yet.  She does say "Doh-bee Cow" though!

Catching baby froggies or "baby fwoggies" as Izzy calls them

Yes, I can cook something from scratch.  These blueberry muffins would fetch me a blue ribbon I bet!

That's my boy!  Clipping coupons with mom!

Yummy wasssbawies on her fingoes

A sand angel on a chilly July visit to the park

Rain, rain, go away!

June 19... And then the rains came. And came. And came.  We have never seen Belle Plaine look quite like it did this past week.    We are thankful our home experienced no damage, but we feel for our neighbors, many of whom have water damage in their basements.  We are nowhere near a floodplain, so of course no one around here has flood insurance. Probably the worst is the mudslides that are ruining a few homes (again, no insurance) and keeping others from their homes due to ruined roads.

It stinks around here--sandbags still litter many yards and debris is still laying all around in yards.  Grass is muddy black and the path through the development is caked in dried thick, stinky mud.  We need a good rain just to clean everything up now, but no one dares to wish for that :(

The flags line the bike path, so Veteran's park was basically a bowl holding water.

About 25 steps from our driveway.

Not a lake.  Not even a pond.

Field behind our house, which was dumping into the holding ponds, helping cause the flooding on this end of town.

Ball field at Meadow Park.

The 'bike path' under the highway.

Home is Where the Heart Is!

Home is definitely where the heart is... and although we love our trips to the park, the Zoo, grandma and grandpa's, campgrounds, ice cream shops, and a playdate here and there... we find lots to keep us busy right here at home :)

Reading with daddy... Izzy loves identifying pictures, and Cooper loves telling the stories!

Cooper loved using the tape to make a "Puffy Ball" track

He also loved sorting the 'puffy balls'

This little cheeser loves wearing shoes around the house, and finding things to be necklaces

Weeeee!

Did you know sand and water makes mud?  Just ask Cooper.

Cruisin in the Chrysler

A quick stop at the Big Yellow Barn for a treat after church one Sunday

Another CHEESE!

Daddy, the Jungle Gym

Blue tongue from Cooper's special treat from the Big Yellow Barn

Goofball

Flying the kids' first kite together

Cooper LOVES it

And a couple weeks ago, we enjoyed a visit from our Iowa friends, Katie, Dave, Quinton, and Aubrey.  The Endres crew also joined us for some backyard fun and a BBQ.  I had zero chance of getting a shot with all the kids together... I didn't even get one of each of them separately...

Ben is getting so big! 

Quinton loved the water shooter!

We showed Abby and Olivia how to do 'fast hugs'

More fast hugs!

And Izzy got her snuggles, too!

Happy Summer!  More to come :)