First Side Pig-Tails

Well, I'm making up for lost time with three posts in one day! Here are some shots of today's hair-dos. Clara is sporting her first ever side pig-tails! It's just the front part of the hair.

Too Cute Not To Share!

These were taken yesterday as Clara and I were spending time out in the garden! I try to share some pictures soon about the incredible progress the garden made in one week!

My Little Gardener:


Now, remind me of the medical benefits of eating dirt?



This shot would make it appear that it functions as some sort of anti-depressant!

Why The Long Silence?

Well, the answer to that is that Clara and I were in CA for a week so I could make my debut as a bridesmaid in my dear friend, Corinne's wedding. The wedding was beautiful, Corinne! You were lovely and did such a great planning job! A BIG congratulations to you two, Corinne and Grant! You are a wonderful couple! May you find great joy as you serve the Lord Jesus together!

One of the lovely perks of this wedding was that it was in my home town, so I also got to spend time with my fabulous family and other friends! We were there for a week. Here are a few random pictures from our time. I'll have to wait to show pictures from the actual wedding, because I don't have any yet.


Anna and I demonstrating our vast levels of intelligence (our able photographer was Amy):



Anna and I looking somewhat saner. And that is our wonderful Aunt Margie with us.

Sisters and a niece!



The whole fam with the exception of Stephen.

Clara Turns One!

Here are some shots from our little one's first birthday! The celebration part was pretty low-key, but we did get some special pictures throughout the day. Enjoy!

We got to go spend time with Daddy on his lunch break!





A few other pictures from the big day:




Dinner! A "Clara favorite": pasta!


Somebody had a melt down when it was time to open a present... we're not exactly sure why...


...but she got over it!




Cake Time! I decided to do something relatively simple and went with a pink teddy bear head... Clara's been enjoying her stuffed animals lately. She seemed mostly interested in the candle! I probably could have just stuck a candle in the middle of a round cake, and that would have been just fine!




She was rather "lady-like" in her cake consumption... and didn't eat very much. She seemed particularly uninterested in doing much with the icing. At some points she seemed to be trying to pick the cake out from underneath the icing!




Our little girl is growing up so fast! We love you, Clara Belle!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE GIRL!

A VERY Special Treat!!!

We got a very special treat last evening and today! Aunt Margie came to visit!!! She has been in this part of the country seeing some family, and made a special trip out to visit us! We were honored and so happy to have her!!! She came last night and we got to have super together, chat, look at pictures, etc. This morning, Stephen was able to go in to work a little late and we got to have a special crepe breakfast all together. After Stephen took off we ladies did a few things and then got ready and went to a place I understood had some nice areas for walking. We ended up doing a 5 mile trail!!!! It was good exercise and soooooo beautiful and such a treat to have Aunt Margie here! She left about an hour ago. Thanks for coming Aunt Margie! It was so much fun!

Here are some pictures from today's outing:



Clara slept for a little while.

At one point I tried to feed a turtle some graham cracker, and the turtles and fish started congregating! We had about 10 turtles swimming around in the end and a bunch of fish. I think all three of us were quite interested!!! And aren't those two BIG???!!! They were probably about 2 1/2 or 3 feet long, nose to tail tip.






Clara had fun chasing ducks and geese, but unfortunately, Mommy didn't protect her like she should have, and she did get attacked by a goose... not too badly though.

A Precious Momma Moment

Last night, poor Miss Clara woke up an hour or so after we had put her down. She was extremely distressed. We're assuming it was a molar. Comfort was refused for quite some time. However, after baby Motrin and Daddy pushing on her gums and lots of soothing, she eventually calmed down, and I got to enjoy one of those precious "Momma moments", that Mommas treasure, as she quieted down and fell asleep in my arms.