Jason cuts down a tree

We've been talking about cutting down this tree for ages!

It was starting to impede the growth of the tree next to it.  Plus, it just didn't look right in the middle of the yard like that.  It is sad to cut down a tree but I think it really opens up our yard and will make it even more enjoyable to play back there.

Grace really enjoyed watching.

She also loved helping Jason put the branches in a pile.

She looks so grown up in these pictures to me.

She is almost three!

Balsam Lake - The Boat

We had a great time vacationing at Balsam Lake!

Our friends Eric and Gini have relatives with a lake house in Wisconsin, and they invited us to stay there with them for a week!  How fantastic is that?!  We are going to do our best to stay on their good sides so we can go back again!

Grace ADORED riding in the boat.  She loved standing in the back and watching the wake, as well as dropping and lifting the anchor.  She likes to go FAST!

She was often pensive while we drove the boat, but she would occasionally let out a giggle of glee when we hit some choppy patches.  She also liked to exclaim, "I like the boat!" repeatedly.

Clara wasn't a huge fan, but she put up with it mildly sometimes, especially if there were crackers involved.  I don't think she liked wearing the life vest or the cold wind when we were really moving.  We tried to take Grace out a lot during her morning nap.

Gini and Eric have a son named Ethan who is about to turn 2.  They both enjoyed watching the action as we zoomed along!

I think I will divide my pictures into a few postings about this vacation, so stay tuned for more pictures later!

Vacation Day 1

This is my 300th posting!

We are on vacation in Minneapolis and having a great time!

The girls have been really great being good sports with the traveling.  Grace really enjoyed Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes videos that we borrowed from Avery.

Clara was a rock star in this folding stroller pretty much all day.

We went to the Sculpture Gardens and it was perfect for strolling around with the girls.  Grace really liked most of the sculptures, but this one was too scary.  It was of clothes with invisible bodies inside of them, so I don't blame her!

Grace helped out by pushing Clara around.

Spoon bridge to nowhere!  You can't tell in the pictures, but there is water flowing over the cherry.

The requisite family shot!

All of this activity conked out Clara, but not Grace!

More to come, stay tuned!

One Year Old!

Clara turned one year old a week ago!

We had a great crowd here to celebrate:  Grammy and Grandudes, Aunt Sam and Uncle Brian, and GiGi as well!

We all had a wonderful time celebrating together.

Clara had a cupcake just as Grace did on her first birthday.

And she loved it of course!  She was very neat about it and didn't get it in her hair.

We spent the long weekend relaxing mostly,

but we also enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool

and playing at the park!  (do you see Grace and Brian running around in the background?!)

Both girls soaked up the love and attention

and loved every minute!

Aunt Sam and Uncle Brian had to spend an extra couple days because of the bad weather here, but we didn't mind at all!  Uncle Brian babysat for several hours while we worked and he survived with a smile on his face!  He is as avuncular as they come.

Grace Swings Clara

Grace pushes Clara on the swing at the park!  They are both enjoying it immensely.  Clara immediately loved the swing, whereas Grace is still too cautious to try it on most days.  It is fun to see how they are different.  Clara might be the one on the back of a motorcycle someday, much to her parents chagrin!

Spinning and Somersaults

I have a couple new videos for you!

Clara loves to push things around.  She likes to drive cars, stools, the riding horse and anything that will slide!  She also loves to spin in circles.

Grace has been taking tumbling lessons, and she has learned to do a somersault!  She is usually reluctant with new activities, but when she decides to try it, she dives in with abandon!

11 Months Old!

Clara turned 11 months old yesterday!

We are almost there!  She is saying more and more things that sound like words.  She can copy words we say and she also purposefully says some words to communicate.  I think she says several new things:  all done, down, up, this, milk, cheese.  Yes, cheese.  She has started eating a lot more and she loves cheese!  She must be a Tillamook girl at heart!

She is working on her 4th molar.  Crabbiness happens and I end up carrying her around a lot.  I think I've injured my right wrist doing this.  She has gotten quite heavy!

She is very comfortable with kneeling and can do it without holding onto something.

She also stands on one leg a lot.  Just in the last few days, we have seen her stand up completely while bracing on something but I haven't caught that on camera yet!

Cruising and then walking can't be far.  In the meantime, she has a blast walking with Daddy's help.

The other new event is that we purchased a bunk bed for Grace.  She loves her new bed!  Clara models it while playing with a tissue, a favorite pastime of both girls.  It keeps mom swiffering constantly!  We also have the girls sleep together at night now.  Grace has been difficult because she keeps Clara up by talking and playing.  It has been slowly getting better, and we are hopeful that they will get used to it.  We haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately but hopefully we all will soon!

Things are a bit overwhelming at times right now.  Work, auditions, housework, yardwork and meal preparation are daily challenges and stresses, not to mention a broken refrigerator and other little bumps here and there.  Good thing it is worth it for these girls!  We can't wait for the summer!