Monkey girl in her new monkey pj's

Awesome hand me downs, gotta love 'em! When she chose a banana for a snack I couldn't resist taking some pictures...

I couldn't just pick one, they were all so cute!

Mind you, we went from cute little monkey girl to I swear I'm raising a bipolar elf. I put her to bed last night with what I thought was our new perfect behavior method...she has been using lots of excuses lately and not going to bed like a big girl (oh the things she comes up with..."But I need this, or I need that") So anyone who knows Grace knows that she would be the happiest little girl if she got to stay home 24-7 and play dolls/trains/princesses etc with Mommy or Daddy...so I thought, screw earning quarters for good behavior, I'm going right where it hurts...I told her if she can't go to bed like a big girl than we can't play with her like a big girl...worked like a charm for naptime and I thought it was working last night, she was so happy and chatty as I was tucking her in...we talked about her friend, Hazel's birthday party tomorrow and she furrowed her brow, put her finger on her lip and said "Huh! That sounds familiar..." It was all I could do not to bust out laughing. Turn out the lights, say goodnight and then darn it if the little stinker didn't cry and get out of bed several times last...she had to get the last word in too..."I don't WANT you to play with me tomorrow" Little booger.

Some creative play...

My Dad's having withdrawals, so I'm pulling out the videos :)

You two may think you're big girls now but we caught you ;) Still got your comforts :)

Found a new favorite place yesterday!

Sally and Ava, Carrie and Elizabeth and Grace and I went to this indoor play gym, Rock n Roll Kids, where half of the gym is used for classes (music, dancing, preschool, etc) and the other half is an open gym concept with mats and balls and stuff for the kids to play with...they had a blast!
Grace picked out her outfit yesterday, which I was quite proud and impressed with, and even a matching bow that Carrie made for her!

Brought Daddy to Pump it Up two weekends ago...she was thrilled to have company on the slides!

Not the best pics, but they sure do show their identical facial expressions!

Working on letters with Daddy on the computer...

David opened up a Word document and made the font really big, in capital letters and then had her find various letters on the keyboard...wrote her name, etc. We're trying!

Interesting choice of TV-watching poses

This face melts my heart

Is this my kid or what?!

Anyone who knows me well, knows I am ADDICTED to chewing bubble gum (I used to get big packs of it in my Christmas stockings!)
Grace was being such a champion shopper with me the other day, lots of errands to run, so she got to pick out a treat at the gas station and she picked out this bubble gum...we don't let her chew it that often...I look back at various stop signs and lights to see her totally chomping away on this gum :) Notice it's the tape bubble gum with the powder on the outside...looks like she smeared it all over her face.

Evenings in the backyard...kind of a rarity these days with the heat...

Last night in our backyard...just finished dinner and had brought watermelon outside to enjoy (I had ice water, yes that's right...I was being wild last night, put ICE in my water, woo hoo!) David had just mowed the grass (takes 3 minutes, if that...as opposed to the hour it took us at Edwards!) and Grace had spotted a butterfly so they were sitting out there hoping to get a closer look...never flew by again though...

Babysitter in Training

I brought Grace along with me this past Saturday to babysit for Ava and she truly thought she was the babysitter...my big helper!

No new pics today so how about a walk down memory lane?

"My name is Sarah and I am addicted to Janie and Jack"

So I discovered this great little shop called Janie and Jack one day while Sally and I were shopping...she got Thomas the most adorable little overall outfit and matching hat that I cannot wait to put him in! I have since gone back (only once, so far!) and bought Grace three new tops, each of them on an awesome sale!! Here is one of them, it is just so sweet...I promise, honey, I will not go there often and will only buy things on sale ;)
But I think of this little store all the time! I'm in love!

Pump it Up

Gotta love a huge indoor playroom full of inflatable slides and bouncy houses, especially now that she loves going off on her own and doesn't need any help!

4th of July 2009!

Here's Grace and Ava before they got their swimsuits on...both are wearing adorable bows made by our super good friend Carrie! I had to have Grace turn around so you could see it - she's also wearing a dress Mimi sent her, perfect for the 4th! It was a wonderful day spent with great friends, good food and a nice cool pool :) Reminded me of 4th's growing up, sparklers and fireworks in the driveway...great day.

Sally and I in our matching REI sunhats :)

Eating the world's messiest (but yummiest I'm sure) brownie

The thrill of sparklers...

Lighting a firework (with Daddy's help of course)

Run for your lives!

A little crush

Grace has actually known Mr. Dave since she was born, he and David went to AFIT together in Ohio and we were thrilled when we both found out we were getting stationed at Nellis...he's a fantastic guy, married to the sweetest lady ever, the two of them will make fantastic parents someday. So Grace has seen him on many occasions but this time was a bit different, she was literally glued to his hip...he played with her in the pool and she was smitten :) Whenever the fireworks scared her, it wasn't her Daddy or Mommy's leg she clung to, it was Mr. Dave's :)