My best friend from high school got MARRIED!

Me, Lindsay, and Jenny showing off our sassy side.

My 2 best friends from high school.

Jeff, Jenny, and I

Jenny, my newly engaged friend, and I after the wedding.

Pictures of Bella from the rest from the rest of July...

Mastering the "big" slide at Elm Creek.

Getting her first official haircut... she was pretty nervous.

Happy the cutting of her hairs is over!

Looking at a tiny toad (in the crack of the cement) at Nana and Papa's.

Our favorite visitors from Kansas!

Bella and her cousin, Ellie, got matching dresses from Guess.

Not trying to name favorites, but I think it is pretty obvious who Bella's favorite cousin is!

Bella and I with my cousin, Heather, having brunch at 3 Squares.

A couple weeks ago our favorite family from Kansas (note that they are our only family from Kansas hehe) came up to visit. Bella and I got to spend lots of time with them!

Best Friend's Birthday

First time playing pin the tail on the donkey.

First time swinging at a piniata.

Upset that her new "boyfriend" won't take a picture with her.

The birthday girl, Avery, and Bella!

4th of July

Bouncing!!

My cousin, Angie, and I on the 4th of July.

Papa and Bella

Opps I have once again been slacking off at posting to my blog, so now it is catch up time...

For the 4th of July weekend Bella, my mom, and I went up to Duluth to stay with my Auntie Denise and her husband Rick. They recently moved back up to MN from Florida and we love having them back! My cousin/best friend Angie and her boyfriend Brady also came up and stayed with Denise (her mom) and Rick.

On the way up on Friday, we stopped in Moose Lake to grab dinner at this dinky (as in you could maybe for 30 people in the place) little cafe. I was kind of excited because a lot of times those places have the best food... yeah this place did not hold true to that. It took an hour to even get our food, and when we did it was not very good. But while there it was interesting to people watch. It's funny that in a small town, 2 hours north of the cities, they can be so behind the times (mainly clothes and hairstyles). I don't want to generalize, because I am sure there are a few people that do not fit these descriptions... they just were no where in site while we were there.

On Friday night just hungout around the house and caught up. Bella fell in love with the Harley slot machine that they have downstairs. She could sit in front of that thing and play for hours, I am actually considering investing in one as a "babysitter"... haha only kidding.

Saturday we went to Sturgeon Lake to celebrate the 4th with mom and Denise's side of the family at a resort that one of mom's cousins and her boyfriend own. It was great being there, we spent a lot of time there when we were younger and this is the first time I have been up there since Bella was born. Bella had a blast getting attention from all of her distant relatives she hardly ever gets to see. And she, for the first time, jumped in a big inflatable bouncer without crying!

Sunday, we left Duluth and met Papa in Garrison for a post 4th party/wedding shower for some friends of the family. Papa took Bella out on a boat ride, she thought that was pretty cool. Bella also fished off the end of the dock but was unsuccessful at sitting long enough to catch a fish. And before we left she took a few jumps on the water trampoline.

All in all, it was a long weekend but lots of fun!

Bella started preschool (insert sigh here)

My baby started preschool on Monday. She was so excited that she could barely sleep the night before. When she finally did she woke me up bright and early. I, like most parents, was nervous that she would be scared, she'd cry when I went to drop her off, she'd refuse to let me leave, etc. Well none of that happened... When we got there she nearly ran to her classroom, the doors were still closed so we stood in the hallway with her fellow classmates and their parents. A few kids were crying, one was clinging to his mom's leg, and most were just standing silently. Not Bella, she was telling me all the things she was going to do and asking why she couldn't go in yet.

The teachers opened the doors and Bella was the first to run up and introduce herself to Ms. Chris and Ms. Joani and then walk into the classroom without me. I followed behind her, tapped her on the shoulder and said "are you forgetting something", she took off her jacket and handed it to me. Not what I was looking for, but I managed to get a hug and kiss from her before she ran off to play. As I was leaving the room, passing the parents of crying children, I was relieved that Bella adapts so well... but it would have been nice for her to at least pretend like she was going to miss me. When I got in my car I almost shed a tear, but decided to save those for when she starts kindergarden (insert goosebumps here).

Two hours later I joined the rest of the parents in the hallway to wait for our new preschoolers. The door to the classroom was open and we could see all the kids sitting in a circle while the teachers sang them a good bye song, at the end they both sang "yee haa" to which Bella was the only child to echo "yee haa" and do a little dance :) As the teachers released her to me they told me she loves to paint, which I knew, and could see by looking at her pink shirt which was spattered with red and green. Once in the car Bella said she loved preschool and couldn't wait to go back, so off we went again this morning!

My baby is growing up so fast!

Lots to catch you up on

Alivia Madison and I a few minutes after she was born.

Bella feeding the giraffe

Bella being a fishy at the zoo.

I knew it wouldn't be long before I fell behind on blogging. We've done lots since my last post...

On the Saturday of Memorial weekend Bella and I went to Nana and Papa's for Papa's birthday. Renee, Kyle, Bella and I got Papa the gift of all gifts this year (a SkyCaddy), so now I am already trying to think of something even cooler to get him next year. That Sunday Bella and I went to the Minnesota Zoo, I thought since so many people went up north it would be less crowded than a usual Saturday... I was WRONG. It was crazy, but we trucked through it and managed to see pretty much every animal there. Bella got to touch a shark, feed a giraffe, and watch a bird show. That night Nana and Papa took Bella so I could go out to see a country show at a bar near my house, lots of fun. On Memorial day I went back to the parents to get Bella, we ended up hanging around and BBQing and playing volleyball with some of the neighbors.

The next weekend was pretty relaxed. I went to a bachelorette dinner on Saturday and then to a bonfire afterwards. I purposely stayed in the area because my best friend, Breanna, was due the next Monday, so I was waiting for the call. Monday came and Bre had some doctors appointments so we were going to meet for lunch in between 2 of them. Well she called me right as I was pulling up to the doctors office and said she was going to have to cancel our lunch date because her blood pressure was so high her doctor was sending her to the hospital. Alivia Madison was born Tuesday, June 2 at 12:34am. She is healthy, happy, lots of hair, and looks just like her big sister. So Tuesday and Wednesday were spent toting big sister Avery around to see the new little sister, making cupcakes, and decorating their house with welcome home signs we made.

Last Friday was Bella's last day at her daycare in Maple Grove, where she has been going since she was 10 months old. It was so sad to have to quit going there, her daycare lady was the best, but driving to and from Maple Grove 2 times a day was getting to be too much. Friday during the day my mom, who knows I am getting really bored at home, got off work early and offered to take me out to lunch. So we had lunch, ran to Sam's Club, and then went and picked Bella up. At that last minute on Friday night I decided to join Donny and some friend's up in Hinckley to watch a friend of us (win) his boxing match, so Bella got to spend the night with Nana. On Saturday Bella and I went to Avery's dance recital, Ave did so well while Bella got a little wiggly. Sunday, Bella and I went to a bridal shower and then Donny brought both of us on a date to see the movie "Up" in 3D. We were all so excited for the movie, but we really didn't think it was that great, plus the 3D glasses were way to big for Bella's head, Bella had to go to the potty twice, get up for popcorn, and Bella had to bounce up and down on her seat.

Bella's new schedule is Mondays and Wednesdays (starting next week) she will go to Preschool in the morning and then hangout with me the rest of the day. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays Bella gets to go to her new daycare. So this Monday and Wednesday we just hung around and made a mess of the house. Tuesday was her first day at her new daycare, I was a little nervous but should have known better because when we got there she gave me a hug and kiss and ran to play with the other kids. And yesterday when she woke up she was mad that she didn't get to go to daycare. This kind of made me feel bad, here I thought she would enjoy spending Mondays and Wednesdays with me but instead she gets mad that she can't go to daycare.

This weekend will be a busy one around here.... it's Albertville Friendly City Days! Tonight Bella and I are going to the carnival, Friday I am going with some friends to see a band down the road, Saturday I'm hosting a big party at the house, and Sunday some friends and I are bringing Bella to the parade (which is only 2 blocks away)!

Have a great weekend, I know we will!