Fun Play Date

This past Friday we were invited over to our friends house to play and make some fun "noodle jewelry". The day was beautiful and the kids had a ball playing outside in the sandbox and on the slide. Then we all sat down to make "noodle jewelry" - necklaces and bracelets. I think the kids had more fun just playing w/ the noodles, so they had to have lots of "help" making them. Then, we just decided to dump all the noddles into the water table and let them go-at-it with spoons, cups, and bowls. They had a BLAST! Thanks for the great day guys!! (P.S. Thanks to Robin for the "use" of her pictures - I forgot my camera on Friday - so I "snagged" these from her blog!!)

Anne Marie having fun on the slide.

Anne Marie, Emerson, & Mattie scooping up the noddles.

Anne Marie, Mira, and Emerson with the noodles - it's kept them very busy!!

How cute is that necklace (& sweet little Mira)!!

Summer Is Coming....

It has been BEAUTIFUL around here (minus a couple rainy days)!!! We've been ready to get outside & play -- and at this point our only outside toy is a blow-up pool, a few balls, and a bike to ride (but that has to be out front in the driveway or road). So off to yard sales & CraigsList I went! (Gotta love it!!) Well, we found a cute little turtle sand-box. I had to talk Daddy into is as he was worried about the amount of grass we would end up killing ... but she LOVED it, therefore, so did he. (And ask him now about the sandbox, because once he saw her face when we surprised her with it, he was ready to build one twice this size so she would have more room to play.)

Then after seeing the fun many friends had with water-tables ...well, we were on a mission. We now have one of those too!! She can play with that for 45 minutes without even looking up!!

So, with 80 degree weather this week, we headed out-side in the back yard to play with our new toys!! What fun!!

Anne Marie in her new turtle sand-box.

Anne Marie & her friend Mattie having fun @ the water table.

Smart Little Girl...

We found a Little-Touch Leap-pad at a yard sale the summer before we brought Anne Marie home. Little did we know how much she would like this toy. Well, this weekend we found 3 new books to go with it -- one being the letter-factory. She has been learning how to count (now to 13 by herself) and her ABC's. But this new book now has sparked the "need" to walk around the house singing her ABC's all day now. For some reason she still has a hard time remembering T, U, and V. We finally caught it on video. Wow! She's growing up WAY too fast!!

Where have we been you might ask???

There has been so much going on around this house in the last couple of weeks, that I have not had time to post pictures!! So many things -- not enough time -- but I have taken many pictures in the last couple of weeks & wanted to pass along what we've been doing.


From Anne Marie's 2nd birthday - with 2 parties, lots of Dr's appointments (things are going better -- so we're happy!!), Anne Marie's 1st haircut at a salon, having TONS of fun outside in the GREAT weather we've been having around here, finishing up the renovation of our basement ... and so much more .. but I thought I'd now catch you all up to date -- there are a ton of post listed to update you, so for those of you who care to read, there is a lot (6 post I think) but some pictures were so cute I just had to post them!!

Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

Our "New" Basement!

It's been a LONG year wait ... but my awesome husband (with help of many many friends, family, and a few professionals) has finished the basement!! We've actually already been using it some -- there are still a few things to do but really it's wonderful to finally have a new family room, bathroom, and PLAY ROOM!! Anne Marie absolutely adores her new playroom and mommy loves it because it's at the back of the house, so it NEVER has to be cleaned up before company comes over -- no one sees it!! (YEA!)

Playroom !



Our new family/TV room.

The rest of the family room..

I was even able to make a small craft/sewing area in the family room I can finally keep my sewing machine out & I don't have to sew on my kitchen table anymore!!!

The 1/2 Bath!!

Our 1st Haircut!!

We finally went to a salon to get Anne Marie a haircut. I've cut her bangs a few times, but it was time to get a "real hair cut". My sisters friend is a hair dresser, so we went to see her & it went very well! I think her hair cut is really cute -- and it only took 2 lolly-pops to get her to sit still. (haa -- and it was 9:00 a.m.!!! -- But what ever get's the job done -- haa!)

Family Birthday Party!!

We had a luau for Anne Marie's family birthday party. Everyone got a lei for their neck, we had decorations -- and again my GREAT friend Heather made a cute little cake!! Nana Z (my mom) made homemade Hawaiian pizzas to keep with the theme. (YUM!) And all our family and our friends Jen/Eric & Avery came. Anne Marie had a great time - got some really fun gifts (Thanks guys!!)

The new Trike - Thanks Grandma & Grandpa


Avery & Anne Marie show Jen their pretty flowers.



Everyone enjoying the pizza!!

How cute is that cake??!!

Anne Marie enjoying Nana's pizza!

Loving the cake!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to Anne Marie!!

I can not believe this child is 2!!! My heart sometimes aches when I look back at pictures from 1 year ago. I have the same "goodmorning" picture in bed from a year ago & the same pictures of her & Mike outside Ruby-Tuesday's -- and OH my what a difference!! God has given us the most wonderful blessing when he gave us this sweet little girl -- and now she's 2 -- wow!! We are deffinatly in the "2's" -- she's become quite bossy!!

We spend the morning with friends at "Pump-It-Up" (a big gym w/ the "bouncy-things" in them) and then had lunch & cupcakes with friends afterwards. When daddy got home we went out for dinner.

Good Morning B-day Girl!!!

Sharing Cupcakes w/ friends & getting some really great b-day gifts!!

Yum Cupcakes...




WHOOOOO>>>>>>

Having fun "bouncing w/ friends"

Yes, that is ME and Anne Marie sliding down t he slide!! WHEEE..

We ended the day with a dinner @ Ruby Tuesdays when Daddy got home -- same exact place we ate last year on her 1st b-day -- WOW you can see the change in her picture!!

Playing Outside -- YEA!!

These are just a few pictures of our recent adventures outdoors -- fun at parks, with friends in the back yard & on our 4-wheeler she got for Christmas (thanks to Aunt Andrea & Uncle Jeremy!!) I just LOVE that the weather is staring to warm up!!!

Friends over for some fun w/ beans in a bowl & left over plastic Easter eggs (funny what simple things are fun to little kids eh??)

Fun in the park with Daddy -- how sweet are these pictures??? Makes my heart melt!!

Anne Marie ready to catch Daddy @ the end of his "slide ride"!!

Having fun on the swings & slide @ the park!!

Oh what fun a battery operated 4-wheeler can be when the weather is nice!!!!