Best Buddies

Shelby and Sandy are great napping buddies.  Sandy is always up for a good, long nap now that she is getting older.  Please ignore the disarray of my bed.  Bret and I need a new bedset as our 11 year old comforter and sheets finally fell apart.  I just haven't found one I like yet so we are using miscellaneous sheets and blankets for the time being.  As far as it being unmade, that happens a lot at our house.  Just don't tell my mother!  ;)

Huck loves his family so much!  We always say he is a lap dog trapped in a big dog's body.  I have heard that a lot of big dogs don't like to be snuggled or held tight, but that is not the case for our Huck.  He likes nothing better than to be curled up as close as possible to us.  He and Abby are especially close.  Abby loves playing with him and "training" him.  She has taught him to sit, shake, and stay.  Right now, she is dead set on teaching him to high five!  Bret and I don't let him get on the furniture in the living room (the poor mistreated dog is forced to lay down on his $100 orthopedic dog bed instead), but every once in a while he convices someone to hold him.  I thought these pictures of Abby rocking him to sleep were too cute.

Family

I have said it a million times, and I will say it again.  What a blessing it is to have a big, wonderful family!  The girls had a blast with my aunt, unlce, cousins, and cousins children last weekend.  It's hard for the girls to keep everyone straight, so everyone is pretty much a "cousin".  Thanks to them, Bret and I got a night to ourselves, and Shelby had a great birthday.  They also got so spend some time with Bret's uncle, aunt and cousin whom they also love! 

Shelby loved having everyone sing to her at the restaurant.

She helped her sisters get fancy for her birthday dinner.

Macey post makeover.

The girls were all over Jordon when he got home!

The two birthday girls, Shelby and cousin Hannah!

Those were GOOD cupcakes!  I love this picture of her!

Jennah had been away at camp all weekend, but she managed to get home just in time to see the girls.  They were so happy to see her.

Jennah and her daddy.

Everyone got serious about the Lakers, Celtics game.

Macey and Aunt Judy snuggling and telling secrets during the game.

Daddy giving Shelby her birthday spankings which turned into birthday kisses.

The funny things they say

The girls had a Nectarine for snack a couple days ago.  Shelby comes and tells Bret and I "That was the best Avacado!"  Then Macey walks in and smiles that knowing smile at Shelby and says, "It's an Apricon."  Sometimes those girls can keep me laughing all day!  I can't even tell them it's a Nectarine because it is so cute hearing Avacado or Apricon.  :)

Abby's first pedicure

Abby and I got to spend a litte much needed alone time together (it's tough having two younger siblings)!  We did what all girls do when they need to get away, pedicures!  She was so excited about going and loved every minute of it.

Tim and Stephanie's Wedding

This past weekend, we packed up the car and headed to Abilene for a fun-filled weekend of visiting family and seeing old friends.  Bret's best friend from high school, Tim, finally got married, and Bret was a groomsman. Bret even got to get back to his roots and wear boots and wranglers (he actually ended up in boot cut jeans from the Gap!) again. Since my mom's side of the family and Bret's aunt and uncle all live in the area, we got to spend some time with a lot of our extended family.  The girls just love knowing that they have so much family, and I love watching them get to know everyone.  Oh how lucky our girls are to have so many people that love them!  My cousin and his wife kept the girls for us the night of the wedding so we even got to have a whole night to oursleves.  Bret and I had a great time at the wedding, and the girls had a blast with all their cousins.  Being out in "the country" with all that open space to just run around in is about the best thing these litte city girls can imagine.

Tim built this for Stephanie, and they got married underneath it. 

If you know Bret, then does this picture really surprise you?

Or this one???

Stephanie and Tim's son Adam...he is the cutest little thing.

Bret and Tim

Fancy Shelby

Shelby had such a great time Saturday, celebrating her birthday with all her little friends.  My dad bought this party for Shelby at her school fundraiser, and it included two teacher's hosting a party for 20 kids with the theme of Shelby's choice.  By the invitation, I think you can guess what she picked.  She is so into Fancy Nancy right now.  Dora has FINALLY been beat out by something else.  It's fun and a little sad all at the same time. The party was to take place on the school playground. Her school has the most amazing playground!  The teachers had balloons everywhere and banners that said things like "Happy Birthday Fancy Shelby" and "Posh Party." She had such a great time!  Fortunately, we had the party in the morning because by the time it was over, it was so hot.  I'm talking 110 degrees hot!

We had the party a week early because we were going out of town this  weekend for a wedding.  My cousins live in the same town as the wedding so the lucky little girl got to have another party on her actual birthday!  Bret said he wished he got a weak of parties too.

My first attempt at making a wheat, milk and egg free birthday cake.  It wasn't perfect, but the kids all seemed to like it.

Shelby can never tell Cara and Cailey apart so she just guesses.  They don't seem to mind.

Shawnie

Kisses from cousin Stormie.

All a boy has to do to get "fancy" is put on some cool sunglasses.

Singing Happy Birthday

My red faced big girls.