Where have I been?

A few months have past and you may bee thinking that I am MIA. Since school is back in session and I have so much free time on my hands, I can't believe that I haven't blogged in over 3 months. I saw the movie Julie & Julia last week and it made me miss my blog and so now I am back! Please forgive me, for I know you are missing your Keira updates.

I have started back at school and so has Keira. She absolutely loves her new school, her teachers, and her lunch box. Here are some pictures of her on her fist day of school..

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I love these pictures! She looks like such a big girl off to school! 2 is such a fun age! She is talking more than ever and saying the darnedest things! I told her "no" the other day and she looked at me and said, "But I want to Mama." It's funny though...if you explain things to her, like saying you can't do that because you may get hurt, she understands and will stop doing whatever it is. I thought that came later on in life. I guess she is just advanced, right? I am sure all parents think that of their children.

We have been staying pretty busy with not just school and work but also we are still in gymnastics, or "nastics" as Keira calls it. She is really good and she loves it. She loves her Coach Phill! Were also getting better at tap and ballet. We've also been going to the dog park a lot with Cooper, Howie and Paddy. Cooper and his buddies love the dog park!

Today we went to the duck pond. We brought bread for the ducks but Cooper ended up scaring all the ducks away and eating all the bread. He is such a water dog! He loved jumping into the pond and swimming. I was afraid he was going to actually catch a duck.

Keira is Two!

Been kinda bad about blogging because its summer and I am enjoying myself and my time with Keria. We have been busy, very busy and loving every minute of it. Keira is now 2. Can't believe how time has flown by and my little baby is now 2. We had a wonderful birthday week for her starting things off the morning of with decorations, balloons, and a present or two. She came out of her room pointing at the balloons and was so excited to see everything. We went to eat at the Rainforest Cafe that night.

She loved this place! So much to look at, listen to, and wander around. She wanted to just walk around the whole time looking at all the animals. She looked like such a princess!

The night before, we made cupcakes for her mother's day out class which is always fun. She is such a cook and always wants to help me in the kitchen. She even got her apron out and put it on.

Keria got a fish for her birthday from Avery, Bowen, Denver and Kelly. He is a little beta named Sushi. He lights up her world. She loves that fish more than cupcake batter and that is hard to beat in the eyes of a two year old. She hugs and kisses his bowl, puts her hands in his bowl, talks about him all the time and even dreams of him. We started this thing a while ago that when we wake her up in the morning, we always ask her, "Keira, did you dream last night?". And she will says that she dreamed of Mommy, Daddy, Cooper, Aspen, Daisy, Nana or SuSu, and lately its always been, "I dream of Sushi!". She is also getting really good at potty training. She wears panties around the house most of the time and when she tells us she needs to go potty, she gets to put a "magical gym sticker" on Sushi's bowl. You wouldn't believe what a reward that is.

Funny things to remember:

Keira tells me often that her favorite color is purple. She always chooses purple if it is an option

She loves chocolate milk and asks for it every 5 minutes.

She likes to sets the table with place mats for dinner. She has a Fairy Princess one, and Diego one and a Tinkerbell one and she will put one on each of our places.

Favorite shows are Yo Gaba Gaba, Wonderpets, Dora and Diego

She prefers to read herself a bedtime story instead of us reading one to her

She loves gymnastics...calls it Nastics

She loves for me to put bows in her hair

Loves to dance...I think we have a ballerina on our hands. Glad I just registered her for tap and ballet in the fall

Loves, loves accessories...I'm talking big bracelets, necklaces, magic wands, sunglasses, purses and ear rings. She is a Great Nana in disguise.

And as always....the little joy of our lives.

I will blog more about her birthday party maybe tomorrow...I am being summoned to play dress up now.

Riding Horses on the Farm

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Things to do before you turn 2

I do believe that Keira has done more in the past week than most kids her age. She will be turning 2 a week from today. (Yes, I am wiping the tears from my eyes.) This past week was a very busy one for her but so memorable. On Thursday, she started her pre school summer session up. I was going back and forth on weather or not I wanted to do the summer session or not but decided on it. It is so good for her and I know she really does love it. It is also nice for me to have a little time for myself too. I have been going to the gym quite often so it is really nice not to have to worry about her. It also gives me some time to clean house, get dinner ready and so on. On Friday, we went to the Omni with mom and dad. We saw dolphins. It was wonderful and Keira loved it. It is her second movie! She loved watching the dolphins swim. She also loved the helicopter ride in the very beginning. We all enjoyed ourselves and cant wait to go and see Bugs there... maybe next week! On Friday evening, we went to Eileen's barn where Keira, Avery, and Bowen got to go horseback riding. It was so neat to see K on the horse. She loved it so much and never wanted to get off. She rode "Risky" who is such a sweet one. She practically did it all by herself because she did not want me to touch her. So independent....maybe a little too independent. I was so scared she was going to fall off but she held on tight. She kept saying..."hold on very tight". When I finally got her off the horse, she cried all the way home. I think she may end up being a little agg girl. She looked so cute with her cowboy boots and cut off shorts. Now she just needs a cowboy hat. I had my camera but no memory card so sorry....no pics.

This past weekend for the 4th we went to Possum Kingd0m Lake with Susan. It was a lot of fun. Keira went tubing behind the boat. I can't believe it! She was so brave and held on tight. She really loved it which doesn't surprise me. She loves anything that has to do with water. In the pool, she was holding her head under the water for quite some time. She is swimming so good now. On her tummy, on her back and under the water. I can't believe she is this good and not even 2 yet. Even in the bath tub last night she said, "look mommy...I go under". And she put her head under the water. I started counting out loud...1...2...3. And she came up. Then I said, "can you go to 4"? And she did it again....1..2..3..4. And then to 5. She amazes me every day. Keira and Brodie on the tube

Keira and Me on the boat

Keira, Kalob, and Jakob on the boat

Yesterday we went with Denver and Kelly and their kids to Hawaiian Falls water park in Mansfield. It was so fun and I can't wait to go back. The kids loved it...the big kids and the little kids. Brodie and I got to escape and go ride some rides on our own. Its been a long time since I have ridden a water slide in a tube. Even Keira loved the slides. She went down some bigger ones that I was kinda scared to let her go down. Man, that girl has no fear.

So, Have I mentioned that I LOVE SUMMER?

And on that note....I went to weigh in at Jenny Craig last night.....I lost 5 pounds in one week! I am so happy and am realizing that all those hunger pains were worth it, and they not really that bad this week so far.

Cravings for Pickles and Ice Cream!

Ha ha!! Not what you think. On Jenny Craig, there are a list of "free foods" that you can have pretty much any amount of any time during the day. I did a spinning class this morning at the gym which may be why I have been starving all day long (or it could be because the portion sizes I have been eating are the size of a dime). I found out that pickles are a free food, and therefore am on my 2nd jar. I also bought some sugar free chocolate pops which I am guessing will be finished in about....24 hours.

Look Out Valerie B!

Today is the first day of my year long diet. I started Jenny Craig in hopes to become one hot skinny momma. I signed up for a year with JC...(Jenny Craig, not Jesus Christ, but I'm sure I will need him along the way!) My dad is doing this with me as well. I am very excited (and hungry) about this choice. Day one went as well as to be expected. I woke up and had my pre-packaged french toast with berries. It was very yummy and pretty filling. For lunch I had a very good, but so tiny turkey burger with some tomato based soup. This was very good too but did not hold me over very long. Lets just say that tomorrow I will be eating lunch at around 2 PM so I can last until dinner. My spaghetti and meat balls that I had for dinner were very tasty and lets just say...I am really full right now. It was pretty crappy to sit across from Brodie and watch him much on his big ol' steak and baker but it was even worse to watch Keira eat her Mac and cheese and avocado....both are my weaknesses. I did sneak some avocado slices into my salad but decided not to eat them. GO ME! So day one is now over...unless I sleepwalk into the pantry and cook some Mac and Cheese in the middle of the night. Ill keep you all posted on my hopefully successful losses.

Life's a Beach!

Its been so long but Ive been really busy and have not had time to blog. I am loving my summer so far! It is so nice being home with Keira and keeping the house clean, having dinner ready, going to movies, reading books, and everything else that I don't get to do as often as I wish while I'm working. First of all, we had a wonderful and unforgettable family vacation. Florida is beautiful! It was so nice for all of us...(mom, dad, Denver, Kelly, Avery, Bowen, and us) to all be able to vacation together and I hope we get to do this every year. Keria loved the beach, the sand, the sun, the pool and everything about the whole trip. Here are some of my favorite pics from our trip....

Here are the famous kissing cousins...The girls found a dead fish on the beach.

I just love this picture.

I had lots of fun playing with my new camera as you can tell. I will have to blog more later tonight. Keria is telling me to "get off computer now mommy!" Were off to party city 'cause someone is turning 2 in two weeks!