Annual Summer Trip to Nana & Papa's Cabin

Shauna and I always coordinate our summer trips to Pinetop/Lakeside to visit my Grandparents.  The kids have so much fun together and so do we! Here's our trip this year. After we spent a couple of days at Nana and Papa's cabin, we went to visit Shauna's mom and daddy.  They had a new fluffy, BIG puppy that my kids were obsessed with! Gemma is so amazing! We made a stop in Payson for the night on our way home to visit Mela and Papa Rich of course. Love having family in the mountains of Arizona. It makes for the BEST weekend getaways during a long hot summer!

Addie is my long lost baby. She is my special special girl!

We got to celebrate Bella's birthday while we were up north as well!

Shauna sneaking a taste of Bella's ice cream cake before we brought it out. I, of course, had nothing to do with the making of this cake, but helped keep Shauna's wine glass full while she slaved in the kitchen!

Jon Jon having some cake!

Beautiful Bella and Shauna

Annual picture on the patio before we took off.  Nana took it since she was still in her flannels and didn't have her "face" on. 

Kars with Gemma. He SO wants a big dog!

Ella Jane with Gemma. Gemma was so good and let the kids pet her to death!

Beans on the way home. Too much fun!

Karsten's favorite place to be - on Mela's lap, playing her phone. Someday he will be too big!

Wienermobile.

What are the chances we will see this again in our life? 

Well, maybe, I guess. But it's been a looooong time since I've laid my eyes on this vehicle so we had to stop and play!

The Wienermobile is making it's way around this beautiful country over the next year and made a pit stop in Gilbert. We got Oscar Meyer Wiener Whistles and I found these three hot dogs as well!

Mmmmm, hot dogs. :)

Lunch with my favorite girls!

 I had lunch with some of my favorite people the other day - my sissy, my cousin and their two daughters, along with my little girl.  Ra was our choice and we sure did tear it up for a Saturday at noon!

I had to post pictures of my sister's parallel parking job. Granted she did it because I was way too freaked out to, but holy cow! You could fit a Prius next to my car with how far she is away from the curb! :) I made her pull in the driver's side mirror so it wouldn't get clipped from a passing car on Scottsdale road! :) Love you, Megs!

Oh these little girls . . . T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

Mmmm . . .  sushi!

Somehow I don't think this will be the last time these three will be clinking glasses!

Yep, all my favs on on park bench. My heart is full!

Ella & Ava's Ballet

Ella and Ava have been participating in a ballet class for the last couple of months.  The girls loved being in class together and they had a fantastic time. Today was their last class and they had a small performance at the end. Here a few pictures of the girls doing their thing!

Love these little girls!

Girlie Sleepover with the Second Generation

Shauna had the most fabulous idea - to have a girlie sleepover with our babies! 

So Shauna and Isabella, Meggy and Ava, joined Ella and I at our house for pizza, chocolate fondue, makeup, dress up, dancing and posing . . . oh there was so much posing! 

These little ones are so different, all with their own personalities; they really can hold their own.  

Strong and confident, sweet and sassy. We had a great time. 

It's now a annual event - one I will look forward to all year! 

Here they are dressed up in their favorite dresses.

Ella loves chocolate!

Bella is the BEST model, ever!!!

Ella taking cues from Bella!

Little Beans! She goes to the beat of her own drummer - she is quirky and sweet! 

I love her so.

This is just one of the MANY pictures of these girls posing. HA! They are fab!

 I wish you could see their shimmering faces - they really love make up!

Here's to all those girlie girls out there . . . as much as I love the make up and dress up, 

the time we had together was even more amazing! 

I love being with these fantastic women/girls! Love you!

Happy Birthday Ava!

Our birthday celebration month continues with little Ava Beans! She turned TWO! We had a nice birthday party at a park with a bounce house (it's the thing to do). :) 

Mimi and Ava

Kar and Ava up above.

My love . . . xoxo!

Aaahhhh! Babies! My gorgeous friend, Kristin made it out to Gilbert with her two newborn twins, Olivia and Sebastian. They are too amazing for words and I was so happy to see them!

Uncle Marky with baby Jon Nordling.

Of course there was a pinata - I only showcased a picture of Isabella hitting the pinata because she did WORK on it! Holy cow, she was going at it crazy like! It was so cute! 

Ella and Bella

Grandpa Steve and Kar

My Nana and baby Jon

Ava ditched her skirt and was playing in her new high heels. Awesome outfit, Beans!

Me and my babies - not babies anymore, I guess, but still all mine!

We love birthday and parties and this month has been so fun with all of the celebrations! We are so lucky  to have so many friends and family that have a birthday this month. Happy Birthday, xoxo!

Halloween Eve

Ava and I had so much fun on Halloween Eve. We had to go to two different Halloween Parades - one at Ella's school and one at Karsten's. Ava and I were Devils (she doesn't know how to work a camera, so I only have pictures of her in her horns).

First Parade: Love of Christ Lutheran Church. Ella and Gracie were fairy princess butterfly girls. What's funny is that they each picked out their costumes independently of each other, Jessica and I did not plan to match them. Unless they talked about it at school together . . . Maybe?

Lined up to start the parade. (Look how Ella is looking for Gracie's hand to hold. They love each so much - very co-dependent.)

Little fairy tushies.

Not a happy fairy . . . she started crying after I took this photo!

Fast forward a couple of hours later . . . waiting in Karsten's school hallway for his Halloween Parade.

Look at the rock star and Darth Maul, waiting to walk in the parade.

This was so cool! This is Karsten's principal, each year they pick a book to dress up as . . . this year was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The principal was the beautiful butterfly and the office staff was the caterpillar with food and fruit. So cute!



Second Parade: Karsten was Darth Maul, but he wasn't allowed to bring his mask or his light saber (weapon) so he was a little kid in a black robe.


Both kids trashed their costumes! They were so dirty! I had to do some major laundry to get them ready for Halloween. At least they got a lot of wear out of them. They had fun!