The End of June

1. Jon and I Celebrated our 9th anniversary at some podunk drive through burger joint, which wasn't very good, and then had great laughs about all of our anniversaries. Our life rocks!
2. Father's Day presents..any guess what Jon's favorite thing is?
3. Marcella making us enchiladas for dinner. yum.
4. This is little Claire, after we caught her in the downstairs bathroom, going to town with a blue sharpie. It was everywhere, the floor had about a million circles, her legs and arms were covered. We decided to try this stuff that I had gotten (9 years ago) to help clean my wedding dress. Everything just wiped right up, it was such a relief. I swear I had just put her in her pj's and she was only gone for a minute!
5. This was after we went upstairs to go to bed and say prayers, and Claire decided to show us another surprise. She totally lifted up her shirt and said "uh-oh, no, no Claire."
6. Claire praying for forgiveness. ;)
7. Something went wrong with our computer and someone in our house was a little excited to get this package in the mail.
8. Soaked in another day of fun at the beach.
9. Claire and I sporting our sweet  hats.
10. Reading at the beach, couldn't think of anything better.
11. Happy 4th of July.
12. Not sure if either girl liked the big fireworks. Claire just buried her head into Jon's chest while he covered her ears and Marcella looked like this about the whole time. Still had loads of fun.

Kristin

1. Summer Nights and sidewalk chalk. I wish you could have seen it, the whole driveway was a work of art, an hour later, if that, huge thunder and a down pour. So sad.
2. This is what Jon did most of the summer, cooked fabulous breakfasts, lunches and dinners, oh why did school have to start again?
3. Kristin, need I say more. The girls were so happy to have her come. Claire still when she sees someone with her hair will smile and yell Kristin!
4. Fair Oaks Farm, how high can you jump?
5. Impromptu trip to the beach. Best idea ever. The sand was amazing, and even though we had to go to a few stores for clothes, swimsuits and overnight stuff we had a blast.
6. Being buried in the sand. Claire kept saying, nite nite.
7. ohhh, family picture
8. Did I mention we went to the beach 2 days in a row? yep sure did.
9. I think Marcella had the most fun. She is now old enough to enjoy the water and the beach. Plus having Daddy and Kristin to tag along with makes for a great day.
10. Kristin, please come back. We miss you.
11. Because of Kristin I have photos like this one, that just screams SUMMER! Thank you for taking so many pictures. I love them all.
12. Bonus we got lots of fun candid family pic as well. Kristin, you are the BEST!

Triathlon in June

1. I saw at the YMCA that they were having a triathlon for kids I knew Marcella would love it. We signed her up and when we came home she had to do a trial run around our park. It was pretty cute. This is right before she went down to the pool to do her 50 meter swim.
2.We were surprised to see some friends from the ward competing as well.
3. Marcella's Biggest cheer leader. I will try to upload a video, it was awesome.
4. On your Mark. Get Set.
5. Go.
6. This is what happens when you take a long time getting into the pool.... splashed in the face a ton.
7.Hoping out and getting ready for the 1/2 mile bike race. (I didn't get any pictures as I had to run and get Claire in the car and drive to the place where they were going to end the bike and start the run.
8. Catching air... during her 1/4 mile run.
9. Almost to the finish line and still smiling.
10. Finished.
11. The real reason for wanting to do it. "So I get a medal at the end? Yes I totally want to do it." :)
12. Way to go Marcella. We are so happy you are willing to try things that are hard. You are the best!

12x12 May and 1st part of June

1.Summer has officially begun. Claire decided it would be more fun having your towels in the swimming pool with you, and really who needs a swim suit?
2. I can now say I have ran a half marathon. Go figure it had to be the HOTTEST and Humidiest (is that a word?) day on the planet. Good thing I had Heather (speedy) and Cyndi (amazing mentor) you gals are the best!
3.Our supporters.
4. Grandma Katherine, Grandpa Wallin and uncle Greg came to visit. (they actually came before I ran, but really who is keeping track of the order of events?)
5. We headed down to Kentucky for a couple days. had a great time exploring and just being with the fam. We had a lot of fun walking around and getting lots of exercise.;)
6.They beat Greg through the Cheese maze at Fair Oaks Farm, you think they were a little excited?!
7. Who would have guessed that on that trip the whole family would end up jumping on a giant bubble. Mom and Dad I am impressed!
8. Took a little hike through the Clegg gardens. It is a neat place and I often wonder why I don't go with the girls more often.
9. I don't think my fridge has ever been so full. :)
10.Somewhere in the midst of everything Claire got switched into a bed. As you can tell she still would fall off. I was scared to give up the crib, but she was so good with just staying on it when I put her there. Now... not so much. Now after we tuck her in she takes her pillow and blanket and falls asleep right in front of her door.
11. it was one of those nights where I thought oh ya I need to put Marcella to bed, it is 10! When i went to find her this is what I found. She told me she got us some snacks for when we do our reading. It is a little hard to see, but there is a piece of broccoli, a mushroom, a chocolate turtle, a peeled carrot and 2 pretzels. What a sweetheart.
12.I love walking into rooms and seeing things like this. It helps me wish I could slow down time.

Copy Cat

Yes. I will admit I am copying you, but hey I was thinking about how to document the summer and I thought, man she is a genius (you know who you are) and it will be a perfect way to display our summer without all the boring dialouge. Let's face it you all just want to see the pictures. Am I right? So here goes. 12x12 of our garden this year. (Click on picture to see a bigger view.)

1. Our backyard is massive and bare. So we started to the right of the porch and worked our way around. Killing lots of not so luscious grass until we could do this...
2. Built 2, 12' x 4' boxes and 2, 4'x4' boxes then had fun filling and mixing the dirt
3. Ta da. Doesn't it look lovely?
4. We grew all of the tomatoes and peppers from seed . some Cinderella pumpkins and squash
5. Marcella had a box for all her flowers she started from seed this past winter.
6. the flower garden begins. If I only knew how crowded it would get. I think my petunias grew at least a foot or so and decided to take over the whole flower bed. 
7. Our Cinderella pumpkins, yellow Zucchini and butternut squash.
8. We planted a Japanese long Cucumber (A-Maz-ing! only the yummiest cucumber I have ever eaten.)
9. Then we went to Utah for a month and left our poor garden to fend for itself. When we got back we had a friend... I mean rascal living with our tomatoes. (which by the way they do eat, even though we were told they don't like them.
10. I can't imagine how many tomatoes we would have gotten if we would have stayed home. I was amazed at how much we got and are still getting.
11. Yellow tomato. (Sorry can't remember the name) This are so super yummy, and the best is they escaped the few pickers that came to grab some tomatoes while we were gone, because they thought they weren't ripe yet. Didn't mind a bit, because they are delicious.
12. Costo Luto Genovese. This tomato has amazing flavor, that made our no-cook sauce and pasta un perfecto!
And in a nutshell, there is our garden this year. Ciao!

because it makes me smile

 

First Day of School

Marcella and Claire started school this week. Marcella's first day was yesterday. She walks to school , something her teacher said she's never had a student do before. We'll see how much walking she does when the snow starts to fall, but at least for now it will be nice.

Claire's first day was today. She's being bussed to a school around 8 miles from our house. Claire loves buses. She didn't really understand she'd be riding the bus until it pulled up.

She had absolutely no problems getting on. She practically ran up the steps.

It's fun to watch them go to school, but a little unnerving that this will be their life for the next bazillion years. Hopefully neither of them will be in school as long as I've been there, though.

Mother's day

We had a couple weeks in between visitors and Mother's day came during that time.

This Mother's day I was spoiled. I had a wonderful Breakfast, had a wonderful time at church, received some fun gifts ( a couple shirts, some lotion and hair ties, lots of fun necklaces, and Marcella even gave me $5 which I secretly gave back to her sweet thing.)

We had gotten some coupons in the mail for an ice cream cake at Dairy queen so I requested a cake. I however was pleasantly surprised at the message on top. I have the best family in the world!

Here is Deidra and I before we devoured the cake. It just wouldn't be a Sunday without them so we made them come have cake with us.

Lizzy was here

during another fun event, Easter!

On Saturday we had a little friend Easter egg hunt at the park by our house. It was fun watching the little ones trying to figure out what was going on.

We then headed home to color Easter eggs.

Here is the best Easter picture we got and yes, Claire was trying to kick Marcella in the head, we have proof! This Easter was super fun and we enjoyed having Lizzy with us. The girls each got a book and a bunny in their Easter basket along with some bubbles and a kite.

During Lizzy's stay

 

 

 

We officially welcomed Amelia Grace Hartwell into the Wallin clan. She joined us for her first Friday night game night and we were pleased to have Lizzy and Millie's Grandparents with her as well to celebrate! As you can see she is Very loved around here. Just mention Deidra's name and Claire will be saying "BaBY! BaBY!" over and over until we tell her she gets to see her or we distract her with something else. We sure Love you little one!

A week Later

 

Lizzy came and this just sums up how much fun we had. We had a very nice relaxing time hanging around the house as Jon was still finishing up school and was a little busy. The girls just adore her and had so much fun playing with her. Her famous contribute to our household was making humus. (Lizzy, Jon hasn't stopped making it since you came!) We sure love you and hope you come back soon!

Remember our visitors...

In April my mom came out and stayed with me while Jon was at a conference. We had so much fun. My Uncle Rod came up from Louisville to see us and we had a nice time going to dinner and seeing Purdue.

We really got a lot accomplished in just a week. We decided the girls needed a sand box, so we got the stuff and made one. Filling it up took more sand than we expected, but the girls really love it. We also sprayed and dug up the grass for our garden, and shopped til we dropped.

Thanks so much for coming Mom, we miss you terribly and hope you come back soon.

Love you!

Nine years,

a little older, chubbier, hairier, wrinklier, but a whole lot happier. Love you! Here's to another fabulous year!

Lake Michigan

Indiana has Lake Michigan shoreline. We stopped by with Kristin, almost on a whim, and had buckets of fun.

I don't want to jump the gun, but....

Miss Claire (her new nickname as of late) is now in a little bed. She has successfully fallen asleep twice and yes fallen off the bed twice, but at least it is super close to the ground. I thought I was going to regret taking down the crib, but so far so good. I will just keep crossing my fingers and we will see what the rest of the week brings us. Yesterday she didn't have a nap so I knew tiredness would eventually do her in. Today she is taking a nap... Wish us Luck!

and so it begins...

at least half of yesterday was spent saying "shut the door." I am think I am going to rig it so whenever you walk out the door it will automatically say "Please shut the door."

This poor girl has had the luxury (and believe me I wish it was still the case) of just coming in and out of the backyard as she pleases. The weather has been AMAZINGLY wonderful, it cools down at night and is just nice enough during the day that you don't feel like you have to shower more than once, ahhh spring. Except yesterday it decided to remind us what is coming, and boy was it hot. I am afraid for the day when Claire can open the glass door, but until then I will at least know who the culprit is as far as who is leaving the door open and letting all the cold air out!
Yes sirie bob it would be Miss Marcella Anne. She sure hasn't gotten very much face time on the blog lately so here is a mini update. She is often found Playing with friends,

playing with her sister, (On Mother's day of all days I looked out the window to see these two just holding hands running around the yard. They sure are the sweetest things ever!!)

flying her Barbie kite, (I seriously forgot how fun it was to fly a kite. if you haven't done it in a while go get one. You will have so much fun!)
and last but not least she's been hanging out with this little one, Millie. Oh how I wish I could claim her as my own, but since I can't I will just enjoy the minutes I get to hold her. (Which, Deidra isn't about time you came back over.... I need to hold that sweet baby! ;))

It is only 9:30

and I wish you could have been at my house this morning, but since you can't I will just fill you in on what you would have heard. "claire, CLaire, CLAIRE!!!!" repeating in many different voices and volumes as she:
1. decided to grab a towel off the towel rack while she was in the tub and plunge it into the tub then promptly throw it on the floor. Thus creating a pool, yes a pool of water all over the bathroom floor.
2. kept running away when it was time to get her hair done
3.decided it would be fun to dump out 10 puzzles all over the floor, right after Marcella was told she had to clean up the toy room. (what a mean sister! he he)
4. decided that she did not want 2 pots filled with dirt anywhere close to her proximity. ("Nothing can be on my table. It must be pushed to the floor!")

There is only 2 hr and 20 minutes until nap time... bring it on... I am ready for you....

Claire's natural habitat

If all of us died mysteriously in the night, from like a crazy murderer or a bad pot of stew, and just Claire was left, this is where she'd spend most of her time. On top of the table, no diaper, eating popcorn.

First of many

This little one was so excited when we were driving up to Chicago the end of March to see our first of many visitors, who have been coming and are going to be coming until we head back home to Utah in July. On the drive up she would randomly just say "GRANDMA! YEA!"

We picked up Grandma Katherine at her hotel in Chicago and had a fabulous day with her. We went to the aquarium and had serious realizations that we NEED to get a harness for Claire. Once you would put her down she would take off running! Afterwards we took Grandma to the airport. It was a short visit, but we sure loved it. Jon and I both realized how much we sure miss you guys. We are looking forward to there upcoming trip this month! Ciao.

Claire's Quirks

Claire is better at pushing our buttons than Marcella. She knows how to get a reaction from her parents, and does it all the time. This morning, I was choosing some music to go with our breakfast. Marcella jumped down from her chair to come lend a hand. The minute her seat was empty, Claire started climbing up into it. This, of course, upset Marcella. I got up from the computer chair to lend a hand. Claire, once I'd removed her from Marcella's seat, immediately ran and climbed into the computer chair, laughing the whole time. She does this all the time--gets into something she shouldn't with the motive of stealing the computer chair. It's pretty funny.

She also has a meticulous habit of throwing candy wrappers and tissues in the trash. If I give her a piece of candy, she won't eat it until the wrapper is in the trash. Lizzy only just started throwing things away, and she's almost 20. When she'd come visit us as a teenager, weeks would pass and we'd still find hidden candy wrappers all through the house. Claire....quite the opposite. Our little one still gets confused between the meaning of "yes" and "no", but is better at trolling her parents than her 5 1/2 year old sister.