Pals!

Lily and baby Sophie playing in the car. As only children, they were happy to have found a friend...most of the time!

Good bye, Oregon!

Lincoln City

Arriving at the Inn at Spanish Head...Lily's "limo" moment

View from the balcony

View from the room

Snacking along the way Lily loves chocolate cake!!

Lily's party

Did you notice, the missing icing? This picture was taken after Lily attacked her cake, but before we actually had the chance to sing to her!

Party Pictures

Well it was a long day and I learned a valuable lesson--toddlers don't really need birthday parties! Thank you to everyone who came out and made Lily's party memorable! Although we couldn't control the weather, I appreciate that you all showed up to make the day special!

Olivia & Blaise showing off their candy-collecting skills!

Baby Sophie!!!! Look at that long, beautiful hair!

Discovery Playground

We went to a park in Spokane called Discovery Playground that is so unique--I wish there was a park like it in Kansas City! There are musical exhibits, innovative toys, imprints of fossils, oversized props--it almost seems a little Doctor Seuss-ish! Except for the freezing weather, it would have been a nice place for a picnic!

Weekend with the Smiths

Lily & Gigi napping on the drive to Coeur d'Alene

This was Lily's first time on a ride! She, Halle, & Caleb had so much fun!

Lily meets Moses.

Moses likes Lily alright, but Lily loves Moses.
Moses spends the next week as the object of her affection.

Cousins!!

Flight to Spokane

The ride from the parking lot to the terminal was a bumpy one and Lily was nervous to be out of her carseat.

Although we paid for three seats, Lily spent the first flight on Daddy's lap!

Lily and Grandma Christy are reunited!!

Headed out West

Well it took a lot of coordination on the parts of several people but thankfully, we are finally heading back to the northwest for a two week trip!

We look forward to seeing all our family and hopefully a few friends as well!

Happy Birthday, Lily!!

Lily, how old are you now?

Being 2 really wears a girl out!

Wow...has it really been two years already?!

I could write volumes about what Lily means to us and how she has changed us, but the simple truth is that being a parent is such an incredible blessing--it's so much more than I could ever adequately describe!

That God would choose to share Lily with Eric and me is so...humbling...because she is such a treasure!! The best way I can describe her is like a diamond--She has many facets, each adding to her brilliance!

She is so funny!

Tonight after the bath Lily disappeared into her room. A minute later she emerged with a pair of Dora undies that she put on all by herself--inside out and backwards!

She really keeps us laughing!!

Farmer's Market

We had to visit two different farmer's markets today before we found all the right produce, but it was well worth the trip! Lily enjoyed people watching and we even bumped into her friends, Reagan and Lincoln!

It was so hot today, by the time we finished shopping we were both sweating, but it was still a beautiful day to be outside. Days like this really make me wish we had family around to join us for our weekend adventures!

Princess Bubbles!

Bubbles are very exciting for Lily at this stage! We play this game where I scoop up a handful of bubbles and clap my hands together once, sending tiny bubbles all over the place--I can repeat this twenty times and it never gets old to her. I'm not sure if it's the bubble mess or the element of surprise Lily enjoys, but she just giggles and giggles! It's adorable!

Happy 4th of July!

One of our neighbors coordinated a block party that we attended today. She did a wonderful job of getting so many different people together and the food was fantastic!

Holidays always make us miss our family and friends back home, so the day was bitter sweet. Plus, Eric had to work, which left Lily and me feeling extra sad!

Here's a few pictures from our day:

Lily was fascinated with this Barbie Escalade, it even had a working stereo! Once she and Ava were inside, she did not want the game to end!

Happy 4th of July!

After a long day at the block party, Lily was excited for fireworks!

It was 81 degrees out and raining, but we put on our jackets and enjoyed the show anyway!

Ready for the block party!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Tonight we had our neighbors over for a cookout. Lily loved meeting Lucca, and seeing her friend, Ava, again!

Whether it was through the screen door or the sliding door, both girls wanted to peek in on the baby. It's difficult to convince a toddler to stop a certain behavior after your initial reaction was laughter! I had little nose prints all over the glass by the end of the night!

Berry funny, Lily!

Yesterday after Dagg Park we made Strawberry-Blueberry smoothies at home (Will someone PLEASE open a Jamba Juice in KC?!). Lily enjoyed hers so much that she even stopped using a straw so she could get more of the smoothie, faster!

Tonight Eric and I have a date planned! We rarely get out together, but without family in the area to keep Lily, it's a challenge to keep date nights as a priority. We probably get time together about once every three months...but we're making the best of our situation!