Fun times in July!!

So, July is a crazy busy month here (as I am sure it is for most people)!  Now, I grew up just north of Hector, so my address was Hector.  But starting in the 5th grade our classes combined with Buffalo Lake kids.  Which I am thankful for since some of my best friends are from BL!  So, both Hector and BL have their town celebrations in July.  This year they happened to be consecutive weekends (sometimes there is a weekend between them, right??).  And both town celebrations are fun in their own ways.  While Hector is bigger, BL actually draws a larger crowd for their street dance.  So...I made both of them!!  And of course both weekends were SWEALTERING HOT!  For Hector I tried taking the kids to the parade.  It was very hot.  They did very good, but I decided not to put everyone through that in BL and instead took them to my parents (where they enjoyed the pool in the shade on the porch) and headed to town solo.  So, here is our obligatory group photos from each event.  Taken early in the night ;)!

Hector days!  Amanda, Dom, Jamie and myself!

BL days!  Jamie, Tina, Dom, Amanda, and me...yes I have 2 drinks!!  The line was REALLY long!!

Couple more...

So, as you all know I am notoriously bad at remembering to bring my camera or use it if I do bring it...but I do take pics with my iphone!  So I uploaded a couple from there last night.  I kind of have fun "editing" them on my phone.  I want to find a program to use for my other pics...one day!  And just a funny little story, sometimes the things Allie says make me wonder if she is 3 or 13.  The other day she was going to ride her bike and Jesse told her she needed to put on her helmet.  She looked at my mom and said, "Grandma, do I look ridiculous in this?"  Oh my!

Happy 4th of July!

Allie and her cousin Emma!

Allie and Kara at Relay...Allie got her hair done crazy!  Kara wanted hers done too...maybe next year! :)

Allie and her big fish...she wouldn't touch it!

Uhhh, wait, is it really July 20?!  WHERE is summer going?  What have we been doing?  Nothing much and yet so much!  The girls and I have enjoyed spending a lot of my days off at the pool as it has been REALLY hot!  But I am not complaining.  We wait 9 LONG months for summer.  We have been to area lakes a few times.  I prefer the pool because it is so close and because I don't have to worry about Kara eating sand (or having to clean it out of her diaper!)!  We've taken in some parades and a Stinger's game.  And just spent time with family and friends...and work of course!  It seems I have an awfully long to-do list for the rest of summer!!  I want to take the kids to the zoo and valleyfair.  I would like to get to a Twins game.  We have a couple more Stinger's games on the agenda already and we have my brother's wedding in a couple weeks!  I mentioned it to Allie today...that might have been a mistake.  She is sooo excited and it is hard to describe to her how far away it is yet.  She wanted to know if there was going to be a dance and then informed me she couldn't wait to dance.  Then when we got home from Relay 4 Life tonight, she said she was going to the wedding.  Instead she got a bath and bedtime.  Had to laugh during her bath because I told her I put one of her shirts in the wash and she looked at me all distraught and said that she "needed" a DRESS to wear to the wedding!  LOL!!  Anyway, here are a few pics of what we've been up to...

Best we could do for a family pic on the 4th of July!



Ok, more to come...Have to get to bed!!!

1 Year Pics

Kara had her 1 year pics taken a couple weeks ago.  Just got the proof link!  They are ADORABLE!  She is a busy/daring little girl and I think Steff did a great job capturing our spunky girl!  HERE is the link (click on word here).  Enter your email address and the password is KM2012.  Enjoy!  Let me know your favorites please!  I don't know how I will ever decided!!

1 Year Stats!

Kara had her 1 year check up on Friday.  Everything went well!  I love these kinds of check ups!  She was so cute, smiled initially at Dr. Swanson, as long as I was holding her!  But when it was time for him to examine her on the table, she was not happy!  Big crocodile tears and he didn't even have to do anything painful!  The poor thing did get 4 shots and a blood draw (to check hemoglobin and lead levels - routine at 1 yr).  It sure is rough to turn 1!  Not to mention the teeth she is getting!  Anyway, here are her stats: 
21 lbs even - 50th percentile
30 inches long - 75th percentile...
She continues to be taller/thinner!  But she still has so much baby chubbyness, I LOVE IT!

Here is a pic of her in her big girl carseat, she got Allie's seat now and Allie got a booster.

And on Friday after her appt. we went to the pool.  Both girls loved it!  But boy, is it a workout taking both of these girls there by myself! 

Allie, being silly!

Having fun playing in the water!  Momma trying to keep that bald little head from getting too much sun!

Allie trying to "help" Kara.  Not sure if she needed it... :)

Water in the face, but she loved it!

Friday was a busy day, Friday evening we went to Kara's first parade and our first of the year!  The Inventor's Parade in Redwood Falls.  Jesse's aunt, Carrie, had mentioned it was a fun one and we decided what the heck!  The girls had so much fun!

Allie and cousins Maddox and Laura!

Kara and daddy!

One addendum...for inquiring minds...Allie weighed 21 lbs and was ALMOST 30 inches at her 1 year check up, so they are right on with each other!  My dad did not think Allie was that big at a year, turns out she was!

1st Birthday!!!

Miss Kara-Beara is 1!!!  Yowza!  As I look back on that first year, I truly know why first birthdays are such a celebration.  I think it started hundreds of years ago when it was almost a miracle when a baby made it through their first year with all the diseases, etc.  Anyway, while our first year was easy as far as that goes...there were definitely times I couldn't imagine how we were going to make it a year!!  My sweet, spunky, and colicky baby!!  It truly is a celebration!!  I love her sooo much, and even though there were trying times, I find myself missing my little baby!  She is not much of a cuddler usually and we are almost done with bottles, probably by Monday!!  And I think it is harder on me than her!  I want to hold and cuddle her and that was one time she would.  I have tried to replace that bottle with stories, but she doesn't usually sit still for them yet.  Allie was much better at that!  My sweet girls, both sweet and loving in their own seperate ways!  Anyway, here are a FEW of the over 100 pics I have from her day!!  Thanks so much to Ashley and Alyssa for helping me take pics!  And anyone else that helped with that and EVERYTHING ELSE!  It was so fun!!

Supper before cake!!  Eating big people food...yum yum!!

Opening B-day presents...I think she is teething, she is chewing on EVERYTHING!  I think her favorite present might have been her toothbrush!  LOL

Yup, she is walking...all.over.the.place!

Hmmm, what's in here?

Getting lots of help.  Big sister, Allie, was helping, but I think she took a break!

MMM, cake time!  Looking like she is not sure where to start!

Getting started!

Mmm, it IS good!

Sharing some with Grandpa!

She did a pretty good number on her cake!

Bath time after the cake mess!

My sweet baby!  1 years old!! 

Cute pics

So, it was over a month ago that we had our nieces first communion and confirmation...BUT since I FINALLY downloaded pics I just have to post these because they are so cute!

Jesse and his god-daughter, Madison, at her First Communion

Ashley and her girls!  Emma and Allie with Ashley at her Confirmation!