It Came. I Saw. I'm Conquering

Well blog stalkers, I have hit a new level... or age, that is.

Yep.  I have officially said good-bye to my youth and am saying hello to adulthood.  I am 30!

Some people seem to have nervous breakdowns at hitting 30.  Me?  Not a chance!  I'm not saying that it isn't weird, because well, it is!  I mean, I was in my 20s for ten years and lots and lots of great things happened to me in those ten years.  College... college... more college... Coach... becoming a homeowner x2... my real teaching job... more college... and who could forget about lil' miss Lovebug :)

The days leading upto my birthday were quite enjoyable.  I filed for homestead credit on our home (read:  became an adult), and the best part... Holly kept Lovebug for a morning which allowed me some ME time.  What did I do, you ask?  If you stalk follow me on Facebook, you already know... I went shopping by myself!!  It was splendid.  I got to try clothes on without the constant tugging and nagging by a toddler. I treated myself to some new shirts, tank tops and (gasp) SHORTS.  Yes, folks... call it my midlife crisis.  I haven't worn shorts in public in at least 10 years!!!  But I did it.  I bought a pair of shorts (and I've worn them, too!!).

The day itself was perfect.  It started with Coach taking us all out for breakfast.  Then, I took two of my favorite students in the ENTIRE world {Leon & Emily... Leon and I are birthday buddies!} and Lovebug out for lunch, shopping, and some play time at our house.  Here are Leon & Emily.  They are practicing their pose...they will someday be Homecoming King and Queen at Ruby Van Meter :)

{are they not the cutest couple?!??!?!!}

 Of course, Lovebug was being her normal self at Applebee's... not sitting in the booth :).

The rest of the day was spent with more family quality time.  We hung out together and I played with my birthday/anniversary present.  Coach bought me an iPad 2!!  I have wanted one forEVER, and it is the most awesome thing ever!!  Of course, Lovebug and Coach get to use it, too.  I'm nice.  I share.  Sometimes ;)

So yeah.  There you have it.  I'm 30 now.  And I'm proud to say I think I'm conquering it quite nicely!

Daddy's Day

Again... a few weeks ago, we celebrated Father's Day for our favorite guy, Coach. 

We went out to eat at Montana Mikes with Coach's family, then walked around Menards with Grandpa Larry for awhile.  Lovebug had fun showing off... and was treated with a bag of candy corn from Grandpa Larry for it :). 

After that, we headed home for some well-deserved naps for Lovebug and her favorite Daddy, followed by some ice cream. 

It was a very low-key day, which Coach said he loved. 

Oh, and who could forget about his gift.  Unfortunately, he didn't get to unwrap it, seeing as how he'd been using it for a few weeks.  It was his shed!  I know, nothin' says Happy Father's Day like tools... or a place to hold a whole bunch of them :)

I tried and tried to get some cute pics of Lovebug {of course I had to dress her up in the most beautiful dress picked out for her by her Daddy}, but the lil' stinker refused to sit still!  Shocker.

Yep folks.  There she is in all her blurry glory :)

Happy Father's Day to you Coach!  You're the very best Daddy ever!!  Lovebug and I are lucky to have you!!!

This goes for MY Daddy, too, of course :)

How We Spend Our Days

Meet Lovebug.

She's getting ready to find her Daddy. 

Do you see him?

There he is!  Through the fence.  

This is how Lovebug and I see Coach on most days.  Hence, the nickname :).

Lovebug LOVES to yell for her Daddy when she gets to the field. 

She's pretty good for most of the games, too... as long as she has a snackie :).



Yes, those are donuts.  I'm not ashamed, either.

Lovebug's Latest Toy!!

A few weekends ago, Coach and I headed to Lowe's where we bought Lovebug's latest toy... a swingset!

This, blog stalkers, is HUGE!!  Coach is a fanatic about his yard, and rightfully so.  He puts a TON of blood, sweat and tears into makign it look gorgeous.  So, to put a swingset in his yard is huge.  Plus, it shows just how tightly Lovebug has him wrapped around her finger :).

Anyway, Grandpa Dale helped Coach get the structure set up one weekend, then another weekend Coach, Grandpa Larry, Uncle Bill, and Grandpa Dale helped finish it.  Yes, it takes four grown men to put together a swingset.  If you haven't done it yet and are laughing, just you wait.  If you have gone through the torture of assembling a swingset, gimme an Amen!

Anyway, we decided to get her one as an early birthday present.  She has been obcessed lately with slides, and was scared to death of the swings {shocker to us b/c last year, she couldn't get enough of the swings!}.  Oh well, I guess things change as time goes on, right?  Right.

Well... much to our surprise, Lovebug went right for the swings!  The big girl swings, that is.

{I love you Daddy!!}

{I can't get enough of her eyes in these outdoor pictures!!}

{CHEESE!!!}



{a rare sight... Lovebug and Mama}


Lovebug loves her swings, but this is her favorite :).




{ready....set....}



{GOOOOOOOOOO!!!}

{crash landing :)}

All in all, this was a great purchase on our parts.  Lovebug absolutely LOVES it! 

Lovebug Built a Kitty Cat

On one of our first summer vacay days, Lovebug and I journed over to the west side of our booming metropolis to meet Holly.  Holly had grand plans of having Lovebug build-a-bear.  Instead, Lovebug built a Kitty Cat!  It was the first day that Hello Kitty made her presence known at Build-A-Bear Workshop, so of course...Hy-ya had to treat Lovebug!

Join us on this fun journey...

First, Lovebug toted Kitty Cat's lifeless body around the store...

Then, she and Hy-ya picked out not one, but TWO sounds to have Kitty Cat say... I love you and the cutest lil' giggle since, well, Lovebug's :)



{Hy-ya! I can't see the sounds!!}

Then, it was time to fluff Kitty Cat up!  Lovebug was in awe of the fluff machine!!

But then, it was time for business.  Girlfriend even had to take her coat off!  She put the pedal to the metal floor and Kitty Cat began to take shape!

Once Kitty Cat was almost filled, Lovebug picked out her heart, gave it a kiss, then gave it to the lovely lady helping us.

Kitty Cat was alive! 

The problem?  Kitty Cat was naked!  Eeeks!  Can't have that...  sooo... Lovebug and Hy-ya picked out the ca-UTEST lil' hoochie outfit for Kitty Cat.  Complete with hoochie heels :)

They also had to determine whether or not that would be enough...



{two peas in a pod}

It wasn't.  Shocker :).  Lovebug had to test out Kitty Cat's purse to see if it would be good enough.  It was!

 The moment was finally arriving... Kitty Cat was getting de-clawed tagged!! :)  Off to the computer we went to create Kitty Cat's birth certificate. 

While Hy-ya treated Lovebug to this special present, Lovebug attempted to carry Kitty Cat in her new carrier...



{too heavy!!}

Once done, we headed to Younks where Hy-ya got Lovebug a Hello Kitty tank top, Hello Kitty skirt, Hello Kitty panties, and a Hello Kitty purse.  You have to match, ya know :)

After that, we headed to Champps where we treated Hy-ya to a yummy lunch.  I know I've said it before, and it won't be the last time we say it... we are OH SO BLESSED to have Holly in our lives!  Thank you, Holly, for everything you do!!!!!



{of course Lovebug has to be more interested in the food than the camera :)}



Surprise!!

Lovebug loves surprises these days.  If she's in the midst of a tantrum {yes, folks...this girl than throw a tantrum!}, I have been known to say to her "I have a surprise for you!".  Most of the time, surprises are from Daddy, though... and most of the time, they're in the form of ice cream {what girl wouldn't love THAT as a surprise?!?!?}.

Well, Coach told Lil' Miss Lovebug he had a surprise for her when she woke up from a nap one day.  Girlfriend woke up to Mama getting her in a different kind of diaper and outfit.  See where I'm going with this?  Neither did Lovebug... see?

Once we got outside, the poor thing still wasn't sure what this big surprise was...



{what am I supposed to look at, Daddy?}



And then... wah-la!!  She found her surprise...

At first, Lovebug wasn't so sure about it...

{you think I'm gonna play with WHAT?!?!}



{this doesn't look like the slides at the park}





But then, she got into it... literally!



{pure excitement!!}





{I'm gonna splash you!!!}





{trying to catch the water... not workin' so well...}




{splash!!}



Needless to say, Lovebug LOVED her surprise... even if it wasn't ice cream ;)



Grandma Sally Turned the Big 6-0

Over Memorial Day weekend, Grandma Sally and Grandpa Dale came for a visit. Not just because they wanted to see Lovebug, but because we were celebrating!!! Mama Sy-ya turned the big 6-0, and Mama Sy-ya and Papi Deeale were celebrating 39 years of marriage!!!!

What could be better for these two great people than to play with their granddaughter in the backyard?!!??? Nothing!!

So, prepare yourself for some massive slight photo overload... and might I add, some of my favorite pics of Lovebug EVER!!!

{can you tell that Lovebug is being told to not get in the dirt?}



{meet Grandma Sally, Jr. :)}



{sweet & innocent}

{mmmm... popsicles!!}



{gimme lips, Lovebug!}





{this is what I call love}



{running to get the ball}



{I cannot get enough of her!!!!}