I was featured!

I've officially had my first blog feature, woo hoo!
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I was looking for fun ideas for a birthday party for Lexie and found this really cute website, Creative parties and showers. They have the best ideas for real parties, and great pictures too! I am a visual person so I love to see the ideas implimented. While there I submitted the fun sports themed baby shower we did last month, and today, it was featured! Go check it out and see some of the other awesome parties they have there.

First Swim Meet

Kevin and I had debated for awhile about putting Halli into anything competitive, but finally decided that Swim Team would be fun and beneficial. Not to mention, this girl is a total fish.

So we've been having practices every day for the past three weeks.

That can be a little tiring.

Especially cause it's right at dinner time. But, she absolutely loves it.

She wasn't real sure what to think of her first meet. They let all the kids get in and do a warm up early that morning, and she was kinda disappointed that she had to get out. After that, she spent the majority of her time asking to go to grandma's house to go swimming.

But, I am glad to say, that after doing her one event she loved it and want's to keep going to all the meets! Glad it was worth it for her, and she's learning a bunch and doing really well, so, I suppose it was worth it for me too.

looking like the real deal in her swim gear.

Right after her warm-up, and ready to go.

This was Peyton's face the majority of the time. She did NOT want to be there, and was hot and tired. Good thing we love her, and think that face is cute!

Halli waiting on deck for her turn to race.

Getting some pointers from dad.

The signature "halli" move. Her eyes are ALWAYS indented with the oval of her googles. I really don't know why she doesn't loosen them up, believe me, we've tried.

on the block and ready to go! Doesn't she look like a tough competitor?

In the start position. See how she's checking everyone else out to make sure she's got it right? I love this funny kid.

There goes everyone! Except Halli, who seems to be making sure it's the right time to jump in.

Not quite the last one out, but close! Not to worry, she still finished 2nd!

Look at that form! Now we just need to teach her how to breath, cause she stops and doggy paddles when she needs to take a breath.

Our little athlete. She was very proud of herself, as she should be.

After spending all morning in the hot sun, as soon as Halli finished, we took off. We headed over to grandma Williams house to hop in the pool, and it felt GREAT!

Peyton and her Grandpa, she loves him!

daddy's girl. She adores him and I love it!

Look at my tough guy, isn't he just Handsome! I love that he's trying not to smile here.:)

Halli and dad goofing off.

I have way too many pictures of her swimming around, but thought this one was kinda cute.

We had a great day enjoying the water and cheering on our little girl in her first (of many, I'm sure) athletic competitions. It was so fun to watch her do her best and try her hardest to achieve something. She is amazing. She has that competitive bone in her, and comes by it naturally, so it'll be fun to watch her grow and succeed at many things. Love you Halli, and Congrats, you did AWESOME!

When did this happen?

This morning the girls woke up at 6am. I was not happy. Luckily, they didn't wake me up, I could just hear them. So, I feel back asleep and got up at 6:45 to start getting them ready for the day. I came out, to see Halli in the kitchen, making herself a sandwich for her lunch. She was also dressed (in clothes far too warm for this time of year), and she had a bow in her uncombed hair. I walked past her to go upstairs and get Lexie, and ran into Peyton who was playing, and was also dressed in clothes far too warm for this weather,with a bow in her hair. I guess Halli had helped get her ready for the day.

After changing their clothes and fixing their hair, I told them to come downstairs to eat breakfast, only to hear that they already had. Halli had poured them both cereal, with the milk, and gotten them drinks.

I did not know she would want to be so self sufficient so soon. It's nice that I know she can take care of herself, but it's so weird to think that I have a child old enough to be getting her own meals ready. She is one amazing little, or I suppose now it's big, girl.

10 months

I know I say this all the time, but every time a new month comes around, it kinda takes me by suprise that she's that much older. We're just loving our Lexie right now and truly enjoying the amazing girl that she is.

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She's crawling everywhere as fast as she can, and she's just started to stand up too. She's got eight teeth, and there's a cute little gap between her two front teeth. She knows how to use her teeth too, and has been known to bite, poor Peyton has been the recipient a couple of times. She's also a little chatterbox, not that we can understand her of course, but she loves to talk! If you also notice, she never has a bow in her hair in pictures, and when she does, it has been put on her about 50 times just to get the picture. She does not like her bows and almost instantly takes them off. She reminds me of Halli that way, (when Halli was a baby of course) so I may just have a girl with scruffy hair all the time cause she won't let me do anything to it.

It's so easy to make her laugh, and we all spend a good portion of our days doing just that. We just feel so blessed to have this little cutie as part of our family, and love being able to watch her grow and learn and discover new things.

Just a couple pictures that show off just how cute little Lexie lou is!

We love you Lexie, now please feel free to stop growing up at any time!

Prince Charming???

The other day, (well, a couple weeks ago really, I just don't remember when), we decided it was finally time to mulch the front yard. That afternoon as we were busy planting flowers and making it all look pretty, which was definitely needed, Halli found a little friend. It was a little frog, or baby toad, I don't know, but she feel in love!

I've always loved playing with frogs, and would find them when I was little and bring them in the house to play with. Yes, it was gross when they would pee on you, but they're just so cute!! Not as cute anymore, but they don't bother me.

I was just amazed by how much she loved her little frog, or could it be prince charming in disguise? We'll never know, she didn't want to kiss it! (thank goodness!).

Her new friend contained in a cup, she did not want to let it go!

playing nice

She really wanted to hug it, but didn't want to take it out of the cup, so she hugged that cup as tight as she could.

I love this one of her trying to get close to the frog without taking it out.

one last close up of her bug eyed little companion.

I should send these pictures to school, since they're learning all about frogs this week, and she loves learning about them!

The Winners, and my younger hubby's birthday too!

So, I'm a day late, but here are the winners for my little contest. Thanks for all the comments by the way, my friends and family sure are great!

So, my random number generator, AKA- Halli, picked: the winner of some delish lollipops -#4, my sister Brittany, the winner of some great sugar scrub - #5, Ashley, and the winner of some customized stationary - #12, Brooke from my old stomping ground, Durango!

Congrats you guys, and I know everyone would have wished me happy birthday anyway, but it's always fun to give presents away, so thanks for playing my little game!

Now, for those of you who don't know, Kevins birthday is the day after mine, yes we are only a day apart, and we were born the same year too, so I'm a few hours older than he is! This can make birthdays kinda fun, and it's a great excuse to get out of town for the weekend. We headed to San Antonio on saturday morning, but I don't have pictures yet, so I'll have to post more about it later. But I just wanted to tell Kevin Happy Belated Birthday, and I love you sweetie!

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's that time of year again.

The anniversary of the day I was born.

I know what you're all thinking... "What can I give you, April?"

How nice of you to ask.

You can give me a comment. (Especially you. Yours is the one I am most looking forward to.)

And guess what? I have presents for you! Well, three of you anyway. There's some super-chic customized stationary, some yummy-licious sugar scrub and a large bubblegum lollipop or two. (Gifts are listed in descending order of personal preference, although, who am I kidding putting the candy last?).

On Monday morning I am going to give these gifts to three people who leave me a comment on this post. I'll probably use some random number generator (which could mean, "Hey Hubba! Pick a number between 1 and 8...") but regardless, three lucky someones will get a gift from me.

Please? Just one little comment? It's my birthday.

AND I'm giving away presents.

Whether you've commented before or not... it would really mean a lot to me.

Thanks.

P.S. Thanks Stephanie for a great idea to subtly beg for comments from all my wonderful friends!