Chicago with the Link's 2013

Papa and Grandma Sharon took us all to Chicago again and we had such a good time.  We rode the train up on a Friday morning and came home on Sunday afternoon.  It was a short trip, but it was just long enough for the kiddos.  It was a memorable trip for many reasons, some good and some bad (Lola had to go to the ED on Saturday and Ainsley puked on Sunday).  Luckily, those were the only low points.  The high points were..... the rest of the trip, Shedd Aquirium, the Disney Store, the Auto Show, Weber Grill, Rock Bottom Brewery, swimming, happy hour and the family races around the hotel! It was a fun little getaway!  Thank You Papa and Grandma Sharon! We love you.

SO EXCITED to be on the train!

Yay for trains!

Grandma Sharon and the girls watching/listening to the diver in the tank.

So cool!  I wish I had a wall like this at my house - and also the staff to take care of the fish;)

special moments.

This was my favorite thing to see!  I think sea horses are very cool!

Ryan and Aaron were resting - worn out from all the big fishy they saw!

After the aquarium, our ride was awaiting...

I love this picture - look at Addysen's excitement!

Cousin love

FUN FUN FUN at the Disney store! (Lola is in the stoller sleeping, by Minnie)

See, there she is:)

After the Disney store, Anna fell asleep... and look, she sleeps like a lady;)

Grandma and her girls!

DINER AT WEBER GRILL

dinner time silliness:)

AFTER DINNER

Addysen decided to lay down in a bush.... We had nothing to do with it:)

Everyone else had gone back to the hotel, and we decided we weren't done yet...

and neither were Grandma and Papa...

So after Papa gave Addysen a woopin, we went and got some drinks to take back to the hotel.

And when the drinks were done, so was Papa.  But it looks like the little ones outlasted him!

And the girls ended the trip with a dip in the hot tub.  What a great trip!

*****

I just realized that I didn't have any pictures of Nate, so I'll leave you with Uncle Nate and Aunt Mary's race around the hotel.

Valentines Day

Valentines Day went by in a blurr this year.  Ainsley went to Hope's house and got lots of sweet valentines from her buddies. Addysen went to school and her class had a valentines day party, so I went in to help and share treats.  Then after school, we went to get Ainsley and came home.  Then Jared and the kids came over so they could exchange valentines, then they were off to visit "Grandma" Ruth.  When they got home, we ate supper and we packed our bags because first thing in the morning we were taking the train to Chicago with the Link Family.  So it wasn't the typical lovey-dovey Valentines day - Aaron is so lucky I'm not high maintenance about that stuff;)  He let me quit my job to pursue something else that - so far - is still a work in progress.  He loves us girls more than anything in the world and I know that. He works hard for us everyday and for that I couldn't love him enough for!  So even though I didn't have a fancy meal, flowers or a card on Valentines day, I still felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Ainsley, my little nut ready for Valentines Day!

And look at that, she is going into her favorite room of the house... the pantry!

My Addysen, set in her ways and will no longer let me pick out her clothes:(.... said that she WAS wearing valentines day clothes because it said LOVE on the pockets of her jeans.  ;)

passing out their valentines.

Addysen is checking out her loot:)

playing a game with their teacher, Mrs. Manecke.  Addysen loves her and thinks she is the bee's knees!  (We really like her too)

And look who came to crash the party and steal a treat!?  Mrs. Higgerson.  "Who's that" - as Addysen would say.

Super Bowl Party 2013

Aaron and I hosted the super bowl party again this year.  We had lots of food, beer, football, good company and crazy kids! We had a good time and I hope everyone else did too!

The super bowl party never really starts until the kids start dancing during the halftime show! 

Thank goodness for the good music Beyonce provided them!

The ladies of the farm...the ones who run the show:)

I just loved this picture of Anna and Beau... Anna being so helpful and motherly and Beau's face is like, "get this crazy lady off of me!"

The reason's those daddy's work so hard and so many hours on the farm:)

Cloverbuds @ our Farm

On Febuary 10, Addysen's Cloverbud group came to our farm so Aaron could talk to them about calves. Addysen was so excited to have all her little buddies at "her" farm and to have her Daddy talking about "her" calves.  Aaron did an excellent job and the kids seemed to really enjoy being on the farm and seeing the new baby calves.

Aaron talking to the kids about calves...

All the little munchkins trying to get their hand on the baby calf.

The calf did a good job and didn't get too spooked with all those little hands:)

Gotta love farm girls!

Ainsley, Addysen and Anna checking out one of the new baby calves.

Uncle Nate showing Ainsley the new calf. 

I think Anna sees a calf!

Happy as can be to to see the new calf!

can you imagine the conversation taking place here?

Anna & Ainsley...

Anna and Ainsley... those two are quite the little duo!  They are best buddies, ornery, a little sneaky, but cute as can be!  Anna and Lola stayed here for a couple of days while their daycare was closed and we had a great time.  We played, snacked, played, napped and played and danced!  It was a fun couple of days with some silly girls!

playing dress up

I guess they got dressed up because they were having a dance!

You can see from this picture that Anna has like 3 dresses on at the same time:)

Here is an outfit that Ainsley put together one night after Anna left.

They spent a lot of time in this tent with I think EVERY stuffed animal they could find.

The sweetest, cutest, goofballs I know:)

Elf on the shelf...

Ainsley was being a little stinker and she got in trouble.  So Aaron punished her by putting her up on the top shelf in the pantry:)  She hated it at first, then thought it was pretty funny.... so did we:)  I think before she gets too big I'll have to dress her up like an elf and take a picture of her up there & she can be our very own elf on the shelf:)