Chalk drawings

I discovered sidewalk chalk this week. On a walk around the neighborhood, we passed some drawings in the park and the girls had left half a piece of chalk. I was enthralled with the idea of being able to write on the sidewalk, so M had to go out and buy me my own!

My cousin came over last night to check out what M & I were doing.
Notice the lifesize me on the ground. I helped M color it in so that I could have a twin!!

I have a little bit of growing to do to catch M's feet!

After we got tired of drawing, L and I found a new way to use chalk.....I call it Chalk Rolling!

Second weekend of camping

This was the 2nd weekend of our camping experience. M&D and I headed up Friday after work. It rained a little on our way, but let up shortly after we got there. The rest of the weekend was absolutely gorgeous.....sunny, warm and hardly a cloud in the sky!

I finally was able to have my first s'more. Usually I'm in bed by the time these come out, but M let me stay just a little bit later so I could try one. It was so good I wanted more, but M said only one before bed! My friend Deliliah was also there the 2nd weekend. She's the one I made friends with over the Fourth. (just as an additional side note: tonight when I was over visiting my cousin, he was watching Homeward Bound II and I went running into the living room to get M to show her Deliliah....apparently the young female golden on that movie is also named Deliliah. M told D I guess if we have a girl we need to name her Deliliah since that's the only name I can say.....however D said no girl of his is going to be named Deliliah!!!!)
It was very cold Friday night. So cold in fact that our stove had frost on it Saturday morning.

While I napped on Saturday, G and L made a G.I. Joe fort and city. Didn't they do a wonderful job?

While everyone was out riding on Saturday morning, I sat with G and drew some pictures.

I had time to explore and discovered that if I knelt in the bushes I was hard to spot. A perfect hiding spot!

I even had time to perfect my jumping. I just have to work on my landing still.

The log I was playing with last weekend made a really good rocking chair also.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend of camping. Hopefully we get out at least once more in August before Labor Day.

Fair days

The fair was in town this weekend. After we got unpacked Sunday evening, M&D along with Uncle S and Aunt S, L, P&G, and Cousin A we went to check it out. Sunday evening we ate fair food, then checked out the barns before heading to do some rides. I had so much fun on my very first fair ride that evening, M&D decided to take me back again Tuesday.

Tuesday was just M&D and I. We ate a quick supper at home then headed out for an hour of fun. I even won a prize. It's a balloon dolphin on a stick, but it worked really well as a horsey!Daddy taking me on the Carousel Tuesday evening.

All excited to go on my very first fair ride Sunday evening!!!!!

Aren't I a cute little bug?

Caution: This video might make you dizzy. But hope you enjoy my very first ride as much as I did. 2 tickets for a 1:25 ride!!!!

Tuesday night when I went back with M&D they let me go in the bouncy castle. I even went down the slide with a little help from a new friend.

I guess I will be ready for our Disneyland trip in October!!!

Water, Water, Water

Sunday was an adventureous day. The theme for the day seemed to be water:

Late morning once it really warmed up, a few of us girls headed down to the creek to wash up. I was going to swim, but Patty and her sister were washing up the muddy clothes from an ATV ride. However, the creek was only 3 inches deep and 16 inches across, so really not a good swimming hole. I put my feet in it and watched the dogs run and play. But P and C made due and got the clothes as clean as they could!
Later, D told M that he had to go wash his bike off. I think it was just an excuse to go run through some water holes! I sat in Papa's lap and watched M&D and a few of their friends drive through the creek time after time! Here's a still shot of M&D running through. Notice how high the water gets!!

Then M had to go just by herself. I have crazy parents.

But they weren't the only crazy ones. Here's one of M's friend Patty going through also!

Later that evening, while everyone was finishing up supper and getting ready to spend the evening around the campfire, a massive storm moved through. It was crazy from the start--you could hear the sounds of the rain & hail miles away. Then we watched it come up from the ridge over, across the meadow and down upon us. It wasn't just the cloud we watched coming, it was the actual raindrops and hail itself. M&D, G&P and I all raced under the canopy, but the water was coming so fast and and so powerfully that even the canopy couldn't keep us dry (D thought God had turned the facuet on it was coming down so hard!!), so we went inside the camper and watched the rain. We weren't inside too long, since the rain only lasted about 15-20 minutes or less. But here's what we saw when we opened the camper door!!
Our campsite had a stream running right through the center of it.

The runoff was coming down the hill and across the road from us before coming down into our camp area. Notice the miniature waterfall coming down.

We had one tenter with us. But luckily the water went right by them and didn't do any damage at all. Just to make extra sure, the guys built a little dam just to protect them a little more.

A few crazy things about this situation. This was the exact location we camped over the 4th--where it rained every single day, the ground was completely saturated even before that weekend and nothing like this. Even more crazy was that our fire survived intact. Once we went back to the campfire it was still burning strong!!

Beautiful rainbow after the storm! M figured we got about 2 inches in about 15 minutes of time. My training toilet was outside the camper and this is how full it got! Granted, some of this is probably run off from the camper, but there in about 2-3 inches in the cup.


Crazy, crazy day!!!

It only took about an hour or so before the water stopped running and the puddles started drying out, so I was able to get down and play some before bedtime (mostly to wipe off all my toys that had mud all over them!!)

Camping

We went camping again this weekend. The great part is that we get to leave our camper up there all week long and go back again next weekend. Some friends are staying all week so they are watching over our stuff for us. It was a great weekend. Here about all the adventures on Sunday, in the post "Water, water, water". But overall it was the best camping weekend yet of this year. The weather was gorgeous (for the most part) and D didn't have to study so he got to relax and ride whenever he wanted. Here's M & I lounging around the campfire. This is my chair I got for my birthday. I absolutely love to sit in it!I had fun moving some logs around also. This video looks impressive, but the hidden truth is that the log is pretty much rotting through, so it really isn't that heavy at all!! But it looks good!

I love the outdoors and getting dirty, so put that all together and you get a perfect camping weekend!!

Work days

M and D have to work during the week while I get to play at G&P's house. It isn't all bad for M&D, sometimes they even have fun at work! Lately though D has been pretty stressed because he was due up for recertification. He's been studying every spare minute since June. So M and I have been trying to stay out of the house when he's studying to give him some quiet time. Last Saturday after playing in the pool, we took some time to paint our toenails!

This week was the big week. I am proud to say that D passed with flying colors. He even got 100% on 2 of the 4 written tests, and passed the practical portion with no trouble at all! So to celebrate, M&D and I along with D's Level 3 tester went out to supper in Old Town, Fort Collins. While we waited for a table, M and I went up the block to the "square" to play and explore. There was a fish and a bear to climb on and a fountain to put my hands into. Once we finally got our food, I helped serve it up. The pizza was stacked two high on a platter and I would not let M eat from the top pizza. (She thinks it is because she had told me "NO, hot", when I first tried to take from it and hey if I couldn't have it, neither can she!!) When she took a piece from it--halfway through the meal--I took it off her plate and put it back, then got her a slice of the bottom pizza. Hey I rule this house....or at least I think I do!

M's drive to work is always a different adventure. Hey when you drive a mountain river canyon you never know what to expect...anything from mountain sheep, tourists, Dive & Rescue trainings/activities to winter weather, spring waterfalls and summer flowers! This week M has been dazzled by one particular lot about halfway up the canyon. She wanted to share the pictures with you.

Race car maniac

I got a tricycle for my birthday and M says I am a maniac on it. Here's just a sample of what she is talking about. Yes I only have one speed....FAST (whether running or biking!!)

My newest thing is ride it to the park and then continue around the neighborhood. But as you can tell from the video it is much easier to go downhill, so M usually ends up carrying the trike about half way around the loop while I run on ahead.

The trike is also fun since it has engine sounds, a radio and other noises. Sometimes I just like to dance along to the music.

Adventures in potty training....take 2

So M&D consider me officially potty trained (only in diapers for nighttime). G likes to remind M that I have been very easy to train....M knows how blessed she has been. I just smile and try to remind them that I have been interested since 18 months and just needed to be told the proper techniques of it. Between Christmas and now, I would go whenever M put my on the potty (always right before bath!). I also would show M sometimes where to sit and where the toilet paper was when she used it, so I knew the major concepts. The last month or so, I would be kind enough to remove my own diaper and try to wipe myself whenever I dirtied it. M, D & G just needed to have the time to focus on training me.

Last weekend M&D went and bought me a second training chair; one upstairs and one downstairs. When M took it out of the box, I was so excited I took it straight to me other one and had to use both right then!

I'm not without accidents, but remain dry for most of the day (even naptime is without a diaper). My accidents usually are in the bathroom....I just didn't quite make it or like last night was having trouble getting my pants down. But I take myself to the bathroom, want my own privacy (in other words I tell M and G, "Out"), and even try to empty the chair myself.

M can't believe how fast I am growing up!!

Catch up posts

Readers beware......to follow is a marathon of posts. Due to the busyness of birthdays, 4th of July, being sick and reunions, M just hasn't had time the last 2 weeks. But she finally finished uploading videos to the birthday post and added camping over the 4th of July, Lalonde Family Reunion at G&P's house plus adventures in potty training.

Enjoy all!!

Reunion

Just this past weekend, G hosted the LaLonde family reunion at her house. There were about 30+ people hanging out all weekend long.Isn't my family just the cutest!!

I had tons of fun with my cousins all weekend long. It all started Thursday evening with supper (just a few of D's aunts were in). Then Friday D and I went over mid-morning to hang out (M had to work!). Most of the group went white water-rafting, but I just played! That evening the neighborhood sprinkers were going off, so I joined my cousins in running through them.

M thinks my job when I grow up might be a plumber!!! Saturday morning we headed to Boyd Lake for a little boating and swimming action. Some of the group rode their bike, but M thought since we would be leaving at nap time that it would be better to have our car. It just gave me extra time to swim!!!

Gramma brought some rings that I just had a blast with.

G even got in on the action....with the help of her sons!!!


Water fights were the norm for the weekend!! I even got involved in one with my little squirt gun. Hey it was about 90 degrees the whole weekend; it felt good to get wet!!

Here's Cousin A. getting my Uncle L. with a jug of water. He had already gotten G and had just thrown the full jug across the deck, trying to get anyone in its path of destruction!!!


Sunday we just hung out after church. I played on the trampoline a little bit and stayed cool in any water I could find!!!


Monday evening, people were still around so we went out to eat as a big group. It was a busy but fun-filled weekend!!

Camping over the Fourth

Over the fourth of July weekend, we went camping again. It was a shorter time for M&D, but I got a whole extra day because I went up with G on Wednesday afternoon. M&D joined us on Thursday for the rest of the weekend. It was fun, but kind of wet. It rained everyday at least a little. This meant more time indoors, but also MUD! D found his mud puddles on his ATV and I found mine around camp!!

Before I really got into it....my hand just a little dirty!

After playing in the mud for an hour!
This camping trip I even got my own bed! I had been sharing the king size bed with M&D, but with a new baby on the way, M wanted to teach me to sleep in my own bed. The first night I got stuck in the crack between the bed and canvas twice and cried out, so M put a cushion there for the rest of the nights. But overall, I did very well in my own bed.

On Saturday, we had a Memorial ride

and special service for P's best friend. This was one of his favorite rides and views. It is a little cloudy, but he gets to gaze out on the mountains from his resting place.There were a lot of people who came to wish Dean farewell. So many in fact, that we had to split camps. Ours was the "upper" camp with the usual group. The "lower" camp was about 100 yards down the hill and consisted of Cindy's kids and their friends. Between the 2 camps there were probably 40+ people. After the service on our Memorial ride we stopped for a picnic lunch. On the way back to the car, it started raining. Since I had already fallen asleep in D's arms, M just put her raincoat over me so I wouldn't get wet and wake up. I slept through it all!! We had Karaoke again one night. This time I was actually awake when it started so I helped the girls sing one of the first songs!! After coming back from camping, Cousin L. came over and we finished off a box of Pop-it's that D had bought for the 4th. I had tons of fun with them. I loved just throwing them down and hearing them pop.

I hope every one had a wonderful and safe Fourth of July!! God bless America!

Mt. Park

After church on Sunday, June 28th we headed up to Mountain Park in the Poudre Canyon for our annual church picnic. M&D like to tell the story that this is where they fell in love! It was the annual picnic weekend that M first attended the church in Ft. Collins and D did invite her up. After eating, it is tradition to go on the nature hike, so M&D started off with the group, ended up pretty much by themselves (with future sister-in-law Renee as their chaperone!!), and spent the whole time talking, which led to their marriage 10 months later!!

Anyhow, for this year, the water was super high so M brought my lifejacket since she knew she couldn't keep me away from the water. I was well behaved though, I never went in past my ankles! It was too cold to go further in!!Notice the rafters behind me!
After playing in the water, I wanted to go on the hike D had already left on. So M figured she would start at the end of the loop and just hike until she met up with the group. I hiked about 1/2 mile before I started getting really tired, so we sat to wait for just a few minutes. We were just about to head back down when we saw D and the rest of the hikers coming.
It was a good day!

Daddy's birthday

Wednesday, July 1st was D's birthday. I hid a card in his cooler so he would find it at work, because I wasn't going to be awake when he left or be home in the evening. I was going up camping with G&P a whole day earlier than M&D. So M&D were able to go out to eat and to a movie to celebrate D's birthday. The best part (at least for M) was that they got a free movie out of the deal. Apparentely someone in an earlier movie had decided to throw their pop at the screen and so there were drip marks all the way down the right side of the screen. The manager came to try to wipe it down after someone in the theater pointed it out to him, but even with the ladder and being on the top rung, he couldn't reach the highest splashes. So to compensate, they gave a raincheck after showing the movie. However since Transformers was such an action packed movie plus the fact that M&D were sitting on the left side of the theater, their view wasn't hindered by the pop at all. So good Transformers movie + free passes for when M wants to go see Harry Potter!!

Adventures in potty training...

I was pretty proud this past weekend. I used the potty at G&P's house, so G let me run around in pretty panties. So M&D decided they needed to buy some also. I was with M when she bought a package of toddler underwear and I tried to rip the bag open in the store so I could put them on. She told me if I used the potty at G&P's house again (we were heading right over there), I could wear the pretty panties. As soon as we entered the house, I went straight to my training potty and used it. So I was able to run around all evening in my "pretty panties". I stayed dry for 4 hours!!! Granted M took me to the bathroom every hour or so, but I stayed dry!!! However, Sunday morning M tried again, but I had an accident. It's not entirely my fault...I used the potty before my bath, so M thought it was safe. But then D left to get breakfast and M jumped in the shower, so there was no one to tell that I needed to go again. So when D came home I greeted him at the door saying, "Phew" so he proceeded to get ready to change my diaper and then realized M's mistake. So needless to say I jumped in the shower with M to clean up again. Then I stayed in a diaper until after my nap!!!

We just wanted to follow up with this cute picture of me....M calls it the "hickville" picture. Overalls with no shirt underneath, but it was supposed to be 95 degrees out that day and M thought an extra layer would be too warm!!