our little flower

Elise is loving school (day care) lately and is so excited to head out the door with daddy in the mornings.  When I came to pick her up a few weeks ago on a 100 degree summer day, she was dressed in a full fleece flower costume and refused to take it off.  I can't blame my cute little flower, she was a cutie in it:)

lazy summer day at the river

There is something so peaceful about the end of summer.... perhaps the weather... the slightest smell of fall in the air, a crispness to the wind and the yellow tint of the sun as it sits lower and lower in the sky.  Usually all of these signs make me sad that summer is coming to an end, but this year  I feel different from the past.  Maybe it's beacause this has been our first full Wenatchee summer and I am ready to cool off (partially due to my growing layer of insulation), but mostly I think it is the anticipation of meeting our new little sweetie for the first time in a short 7 weeks.

Until it gets here, Elise has found a new favorite place to play in the rocks, sand and water at the river so we visit it on my days off.... it is absolutely lovely.   And I am treasuring my time with her one on one.

18 months old

Wow, I cannot beleive our little peanut is 1.5 years old today.  I know every one says it, but it truly feels like she was just barely able to sit up yesterday. 

 Elise, to us, you look every bit the same yet every bit different from the day you were born.  Your blue eyes still sparkle with the sweetness and that occasional mischief which now you seem to be able to turn on/off with the switch of a button.  You explore and communicate with words and signs all the time... your vocabulary includes "kaker (cracker), ap - ple, cheeeeese, daddy, mamma, baby, ball, baba & deda, gama and gampa (grandma and grandpa), Luna, bye bye, hiiiii all used in context... this does not include all the other words you constantly try to repeat that I can't remember right now, nor the gibber gabber that come continuously.  You are our carb and cheese eater and refuse to eat any meat, vegetables or fruit no matter how they are presented or disguised.  If it was up to you, you would eat barbeque chips and ice cream for every meal:)  You are two months away from being a big sister and are loving on your baby dolls as if you knew what was coming.   We love you with every ounce of our heart and soul and have cherishes these past 18 months with you sweat pea.  

18  months & 6 months... 1 year apart

This is one exception of a fruit product you will eat... this week:)

Chelan with the Rocco and Bo Show... Katie & Anne too

Cannot beleive how quickly these two boys are growing into such handsome little boys.  It has been a year since we've seen them last, way too long!!! It gives us a little preview of what little boys are like and although we think that Elise is a bundle of energy, she does not measure up the the "boyness" of these two.   Katie, you are one amazing momma.  It was wonderful to see the cousins and hope it's not another year until next time.

 

Now that the water is 68 degrees, Elise loved taking a dip in the lake.

Paradise at Roche Harbor

The weather couldn't have been more perfect for our annual Roche Harbor trip this year.  Sunshine and eighty degrees allowed for dips in the pool, kayaking (even I squeezed into one still:)), ocean beach fires, crabbing with success of two crabs but only to lose the pot to low tide the next day, Lime Kiln park and Orca sightings, Lavender farm, Friday Harbor.... but most importantly all of us beeing together and enjoying every last minute of our vacation.

 

 

Logan & Elise... and the rest of us too

Logan and Elise are two little love bugs that are just so cute together that we can't stand to keep them apart!  We jumped on the chance to go see the Floreas on Bainbridge as they are back for a short visist from Costa Rica.  We had a great time with such special friends.

Boys and their tots

Sad that Beth and I didn't make it into any of our pictures... but we were there too:)

A fun ferry ride home with our special birthday boy... the best daddy, husband and friend!