Summer Fun

 Our summer has been filled with Vacation Bible School, Back to Nature Camp, "Let's Get Messy Camp" and lots of swimming! The girls love the water-pool, lake, sprinklers, splash parks, etc., they can't seem to get enough. We've stayed enrolled in swim lessons through the summer and they have exceeded my expectations! Last week, they even took the YMCA's 'deep end' swim test so they can go down the slide into the deep end. They needed to do one length of the pool without floaties and they did it. They were so proud of themselves and then did the slide non-stop for the rest of the afternoon. Aunt Cat visited from DC and spent some quality time with them--movies, shopping, swimming and lots of 'play' time!

We made a big purchase a couple weeks back and are now a mini-van family. We love our new Sienna and the girls can't get enough of the 'magic' doors and all the bells & whistles that come with a brand-new car. We are busy planning our first big road trip as we will head to Disney this fall.

Kindergarten will begin in just under a month and we have Daddy's birthday on the horizon and A & L's 5th birthday after that. We'll celebrate with a 'carnival' themed party at home this year! Enjoy pictures below from our lake trip with Aunt Cat, Aunt Maggie & Uncle Jon! Thanks for making the trip Aunt Cat--we miss you already!

Spring Highlights



We love Springtime and this Spring has been no exception. We've been busy with dance classes and are ready for the Spring recital next weekend. We are in the middle of the Spring soccer season and are seeing improvements in their efforts since Fall. We've had friends over for our first BBQ of the season and took our first visit to the zoo! Yesterday, we even hit up a local high-school for their production of Beauty & the Beast and the girls got to meet the cast. Here are some picture highlights:

Hot dogs-strawberries-carrots-2nd generation friends-doesn't get much better!

 Daddy went out of town for the weekend, so Uncle Jon coached their team--it was chilly, but they were troopers!

 The zoo is best shared with friends!

Mommy & the girls!

Dress rehearsal before the recital (yes, that's ringworm on Addy's arm, no idea where it came from, but luckily it went away with cream as quickly as it arrived!)

They loved the characters! We can't wait for Disney! 6 months & counting!

Flower Girls!

This wasn't our first rodeo, Addy & Lilly had done this before, but this time it was different. It was UNCLE Jon's wedding. It was NEW YEAR'S EVE. It involved traveling to another state. There were other little people involved. We were the role models??? I really wondered what we had gotten ourselves into...

However, after a bit of anxiety, I calmed myself down knowing that the bride (Aunt Maggie) was laid back and LOVED our kids. This whole flower girl under the age of 8 doesn't work any other way. It also helps that my families are so intertwined, my in-laws and brother-in-laws and some great friends were all invited, so we had all hands on deck when necessary.

The girls were so excited to be a part of it, they loved the other bridesmaids, loved having their Aunt Cat in from DC and their favorite 'big-boyfriends' from Atlanta came too. They loved going to the salon for their first 'up-do', then they loved slowly pulling it out as the night progressed. They LOVED dancing. They LOVED sleeping in a hotel. It was one of those weekends when you look around and realize how lucky you really are to be in the moment (well, at least in the moment when you weren't about to kill a kid.)

The pictures are wonderful, some mine, some the professional photog. It will be tough to decide which to frame! Enjoy....

The Ash/Sadler Pic

Addy--just before midnight--these girls pushed the limits of bedtime!

Cat, Maggie & I

Lilly with my bouquet (they carried flower balls which I loved)

Cat, Jon & I

The girls in the 'green' room right before the ceremony!

Charlie, Maggie's nephew, was the victim of some serious stalking over the weekend!

Me & Lilly

They've never met a stranger....

Who knew my brother was a romantic?

Many folks know the story, but Jeremy proposed on the beach in Florida, the catalyst to us deciding to get married on the beach just a year after the engagement. He's not the most romantic guy, but it was wonderful and his mom was just thankful the ring didn't appear somewhere mid-flight and he didn't propose to me sitting in coach eating peanuts. Hard to believe that was seven years ago now! Until last weekend, I thought my brother was pretty similar to Jeremy in the romance category, but perhaps they all have a bit of a hopeless romantic bottled up inside!

I've known A LOT of proposal stories, but my brother's now takes the cake! He's been conspiring since NOVEMBER--with the ring bought, permission from her father given weeks ago, but he waited until all the stars alligned and it was perfect! He invited her family from Michigan and us from Indianapolis (Aunt Cat you were SOOOOOOO missed!) to Joseph Decuis Restaurant in Roanoke, IN. She thought she was attending a vendor appreciation dinner and they did a tour of the farm, complete with a winter sleigh ride. He proposed, she said yes, they then headed to the restaurant for dinner. A private room with all of us and her entire family awaited them! Good food, great atmosphere and a fabulous beginning for the two of them! Congrats to Maggie & Jon!

Complete shock as she came in the room!

The three look-outs watching out the window for their truck to pull up tot he restaurant. Charlie is in the middle--Maggie's ADORABLE nephew--apparently Lilly knew love was in the air!

Perfect Pair!

The blended families--Cheers!

Birthday Party (check!)

Now that my 3-year olds totally believe that birthdays can span a month, I think we are done! We hosted their party at a Splash Park this weekend and it worked out great because it had to be nearing 100 degrees outside! The kids had a blast while most of the grown-ups sweat. We ordered invitations from Cards with Care, sandwiches from Jimmy John's, cakes from Pat-A-Cake's Bakery and mom celebrated after bedtime with wine from Tasteful Times (opening this week--more on that to come!).

Pretty cute theme for twins if I do say so myself...

Not much decorating at a splash park (bonus)

Birthday girl Lilly--this was the first year we sang to them each individually and they were both hams!

Goofy Addy, never quite as easy to photograph!

They are getting pretty brave with the fountains

Always fearless Addy!

We love celebrating with friends--thanks to everyone who came!

We also like to flirt...

Grandma Linda & Grandma Jody helped a ton--thank you!

We hung out with Uncle's Jon's girlfriend, Maggie--who A & L ADORE!

Mommy and Addy

Family picture--bring on year 3!

Lake Tippy Vacation 2009

As the summer quickly got away from us, we decided we needed to hit the brakes, slow 'er down a bit and head north. Lake Tippecanoe in Northern Indiana was our chosen spot--the place where Grandma & Grandpa Ash have a lakehouse and Addy & Lilly would be making their flower girl debut (more on that in an upcoming post). A mere 2 hours away, but just enough 'vacation' for us. The weather was PERFECT and we brought in a few friends! Grandma & Grandpa Sadler rented a place so we got to see them, Aunt Cat came from DC, Uncle Jon from Indy and a wonderful family friend, Joyce Tiley, from Atlanta. The entire Ash family was on hand for the wedding, so, we had both sides of the family merge together for some fun. My pictures are endless and will be coming to me through a few different sources, so I'll probably dedicate a few posts to this trip. To start off, some tips on things you MUST do if you are headed to Tippecanoe/Wawasee lakes anytime soon.

Invite a friend and head to the Fort Wayne Zoo.

Rated in the top 10 by Parents Magazine, it is pricey but worth it. Here the girls are on their actual birthday hanging with their "lake friend" Savannah

Spend a bit of time everyday on the water.

The girls have no fear of the water at all and LOVE hanging on the boat. "Boatride" was usually the first words out of their mouth in the morning!

Stop in at Maria's House of Pancakes for breakfast.

Entirely too much food for anyone to eat, but a good spot nonetheless. Both times the girls went, they ate more than I had ever seen them eat. Lilly amazed us when she said to the waitress "More bacon, lady." --Seriously, Lilly?

Get a boating lesson.
Uncle Jon seemed to be the most patient with the girls and driving the boat, letting them honk the horn, play with the radio and sit on his lap.

Jump off the pier, again, and again, and again.

This trick didn't seem to get old for Addy or for Aunt Cat.

Jet-ski

No, we never went above an idle, but doesn't Lilly look like a pro?

Don't forget about tubing

Addy loved this with Dad, scared at first, but then kept saying "again", "again", "again".

All-in-all, a great trip/vacation/time spent with family! Can't wait to share pictures from the wedding, if you have any, send my way! I was too preoccupied to take many with my camera! Thanks to all who made the week one to remember!

Easter 2009

Jeremy is privileged to work for a company that continues to put family first. During a time when most companies have cut these gatherings from their budgets a long time ago, they host a variety of family-friendly gathering over the year and Easter is no exception. We went to the Easter party a few weeks ago. The girls got baskets and as it turns out, Addy and Lilly like the bunny as much as they liked SANTA. Maybe this distaste for people in costumes may save us in the long run, making us avoid Disney until they have kids of their own?

As for Easter day, we've been busy!

Opening Easter baskets this morning and getting a surprise from Auntie Joyce & Uncle Norman in England--the girls got little backpacks! They are so darn cute and will use them to pack up toys to take with them on day trips and to Grandma & Grandpa's house! Thank you!

Getting all dressed up for the Easter service at church and realizing why we go so infrequently...the girls were certainly not well-behaved and after bribing with snacks and toys, we ended up leaving early....

Gathering for brunch at the location where Jeremy and I had our hometown reception almost 4 years ago (to the day!). Above we have 3 uncles, 2 girlfriends, 2 grandmas, 2 grandpas, a great-grandma, a great-grandpa and us. Nothing like Easter to realize how blessed we are!

We hunted for eggs in the backyard!

And got lots of special Easter goodies!

Phew...what a day! Thankfully it's almost bedtime!