videos...

Nalia on the big kid slide.  

Ruby laughing REALLY hard at her silly daddy.  

Ruby's interpretive dance.

Water Fun...

Today we went to Corvallis to enjoy their wonderful outdoor pool.  It's been so hot we needed to cool off.  Plus we had to celebrate Casey's first Sunday off since Easter!  That's right he got a much better schedule finally.  Although we are still waiting to hear back from his possible new job (he has to wait for the pres and vice pres of the company to get back from vacation), his current one just changed his days off to Sunday, Monday.  YAY!!

The happy fam 
Ruby loves the water...just look at her face (and hair)
Check out the pigtails
The clan...it was the best one out of about 12
Splashing daddy
Crawling away from us every chance she could get!
Yes she tried drinking the water like a dog, and yes her daddy got it on camera.  Silly girl
Checking out the really cool drain.  She was amused.
Brave girl Nalia and her daddy on the water slide.
The only family shot we got.  It really does capture us pretty well, our focus is always on our little Ruby.
Checking out the waves.
Checking out the fountain.
I thought this was such a funny picture.  Apparently we were a little confused on where we were suppose to look :)
If you look really quickly you might think we're on a tropical beach somewhere...what? Can't a girl dream!
Cousin fun.  There is something about babies and splashing...they just go together so well.  

Fun...

This past weekend was absolutely a blast!  It was a jam packed weekend full of fun wedding stuff.  Friday night was Lisa's "personal" shower.  She got so many very cute and "practical" things!  The evening was totally fun, we spent the entire night telling old high school stories.  It was great.  I loved seeing all the girls I went to high school with.  Then Saturday morning kicked off with a lovely brunch hosted by Lisa's mom.  It was so delicious and she totally pampered us.  Then it was off to shower and get ready for the big night.  We celebrated Lisa's last night out as a single women (not really she doesn't get married until July 12th) in style.  Where else would be appropriate than a good old country western bar, Duke's in Gresham.  It was perfectly Lisa!  and so fun.  I learned how to do the Watermelon Crawl!  Yep that's right they even taught line dancing lessons.  If you wanna learn just ask!  It was super fun and Lisa had a blast and looked super fly :).  It was pretty hard to leave Ruby for the evening but she was a trooper and we survived!  Sorry I don't have any pics right now but I'll get some from the other girls soon.  Just take my word on it, it was  fun.  

Loves...

Thanks to everyone that made me feel so special on my birthday...it's hard/depressing getting old.  Here's a few family pics (we haven't taken a family photo since Christmas...yikes!)

She looks so big.  I remember when she was half this size, it wasn't that long ago...:(
She's trying to walk...today was her first real step in between my grams couch and coffee table.  She's becoming very brave.
She loves to point at everything.  Fran told me Casey used to do this too.  It's so cute.
Her very trendy new walking shoes.  Thanks grammy!

Ruby's new talent...

Today marked a new adventure for our little one, she stood!  We are so very proud.  She's been trying for so long to do it on her own and now thanks to a tube at the lake she can.  That's right we (Ruby and Jess) went to the lake to visit my family that are camping there, and we got creative on places to keep Rubes.  Someone suggested to put her in my uncles tube from his boat so we did.  She loved it in there, she played and played and then she figured out how to pull herself up using one side of the tube.  She thought she was so cool!  Here's a video of her doing it for daddy for the first time!

Happy Daddy's Day

Thanks for being the best daddy. I love everything about you.  My most favorite thing is getting tossed up in the air by you.  Thanks for always making me laugh, changing my dirty diapers, making my bottles, spiking my hair, taking me for walks, buying me cool stuff, and most all loving me.  I love you very much!

xoxox,

Ruby 

The sun was out so Ruby and I went outside for some fun!  My mom gave me some flowers so I gave one to Ruby to explore.  She loved feeling it...tasting it...riping it into millions of pieces...shaking it...etc.  Who know a flower could be so fun.  Here's some pictures...

She totally has the double chin face down.  She seriously makes this face all the time.  I'm so glad I finally caught it with my camera.  
Wow she's so focused!
Look at those teeth...look closely you can see her 2 front teeth.  

P.S.  Funny story about my niece Nalia.  Recently Caylan and Fran have been teaching her to call me "tia", and of course I've been encouraging it too.   But it seems that Nalia is having some trouble with the word.  You see tonight Nalia insisted on calling me Kaiko, yes Kaiko like Kaiko the whale.  I keep telling myself she meant nothing by it, but I'm not sure how people will react when she calls me that in public.  Oh little ones are too funny sometimes.   

Things...

1.  Casey has a job interview on Tuesday (YAY)!  It's for a totally awesome job at Entek, here in Lebanon!!!  He would finally have a normal schedule, you know a Monday thru Friday one.  I'm so so excited...we could finally go to church as a family (that has only happened twice since Ruby was born...sad)

2.  I'm loving being a mommy more and more everyday.  Ruby is learning so much, and she loves to copy everything we do!  She is truly a gift from God, and awesome blessing that gives life a whole new meaning.

3.  Me loving this whole mommy thing is really making me want to get preggers again!  I would like our kids to be pretty close in age, but maybe not this close..who knows.  Plus I still need to get my pre-pregnancy body back...if that will ever happen (sorry Casey)

4.  My good friend Alex just past here dental exam....YAY Alex no more school :)  Maybe we can hangout more!?!?!

5.  Lisa's fun filled wedding celebration weekend is coming up...yay for a fun couple nights out with the girls...and a double yay for Lisa and Jay getting married!  She is honestly going to make the most beautiful bride ever!!

6.  Casey's best friend JJ is getting married to a lovely women named Kaylee in December...I can't wait!  Almost all of Casey's friends that we hangout with are still single, and I am so over being the third wheel!

7.  Tomorrow is my last day of substituting!!  It's been fun but, I'm ready for summer.  High school students are too much sometimes!

8.  Friday is my last dance team function until July 21 st HOLLA!!!

Funny video of Ruby and her daddy...apparently falling over is hilarious!!!!

Birthday Parties and Parades

Tony turned 50! and my team had their first public appearance!  Ruby got to sit by her very first fire at here Papa T's big shindig!  Ruby also got to ride along in her very first strawberry parade...she was a natural.  She waved at everyone, until she fell asleep that is....here's a few pics.

Ruby's wave...

Here's to you...

8 months!  Wow you are so grown up!  

Bathroom updates...

Looking into our newly painted hall....(still no door)

This was demolition day...
pre-flooring...
Tile is down...
Almost finished product...
Who doesn't love a new toilet and sink...
This was a much needed task to be done.  Our bathroom was horrible the absolute worst area in our house, but know it is so wonderful.  I'm in love!  Thank you to our dad's for helping do the grunt work and out mom's for helping with Ruby!  We owe you!