We have a new Uncle!!!

On June 2nd Aunt Amanda married Josh. So now he is our Uncle (for the record we now have 6 Uncles!). We all got to wear fancy new clothes and walk down the aisle at church. The wedding was pretty and the party afterwards was lots of fun. We are very excited to have a new uncle!
Uncle Josh and Aunt Amanda listen to Josh's Daddy and brother sing to them at the rehearsal dinner.

Here is me all decked out in my suit. Mommy couldn't get over how adorable I am! She asked me what I am doing in this picture and I said "Mom - those are my moves!"
This is everyone in Mommy's family. Mommy says that none of the little people in the first row (and Jack - holding Aunt Susan) were there at her and Daddy's wedding...well Kaitlyn was...she was in Aunt Susan's tummy. Oh and yes Sara has a sling - she broke her collar bone 2 days before the wedding.

Here is me with some of my cousins: Kaitlyn, Katie, Maria and Lexi.

The Wedding Party

Aunt Amanda and Mommy (Mommy was the Matron of Honor)

Papa and Aunt Amanda

The Bridesmaids and Junior Bridesmaids

Sara and Abby walked down the aisle...well Abby kind of stomped down the aisle.

Aunt Amanda was so beautiful!

Uncle Fr. John said the Wedding Mass - it sure is handy to have a priest for an Uncle!

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Hinkle

Mommy giving her toast...she was really REALLY nervous!

I got to sit at a special table for all the kids. We had our friend Kristina there to watch us and then take us home when we got tired.

Abby was on the dance floor all night! Boy does she love to boogie!

Abby found a new best friend - Uncle Josh is IN!

Here is Mommy and all her brothers and sisters:
Uncle Fr. John, Uncle Ray, Uncle Paul, Uncle Jim

Aunt Kristen, Aunt Amanda, Mommy, Aunt Beth

Here we all are relaxing on the golf course.

Uncle Josh (leaning over) and some of his brothers and friends had a race on the 10th fairway. Josh's twin brother Jonathan won.

We had so much fun at the wedding and reception. We really enjoyed playing on the fairway during the reception - it was such a beautiful day!

**special thanks to Aunt Fessy for taking these pictures!**

7 Years!

"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite."

Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Mommy and Daddy celebrated their 7th wedding anniversary on May 27th.

You know you're a mom when...

...you are doing laundry and you see something stuck to the back of the dryer... ...and upon further investigation you discover that it is a Dora sticker!
That sucker is really stuck on there! I can't get it off! :}

Working a few things out...

When I get in trouble I like to cry and scream and generally carry on...especially if I have an audience. So the new rule is if I'm in timeout and I'm screaming and/or crying I have to do it in my room and I can't come out until I wipe my tears away and tell Mommy I'm "All done crying". So one day I was screaming in my room and then I got quiet and Mommy went back to my room to tell me I could come out and found me asleep in my bean bag...I had a really nice nap there...it is really comfy!

We got a Wii :)

YEY! Daddy has been looking for one for a while now (distribution out here has not been good - stores getting 1 or 2 every few months). We really like the Wii and we REALLY like our Miis. Daddy made one for all of us (even a few of our cousins too) and they really look like we do!

Our favorite games are golf and boxing (Mommy and Daddy really like bowling too). Here are a couple pictures of me boxing with Daddy.

We Love to Read!

Our Abigirl!

Sometimes I play just SO hard!

Sooo....uhmmm....yeah....

This is what happens when you send the 3 year old to get himself ready for bed.
hee hee...I came out like this and said to Mommy "Is this right?" with a big silly smile. I knew it wasn't right but I'm very silly like that. If you can't tell my pants are on my head and my shirt is upside down with my right leg in the neck whole and my left leg in an arm whole....MAN I CRACK MYSELF UP!

Year End Teacher Conference

Michael on the first day of school

Michael on the last day of school.

In April Mommy and Daddy met with Mrs. Denise (my teacher). She showed them how much I learned at school. The first picture was a self portrait I drew at the beginning of the year. The second was one that I did in April. Mrs. Denise said I was one of 2 children in the class (of mostly 4 year olds and I'm only 3) who knew all my shapes (including octogon and hexagon), letters, numbers and colors. I can also write my own name. I also grew lots this year. I only gained 1/2 pound since October but I grew 1 1/4 inches!!! WOW!!! Mommy said "So THAT'S where all the food you eat is going!"

Checking in...

It has been a rough couple of weeks around here. Abby and I was very sick for a long time. We are doing better but not totally well yet...at least we are sleeping again - last night was the first night in 2 weeks that both Abby and I slept all night.
Aunt Kristen took this picture of me and Abby at the park, feeding the ducks. She took us to the park so Mommy could get some work done. It is a grainy picture because Aunt Krissy took it with her camera phone. We like it when she comes over - she is lots of fun!

"Mommy? I doesn't feel so good."

I don't feel good. I woke up at 3:30 this morning and went and got Mommy. I said it was morning and time to play and she said it was too early and that I should go back to bed. I insisted it was time to get up and she said 'No' but I could sleep in her and Daddy's bed. So she pulled me into their bed and realized that I was blazing hot. So she went and gotted me some medicine. Then she layed by me in the bed and hoped I'd go back to sleep. I was so restless that she finally gave up and took me out to the livingroom and we cuddled on the couch until my fever broke. All day she has been wondering when I would finally crash and it just happened. Abby had already fallen asleep in mommy's lap and mommy had put her to bed. Then I crawled into Mommy's lap and fell asleep - I tell ya - Mommy has a comfy lap! So mommy put me on the couch to sleep with my blanket and my bear. Mommy can't remember the last time both Abby and me took a nap!

"Tidy! Look! Mommy!"

I like to play in my bed during the day. I get my babies and my books a just sit and read and talk to my babies. Well today my "Tidy" decided to join me. He sat on my pillow and I petted him while I played. He is my buddy!

Where's Michael?

Where is Michael?

Here I am!

"Cheese!"

Silly Abby!

Mommy was going through some pictures and found this one she took on my birthday. I had found one of our Christmas toys that hadn't been put away. It is a Rudolf nose that Auntie Val sent to us a couple of years ago. You put it on and the nose glows red and blinks.

It is very fun!

Home from Mexico!

Well Mommy and Daddy got back from Mexico last Sunday. Mommy says she is sorry to all those she owes emails too. She's been playing catchup all week. First I'll tell you about our time with Papa and Grandma and then Mommy will tell you about their trip.

We had BIG fun at Papa and Grandma's house. Uncle John came home from Rome the night Mommy and Daddy left. We gots to play with him lots and Aunt Kristen too. We played lots with our cousins too - big thanks to Uncle Ray and Aunt Kelly! We were big helpers too. We helped Grandma walk on her crutches by holding onto them and walking with her so she wouldn't fall down and Abby was really good at demanding that Grandma sit down "Memaw - Sit down there right NOW!" We did really good at not missing Mommy and Daddy too much until Wednesday (5 days after we last saw them). Mommy called and Grandma asked me if I wanted to talk to Mommy and I said "No" and then Grandma convinced me to say hi and so I got on the phone and Mommy said "Hi Michael - It's Mommy. I love you lots and I miss you" and then I started to cry and ran and hid in another room. Mommy cried too. Then Mommy talked to Abby and then hung up the phone. A few minutes later I came out and wanted to talk to Mommy and so Grandma called her back and we talked for a long time. We had so much fun but were very happy to have Mommy and Daddy home...after the initial "where the heck have you guys been" glares.

Mommy here....we had a great time in Mexico. It was so nice to spend quality time with each other and Walt, Karen and Pat. We had great weather and did a lot of reading by the pool and/or beach and we also did some touring and snorkling.

This is a panaoramic shot of one of the 'beach' areas at the resort. It was an enclosed lagoon where you could swim/kayak/snorkle/feed fish. It was a nice place to lay out.

On Monday we all toured the Mayian ruins at Chichen Itza.
Here is Ben and I at the bottom of the main pyramid.
A year or two ago a 76 year old woman fell while climbing the
pyramid and died so it is now closed to tourists.

A panoramic view of the main square of Chichen Itza.
To the left of the main pyramid is the temple of the warriors.
If you walked 10 min to the left you would reach the "Well of Sacrifice" which is HUGE!
10 min to your right is "The Observatory."

The Observatory - The steps up to the observatory were very tall and narrow - made me a little claustrophobic to climb up.

Ben and I got to go snorkling - the reef was pretty devistated by the hurricane a couple years ago so we weren't able to see much corral but we did see many beautiful fish - including a Dory fish (from "Finding Nemo" if you are familiar with that movie - one of our kids favorites). Our guide gave me some fish food and as I released it into the water the fish swirled and swam around me which was very cool.

After snorkling Ben and I went parasailing. I wanted to do that on our honeymoon but didn't get the chance. It was actually really peaceful up there. We have a video of it too - taken with our camera as we rose above the boat but I'm not sure how to imbed a video link. Anyone know how?

We had a good time with Ben's brother (and Michael's Godpapa) Pat.

On Friday we toured the Mayian ruins on the cliffs of Tulum. Tulum was a major sea trading port. The views were beautiful.

This was the only day that the sky's were consistantly cloudy and cool.

You can't really tell here but I'm a tree - there is a palm tree behind me that was curved like I am standing.

Our maid always twisted our towels into fun little figures. This was my favorite - a little figure laying on a bed, complete with eyes/nose and mouth.

Time to go home - we miss the kids!!

Thanks again to Walt and Karen for such a wonderful vacation!! We love you!!

The Many Faces of a 2 Year Old!

[side note: Mommy and Daddy are going on a little trip tomorrow. They will be gone for a week to some place called Mexico with Nana, Dzia Dzia and Uncle Pat...no they aren't taking us. We are going to have big fun with Mema and Papa. We will see you in a week!]

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY ABBY!

2 Years Old!

1 Day Old ------------- 1 Year Old