Nap time?

After we picked up Shawna at the airport (yippie!!!), it was time for some lunch. Ashley was WAY beyond needing a nap, but was being so good (completely opposite of how she usually is when she's tired) the entire time. In the middle of lunch at Macaroni Grill (yum!) she actually put her head down on the table and drifted off to sleep without a fuss. She looked so precious, I couldn't help but sneak in and take a picture.

Don't mind me; it's my nap time

Fiiinally!

After waiting what seems like centuries, Shawna arrives today! We're all so excited, we can hardly stand it. Travel safe Shawna; we'll see you in a few more hours!

Smoking hot wedding party, June 2004
left-to-right
Amanda, Shawnaynay, Riane, Angie and Sissie
Shawn's last visit, November 2006
left-to-right:
Riane, Nicolie Cholie and Shawna Taglaroni
Cruising in the car, November 2006
left-to-right
Tater-the-Great, Mom and Shania Twain Tagler

Hold on....

I just realized that this week marks the beginning of the end; the 3rd trimester.
Who said it could go this quickly?

crAshley

Ashley vs the rocking chair

Family Fun Day

Sunday we took a trip to Oaks Park, courtesy of Al Kader Shriner's. Every year the Shriner's host a family picnic where they have games, raffle drawings, yummy BBQ and best of all, children get to ride the rides for free! There's so many great perks to Dad being a Shriner!!!
I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about taking Ashley because I knew she was running low on sleep after spending the night at Nana and Grandpa's and staying out until the wee hours playing with cousins Taylor and Kole. But, like she's done so many times before, she shocked us by being rosy, rambunctious and ready to rock! She even SAT on my lap during lunch AND ate an entire hotdog, bites of potato salad and chips. Sitting still on my lap is one thing, but sitting AND eating was enough to make us wonder if she was feeling alright.
Ashley enjoyed every minute we spent at Oaks Park and we all enjoyed watching and playing along with her. It's good to have her around to remind us to slow down and enjoy life a bit more.
As an extra-special treat I was even able to capture some of our fun on video:
First off, here is Ashely enjoying her balloon flower (even though parts of it die off) and dancing along with the musical entertainment. If you listen closely you can hear her saying 'balloon' as she tries to hand me the yellow flower. Thanks to Jake for being quick to film with his iPhone. Good thing you had to upgrade to the 3GS *wink*!
This second video shows Ashley and Jake taking a trip down the giant slide. I'm afraid the slides at the park aren't going to cut it now that she's seen what a REAL slide is!
Ashley enjoyed riding the merry-go-round, as you can see here. She's riding the white horse while Nana acts as her footman in the pink tank and jacket. Of course I wasn't good enough behind the lens to get video of her waving as she went around and around, but you'll get a glimpse of that in the pictures below.
And finally video of all my speed-racers. Ashley and Jake go whizzing by first in the purple lucky number 13 car, followed by Dad in the yellow #7 and finally, bringing up the rear in her blue #3, Mom (they wouldn't let Mom take the red car and she pouted the WHOLE time!).

Who wants it?
Waiting patiently for my balloon flower
Sooo pretty
Practicing my queen wave on horseback
Safety check! Make sure I'm all snugged up before the big race, Daddy
And in first place team ENOS!
Nana's taking a wiiiiiide corner
Here's Grandpa thinking he's racing motorcycles again - see how he's leaning through the curves?
Going on the Lewis & Clark ride with Mommy (the only ride she and EB2 could go on)
Allllll done!
Mm! Dessert time
Hey lookie there, I've got a tongue
I'm soooo tired I'm hitching a ride back to the car AND using Daddy's head as a thumb and chin rest
Look closely at the name on the engine(click on picture to enlarge): Daddy's paternal great-grandfather was CP Hunnington's brother. I'm not sure of the whole story, but ask Daddy sometime and he call tell you all about his famous ancestors
What manly attire, Daddy, and such strong legs
Look at me - I'm chicken Little
No, no, Daddy. Ladies, like myself, like skinny mirrors, not chubby mirrors
Growing like a worm
Bye-bye Oaks Park, see you next year

Ride em cowboy!

Saturday evening while Ashley was off with Nana and Grandpa visiting family, Jake and I along with Kathy, Danny, Lindsay, Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Jack went to the Canby Fair to enjoy totally unheatlhy but oh-so-delicious fair food and watch the PRCA Rodeo. It was such a nice evening, even though I ate my weight in fried food...

Getting ready for the big show
Before the rodeo began they had a sorting competition - so much harder than they make it look!
My second favorite event: bareback riding. It was too dark to take pictures by the time my all-time favorite of saddle bronc riding came

Mancation

A few weekends back Jake took a trip to Seattle to watch the Mariner's take on the NY Yankees. Even though the Mariner's lost, he said it was still a good game and great trip. He had so much fun that we're taking a trip back next week to watch them play the Angels. We can hardly wait!

Great seats to enjoy America's Favorite Pastime
After more than a few beers, Jake tried his hand at being a firefighter statue - too bad he looks more like a Power Ranger...

More than just slides and swings

On our way to the grocery store yesterday afternoon we stopped off at the park to let Ashley run some stink off. We'd been to this particular park a few times before, but had never known about the water fountain feature that was there. Imagine our shock, and Ashley's total excitement, when we walked over and she could see not only her favorite swings and slides, but water shooting 20 feet into the air as well!
Talk about an afternoon of delight for the midget!

Weee!
High five me, Daddy
Pound it
Trying my hand at the big-kiddie swings
Oooh water!
Look how far it goes
Good thing Mommy stripped me of my over-shirt cause I plan on getting SOAKED
It got me
Rain on me my little fountain friends
Proving once again that I'm a fearless little midget
Here I come, Daddy

Still working hard

Wednesday afternoon I went to Katie's to see the progress Jake has made on the house since the tree fell on it. Can you believe this is the same house? With the front porch and overhang gone it's like a completely different place. Good thing Aunt Jean hasn't lost her magic touch and will be able to whip this place back into shape just as soon as Jake's done fixing it up. But in the meantime it sure looks different, doesn't it?

Working hard? Or is it hardly working?

Twenty is plenty

20 months. Are you kidding me? But there it is, plain as day, on the calendar. Ashley is 20 months old today. That means in 4 months she'll be 2, and we'll be a family of 4. How did this happen (Ashely getting older, not the family of 4 thing; I've got a pretty good grip on the whole birds and bees thing)?
4 months, 5 day until Christmas. There, did that get your attention? Now you're feeling what I'm feeling. Total disbelief.
In addition to her daily antics, Ashley really is learning and picking up new things on a daily basis. Whenever she hears Jake's truck going down the driveway in the morning she walks to the window, waves and say "Bye Dada." Talk about precious! Lately as it gets closer to mealtime she'll walk to her highchair and either try to climb in or drag it over to the kitchen all the time saying "Bite. Bite. Please." So polite! And just today she got my attention, pointed to her mouth (an American Sign Language sign for 'eat'), then took off and dug through the bag until she found her container of crackers. Such a smartie-pants! Ashley also knows the signs for 'all done' and 'more', but today was the first time she used a sign to 'tell' me what she wanted and I was floored (and just a teensy bit proud!). While we aren't necessarily trying to teach her signs, there are some we've just done out of habit and it amazes us how quickly she picked up on them. There's no doubt she's no longer a baby but a (independent if you ask her) toddler who is learning quicker than we ever even imagined.
Wow. 20 months. Where has the time gone?

Trying hard to look cute at the splash-park earlier today.
....Wait. What am I talking about? I don't have to try!
Going for a swim
Ahhhhh choo!
Who has more fun at the splash-park Mommy or me?
Snack time!
One day I may kill Mommy for posting this picture but she says she can't get enough of my cutie little patootie
The fun continued with a picnic and playground after the pool
Giddy up!
Of course I got a ride in the swing
Mommy and little sister even joined in the fun
Make us go high Mommy
Refueling with a bite of watermelon before I hit the road...
...because Mommy wore me out
*taken not more then 3 minutes into the drive home*