Merry Christmas to everyone...Here are some pics of the family...we are not at a real photogenic stage of life...We just wanted to say that we love all of you and wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year!!

Avery is here!!

Here we are!! Avery is here, and doing great! She was 6 lbs 11 oz, and 19 1/2 inches. We delivered at Clovis Community Hospital this time via c-section, and thankfully I was out of there in under 24 hours!! I was able to come home to my own bed, and have as many people over as I wanted. It was a blessing! Little baby Avery has been claimed by Grace as her own, and she wants to hold the baby, but I don't think she really understands the whole picture yet because when she is done holding her she just pushes her away (toward the floor, if I was not there to supervise...) just like she was one of her dolls. We have been dressing her "babies" in Avery's clothes, feeding them bottles, and giving them diapers to make her feel more like a "big girl." Overall, it is fun, and exciting, yet I know the hard part is yet to come when Avery feels like it is time to stop sleeping so much, and wake up to her new world. Dave and I are taking one day at a time, and enjoying both of our girls! Dave has been wonderful! He has gone beyond my expectations and really taken over all of the household chores, errand running, coming home from work early, taking Grace to daycare and picking her up...and the list goes on while I am recovering from everything. We are so thankful for our family and friends that have helped out and brought us meals and and spent their time with us. Enjoy the pictures!!

Grace is becoming quite the artist now days...We found sidewalk paint at our favorite store (Target) and she loves creating masterpeices outside. I cannot believe how big she is getting. She is really starting to talk now, and I think is ready(for the most part) to be a big sister. Baby Avery is coming very soon! September 15th is the big day! Y0u can be praying that everything runs smooth with the delivery (c-section) and that Avery is healthy. Pray for Dave and I too because everyone knows that a newborn is HARD!!! but wonderful...Some other news is that I have decided to get my masters in administration through Fresno State, which starts in January. Dave is plugging away at his job, and loves it, but is challenging in an economy like ours is right now. Our plates are full, but we are blessed to live in a house we love, and have a healthy family!! I feel rich!!

We went to Monterey Bay Aquarium with my whole family. It was so much fun. As you can see Grace wore a leash, but we called it a "backpack" since she is into Dora the Explorer and her backpack these days. I used to say things about people putting their children on leashes...until I had kids! I will never judge again!

This was crazy!! Dave came in and told me there was a hot air balloon outside, which we have every once in a while...it was nice and high at the time...minutes later I heard the fire from the balloon and it sounded rather close. I walked out in my backyard without my camera (darn) and was startled to see the basket of the balloon about 20 feet above my roof. I could have had a conversation with the people that were along for the ride. They proceeded to land in a resivoir that is right behind the houses that are across the street from us...It was quite a sight!

Grace is turning into a big helper!! She likes to do things herself, which is good now that a new little one is coming in the picture...

I know that I have not updated our blog in quite a while...for those of you that know me REALLY well know that my intentions are good, and I don't take care of the little details in life very well. As long as my family is fed, my house is somewhat clean, and my dogs are still alive - I will get to the other things little by little... Well the summer is in full force and we are having a great time with Grace. She is enjoying her last moments as an only child, and has no idea what is about to rock her world. She is hilarious! While I am off work I am trying to do things with her that we don't normally get to do like go to the zoo, swim as much as possible, go to the lake, hang out with friends and all their growing families, and hang out with my family fairly often...It is fun watching Grace grow into a little girl! I enjoy her first words, although I wish there were more of them because I am getting a little tired of the grunts and screams when she wants something and cannot communicate what it actually is. Above is a picture of a lot of our friends kids, and it is amazing how time flies! We used to be able to eat dinner together and enjoy conversation, and now it is a bit different!! The below picture is Grace at her cousin Gavin's Birthday party. There are now 9 cousins that she enjoys to see on both sides of our family, and here were some enjoying a water park contraption that my brother and his wife have that kept the kids happy for hours...
Grace is really into shoes and clothes!! She regularly gets in our closet and chooses the shoes she wants to try on and then she makes me put on dress shoes too!! She is quite the character!

We just recently bought Grace her first potty!! She seems a bit interested, and does not like sitting in a dirty diaper, but I am not really ready to spend the time frantically running to the potty trying to avoid accidents...The time will come, but for now she really enjoys letting all of her stuffed animals use it!

Daddy bought a seat for her to go on the back of our bike with an Elmo helmet and matching knee pads and elbow pads...too cute! She loves it, and it gives daddy a chance to take her places alone and do something special!

We went to the zoo, and plan to go again. It gives her a chance to run around and pet animals that she would not normally get to touch. She loved the petting zoo! Not afraid at all!

We spend a lot of our Sunday afternoons at Grandma and Grandpas house with a lot of the cousins, aunties and uncles eating and enjoying their back yard...it is amazing how entertained kids can be with a little bit of water!

This is what Grandpas do...sugar them up!

Pool? Who needs a pool...water inside of a flower pot works wonderfully!!

Grace enjoys tormenting our dogs...she loves to hold them and then kind of squashes them...it is all in love. I am a little afraid of what she might do to the new baby!

Summer fun! We are planning on having lots more fun including more lake trips, and spending the fourth of July with the Spees' at Bass Lake. It should be a good time!

Guess What?

We will let you figure this picture out on your own...

Hope you enjoy our updated pics!

Dave's "Wedding"...I mean "White Party" was so much fun! He turned 30, and everyone wore white for the occasion. There was food, dancing, and a great time!

First We had Christmas Eve with Dave's family...We got our neice a new bike...it was fun to wheel it out as she kept her eyes closed.

Christmas was a blast! This picture does not show everyone that goes to my (katie's) parents house, but you can see by the number of stockings hanging on thier fireplace...

Elmo is one of her favorites!! My day care person tells me that if she does not feed the kids before Elmo comes on...they don't eat! The important things in the life of a toddler...

Grace Turned One!!

I could not believe how well she performed with her cake!