Yeehaw!!! We're going to a hoedown!!


We thought we'd dress up Lillie in her cowgirl outfit!! About a week ago, a friend just so happened to give Lillie this dress as a gift. What perfect timing. Now, let's talk about her backdrop for her pose. She has decided that standing on the scale next to the DIAPER PAIL, is pretty fun. It's a good thing there are no diapers in there.


On Saturday night, our ward had a pioneer activity. There was square dancing and a pie baking contest. It was pretty fun.



I know it doesn't look like she's having fun, but trust me, she loved the helium filled balloons. I know you can't see them, but she had two by the end of the night. You can see the death grip she has on the strings.


Here are the young women and their leaders. Two of them just got back from the pioneer trek (the same one keola was on), and they decided to get the other girls involved in a little skit. The skit had something to do with, "That is how the old pioneers danced back then, and this is how we dance now." They became a little too shy, which they normally are NOT, so it wasn't as funny as I'm sure it could have been. The girls had fun though.

Hmmm, I wonder which book I should read today.


I think I'll read my book about colors. Black kitten. Black coat.


I wonder if I can read two books at one time??


Mommy put on some music, so it must be time to dance.


Whoa, I'm getting a bit dizzy.


What are you looking at!?!?


I wonder if I can read and dance at the same time?


Mmmmuh. I had to kiss the caterpiller.


I wonder if I can get a toy and dance?


Whew, what a workout. I think I'll take a break and just read my book.

Here's Lillie's first attempt at feeding herself. Notice the kiddie pool under her chair. Boy, was this an interesting experience. Also notice the shimmering pool on her tray. Yes, that is a small little pool of water after she tried taking a drink and holding her own glass.

Lillie was obviously doing MUCH better today. She was off the Tylenol and no fever for the entire day. YIPEE!!!


I suppose the fact that her daddy was coming home today was also exciting.


"Mommy, I'm all better and I can't wait for daddy to come home!!!"


Meanwhile, Lillie played with her toys today. Here are some of the toys she enjoys. This is a shape box. If you remember those red and blue plastic balls that we fit shapes into, this is sort of like that. A bit more complex and updated. She hasn't quite mastered knowing where each shape goes, but she's getting pretty good at it.


"Unsnap the orange triangle."

"Put the orange triangular prism in the hole. Good girl!!" I actually say this. Am I mental or what?!??! It must be the school teacher in me.


BUSTED!! Here's the face of someone getting caught with the remote control!


The other "toy" that Lillie has had a lot of fun with lately, are her big knob puzzles. Here's the amazing thing that she just started doing this past week. She'll pick up a puzzle piece, then I'll ask her, "where's the tree?" and she puts the piece on the correct spot!! She's a genius!! Okay, so she doesn't quite have the coordination yet to fit the piece in the space, but I still think she's a genius!! ha ha



After a long 3 days, daddy finally came home from Trek!! Lillie was just about to go to bed, but she couldn't help but stay up a little later to give kisses to her daddy...in his pioneer geer.

Well, the last few days have been a bit of a challenge. Lillie was at a playdate with some friends from the ward, and she started to feel unusually warm. When we got home, she had a 103 temperature. Uh oh, mommy's first fever!! After giving her some Tylenol and holding her much of the afternoon, we got a little bit of playtime in and some dinner. During the night, her temperature went up to 105 and we were a little concerned, so we called a friend of ours who is a physician. The Motrin/Tylenol regimen every 3 hours kicked into place. The next day mommy took her to the doctors and found out she has hand, foot and mouth disease. The only thing we can do is care for the fever. So, here is Lillie being distressed.


Lillie's temperature is doing much better. She still has a slight fever, but it's down to 99-100 degrees. She's pretty contagious to other kids, and daddy is at Trek for the Stake, so mommy and Lillie are hunkering down and riding out this fever at home for the next 4 days or so, until the fever goes away. We'll call it bonding time!!


Look, I got a smile!!

Happy 9th Anniversary!!! We decided to celebrate our anniversary at this very cute restraunt called Mrs. K's Tollhouse.


Here's Lillie waiting patiently for her bib and dinner.


We would all celebrate if we were having creme brulee!!



After dinner, we decided to take a walk on the beautiful grounds. Lillie had a blast walking all over and seeing new things.

Per request from...well, everyone, we decided to post more pictures. We will try to post more often.

Here's Lillie blowing kisses while she tries to experiment with the stairs.


Here's the face of someone who made it up her first step, but didn't know how to get down.


So, this smart little cookie decided to keep going up!!



By showing her just once, she actually learned how to come down the stairs too. By the time we came home after dinner, she climbed to the top of our stairwell. I guess it's time to really use the gate now.


Lillie loves playing with her beach ball. She also like sitting in her Elmo chair. She's found a way to play with her ball while sitting down.




These pictures are a little dark. Our "date night", which has turned into "family night out", was spent at a restaurant named Ted's. The waitress gave Lillie this waxy stick thing to play with. Mommy and daddy decided to get creative and make some jewelry for Lillie. She liked it for about 10 seconds.


I promise we're not man handling her. Just trying to show off her bracelet.


Lillie surprised us tonight by drinking from a straw. I have no idea where she came up with this new trick. She barely gets a drink from her sippy cups.


Well, she drank MOST of the milk.




Daddy is spending next weekend with the youth of the stake on a Pioneer Trek. Three days and two nights hiking while pulling a handcart all day and into the night. Well, the youth will be doing that part, daddy will be there for moral support and overseeing it all. One thing he will have to do is camp. So, tonight we bought a little tent for him to sleep in. We decided to set it up in the living room to see if we could actually do it. Don't be shocked, but we're not really the camping type. Anyway, Lillie sure got a BIG kick out it.


In the tent...


sit with daddy for a minute, then...


out of the tent.



How cute is this picture!!! Lillie is just adorable and cute and sweet. She sure loves her daddy!!!