Camping
Finally, we were able to go on our first camping trip of the year. We headed down to the boulder one Friday after Kyle got off of work. We got there around 8:30 p.m. and as soon as she got out of the truck she was all smiles and would just start walking around jabbering to herself. She did really well though she needs to learn that it's ok to take a nap when we're camping. However she did sleep well at night despite the cold and being in a different place. We had fun.She was a big help in setting up the tent as you can see but she was so happy she just kept walking circles.

With all the snow fall and soaked timber our wood was pretty wet but Kyle can always get a fire going no matter where or what he has to work with.Just cruising around while we loaded up on fire wood.

The first morning, she woke up around 6 am so she enjoyed the heater in the truck until we went off looking for wildlife.

You can't tell in this picture but she was soooo dirty. From dirt in her hair and smeared all over her face, down to wet feet but I love this picture of the two of us.Fishing with Mommy.

Fishing with Daddy. Her favorite part of fishing was throwing rocks into the lake.

We went for a little hike one day and she usually really likes her backpack but she didn't so much this time and it didn't help that a tree I didn't see whacked her in the face. She let me know that wasn't very cool but she eventually forgot about it and the picture below was taken just as we returned to the truck, so you can see she was smiling and happy to be back.

This camping stuff sure wore her out but we had fun and can't wait to go again. Camping with Grandma and Grandpa.
Taytum and I went camping with my parents for a day and night. Dad and I did are usual hiking loop in the morning. We came back had breakfast and just hung out and played some games.

I luckily got up there before they did and was able to save them a spot, otherwise we would have had to go somewhere else because their happened to be a lot of campers come in that day. Here we are playing and waiting for Grandma and Grandpa to get here.

Just chilling out in the sun.Eating a scrumptious dinner of hotdogs, salads and more.Grandma and Tayters. I've decided that I could really get used to this trailor life.

She always stole my chair but we had fun camping with Grandpa and Grandma Pike.Cousins in town.

My sister Katie and kids came into town one day so we met at Mcdonalds for lunch. She did a bit of shopping while the rest of us played. Later we had a picnic for dinner and hit the splash pad the next day. It was fun.

Going down the keyboard slide. It would make music as she would slide. She only did this about 100 million times. Though we've been to Mcdonalds before this was her first time playing in the play place. Her cousins took her to the top and took her down the big slide but she wasn't to fond of that so she stayed in this little toddler place.She had a lot of fun pounding on these drums.Later we went to a park for dinner and the kids had more fun rolling down the steep hill than the actual playground.Eating popsicles together.Water Fun
Recently we got this little pool from my sister-in-law. The only time she seems to want to play in it is when she is fully clothed. I've put her in her bathing suit a couple time with intention to go out and play but she never seemed interested and didn't too much but I guess it's more enticing when it's not a planned thing.

Taking this rag and cleaning the pool with it. After cleaning the pool, she would then get it wet and put it on her face. Yuck but I guess she's having to much fun to really realize all the germs there could be but oh well.

Splashing with her toes.

One of her other favorite things to do was to get in and out. It was kind of a stretch for her to do it but she thought she was pretty big once she figured out how to do it.

I don't know why but here she is again getting wet in her normal clothes rather than in a bathing suit. This day I was out watering the vegetables and she started getting her hands wet then she would run through the spray dead on and ended up soaking wet. Realizing that the water is pretty cold but that didn't stop her.She loved being able to take control of the hose herself.

Side profile cheeser.

She would go right through the middle of the spray and laugh.

Just happy to be wet!

Playgrounds!
We have visited a lot of playgrounds so far this summer. Slides and Swings are definitely at the top of Taytum's favorite things.

Here she is looking out one of the bubbles they have on the playgrounds these days. Here we are eating a little lunch and visiting the park outside the library.

This park is pretty close to the house so it's the one we got to the most often.

I hate the fact that there are no swings at parks anymore. I need to find one but we've made do with this stepping stone as it moves a little bit that she thinks it's a swing.

Heading up to go down the slide again!!! It's hard to get her away from the slide even though she won't go down on her own so I'm always up there with her. One of these days I'll be the mom that gets to sit on the bench and just watch but for now I'm enjoying the slides as much as she does.

Emree and Cooper

During the summer, I get to tend my niece and nephew every Wednesday. I love having them around and I know Taytum enjoys the company. The only time she gets jealous of me paying more attention to Cooper is when he cries. Then she cries and I have to hold them both but that hasn't happened to often because Cooper is the best baby ever and Emree is so good too. I decided on this Wednesday to take them all to the splash pad and they did great. Taytum still has to have my hand so I was holding Cooper, hanging on to Taytum and Emree would hold my shorts and up and down the water we would go but we had fun.

The 3 kiddos getting ready to go to the splash pad. They are to darn cute!

Emree and Cooper. Taking a break to eat a little something while the water is turned off. All 3 did great and we will probably do it again.Taytum and I probably go to the splash pad at least 2 or 3 times a week. She likes to watch the waterfall that is there the best and is getting braver each time we go.

It's always pretty crowded and she's starting not to get too upset when she's gets splashed from other kids and is doing some of her own splashing.She loves to cruise up and down the river part of the splash pad.

Towards the end, she was getting pretty brave and splashing around.

Random June Pictures
Taytum's cousins, Mia and Sarina, came over to play one day. They kept her entertained and are so good with her. She loves her "kids."

A new version of "bareback riding."Just playing outside, our favorite place to be.

This picture was taken from my phone so it's blurry and not very good but every Monday we go to the library for the "Mom and Me" program. They read stories and do dances. Their topic this summer is "Places around the world" so they all parade with a flag and this is Taytum's favorite part every time.

Next month will be just as busy. We are so excited for our Montana trip, holidays, camping and Taytum's 2nd birthday so stay tuned to see some more of these happy faces.

Kyles Birthday.
So I am so sad that I didn't get any pictures on Kyles birthday but we did celebrate with cheesecake and ice cream that night with his family. Taytum and I gave him some fancy new shoes, a shirt and socks. The next day we went to KOI (our favorite restaurant) and to the new X-Men movie. I love being able to spend time with the greatest man on earth. I love him so much and hope he enjoys celebrating his birthday as I do.

Bucket of Fun!
One day Taytum found this bucket that was filled with sand but due to many rainstorms became a bucket of mud. She probably spent a half hour with this bucket.

Here she is scooping up two big handfuls. I just love this look that she is giving me.

Here she is releasing the two big handfuls of mud. She looks like she's mad but she is not and I love how the picture caught the mud in flight.

and here is how she felt about it. I love this happy face.

Inspecting her dirty hands and going in for some more.

My graduating kindergarten class of 2011.

Wow I can't believe how fast this year went by and that I just finished my 8th year of teaching. I really enjoy my job and this was such a great class. I love to see them start reading and working with numbers, it is so satisfying to see how far they come from the beginning to the end. Working half day is perfect. I would be miserable if I had to teach all day because I love Taytum so much but half day allows me to be involved in a career that I love but also to be a Mom. Many thanks goes out to my sister-in-law and mother-in-law and also to a great friend Megan for taking such good care of my munchkin in the mornings. She loves being with them and I know she will miss them as she hangs out with just mom all summer long.

Happy 60th Birthday Dad!
My dad hit a great milestone birthday this year and turned 60. He is the greatest and I look forward to many more birthdays to celebrate.

Grandpa and Grandma playing a game with the kids.

Grandma and Taytum cruising the yard.

Angela and Cooper. What? you don't think he can handle a hamburger?

The Grill Master!

The kiddie table.Jeremy and Katie at the big kids table.

After a few tries he was able to get all 60 candles out.

Spring time flowers.

Well it's that time again to start planting some flowers and try to beautify the outside of our home. I actually quite enjoy working in the yard and would rather do any kind of outside work then inside.

Helping mom dig holes for the flowers. She was quite involved in this whole process. I would dig the hole then she would put the flower in and then help put dirt back in. Glad that she enjoys this now because something tells me she won't be as excited to do such things when she's older.

I would lay them out and she would then re-arrange them but she was having fun doing it.

Dirty hands means that are work here is done!
Now that the work is done, it is time to have some fun. I introduced Taytum to the joys of sidewalk chalk. She loved it and would draw some then lay out all the chalk in the crack of the driveway, put them away and then do it all over again.

She decided to use her backside as an eraser but who cares when we're having this much fun. The chalk actually entertained her for quite awhile.

Mother's Day Weekend
Every year for Mother's day my mom and sisters get together to do a girls day out. This year it was my turn to plan it. We met at 8 in the morning and hit a bunch of yard sales. I came away with a doll house for Tayters. We then had brunch of strawberry and banana crepes. Afterwards we went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. We finished off the day with lunch at Texas Roadhouse. It was fun and just great to hang out with some of the people I love most. Kyle was able to get out of tending to go shed hunting in Wyoming and ended up with 22 sheds to add to our growing pile in the garage. Grandma Paxman and Aunt Koreen were kind enough to take the little one for most of the day.

Time to stop from a busy life and smell the tulips.

Happy Mother's day to my own great mom. She is a wonderful example to me and great in every way. She was also such a trooper on this trip for just about a week earlier she had minor surgery but was ready to have some fun. I love you mom!

My sisters are also great examples to me and I wish we could get together like this more often.

Group Photo

We had a great time

Here are just random pictures of the many beautiful flowers and sites we experienced.

Random May Pictures

If only......she was really potty trained. I figured that since she won't let me be in the bathroom by myself, she might as well sit there with me. She has gone a couple of times by accident and says potty all the time so I hope that this will be a sign that she will soon want to be potty trained for reals.

Here she couldn't wait for her hot dog any longer so she grabbed a bun out of the bag and went to town on it.She is telling me to put that camera down but I can never resist taking a thousand pictures of this cute little monkey.

She had this card stuck to her face for a long time. I really don't know if she even realized that it was there but I thought it was pretty funny.

Playing in a drawer.

Lately she has been thinking that she is too big for her high chair and would eat better if seated on my lap or the chair so we broke down and bought her a booster chair and she seems to like it much better.

She loved her candy necklace if you can't tell from the picture

I'm so sad that this picture is blurry but Kyle loves to make this little girl giggle.

We had a great May and look forward to a fun filled summer. Wahoo school is out!!