A New Baby! And When Babies Get Older...

Congratulations Nick and Tiffany! Welcome baby Hadley! Born July 16 at 6:53 pm. She weighed in at 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 21 inches long! She is a healthy, happy and a beautiful baby girl! Joe and I went to Greenfield on Friday to visit the new arrival and happy family! Tiffany looked awesome for just giving birth! I hope I look that refreshed! It was a great Friday night. We visited with the Miller's for about an hour and then met up with my family to go out to eat. Below is a picture I took with my phone because Mia was making me laugh so hard. First she would not leave her pretty hard bow alone so nona, grandma, got a rubber band and put her hair up like Pebbles from the Flinstones! We ate at a mexican restaurant so Mia was insisting that she got to dip chips into the salsa! Every time she took a bite of the chip she would make a funny face! However she kept going back to dip her chip, haha! Sorry about the scary eyes in the picture. This is the quality of my camera phone!

Now, for the baby pics!!!

Here is the whole family! I think Hadley is going to have to get used to seeing a camera!

The new mommy and baby!


So I had to hold her! She is so tiny but absolutely perfect. I could not get Joe to hold her. It was really cute because he was afraid he would, "break her!" Ha ha... I have seen him in action with our niece and nephew when they were this little and he did a great job! It got me thinking how naturally, for most girls/women, holding a baby is and on the opposite side of that, how most guys think they are going to "break" the baby! Tiffany asked me if seeing a new born made me want kids anytime soon and I have to say I am still a little ways away from being at that point. I love kids however I would like to enjoy more time with Joe before we welcome a new addition! I told my mom and sister that Joe and I are praying for twins, one pregnancy and done! haha...whenever that day will be, I don't know :)

Fun-filled Weekend!

Joe and I left Friday night with Diesel and met up with new and old friends for a road trip to Breman, Indiana. We went to a lake called, Lake of the Woods. Friday and Saturday were filled with beer pong, tubing, food and midnight runs to a slide on the lake. Diesel provided the entertainment for the weekend including using an empty case of beer as a chew toy. I hope to get more pictures soon from other people...I did not trust myself to take my new camera on the boat! I don't think Joe would appreciate his gift going overboard! I was planning on taking my old one however I forgot it. All in all the trip was sooo much fun. I hope we can take another sometime soon. Many thanks to Justin for letting 16 people take over your house!!

I did take a couple of pictures of Diesel when we had lunch on Saturday. We were trying to get him to swim...he just stood in the water as you can see above! It was hilarious! I think he would rather run on the ground! Tim, Kristin, and Joe all stood in the water trying to get Diesel to swim. Below is Tim trying to coax him in the water...maybe next time Tim!

Joe and I left Breman at the crack of dawn and drove to Greenfield. My mom had a cookout for friends and family. The Hancock County Fair parade was the perfect excuse for all of us to get together. It was so wonderful to see the family. All of the little ones got to run around in the sprinkler and play in the kid pool. They loved the parade and by the end of the night all of us were passing out on moms couch or the floor! Here are some highlights!...

Mia playing in the grass!

Lyla's big bow!

The boys...Hayden, Logan and Alex!

The whole gang!

From oldest to youngest...

Brother and sister playing in the sprinkler!

The boys taking over the Mia's and Lyla's baby pool!

Last but not least....Alex, Joe and Diesel falling asleep at the end of the day! Apparently parades and play time make you sleepy...

I hope everyones weekend was as exhausting as ours!! We wouldn't have it any other way!

4th of July Fun and Family Time...

Well I finally got pictures from my sister from the holiday weekend! She hosted a 4th of July party that consisted of lots of food, family and friends playing rock band! Too bad the weather didn't cooperate! The kids had a lot of fun when Mike put on his own fireworks display. Mia liked the loud noises and Alex had fun playing with sparklers...

This past Monday I got to go to the Indians game with Mike and Alex! It was so much fun! I don't think I have ever been asked so many questions about baseball. It was the cutest thing. Alex could not grasp the concept of what a dugout was. He thought EVERYONE should be on the field playing! Ha ha! I can't wait to go again and to take Mia next time...

7 Years Ago Today...

As I sit here and write this I think of the many blessings and hardships that I have had over the last 7 years. So much has happened I feel I have already lived a lifetime. As I stop to reflect I am overcome with emotions. I think the biggest feeling I have today is that of family. In the last 7 years I became a wife to a wonderful husband who works so hard day in and day out...and we are the proud parents of Diesel! My sister and brother-in-law who have two precious children, Alex and Mia. I come from two wonderful parents. A mother who would give anything for her daughters and grandchildren. She sacrificed so much so that Brooke and I could have everything as we grew up. Still to this day she works so hard so she can spoil us on Sundays when we have family dinners! As a mother she is an amazing example. I see her selflessness in Brooke. Brooke is a beautiful mother to Alex and Mia. I could not ask for a more perfect family. I only hope one day I become as wonderful of a mother as my sister and mom.

More than anything today I remember my father. Seven years ago today he was taken from our family to go serve the lord in another way. As much as we didn't understand what was going on I feel today it has gotten easier for me to accept he will no longer be walking on earth with us. There are a few people in my life who unfortunately have experienced this same loss. The loss of losing a father. This is something I would not wish on anyone. He was my rock, my friend, my coach, my father and mentor. He taught me so much about being kind and taught me to never settle. He was the most selfless human being I have ever met. He did not know a stranger. He was friends with everyone. There were times we went out to eat and I swear the joke between us would be guessing the number of people he knew in the restaurant! If someone needed something, help fixing a toilet, loan of a tool, coaching girls softball or driving me and all my friends around. NEVER did I hear him complain of the life he had. NEVER did it matter how much money we had or did not have. NEVER did he even complain as he struggled with the pain of his cancer.

I want to take so many examples from him. I want to be just like him. Kind, caring, giving, selfless and most of all, humble. For just as quickly as we are given blessings if we take them for granted or forget their purpose, those blessings will be taken away. I want to leave a legacy like the legacy that he has left. He was able to positively impact so many in the short amount of time he was living. I only hope one day I am as great of a coach and mentor like he was. I pray I NEVER forget what he stood for and everything my father worked for.

Today I give thanks to my family. I love and cherish all of you. I am grateful for each and everyone of you. I would be nothing without you...
I love you