End of Vacation

We woke up Sunday morning, and headed back to the fairgrounds to help tear down and clean up.  The kiddos and I were a little later than everyone else.  All the tables were down and being put away when we arrived.  I was a little surprised to even find Pa-paw sweeping the floor!

After finishing up at the fairgrounds, we all went out for lunch.  One last picture with Aunt Katie before we headed home.

We were not too far down the road when this was the scene in my mirror!

We drove to Hannibal, MO, and spent the night.  We were able to go swimming at the hotel the next morning before finishing the drive home.

Oops, Momma might have forgot to pack a swim diaper...

Until next time...

Vacation Day 2

This morning everyone got up and ready (minus our kiddos) and made their way to the fairgrounds to start setting up for the party.  My little ones must have been worn out from the previous night because it was close to 9 before they got out of bed!  While they were sleeping, Ma-maw and I finished ironing everyone's wedding clothes.  Once the kiddos were up and dressed, we made our way out to help with the decorating!

Julianne needed a higher seat in order to supervise appropriately.

The florist arrived with fresh flowers and small vases to be used on the tables

Little Miss was more than willing to jump in and help with the decorating.  Although, she was disappointed there were no streamers and balloons...

The head table - the bride's and bridesmaids bouquets will be added after the wedding.

Aunt Katie wanted to keep the decorating simple, and it turned out beautifully!

The finished cake - the topper was custom-done: it says Mr. {&} Mrs. Ricklefs with a snowflake.  The mugs were a gift the couple received early - one has Mrs. and the other has Mr.  I then added the ribbon for a little something extra.

Back in January when Ma-maw and I went to Iowa to help dress shop, Ma-maw had the idea to make a photo prop of a couple and a snowmobile.  We mentioned the idea to Aunt Katie, and she thought it would be fun as well, but was unsure what Brian would think.  Turns out, he thought it would be a fun idea too!  So, that became my big project.  I searched online for various pictures of couples on snowmobiles, and I sent them to Katie and Brian to decide what they wanted.  I was lucky enough to be able to use a projector at school to blow the image up and trace it on butcher block paper.  I brought it home and over the course of a week created the following master piece...

I think the groom and bride were happy with the way it turned out...

I even got Dallas to get his picture in it with me

We finished the decorating party with pizza and drinks, and then everyone went on their merry way to get cleaned up for the rehearsal.

Katie and Brian chose to do an outside wedding at the Historical Society on the edge of town.  There is a lovely flower garden there, and it made the perfect setting for the intimate wedding they wanted.

After rehearsal, Brian's parents treated us to dinner.  Pa-paw managed to get a hold of Julianne before the meal.

I then convinced the other kiddos to join them for a picture...

Dallas and Daddy waiting on the food to arrive

Little Miss doing her thang...

We ended the meal with cherry pie and ice cream for dessert...Sugar thought it was the best part!

One more picture of the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.!!!

Until next time...

Sleeping Beauty to Mud Princess

I couldn't resist getting a picture of Sugar all snuggled with her chicken this morning...

Of course, she can't be sweetness all the time.  This is how she ended the day...

Playing in the waterhole her brother and sister created in the sandbox!

Until next time...

Easter Goodies and Exhaustion

Dallas and Reba got some Duck Dynasty tattoos in their Easter baskets.  They have been asking everyday since for me to put them on.  I finally caved today...

I think some little one is still exhausted from all the running around we have been doing lately.  She crashed on the kitchen floor today!

Until next time...

Julianne - 9 months

Enjoy some of the random pictures of Julianne from the past month...

Since Julianne has stopped being swaddled while sleeping, she now loves snuggling with her swaddle blankets

Julianne is actually sitting in the seats of shopping carts more often.  Reba loves when we go to Aldi's because she can ride too!

Thankfully, at Rural King, the carts have extra large seats, and both girls and fit!

Julianne is pulling up to a standing position more and more.  I recently brought out this toy, and she LOVES it!  I love her hair (it had been in a pony the day before)

One morning, the girls and I ventured out to a park to enjoy the sunshine.  They could swing all day long!

Julianne is figuring out how to "undress" herself.  Somehow, she pulled her arm out of the sleeve and up through the neck hole! All while strapped in her carseat...

Every once in a while, Julianne will allow Dallas to still sit and hold her.

Another example of Julianne allowing someone to sit and hold her.  This time I was able to chosen!

Our little girl does not like to be held too often, she would much rather ride in her stroller, sit in the high chair, or be on the floor where she can move freely.  As far as going to sleep, she will wiggle and fight if you try to rock her; she would much rather be put in her bed and given her blanket.

Julianne figured out how to open and close the cabinets while watching Reba and I baked one day.

A few other things Julianne has accomplished this past month:

• Picking up "puffs" to feed herself
• Holding on with one hand while standing
• Stayed with her godmother, Carla, for about 12 hours!
• Says "mamama", "dadada", and occasionally "bababa"
• Starting to cruise down the couch and around chairs
• Eating more and more table food: mashed potatoes, yogurt, bread, pancakes, pasta, etc
• Passes items from one hand to the other
• Sharing baths with Reba and Dallas
• Still squeezes into 6-9 month clothes
• Wears size 3 diapers
• Nurses every 4 hours
• Sleeps from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.; naps from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m.
• Drinks water from sippy cup during meals
• Waves back when we wave to her
• Figured out how to grind her teeth, and (occasionally) smack her lips
• Crawls across the floor while holding something in her hand

9 month stats:

Height: 27.5 inches*

Weight: 19 lbs 10 oz

Until next time...

*I don't agree with her height measurement since it is only a quarter inch different from her 6 month check-up

Julianne - 8 months

When Julianne turned 7 months old, she had just started army crawling.  

Now that she is 8 months, she is can sit herself up, crawl with her belly off the floor, pull herself into a standing position, and so much more!

Our little lady loves to clap, as well.

Of course, now that she can crawl, she is into even more things!

A few of the other things Julianne has accomplished include:

• Putting herself to sleep at nap time and bedtime without being swaddled.
• Putting everything in her mouth - including a pacifier she found! 

• Went to first tractor pulls
• Still loves to blow raspberries

• Loves to play peek-a-boo
• Giggles a little when tickled, but usually stops after 2-3 times
• Eats: sweet potato, banana, applesauce, green beans, butternut squash, carrots, rice cereal, puffs, ice cream.
• Drinks water (and pumped milk) from sippy cup

Until next time...

Family Dinner

My mom and dad hosted a family dinner for the 4th of July since my aunt was in from out of state.  I didn't take but two pictures the entire day; I was having too much fun visiting to remember to grab my camera!

My Aunt Joyce and one of her granddaughters, Bria, along with Julianne

 Ma-maw and Julianne

On another note, Julianne slept swaddle-free the entire time at Ma-maw and Pa-paw's house!  That makes it a whole week without being swaddled at night.

Until next time...

Swaddle Free?

Last night I put Julianne down for a quick nap without swaddling her.  She had fell asleep in my arms, so I put her in her crib thinking she would sleep for half an hour or so.

She went ahead and proved me wrong, and she slept the entire night...swaddle free!  I peeked in on her a handful of times, and I found her snuggled up with her "blanket" each time.

Let's hope this is the start of a very easy swaddle free transition!

Until next time...

Garden Work

This past weekend we spent most of our time in the garden.  It started with Daddy and Dallas tilling the soil

Luckily, we had a great supervisor on the job site!

Then, the boss got restless and Big Sister had to help out

Dallas also tried to work the planting wheel, but then decided to give that job back to Daddy!

Our supervisor was pretty tuckered out on the second day...

All in all, we planted onions (both sets and seeds), tomato plants (cherry, roma, and early girl), bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), chile peppers, green beans (top crop and blue lake), radishes, leaf lettuce, spinach, carrots, snap peas, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, pickling cucumbers, eating cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, and zucchini.

Since the kiddos did a great job helping, we celebrated with a trip to Dairy Queen.

The kiddos love these starkiss bars

Doug and I love how they turn the kiddos tongues funny colors!

Until next time...