The Day Has Come . . .

Excavation has started!

We are a {tiny} bit closer to our new home!!!

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Thanks so much, by the way, for all of the input on the tulip pictures. I value all of your opinions! :)

Can I Get Some Assistance?

We visited the Wooden Shoe Tulip Field yesterday, and it.was.GORGEOUS. We missed the festival, but that was alright because we essentially had the fields to ourselves, and the rain held off, making it perfect for snapping some pictures.

Wooden Shoe, along with Pro Photo Supply, host the "Catch the Color" Photo Contest. You can submit up to 4 photos taken in and around the tulip fields for the chance to win some pretty awesome prizes. Grand prize being a new Canon DSLR. Awesome, right?

Okay, I'm no professional photographer {though I do dream of being one}, but I can't pass up an opportunity to win photography related prizes. I've snapped the photos, I've done a bit of editing, but I'm having a hard time choosing the four I'd like to submit. I'm not really sure any of them are worthy, but I thought I'd at least try. So, here's where y'all come in ;) Would you help me choose? I've narrowed the 154 shots down to the eight that I like the most. If you could take a minute to let me know your favorites, I'd greatly appreciate it.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

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And HAPPY 15 months to my sweet Kam! She is growing SO fast!!!

Not Everyone Loves Tulips As Much As I . . .

. . . Take Kam, for example. Not so much.

Granted, it was nearing lunch/nap time.

But, you will appreciate them, won't you? I mean, aren't they gorgeous???

Oh how I love tulips.

Even Kam came around ;)

Stay tuned . . . I need your help with something.

Home is a good place to be

We're home!

And so happy to be in our own space, and our own beds, with our own stuff :)

Though we're glad to be home, we were also happy to be away. It had been more than a year and a half since our last visit, and it was good to be back.

I wish I had the time to sit here and type out our entire weekend {though I'm sure you don't wish that!}, just so that I can remember it all. But alas, laundry is calling, a trip to the grocery store is in order, and we have a quick field trip planned for today. So instead, I'll post a lot of pictures. I mean, really, you saw that coming, didn't you?

Dance Party

Annie works at Starbucks, and she insisted we swing by for a treat. Oh, alright. Twist our arms.

After Starbucks we headed to the park. It was GORGEOUS. Sunny and 75 degrees, woohoo!

Kam loved the sunshine.

And Sonoma loved napping on Nana ;)

Mmmm, Vanilla Milk!

Sonoma woke up refreshed and ready to play.

Yay for slides!

Sonoma adored Makenna.

We had a Board Game playin', late night chattin', pizza and ice cream eatin', all around

FABULOUS time!

And now we're all tuckered out!

Hope your weekend was just as great!

Buh-Bye!

We are headed down south for a quick visit with my sister and her family this weekend.

We need a getaway.

Prepare yourself for many pics of cute kiddos upon my arrival home ;) And, I promise, I will be a better blog friend next week. This week has been a little trying.

Enjoy your weekend!

Something Cute For Your Viewing Pleasure

It's been a little . . . sad around here.

We're still trying to get through our days without Grizzly.

Some things that make us feel a little better?

Chocolate. {Duh, doesn't that make everything better?}

Snuggles.

And . . .

These little cuties:

Um, yeah. Teeny tiny baby bunnies are about the cutest things ever.

My dad {who happens to live next door} was tilling out my mom's garden spot the other day and unknowingly ran right over the top of their little nest. Not a one was hurt. Isn't that amazing? There was no Mama to be found. We almost thought of trying to take care of these little darlings {Two years ago we nursed a baby squirrel back to health, and we still see little "Peanut" around his favorite tree!}. But luckily, after doing a little research {Mama Bunnies leave their babies during the day and come back to nurse at night, don'tchaknow}, that won't be necessary. We left those little cuties in the garden, and by the next morning Mama Bunny had moved her babies. What fun to get a sneak peek at nature :)

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And, THANK YOU so very very much for all of the sweet comments and emails regarding Grizzly. You all truly are cherished friends.

Saying Good Bye

It's been a long, sad week, and we're only on Wednesday. Not too promising.

I've actually been debating since yesterday whether to write anything at all. Do I keep it all inside, or get it out in the open? But in the interest of being real {not every day is sunshine and roses, after all}, and to help the healing process, I need to get it out.

We lost our dog yesterday.

Wow, that just doesn't even seem to begin to cover it.

Grizzly was a friend and family member for 12 years, and it's so hard to say good-bye. So much harder than I thought it would be. Jeremy and Grizzly were together longer than he and I have been together :) My girls haven't known life without him. One of Kameryn's first words was Grizzly. I didn't even think I was a "dog person" for pete's sakes!

Life is different. My heart hurts. And I am sad.

But I'll be back.

And the Winner is . . .

A great BIG thank you to all who entered the giveaway from Tahnie at Stella & Dot. I had a little help from random.org and the winner is . . .

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:6

Timestamp: 2010-04-19 04:07:07 UTC

That would be Jen from Tatertots & Jello!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

A Looong {Happy} Weekend

We had a super fabulous weekend starting on Friday with a wonderful visit from my sister, Annie, and her children, Jaymes and Sonoma. Usually when they visit they stay next door at Mom and Dad's house, but due to Mom's surprise party, they got to stay with us {in order to keep it a surprise, of course!}.

What fun!

Kam and Sonoma {almost 15 months and 20 months, respectively} hadn't seen each other since last August {pathetic, I know}. They had a good time playing and lovin' on one another. It was so sweet to watch.

Saturday was BUSY. Kenners had a soccer game at 10:20 . . .

. . . . and then we hurried home to get food prepped and decorations hung. We narrowly {NARROWLY, I mean, it was absolutely by God's grace that we escaped} managed to escape a car accident. We got home, and I put Kam down for a very quick nap, prepared the Strawberry Shortcake, Jeremy started on the steaks, and we all buzzed over to Mom and Dad's for last minute touches. By 3pm we were all there anxiously waiting her arrival.

Mom was out for lunch and window shopping with my older sister, Heidi. We got a call around 3:15 that Mom insisted on stopping at Safeway for a few groceries on the way home. Sigh. ;) Wait, wait, wait some more . . . and then . . .

She finally arrived!

I think she was truly surprised.

She got to open a few presents, and visit with friends she doesn't see very often. My aunt and cousin even came up from Medford {a 600 mile round trip} to surprise her. It was SO.MUCH.FUN.

Beautiful weather, BBQ chicken and steaks, sweet time with friends and family.

Jaymes had to do a little taste testin'.

Kam got to frolic in the grass.

Daddy and Sierra played ball.

All the kids enjoyed the sunshine.

"Mona" {Sonoma} loved the breeze ;)

And lap time with her Mama :)

Once {almost} everyone went home, and some of the little ones went to bed {Not including Kam who stayed up until 10:30 last night!!!}, the "grown-ups" played games ;) Anyone ever play Farkle? Jerm and I totally kicked some boot.

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Today we're recovering. How about y'all? Talk to me about your super fantabulous weekend! And don't forget to enter the giveaway!!! It ends tonight!