Payton's Birthday Bash

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY PAYTON!!

We had a little party at the park this morning for Payton's big day!

It was beautiful outside, the perfect day for a spring birthday celebration!

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We sure love our sweet little birthday girl!

Alexa had a blast playing with all her friends...here she is with Nathan, another friend we're going to really miss (and his mama too!).

Payton sure enjoyed being outside and she LOVES to swing!

Bring on the cake!

Mmmmmm....!!

After getting all cleaned up, she just wanted to explore.

And hang out with her friend, Katelyn!

(Aren't they so cute together??!!)

Daddy and his girls!

Thank you to all my wonderful friends, and their sweet kids, for coming out to celebrate

Miss Payton's birthday!

We love you all!!

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After dinner tonight, we let Payton have her own cupcake...

...I think she enjoyed it!

Alexa even sang Happy Birthday to her all on her own and then helped Payton unwrap her present. What a good big sister!

..::Happy 1st Birthday::..

One year ago TODAY, little sweet pea joined our family!

She weighed just a couple ounces more than her big sister and she sure looked a lot like her!

We were so excited to welcome Payton into the world and have loved having Payton be a part of our family...we really can't imagine life without her!

It has been a very fun year with both our girls...one that seems to have flown by!

It seems like just yesterday she was tiny and brand new!

And before we knew it, she's this spunky little toddler who isn't afraid to let you know what she's thinking, even if she can't verbalize it in English just yet. :-)

We don't have her one year check up until Monday, so for now...here's a bit of what this last month has entailed (will provide stats after her appt):

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*Took her FIRST STEP (today, ON her birthday!!!)

*She points to everything

*She transitioned to the forward-facing car seat and LOVES it!

*She became a screamer/yeller! Doesn't matter what kind of mood she's in...she screams!

*She cruises everywhere

*She climbs onto/into anything and everything

*She likes to hold your fingers and "walk" all the time

*She says "ssk, ssk, ssk" for shake, shake, shake when I take her out of her highchair

*She says "tss" (this)

*She practically jumps out of your arms when music comes on

*She LOVES to dance with her daddy

*She loves to just be with her daddy and can't wait to have him hold her after he's been gone

*She can hold her own against her big sister

*She loves to taunt and tease Alexa (especially with anything that's JUST Alexa's ie: her loveys)

*She finally became attached to a "lovey", her two little stuffed animals that we keep in her crib, Stitch and Wilbur

*She is working on cutting her upper canines which will bring the uppers to 6

*She still only has 2 bottom teeth

*She folds her arms for prayers....soooooo cute!!

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What a fun first year this has been. Payton Jae, we love you way too much!

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY sweet girl!

Getting so big...

...and ALMOST walking!!!

{Friends}

Karter & Alexa

Karter's sweet mama, Amanda, and I have been friends the entire 5 years we've lived in Louisville. Today we were able to have Karter come play while Amanda had an appointment to go to. We had lots of fun...until Alexa put herself down for a nap at noon while he was still here (but buh-lieve me, she needed it!!!). Thankfully though, little Jonny wanted to play outside so Karter still had someone to play with after lunch.

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Thanks for coming to share the day with us, Karter!

We're going to miss you, your sweet mama and your adorable baby sister!

[HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEVIN]

And Happy Graduation too! Kevin's 28th birthday was yesterday. He'd had a pretty rough day at school...so we only opened presents and then had his big birthday dinner today. Here are the girls helping daddy open his birthday/graduation present from me. And then showing off the new tie they gave him.

So today we had a yummy birthday dinner. Steak, smashed potatoes, asparagus...mmmm!!! Followed by a fabulous birthday cake (even if I do say so myself!).

Seriously...don't ya wanna piece???!!!

Happy Birthday Babe and Happy almost Graduation!

You're only a few days away from being done with school...woohooo!!!

We love you so much and are so proud of you and so thankful for all you do for our family!

{Livin' on a Prayer}

On our way to Nashville for the BON JOVI concert!!

We first did some shopping at the Opry Mills Mall, then stopped off at Neely's BBQ for some very delicious food! I'm a huge Food Network Fan and they have a show called 'Down Home with the Neely's' hosted by Pat & Gina Neely. We thought it'd be fun to go somewhere "famous" and it did not disappoint. We even got to meet Pat Neely's brother, Tony Neely. He'd just come from Memphis where they'd been shooting another episode of Down Home with the Neely's. So that was kinda fun...getting to meet someone famous too!!

Then it was onto the concert!! Oh my....sooooooo excited!!

Enjoying the thrilling energy of just being in the same building as Jon Bon Jovi!! :-)

OH MY GOODNESS....here he comes on stage!

I don't think I sat down for the next 2 1/2 hours!

...whooo-oh, you're half way there-ere!!!!

BON JOVI BABY!!!!

Once again...what a fabulous concert! Enjoyed again with fabulous company!

Thanks Wave and Emily for a most entertaining, enjoyable, fun road trip to Nashville and concert-going experience!!

.:Beauty School:.

Alexa & Sydney

Once again, hanging out with friends! Alexa and Sydney are definitely two girly-girls! They love anything to do with princesses, makeup, jewelry...anything girly! I think Sydney is a makeup artist in the making!! We're sure going to miss Sydney and her mama!

Thunder Over Louisville

We finally did it...we went downtown to watch Thunder Over Louisville live last night! This is the 5th Thunder since we moved here AND our last, so we figured we better experience it at least once before we head back out west. And thanks to my fabulous friend, Waveney, we even got to enjoy it just the two of us...which was a huge blessing since we had to walk about 2 miles from where we parked and it was late so the girls would have been super tired, not to mention Alexa isn't a big fan of loud noises so we wouldn't have been able to enjoy it anyways.

And what a show!!! We LOVE fireworks and it did not disappoint!

And here's a little video of the grand finale for your viewing pleasure...just make sure your volume isn't too loud!!