L-O L-O L-O L-O-V-E

So - my cousin, Chris August has been opening for Ashley Simpson on her tour as well as playing the keyboard in her band and they happened to be playing a couple of hours away from us last week so we decided to go to the show. They played at Darien Lake Park Six Flags so we went to the park for the day and then my mom took the little ones home and Nicki, Megan Cami and I stayed for the show.

Ian spent most of the day in the kiddie pool. He loved the big floating snake and for some reason kept thinking he could walk - we had to catch him a few times before he went under.


Here we are at the end of the day before grandma went home...


My Cousin got us free 12th row tickets and back stage passes. Cami and megan spent most of the day with him hanging out with Ashley Simpson and her band.
Here is Chris during the show...


cami and ryan cabrera...


and megan trying to steal Ashley Simpson's boyfriend .


After the show we went to get something to eat with Chris and he played us a few songs on his guitar. It was really fun to see him and I loved hearing him play - he's so talented.

Nicki, me, Chris, Cami and Megan

Girls girls girls

Last weekend my friends Kimberly, Lindsay and Michelle came up to visit from dc. Michelle brought her two boys, Daniel (2) and Isaac (8months) (sans her husband Marc who was on a business trip to africa). We spent most of the weekend swimming, hottubbing and hanging out.

Here we are on the boat: Lindsay Daniel Kimberly Ian Amy and Michelle


We were super impressed with 1. everyone's skiing - here is kimberly....


2. Michelle taking care of two kids....here are Isaac and Ian in baby jail


3. how cute Lindsay looks with wind blown hair... and


4. Ian's boat driving skills (we made him turn for the picture)


Here is a picture of us all watching the hoola hoop contest that kimberly and michelle started at my grandma's cottage....I would have never guessed how hysterical it is to watch adults hoola hoop - Kimberly took the prize for sure...


One of the highlights of the weekend was talking to David on the phone from Iraq - I had to photograph my parents talking to him together on the bed, each with thier own phone.

More more more lake

I'm really glad that curt arrived in WA safe on Saturday night. Especially since I felt super guilty that he had to drive 2700 miles all by himself after packing and shipping our entire apartment. Ian, on the other hand, has been having completely guilt-free fun at the lake.

Here are his firsts since we have been here:
First time in the hammock swing by himself...


First time in baby prison - he doesn't like to stay in there by himself for very long...


First time sailing...this was such a perfect trip - there was a warm breeze and my mom brought us watermelon on the wave runner right when we were starting to get hot. I sat on the side with Ian and he put his legs in the water as we cruised along...


First ride on the waverunner...


First time on a turtle tube...


First vanilla cake with chocolate frosting...(notice the cute bottom teeth sticking out and naughty smile)




He must have spent at least 2 straight hours in the lake yesterday - swimming with grandpa, Devon and Connor. He even went under once or twice and didn't care at all. He is a water baby.


He has been crawling really well on his knees lately and loves to blow rasberries over and over on my stomach, making me laugh. He has screaming wars with Aunt Cami and his favorite entertainment by far is Devon and Connor, shadow the dog and Tasha the cat.

Ian's perfect day at the lake

Ian's perfect day started out with a tractor ride from Grandpa.


Then he got to check out the snowmobiles that are in the trailer for the summer.


And what could be better than being naked in the lake with Grandma and Grandpa? (I think this might be one of my all-time favorite pictures)


Curt suprised us with a visit before he drives the car to Washington - he arrived just in time to see the sunset on the water.

Fish

Ian LOVES swimming at the lake. He is totally fearless and swims and splashes in his tube as long as we let him.



He also loves riding on the boat...


And even swam in the middle of the lake with me today after I finished water skiing.


Here he is walking along the shore. He gets so dirty playing on the beach and eating rocks.

For Curt because he misses his baby..

Every fourth of July we take the boats down to the end of the lake - tie them all together and watch the fireworks from the water. Ian fell asleep on the boat on the way there and slept through all the noise, eating and fireworks.



Here are some more pictures of our 4th of July weekend.


We wants to stand up every second now...



Reading with Grandma


Playing with his cousin Cecelia


Ready to go out for dinner


Giving joe kisses


Saying goodbye to daddy...


Curt is leaving for Washington on Tuesday (Ian and I will fly later this month) - we miss him already.