Reilly's 5th Birthday - August 22nd

Reilly had a great 5th birthday. She had the best time, got completely spoiled and both kids were excellent all day (small miracle!). We had a kid's party with some neighbors, some school friends, some family friends and of course, Devin. We went to Bouncetown! A huge warehouse of inflatable jumping thingies...We then came home and had a small family party. Her cake and decorations she picked out were "Madagascar 2"

Reilly says:

Favorite moment: That she went to Bouncetown

Favorite toy: Scooter and Barbie school set

First present we openned was the Polly Pocket Cruise ship from Grandma Joyce and Grandpy. This kept the girls really busy while we got ready for her birthday bashes! The girls love, love, love Polly Pockets (and Polly Pocket princesses) and play with them everyday since Reilly was 2 1/2...no joke!

Her decorations she picked were from "Madagascar 2" the movie.

Here she is on her thrown at Bouncetown

The whole gang of kids at Bouncetown

Openning her Scooter from Grandma Joyce and Grandpy!

Openning her Julien doll from Emily and her Alex doll from Mom and Dad (characters from Madagascar - you should really know this!!!!). Her favorite movie for the last year or so and her favorite characters...she also loves the TV spin-off of the movie "The Penguins of Madagascar" which is on everyday in our house ;0)

Jimmy's room

Here is what I have done in the nursery so far. Who would paint a nursery brown you might ask??? Well, I would...I love it. The polka-dots are the colors of the girls' rooms. Although, we switched the pink in Reilly's room with orange at Dad's request. I made the curtains, crib bumper, lamp shade cover and pillows. I still have to get a duvet cover for the guest bed...

I made the curtains. Chocolate brown with white polka-dots and a white lining. I am so proud of the lining because I never did that before ;0)

The blankets are from Grandma Joyce...I made the green polka-dot pillow.

We took off the closet doors and put the change table in there. It is a pretty small room and we needed room for the guest bed. When we finish the basement we can will move the bed down there. Although, Grandma Joyce said she can't sleep in the basement so we might have to keep it there forever!!! ;0)

That little rocking chair was Jim's when he was little. Matches perfect. The girls each have a white one from Auntie-Kerry so it was just perfect. The green pillows, I made.

Lampshade cover and crib bumper are made out of this cute monkey material I found.

Here is the material for the pillows close up. I loved it so much.

Inside of crib close up. Blankets from Grandma Joyce...Monkeys are from Granny's collection she gave me and the girls.

First family portrait. That is an ultrasound picture of Jimmy the day we found out he was Jimmy (boy) and not Colleen or Finley or Darcy (girl)...

Reilly is now a country girl...

Reilly workign the country look...

Splash Country

Cool thing about the Chicago suburbs that I never had growing up...every suburb has a local pool that is pretty much like a water park. Here are the girls on their first trip to our local pool...Splash Country. It is so cheap too...They aren't big enough for the water slides yet and the Lazy River was closed...but the kids still had fun.

This is all Reilly loves to do...sunbath. She is hilarious. Emily is the true fish...

Here is Reilly dunking her head under water...this is new...she is so proud.

Papa's Birthday 2009

Papa and the girls with his White Sox Cake

Check out Emily sneaking up on the boys in the screenhouse with her watergun. She is very sneaky...

Kerry, Bob and the girls enjoying some of Papa's White Sox cake.

Montgomery Fest 2009

August 9th: Here are a few pics of the local farm fest\carnival. Reilly and Emiy went on their first roller-coaster ride. Reilly was finally tall enough...but Jim had to go on with Emily...two more inches until she makes it. It was 98 degrees that day, but still fun. Dad won two pink unicorns for the girls and we cooled off with a snowcone. Later that day we went to Papa's to celebrate his birthday...

Emily's new Bike

A belated birthday gift for Emily from Grandma Joyce and Grandpy! A new bike. Emily just learning this spring\summer how to ride a big girl bike and is so excited to have one like big sis Reilly.

Scroll down to see Canada picks and Grandma's birthday!

Canada Trip - 2009

Well, it was an eventful trip (a sick kid, a cousin getting the swine-flu, a death in the family, a car accident, no sleep), I would say...Reilly struggled, Emily was in heaven, and I barely slept for a month...but it is all worth it in the end ;0) We went raspberry picking, to Cosmic Adventures, played Bingo at Granny's home, Saunder's Farm (my favorite), to the Nature Museum and the Papanac Zoo. The highlight of the trip was Emily and Reilly learning to swim and jump in all by themselves with noone holding them (with a life-jacket of course). Emily is truely a fish. Everyone was excited when Daddy arrived ;0) The 14 hour drive home went well...the girls and I slept alot...and we came home to a nice clean house (thanks Jim!). Can't wait until next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Auntie-Kathie and Unlce Pete.



Raspberry picking at Proulx Farm.


With Grandma and Grandpy at Papanac Zoo.

Dressed-up as animals at the Nature Museum.

Reilly getting Grandpy with the super-soaker!

Grandpy getting them back!

Emily swimming!!!

With Grandma at Saunder's Farm (Huge Mazes, Awesome playground, crazy Tractor\Wagon ride, Discovery Barn and waterpark...awesome)

This is my screensaver now. A minature house to play in at Saunder's farm.

With Mom at Saunder's Farm.

Bryan's concert for us.

I don't think Reilly was impressed ;0)

Grandma Joyce's Birthday - July 12

The girls picked out a bit of a Hawaiian theme. We were happy to make it to Canada, with no glitches, for Grandma's birthday.