Babblin' Babe

Loreli has always been a talker, but seems to talk a bit different than other babies. Just randomly this week she started to babble. She loved hearing other babies at church today make the same nonsensical sounds she does. It's pretty funny and hard to take her seriously when she's crying and babbling at the same time. Have a listen.

House Projects

Owning a house equals projects and since we moved into an older home (like all the homes in this area) we don't have a shower upstairs. Just a tub. Honestly, who takes a bath? Old people apparently. So last week we took a trip 2.5 hours south to Bismarck, ND to get some supplies. The trip must have worn Loreli out because she slept for a good portion of our supply gettings.

I just love that sleeping position.

Since Shea was busy working on this in the bathroom...

Loreli got to take baths in the kitchen sink! Maybe they should be called sinks? Hmmm.

She loved the sprayer. Once I rinsed her off with the sprayer instead of a good old fashioned cup and she was very intrigued. Fancy.

Loreli has been fascinated with laundry baskets lately. So yesterday when Shea was electrocuting himself and sweating his brains out in the attic, Loreli was playing in the hamper and I was lazily watching her.

 Thanks Shea for all of the hard work you've done the last couple of days! I truly was no help, but am very appreciative of your hard work and am excited to use our new shower soon! 

More pictures to come of the finished bathroom.

Our Little Crawler

We've been a little nervous about posting another video since darling Mysha made a comment about Low-lie's parents. Thanks. Despite how ridiculous we sound here are some videos of Loreli crawling! 

Here is a video of Shea bouncing Loreli on the bed. It's not the best video because I'm stuck in the corner of our bedroom, but it's still funny to see her little kicky legs.

Have a great day friends!

Another Video Post

Here is Loreli after eating a yummy meal and getting ready for bath time. She is so much fun at this time of the evening because she gets so excited when those clothes come off because she knows a bath is a comin'!

Note: that is me speaking, but just disregard it. I sound like an idiot.

Have a great day y'all while we're melting in our skin here in Watford!

And the green grass grew all around.

About a week before we moved into our house our area in North Dakota was hit by a blizzard (refer to Shea's post here). So due to the previous weeks weather when we moved in there weren't a whole lot of things in bloom. For example, here is our house the day we moved in.

See. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Those bushes were completely leafless. 

Let us take a look at them now. 2 months later, more than a couple dozen rain storms and lots and lots of neglect.

 What in the world? The last couple of nights it has rained pretty good, so I'm sad to say that those bushes have gotten taller since I took the above picture 4 days ago. Rick-diculous. We can't even spy on our neighbors because of that window coverage. Aw rats!

While on the topic of things growing out of control let's take a peek at our jungle of tomato plants.

Just look at that mess! So, Shea did some research and devised a plan to keep them from loving each other so much and crashing to the ground (we have cages on the above picture, they just weren't cutting it for our 3 foot long armed tomato plants).

 

 So Shea just made these thing-a-ma-jigs and then we tied the plants up. Badda bing, badda boom! Like that hot pink string? That was my addition.

Videos shmideos

Our little lady is growing up! Check out some of the things she's been up to.

 

Playing in the sink.

 

Feeding herself.

Walking.

I think our last visit to Star Valley Loreli saw Riv Riv walking and it inspired her to want to walk. On our trip home we stayed one night in a hotel to split up the driving and Loreli started taking steps. Thanks Riv! You rock!

Try, try again

Since the attempt to teach Loreli how to play farkle was such a failure (just to clarify the attempt was a failure not the child, yet) we thought that we would try another game.

We tried dominoes.  Well technically it's chicken foot, but the way she play's it doesn't matter what you call it.  But it turned out the same way. 

Oh, maybe someday.

Mid-Summer Already?

And then July was half over.  Boy howdy!  While nothing super exciting has gone on around here, life as usual is fun enough I suppose.  Lets see...

There was ....

washing the truck in the rain, pouring rain.  This may seem very ineffective to all you city folk but it was absolutely filthy (that's what comes from parking under a tree) and so this really was just more of a rinse than a wash.

  

Loreli getting her first taste of a freezer pop.  It went down just like everything else.  She is an eater that's for sure.

Playing in the sink. 

And lots of fun at the park.  She isn't old enough to make requests yet, but when she is I'm sure the park will be a request multiple times a day.  But that I guess that is better than requesting to watch multiple movies a day like I would.  Only 8 months old and already out showing her old man. What a gal.

Learning Games

We tried to have a family night the other night and teach Loreli how to play farkle.  For those of you who don't habla el game-o, it is a dice game (think yahtzee). 

 I guess it started out pretty well.  She got the dice out but then it all went wrong.

 This could be seen as just a very creative way of rolling perhaps, but I really doubt that is what she was going for.  But it sure was funny.  You are probably thinking that letting your small child stick dice in her mouth would constitute as a severe choking hazard, but before you call social services these are over sized dice that even I would have difficulty swallowing.  Okay, now you can call social services. 

Model Baby

I think I should get money for this picture (to save for Loreli later in life of course).  That smile is so perfect, and her eyes are so big and dark, okay the hair and the wardrobe could use a little glamor.  But just look at that posture!  That's the kind of posture you have to strangle out of a teenager. 

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July!! Since today is the day we celebrate our independence we decided to teach Loreli what it means to be and how to be independent. So she went all day with out any clothes on, a very soggy diaper and ate nothing but ice cream. What can I say? She's her daddy's girl! No really, she did wear clothes and did have her diaper changed at least once. Maybe twice.

Wait, hold the phone.

It's for you!

Yummm...grass. She's very fascinated by it.

Drools.

Tongue.

Motor mouth.

We hope everyone did the American thing today and had at least one bratwurst, hamburger, steak and some grilled chicken. Oh, and don't forget the potato salad, watermelon and pie! Happy 4th friends!

Star Valley Fun and Flowers

Last week we went on a little trip to Star Valley! We ate lots of yummy food, laughed and laughed, had our blood sucked by skeeters, got Loreli shot in the leg, opened some presents, shot some dirt, and got the MaceyJo 5000 disease. We really had a wonderful time!

She fell asleep while eating her dinner. It was a hilarious sight!

 

She was having a nice time even though her face doesn't say it.

It was pretty warm while we were there so the little girls splashed around in a kiddie pool. Loreli loved it! She got to be outside, in some water while playing with her ducks. Does it get much better than that?

I love this picture. Ella had Loreli cracking up! Cute cousins.

Cute Riv and the soggiest diaper ever!

  

We also celebrated Christmas in June which is a tradition of ours since we've been married. Pretty much it's an excuse to listen to Christmas music and purchase a present for yourself or someone else half way to Christmas. Love it! 

And we watched some guys almost die unloading this darling playhouse. 

Oh and on a separate note, our roses have bloomed! We weeded our garden on Wednesday and there were only a few blossoms and today there are at least a dozen on each bush! 

Oh and while I was out watering the tomatoes tonight I noticed that on the side of the house there were these beauties! Yes, the side of the house needs to be weeded, but what the heck are these? The color is awesome and I love them! Oh the things you find in (and out) of an old house.

Have a swell weekend y'all!