for my viewing pleasure...

Daddy's girl is headed to church.

Also

Joy riding.

Adrienne's Cake

This is my cousin Adrienne at her casual wedding reception last Saturday.

I'll post more pictures later... when I get some from people... because I lost my new camera before the wedding.        BAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  I'm such a freak. I know. I have to be the most loser-est person imaginable.    Some of you know I lost my pink camera before I went to Hawaii. We finally bucked up and got another about 2 weeks ago. Very nice. Canon. I love it. Then, one week after recieving said Canon I found my pink camera. In my 72 hour kit. Oh boy. Don't ask what I was thinking. I'm sure it was somewhere along the lines of "If there is a Tsunami or an earthquake, I will definatetly want to take pictures." Then when I arrived in Utah last weekend I couldn't find my new camera.
I was confident I left it on the plane.
So my brother who works at the airport did some leg work and got me a number to call.
It didn't work.
I went to Southwest baggage and asked for help.
They gave me the same number which tells me to call another number which doesn't work.
I tell them this.
They give me another number.
I call it to hear an answering maching that says in a sultry voice "Do YOU want to have an exciting conversation?"
I don't. So I hang up. I go back to the service counter. I tell them about the "sexy chat line" and the lady just laughs.
Oh boy. Turns out she mixed up two numbers. So she gives me another.
This number is real and sends me to another number.
This number is also real but wants to send me back to the number I just called.
I correct him politely and insist that he is the man to help me out.
He does. He is very nice and assures me Southwest has a full time staff of people for lost and found.
I feel good.
I get home.
Look in my diaper bag.
There it is.
Wow. That sucked.

Now I will list the pictures I wanted to take. You can visualize if you like.

Ron (my father in law) with Marie and her cousin Max at the zoo.

Here is them on the carousel.

Here is Marie and Grandpa in front of a Giraffe.
Aren't they cute?

This is Marie with her cousin Ella who she see's once a year.

This is Marie at the Amazing Sandy Aquarium. The penguins look so happy.

This is my cousin and her new husband in front of the cake I made her at her reception. They are a fun casual couple.

These are my Youngberg cousins I see once a year and hardly ever at a wedding.

This is Marie and...


Well you get the picture. 

My Prodigy

 I once beat Brett nine times in a row at Battleship. It seems Battleship skills are genetic. Tonight, Marie was determined to interrupt this adult game with placing her own pieces on the board. I thought I would make it easy on myself by just calling out whatever she happen to chose. She beat Brett. I kid you not.
 This is amazing.

She picked out the first damage point and I finished each ship. She only missed 5. Brett is surprsingly sour about this- just one more person to beat him at Battleship.

Other than that its been a great lazy Sunday. I thought this was Marie's first "fake smile" but she is into biting her top lip when she gets excited.  The princess couch inside a princess tent combination was the shizzle.

Good Times.

In Need of Helmet

Recipe for abused-looking child:
1 Bicycle parked in darkened hall way
1 flimsy princess tent next to a wall corner
1 Wire Easter basket at the bottom of chair (used for climbing)
Use tiny fingers to some how get stuck in a dishwasher (that is already closed)
Interact with a shopping cart every 3 days and Voala! A child that will not only rip your heart open, but get you lots of dirty looks at the grocery store.

At least shes got her pretty eyes. It's been a rough couple of days. I offered to babysit for a couple of friends, which was good, but Marie opted out of naps for 2 days, so I think thats why she has been a bit on the clumsy side. Oh my poor baby.

But today was NICE. She got to play with her best friend Preston. They shared a meal, a crayon book, and few conversations based on the word "Mine." But mostly they laugh together, hide together, and share together. Katie and I gossiped (yes, I spilled the beans) and play with cake decorating supplies while they entertain themselves. Things feel better with them around. I don't know what I am going to do with out this little boy when we move. It just makes me want to cry everytime I think about how much I am going to miss my best friend Katie and her son Preston. So I try not to. But... some day its going to come. This military life is bitter sweet. I try to remember that we would not have even moved here and met them if we hadn't been in the military. And it's the same military that is shipping us of to new, unknown destinations, taking me away from the things and people I've found and cherish.
But I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Don't Forget to Brush Your Teeth

A Message from Marie.