Welcome Summer Time!!

We made it! Summer is here and Ruston is done with school...for three weeks. He's already seen the new Spider Man 3 (said it wasn't as cool as the last two) and been golfing several times. No tests, studying or clinic problems. Man, what would life be like with a vacation from your everyday duties? I guess all you moms out there can relate, huh?

We are sprucing up our yard with some new grass seed and flowers. The vegetable garden will come soon too. We were excited to see that a couple cardinals have built a nest in one of our trees and they have chicks. It's only 6-7 feet off the ground so it's pretty easy to spot. It's funny because after we spent all day looking at them (from a distance of course), as we were getting Elli ready for bed they came and perched by our bay window as if they were watching us! It's pretty cool.

Elli is doing great. She is learning how to walk up and down stairs. She is still very hesitant, but with a helping hand from mom or dad she can do it pretty well. Her animal noise knowledge has expanded to include owls now! The "hoo hoo" sounds a little bit like her version of a monkey, but we understand. She has really been enjoying her time with Shadow (the dog of the boys I babysit). This week she has decided that hugging and bodyslamming Shadow is a good thing. It's the funniest thing to watch this little tiny girl walk up nonchalantly to a black lab and then just tackle her from the side. Shadow rolls over and licks Elli who gets up giggling and smiling...ready for more everytime! They have a great time together.

I had a fun weekend (last weekend). One of Ruston's classmates in getting married soon, as I've mentioned before. Her bachelorette party was this past Saturday and we went to a country-western club/bar. Inside they had a mechanical bull! I've always been too chicken to do it, but since most everyone else was either pregnant, drunk or having a migraine I did it and it was FUN! I stayed on for 1 minute 52 seconds. The operator was taking it easy though. He said that full-blast the longest anyone has stayed on is 55 seconds, so I think I was on the easy setting. This will be a place where we take any family who comes out here though, it was a great time.

Only 12 weeks till we go to Oregon!! We hope to see you all then. We love you all!