The Days are Just Packed!

So last week Ruth and I were talking about our upcoming weekend plans, and I told her that we weren't really doing much; just having dinner with some new friends on Friday and maybe going to the pool with some other friends on Sunday. Ruth remarked that our weekend sounded pretty busy...and she was right! As I fell into bed at midnight on Sunday--feeling like I needed a weekend!--I realized that even low-stress, fun little adventures can add up to one busy weekend! No wonder the summer is flying!

Check out Levi's cute butt-pants! Levi is the son of Kari and Aaron, who we had dinner with Friday night. We had SO much fun! (A little too much: we stayed 5 hours and woke up feeling not so great Sat morning!). Sophia calls Levi "Baby Wevi" and talks about him constantly! She adored him! (Sorry I don't have more pics; camera died!). They were too cute together!

On Saturday we went for a big family bike ride. We took the bike path along the river up into North Fargo to beautiful Trollwood park, where we had a little picnic!

Sophia helped Daddy push the bike over to the toddler-sized play equipment after lunch.

We love this playground because Sophia can go on the equipment all by herself!

Sophia is really good about wearing her helmet now! And loves her bike cart!

So on the way back we experienced a cloud burst...we got poured on for about 20 minutes! Travis and I got a little muddy...we zipped up the bike cart and Sophia stayed nice and dry and had a little nap during our rainy ride home.

And on Sunday we went to the pool for a few hours! We tried a new walk-in pool in Fargo with play gear and fountains and a huge slide...it has a fun, beachy feel, but was a little much for Sophia. But we had fun!

Sophia and our cat, Dali, are best buddies...she calls Dali "my own cat" and professes her love to him constantly. Right now she's trying to feed him a box of puzzle pieces, so I'd better go rescue him! He's a very tolerant and wonderful cat!

Happy summer!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Sophia!

Sophia's birthday fell on a weekday, so while I was at work in the morning her daddy took her to the ZOO!!!

At lunch Sophia got a DQ icecream cake!

And her present from mommy and daddy

Cake! After the cake we all went to the swimming pool for a bit before Travis had to go to work...but, we had so much fun I forgot to take pictures :)

Practicing

Sophia loved her card from Grammy and Pop pop! She's a sucker for the stickers!

For dinner we had a picnic celebration with leftover ice cream cake at Travis' work

After dinner mommy and Sophia had some quality park-time!

The FAIR! We hit the animatronic dino display first (Sophia wasn't so sure about the dinos!)

We made up for the scary dinos with some familiar animals...PONIES!

Sophia had 2 absolute favorite things at the fair: This choo-choo ride....

And the petting zoo! She was very fearless with all the animals, and fed each one all by herself!

See the rosy cheeks? It was over 90 degrees that day! Ick... Oh well, we still had fun!

After the fair (this is all on the Saturday after Sophia's birthday) Travis took Sophia to Dino Playland in the mall while mommy frantically prepared for the PARTY!!!

Sunday the 11th...PARTY DAY! (And happy 26th b-day to brother Chris on that day! We were thinking of you!)

I had to take a couple of pics to document my hard labor in the kitchen :)

Sophia chose a Winnie the Pooh theme! She's wild about Pooh right now...

We had the party at the Splash Park in Grand Forks again...lucked out with another beautiful birthday day!

Sophia with her cousin Gabby and our cousin, Maddie

Magdalene, Maddie, Sophia, Gabby and Jaylin! Sophia had the cutest Pooh/Tigger hat!

Aunt Kathy with our cousin Maura's daughter, Mairi...still the youngest of the clan! (Super chic mama Maura in the background) :)

With cousin Gunner

The crew at lunch! THANK YOU to Ralph and Carmen for grilling!

Sophia is blessed to have many great-grandparents...here she is with great grandma Snookie!

It was too windy to try to put her candle on the cake...grandpa lit the #2 candle and let Sophia have it QUICK before the wind could get it!

We had strawberry shortcake again! YUM!

Sophia's mischievous cousins gave her table confetti, and Sophia painstakingly stuck it all in her strawberry shortcake!

Sophia loved opening her presents, and her cousins were such good helpers! Thank you to everyone for all the lovely gifts!!!

With her godfather, Brandon

Sophia loves a doll set from Snookie and Cash...she even named the baby doll! She named her Ella, and calls her "baby Ella" and is STILL playing with her constantly! In fact, she takes Ella in her stroller when we walk the dogs, and then walks Ella in Ella's stroller around the block almost every night!

Right after we left the party Sophia fell asleep with Ella in the car. (Ignore the bump on the head...fairly inevitable by-product of a good toddler party!)

More shoe modeling after the party, and bonding with Ella...

I have to finish with this pic we took today. We went to the amazing Street fair in Fargo (again, had so much fun I forgot to take pics!) and then met up with Sophia's godfather, Brandon, and went to the mall. While Travis, Sophia and I were having dinner at the mall a severe weather warning was broadcasted, so we decided to head home...check out the sky outside the mall! In case you're wondering, YES, I've had enough of the severe weather!!!