How 'bout them apples?

Isabel is 17 months now and the sweetest, wackiest little character. Babbling, talking, dancing, climbing, playing, giving her mom attitude. It is hilarious to watch her little personality grow and grow. I just have to say I love being her mom!! Here are our pics from our family photo shoot last Sunday. We met my friend Julie Salzmann at a Forest Preserve in St. Charles around 8:30 am. Bel suprised us all by being cooperative when it came time for photos (normally she bolts when she sees me pull out a camera) I think it was the basket of granny smith apples that won her over. Either way I am thrilledwith the way they turned out. Thanks again Julie!

Our Second Anniversary....

... no. Not our wedding anniversary. (That will be three years this August already) Our second anniversary of  Jason being CANCER-FREE! Woo hoo. He went for his annual colonoscopy yesterday- yuk- and everything checked our great. Doc said CLEAN COLON and Jason may even be able to go every two years now before he needs another one. He will meet with his oncologist in September to figure out a future plan for future screening.

To celebrate we went out to dinner at Jurin. It is a Japanese steak house where they cook the food right at your table- Isabel was amazed. Jason got some sushi and chicken and shrimp. The poor guy was starved after his cleansing prep! We even got DQ for dessert. He deserved it.

I am still so thankful that God allowed us to find Jason's cancer so early and that we have been able to have him healthy and getting great preventative screenings. We have our beautiful family and our health- so really what more do we need?!

Mom and Bel Just Hanging Out

The best thing about summer break is that I have the time to catch up and hang out with some friends I don't always see. Here are some more pics of us enjoying the STEAMY summer weather.

A play date at Lisa's -Bel was enjoying her picnic and hanging out with Mason and Quinn

Auntie Katie

Julie Polse playing "Super Nanny"

Splash Park with my coworkers...

Alaana and Keshav

sweet Jordan and Ellen

Bel finally loosened up and played in the sand- she wasn't afraid to get dirty!

In fact, she ate a BIG mouthful of it before we left.

And we finally got to meet little Jackson, my friend Christine's baby, this week. They live in Lake Villa so the drive is pretty tough during the school year. Luckily, Christine is a teacher too so we were able to hang out this week.

It's tiring having so much fun!

Showering Terri

My beautiful friend Terri and her hubby Tim are expecting their first baby in August. Today I went to her baby shower. She looked great and has been feeling very good throughout her entire pregnancy. She is also one of those awesomely patient people who WAIT to find out the sex of their baby (Imagine that!) ... so it will be a big surprise when the little Jensen comes. I am guessing boy.. but you know my track record.

Here are some pics from the shower.

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I had to take a picture of this crib. It was really amazing- and a gift MADE by the new baby's grandfather. The quilt inside was handmade too. Impressive!

Arian and Jacqueline

Kristin and Kylie

Jillian

There were lots of kids and babies at this baby shower- but Isabel did not come. (Mommy was looking forward to an afternoon out with no wild toddler to chase :)

Thanks Jason

Front Row: Dylan, Kari, Jacqueline, Mommy-to- be Terri, and Arian

Back Row: Kristin, Kylie, Jillian and of course, Me

Fun with the Leppins!

Isabel's Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Aaron came over for a cook-out on Saturday. Bel had fun showing off for everyone; playing ball, reading books, and running around the house being her rambunctious self. Here are some pics from our afternoon together.

Tacos.... with ketchup

At 16 months dinner time is an adventure. Some days Isabel will eat anything and everything you put in front of her. Other days she is picky.... really picky. Like, there are days when she will only eat fruit, or cheerios, or goldfish crackers. There are weeks where she won't even touch meat. That is, unless we cover it in ketchup. Everything tastes awesome covered in ketchup!  Some days she loves carrots, other days she sweeps them onto the floor for Lucky. You really never know what you're in for at dinner. I had to take this pic though because Isabel was eating her first taco. Actually, she has liked spicy taco meat since about 9 months but we have always insisted in cutting everything up for her (me- always paranoid about choking) But the other night she decided she was way too mature for cut-up tacos. I got a kick out of her holding this taco and eating it. (Especially since she insisted on eating it by taking bites out of the sides)

Splish Splash

Off to the Splash Park in Buffalo Grove to meet mommy's friends and their kids. Colleen (Ava and Emmy), Becky (Kailyn), Kristin (Dylan and Kylie) and Jill (Quinn). We had a fun afternoon even if Bel spent most of the time time at the splash park avoiding the water. She mostly made her way around the park stealing other kid's sippy cups and pushing Jill's baby stroller. She did eventually get wet because some of the sprayers were on a timer- and they surprised her.

My fave pic from the day- I edited it using "picnik.com" and I love it because Bel looks so grown up here. Just like a little girl- not a baby anymore. (I think it also helps that she is about 1/2 foot taller than most other kids her age :) Summer is great because I actually have the time to meet up with my friends- other moms and just hang out. The downside of moms getting together though is that you can't really carry on any real conversations. Most of the time you get about two sentences into your story before you have to yell at your little one or take off running after them. Still... the camaraderie is good and you know that they get it. (They get why you are perpetually running late, why you always baby food or spit-up on your clothes, and why your life revolves around nap schedules.) Yep- I am thankful for my mom friends and sometimes it is surreal when I look at all of us (most I have known since we were teens) and think "we are moms?!" "These are our kids?!" Pretty cool.....