Goodbye Hugs

Can you tell we were having too much fun?! Addison was giving us kisses in the midst of of picture, but I thought it turned out pretty funny! Coco did not care as long as she was in her mama's arms.

You're really aren't going are you?!

Thanks Hayley for taking the time off and driving this way to visit us. I had so much fun and it is always nice to visit with our family. We enjoyed every minute and hope to see you soon! LOVE!

I got my bellybutton!

I told her to smile and she did! What a ham she is turning out to be!

Addison & Aunt Hayley

Can you tell Addison loves her Aunt Hayley and I do believe Aunt Hayley loves Addison too! She had her on hip the whole time she was here and Addison loved playing with her. This child has gotten so spoiled these last few weeks! Cute new jammies too!

It is definitely different trying to get ready with a one year old in the house. Everything is an event and she was in on whatever action is going on even if it is just brushing teeth!

Sissy Love! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Playgroup Picnic

While Hayley was here we had Addison's pumpkin picnic with playgroup and it was so nice to have the extra hands with me! It was windy and trying to do crafts with a one year and wind is not the most conducive elements!

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

Tatiana is Addison's little playgroup buddy. Tatiana is almost exactly one month older. We have made good friends with them.

Addison's first craft was making a candy corn magnet...okay, she did have A LOT of help from mommy, but it was for her!

After the picnic we went and took Paul and the guys lunch and visited with them. Paul likes to see us during his workday, it breaks it up for him and we like seeing him during his workday too!

Sweetness! My girls, how I love them both!

Girls Being Girls

I wanted Hayley to try on the cop hat, I thought she'd be cute and she was!

I told her those boots were as long as her legs so she had to try them on. Cute!

Hayley wanted Addison to pick out a toy from this toy store, but without much luck she didn't settle on one thing...BUT she tried them ALL out! She liked throwing this elephant down on the floor because it had wooden wheels and made noise! We had fun seeing what interested her and what did not.

Aunt Hayley!

Hayley took a few days off work to come down to spend a few days with us during her fall break! We did a little shopping in Springfield and we had so much fun together! I am so glad she took the time and drove up her...all by herself!!! She made it perfectly without any problems or getting lost. I knew she'd be fine, but I was a little worried about her, in the end I was so glad she did it!

Cool mask!

Addison wore Aunt Hayley out! She LOVES to be swung around so whenever you go to pick her up sometimes she will buckle right underneath you! They enjoyed each other so!

Don't Go

Addison had so much fun she didn't want them to go! She said Poppa all day and at bedtime wanted Poppa. Too sweet!

Pure Joy

Busy Bee

I think Addison got a little spoiled while we were gone, but hey, that is what family is for, right?!

While the Parents Were Out to Play

As you can tell my Dad, Doris, Granny and Shelby all keep Addison quite busy and entertained to say the least! She had a great time and only asked for us the first day, but did not cry at all. They took her to Laura Ingalls House, Wal-Mart and to McDonald's that I know of and from what I was told she was not too fond of the playground at McDonald's! Thanks you guys for taking time to come up and spend time with our little one. I believe everyone enjoyed it all around.

Willis Tower

See those glass skydecks, that is where we are going!

You'd never guess from this picture that I am the one who HAD to do this, right?! As we had to take 3 different elevators up I a start to rethink this whole thing! Plus we are packed in these elevators like sardines which does not help that I am claustrophobic!

As you see we did make it to the top and what a magnificent view! Very worth it!

I was very nervous to walk out this high up onto glass that has nothing underneath it. It was quite an experience! So glad Paul and I got to do this trip together. We never know with the military what holidays or occasions that we will get to spend together so it has been quite nice to be able to spend this one together in Chicago.

More Favorites

Our second day there we woke up early...that is what a baby will do to you, and so we hit the streets to see what we could see and do what we could do! We ventured out to the Navy Pier, but never went to it, we checked out Millennium Park (Obama gave his speech here; we had to walk 100 miles around the city in 3 days), the Shedd's Aquarium, the Field Museum, and we had lunch at Rain Forest Cafe which is one of my favorite places...then we headed back to the room to rest our little toes...we weren't too tired to get some late night dessert at Weber's grill though! It was the best chocolate cake and ice cream!

Shedd's Aquarium was so grand! The architecture alone was magnificent, but the exhibits were amazing. I was especially excited about the Belugas! I was also excited to see the Fantasea dolphin exhibit, well everyone else was too! They ran out of room! So we stood in line for nothing, and I was quite sad about not seeing the show...I tried to get sneak peeks around corners, but they had museum staff around every corner preventing peekers! Shedd's Aquarium was the largest indoor aquarium for quite some time with 5 M gallons of water! They also had the first inland saltwater tank! I find that quite amazing since I worked at an aquarium that processed saltwater from the inlet for its own tanks as well. There is a lot of work that goes in having saltwater tanks.

I just liked this one. I thought we looked so happy.

Our last day we saved the Willis (use to be known as Sears) Tower last since it was close to our train station and the Science and Industry Museum because it was out of the city a little bit. The S & I Museum was so fun! I bet Paul at milking a cow and we rode tractors and learned about how things were made, we saw our first OMNImax movie; which beats IMAX movies by a ton, the screen is 180 degrees around you and your seats are reclined, awesome, awesome, plus we toured the Greenest home in Chicago, some of you may know that Chicago is the greenest city so we HAD to tour this home. Paul got so many ideas! The only thing to build a home like this is expensive! The made decorations out of reused motorcycle parts, bottle caps, the shower tile was recycled wine bottles, the counter tops was made out of broken red lights, they reused their gray water, used wind to power the home, they of course had the infamous green roofs plus many many more great ideas!

A Few Favorites

We were so excited about our anniversary trip and riding a train for the first time. We had to get up really really early...like 2:30 am to catch the train in St. Louis to be in Chicago by noon, but it was so worth it. You ask where was Addison? She was sound asleep at home when we left with my Dad, Doris, Granny and Shelby for the next few days. No worries I didn't miss any of her moments either...will post some of those too! Yes, I did the ugly cry when I left her, most of the way there! I have only been away from her just a few hours if that here and there so this was very difficult for me, but much needed on both ends. I knew she'd be fine and have a great time and so did we.

Once we got to Chicago we were so excited to see everything and was so relaxed! We walked around to check out the city (that is the best way to see the architecture and the city) and then decided to hit up one of the best places for some Chicago deep style pizza! It was sooo good! I have to say we have never spent that much on pizza ever, but it was Chicago so what do you expect!

I was so excited to see the Cloud Gate sculpture...I have always wanted to see this. It is one of the largest sculptures in the world of its kind. It is made from stainless steel. It allows you to see your perspective from various angles of the city plus the clouds above, also the arch allows a 'gate' to the chamber below. It is also known as 'The Bean'. That is what I like to call it.

I liked this picture of Paul sitting in the cicada shell. He still cracks me up on a daily basis!

I had to have this picture taken! See I do have wings!!!

Chicago Trip part 2

Chicago Anniversary Trip #1

Our 9th Wedding Anniversary

October 14, 2009 was our 9th wedding anniversary! Nine years! So much has changed in that time, in a way it has creeped by and then again it seems like only yesterday that we met. We each still remember all the details of our first encounter! I have been blessed to have found a wonderful man to be my husband and stand by my side. He makes me so proud each and everyday for who he is and the man he has become. It baffles me to think back to how young we were when we married and the people we have grew into and how our lives have molded into what it is today. We have done so much together, seen so much, made so many wonderful friends.... We still have fun together and enjoy each others company, he continues to make me laugh each and everyday! Now we are expanding our family and Addison has been a wonderful addition. We cannot remember life without her!!! I honestly cannot remember life without Paul either nor do I want to imagine it without either him or Addison....impossible! I love them both with all of my heart and try each and everyday to be the best wife and Mommy that I know and can possibly be! This is a journey called our life and I wouldn't want to travel it with anyone else! We are so blessed! Happy anniversary to us!


I have LOTS of pictures from our anniversary trip to Chicago coming soon so stay tuned! I am a little behind, but I plan on doing some postings tomorrow! Love to all my blog followers!

Side note: As some of you may notice Paul looks very happy in this picture, the reason is because I was scared of walking out onto this glass deck of the Willis (Sears) Tower and he was jumping up and down and laughing at me!!! He loves to get a thrill out of me...still to this day! This glass is 3 layers of 1/2 inch thick glass 110 stories up in the air! Guess what, I am AFRAID of heights, but I WANTED to do this amd it was on my must do list! Best view ever!

Posin'