I have to start somewhere....

I wish that I had the time to blog about all the fun things that we have done this summer..but that would take me forever...so I am just going to start with the past couple of weeks.

I haven't been so great about taking pictures...and I am going to blame that on my parents. 

This isn't like when I was little and blamed Alex (our family cat) for doing something that I did wrong...this one is really is their fault (kind of). 

They borrowed our camera for an amazing trip to Africa.

That was going to be my reason for not taking pictures. 

However, I did get aan awesome new point and shoot...so that really isn't a valid excuse.  I've just been busy...we've been busy :)

SO this post I will catch everyone up on what has happened the past week and a half or so - and then we will go form there.  Keep checking back for updates, I am going to keep this updated and let the brianandjacki.com flash site expire.  No need to pay for that when I can use this for free....

Okay, so here we go.  Grab a drink and get cozy, there is a lot to catch up on.

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The other day I was able to spend the afternoon with a good friend of mine and do a little shopping.  After cruising the clearance racks at several stores, we were hungry, exhausted, and our feet hurt.  Poor us.

So we stopped at starbucks to get a little caffeine and sugar.  Gabrielle....

who doesn't like to have her picture taken, wanted to sit down while we had out snack.  I agreed, this was a great idea.

  The mall was packed, and there wasn't a place for the two of us to sit down.  SO I made a b-line to Z Gallerie (a home furnishing store). 

I told her I had a better idea than sitting on a hard bench with someone pressed up next to me because they refused to give up that extra inch..and probably smelled. 

You should have heard her..."No Jacki, we can't do that!!"... "they won't let us sit in there!!!" kind of comments left and right as we approached the store.  The closer we got to the store, the faster they got - and giggles between every other word.

  I assured her that we would be fine.  what do they have the furniture out if it isn't for people to sit on?!!...jeez! 

I found the perfect spot.  A big sectional sofa perched right in front of the store, looking out the big glass window into the mall. 

Coffee, a cozy banket on a comfy couch, great company, and people watching...life just doesn't get much better than this!! 

It was nice, and people passing by got a kick out of us. 

Doesn't everyone do this?

Maybe not...but that's okay.  It stuff like this that makes hanging out with me fun :)

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Brian had another birthday...he is well into middle age. He worked throughout the day, and since we just booked our vacation in Turks and Caicos..we didn't do too much.  But we had to do SOMETHING!

Maisie and I went out to get him some balloons for his birthday.

No, REALLY, they were for him ;)

Even though Maisie tried to make a fast getaway with the balloons...

I conviced her to share the balloons with daddy...it was his birthday afterall. :)

We also made him some red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

And yes, they were almost as good as they looked!  Unless you ask Maisie.  She has no desire to eat cake, or muffins, pancakes or waffles.  Now give her some broccoli and salmon..watch out!!  She can really chow down!

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Maisie is really enjoying all that summer has to offer - especially her fruits and veggies.  I think I may be one of the few moms that has to has to map out a plan of attack before entering the produce department. 

We always save it for last. She can hardly handle herself when bananas are within arms reach, and I have actually found myself sneaking grapes onto the bottom rack of the grocery cart to make sure that we make it out of the store with the grapes (opposed to an empty bag). 

I really shouldn't complain.  We are blessed to have a little monkey that thinks canned green beans are better than any candy out there!

Here is Maisie and her new favorite fruit....watermelon.

I really don't know what i am going to do when this delicious fruit is out of season.  I have no self control when it comes to watermelon either.  The other day she and I took out half of a huge watermelon for our afternoon snack!

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Speaking of fruit - Maisie rarely passes up the opportunity to gobble some down.

When she told us she was "all done" in sign language, and we saw this....

She poked her finger in every piece of cantalope.

we knew something was wrong. She rarely leaves food on the plate, let alone grapes and cantelope. 

Our princess was sick AGAIN. 

Raging high fevers close to 104.  Poor thing had the tummy flu I guess...a stomach flu that had a super high fever for days, turned her from sweet to WICKED overnight, and after 5 days of a high fever...she had a rash break out all over her tummy and back.  I didn't get a picture until the 3rd day of the rash..and it was going away.  You can't see it very well, but it's there.  Trust me.

Poor thing...she's been through a lot in her short little life.  We are going to start taking some acidopholus to try and bump up her immune system.  Let's hope it works...it seems like we just start to recover from something..and then we are sick again. 

We keep telling ourselves Kindergarten will be a breeze if we keep up this pace!  There won't be anything left for her to catch!

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Maisie seems to be quite the stinker in the house...but behaves much better when we are outside.  SO - we loaded up the wagon with drinks and snacks and the umbrella and went for a walk around the neighborhood.  At noon.  In Florida. Mid August. In 100 degree weather. 

WHAT WERE WE THIKING?!?!?

About half a block in, Brian and I realized that Maisie is NO FOOL.  She knows how to work it.

Here she is - the Princess in her Carriage. 

ANd she is now noticing (and saying)

"BALL!"

SHe decided that she is going to put her cup of crackers down....and climb out of the wagon.

Oh No!  I don't think so, Missie....

Mama is 2 steps ahead of you on that one :)

I decided it would be nice to go for a walk with the ball IN the wagon.

She liked that idea too.

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Maisie is really developing a sense of fashion these days.  She had her first "fashion fit" over some Lelly Kelly styled shoes with glitter and jewels all over them.  SHe INSISTED that i put one pink one and one silver one on each foot....and screamed the entire time the checkout lady had them to scan. 

 Wow..I think I have created a monster.  Unfortunately we thought they were shoes that would fit her fat little Flintstone feet...

But after a couple of days we realized we should have spent the extra money on the expensive shoes that we know fit.  *sigh*  Oh well...off to surf the web for new shoes..

She also loves her accessories.  Rarely does she toddle around without a neckalce (or 12).  Here is an example - taken a few months ago...but the game is still the same :)

As I was saying...she loves to accessorize...and be just like Mommy & Daddy.  Daddy was getting ready to take her out to return some movies and go to Lowes.  He put his sunglasses on, and of course she had to have hers too.

One of the only gifts that she got when she was a baby that still fits after all this time.  Thanks Auntie Lori, I still love my shades just as much as I did over a year ago. 

Here is Maisie last May channeling her "Inner Elvis"

"Don't be Cruel, you only wish you could look this cute in polka dot sunglasses!"

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 I pulled out Maisie's Easter basket from Grandma & Grandpa B - and her new "Cok-Cok (Cookie Monster) and "BaaBa" (Elmo) book from Gramma & Grampa's box of fun they sent the other day.  I was loading the dishwasher, and Maisie popped a squat on her Elmo basket and started to read her book.

Above, you can see her lips in an "o" shape..she's reading about Cookie...

and here she is mid "BaaBa"

Yay!  Reading is so fun!

(also, notice the towels on the floor.  I fold them up and hang them on the dishwasher 10 times a day.  Maisie prefers them on the floor).

After 20 "Give Mama a smile"'s - she gave me a little one...and the "Enough pictures, Mama.  I'm trying to read!" look.

Ok...I'm done.  For now :)

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But that was YESTERDAY!  Today is a whole new day!

Maisie was helping me do laundry today.  She just loves to help.  Her job is to help me take the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer...and press all the buttons on the dryer 60 times in the process.  When we were finished she kept whining and  hitting her hand on the top of her head.

What on earth was she trying to tell me?  (this is a constant game we play these days).

After a minute or two - I got it.  She was signing "hat". 

Sure enough, Daddy's hat was hanging on the hook, and she wanted to wear it.

and of course...she looks adorable in it!

she preferred to wear it backwards.

Whachootalkingbout Willis?

After a couple minutes..she was done with this hat...but not to worry.  She had a mission.  There was another hat!  So we got that one.

our little gangsta.

Then she decided that she was going to walk around with the hat like this.  She turned around..and headed toward our bedroom.  I snapped a picture, it is really blurry...but you get the idea.  She couldn't see a thing.

this next picture is makes me laugh EVERY time I look at it.  I only wish that I was recording this. 

She walked right into this pillar - and this is the picture that i got as she bounced off the wall.  HAHAHAHAHA...It was HILARIOUS!  I know, I know..not nice of me to find these kinds of things so funny.  I can't help it.  I blame my sick sense of humor on my dad, it's all his fault....and the cat - it's his fault too. :)

Hope everyone enjoyed catching up with us!

Leave a comment to let us know you have been here!

Love,

The Grahams