Crazy fun!!

The other day for playgroup, we met at Monical's Pizza for a tour on how they make pizza. The tour was less than 5 minutes long. There is nothing much to see and hardly any room back there for the employees to work. The kids had a great time, especially after the tour. The pizza joint donated 4 extra large pizzas for all to share in the banquet room and then for those who wanted something different to eat could order from the menu (not for free mind you).

I was really impressed with the manager. I asked her if there is anything they make with soy in it. She brought me out the cardboard box for the cheese to read the ingredients, plus the can of pizza sauce. She told me how they made the crust. Guess what!? Tressa was able to enjoy pizza with the other kids. After having already discussed it with the manager, she came back a few minutes later to tell me that she had called corporate and they informed her that they do not use soy in any of their products. There is hope after all for Tressa. I just hope that she grows out of this stinking allergy.

We had a great time and loved hanging out with friends and chatting over pizza. Well today and tomorrow we are getting ready for our last trip before the baby comes. Tressa and I will be hitting the open road and heading to Kentucky to visit Ken's folks. We will be back in a week and a half. I will post then and give you a low down on our trip.

Birthday Celebration!!!!

This past Sunday, July 13th, Tressa turned 2 years old. Unbelievable, two already!! Saturday night we took Tressa out to dinner at Wendy's. She just had to have a chocolate frosty (her favorite).

Sunday morning Tressa woke up and asked where her presents were. It was amazing to me that she was asking this young for birthday presents. I told her that we would open presents after church and we did. The minute we got home, Ken had wrapped and displayed all the presents on the couch. She would open each one and tell us what they were, then she would throw it on the floor and open the next one. She had a great time and we enjoyed watching her face light up. I think Christmas this year will be a blast. I am looking forward to it.

After her nap, Ken let her go run through the sprinklers, I know it was on a Sunday, but I guess her birthday is just once a year. I let it go this one time. She had a great time running through them and trying to eat the water in the center.

Last night we continued the birthday festivities with our friends. We had strawberry shortcake, brownies, and ice cream. The kids played in the toy room while the adults chatted. Then towards the end, we opened up birthday presents. Tressa loves all the gifts that she received.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRESSA!!!! We love you.

4th of July Celebration!!!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. I know we did. We started out in the morning with a breakfast courtesy of the Peoria Ward. The activity committee made us pancakes, plain pancakes, blueberry pancakes and pancakes with red, white and blue sprinkles. Many of the members signed up to bring muffins and fruit. I, of course, had to bring a bowl of watermelon. The breakfast was a lot of fun and a big turn out, especially at 8:00 in the morning.

Here is my little firecracker.

Throughout the afternoon, it was a long day of cleaning and preparing for our 4th of July BBQ.

Ken and I invited a few families over for a BBQ and swimming fun for the little ones. We had a little kiddie pool and my friend brought over a water slide. That was a big hit even Tressa enjoyed it; although she wouldn't slide on her belly, she just slowly walked down the slide into the little pool.

We had plenty of food available and after a long chat and getting the kids ready, we all loaded into our cars and headed to the hospital for fireworks. We parked in the hospital parking lot and walked a block or two to a hill about a little less than a mile from the fireworks on the river. We were able to see the fireworks over the Association Bank Building. The fireworks were awesome and Tressa was totally in awe with them. This was her first time seeing fireworks and she loved it. The best part about going to the hospital to watch is we didn't have to fight the crowds or traffic. We made it home within 5 to 10 minutes.

I made a festive strawberry shortcake with an American flag design. It was really YUMMY!

Waiting patiently for the fireworks to start. It was a beautiful night, couldn't ask for better weather.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, EVERYONE!!!!

A New Addition!!!

I just wanted to say congrats to my brother, Jared and his wife, Kristen, for the delivery of their new son, Jacob Marshall Clayton. He weighed (I believe) 7 lbs. 14 oz. and is 19 1/2 inches long. My mom said that he is really cute and she is excited to have another grandson after all these granddaughters.

Congrats again!!!

We love you.