Out with the old, in with the NEW!

Matt and I have wanted a bigger deck for quite some time now... well this weekend it happened!! We expanded it big time.. brought it out 8 feet (to the end of the house-under the kitchen window) and out 5 feet. We have so much room on the new deck, it's obnoxious :-) We have one side for the grown ups (table/chairs, grill, and a seating area) and one side for the kids (toys, toys, and more toys). I was so glad to bring some of Avree's bigger toys on the deck and get them out of my house!!
The deck guy left the floor of our old deck (he said the wood was still in good shape, just needs to be cleaned) so the woods don't match right now. He said to give it some time and they will blend together.
The pictures are not the final look of the deck... we need to do some landscaping on the front and side of the deck. We are hoping to get some cheap plants/flowers in July when everything goes on sale.

This weekend Avree and I are planning on riding with my dad and Barb to MI. Barb is from MI and all of her family still lives there. I've never been, so I am tagging along :-) We will see how Avree does in the car... 8 hours!!! AAHH..

We hope this post find everyone well, and our thought and prayers go out to the Smith family who lost a great family member.

Before (Old deck)

Old Deck



New deck!!

Sun Bathing Beauty

Eatin a push pop all by herself :-)



Pool time!

Babies and Baby Shower

Avree and I waiting for (Great) Aunt Linda to pick us up so we could head to DSM for Shelly and Jack's baby shower



Dad snuck in before the shower started to see his girls and grandkids



Grandma McCulla, Aunt Linda and Aunt Joy


The main attraction at the shower- Jack :-) (Aunt Julie and baby Jack)


Aunt Linda and Shelly


My cousin Hailey playing with Avree


The girls had so much fun together. Hailey was throwing Avree in the air and flying her around.. Avree couldn't get enough. Hailey was pretty wore out by the end of the shower :-) (Avree is the 1st girl great grand kid on my mom's side. So Hailey finally has a girl to play with)


Aunt Julie and Avree (Avree was wanting some food)


Aunt Kathy gave all the "Great Grandkids" (on my mom's side) these stuffed animals/pillows. They loved them!!



It was hard trying to get a picture of all three with their animals. By the time we put Jack on his stuffed animal, Avree was trying to get off of her's and Logan did a face plant after sitting on his horse and wasn't too sure about getting back on... So this was the best picture I got of all three.


The happy family by the yummy cake


Mom and her girls... and our kids


Sisters... and our kids


The Grandma's


The shower turned out great and am so thankful to family who was able to make it. We didn't play any games so instead, I thought a fun activity to do would be to make Jack a 'puff paint' onsie. I told people to get creative with their onsie. I forgot to take a picture of all the onesies at the end, as there was some good sayings on some. :-) (Aunt Kathy wrote on her's- Furture CPA, Cousin Tracie put- G Unit (She's a Green Bay fan and all of your know Jay is a Vikings fan. Not sure Jack will be wearing that onesie.. Sorry Tracie. LOL)
A big Thank You to my mom, Barb and my grandma McCulla for helping me with the food.
It was great seeing you all!

Lunch Date and My Storm Door

We had a nice lunch date with "Great Grandma" Harriette. It was so good to see Harriette and watch Avree interact with her :-). Avree kept wanting to feed her cheerios. She did great at sharing.

"Great Grandma" Harriette


Feeding Great Grandma Harriette


Avree took my sandwhich apart


Her Sassy/mad face


Lunch with Great "Grandma" Harriette



Here is a picture of my new storm door!! I absolutely love it and the only time I shut the big door is at night. So I am getting lots of use out of it :-) The dogs love laying by the door and Avree likes banging on it.
Avree's new floaty is also in the picture. She was pretty excited after I blew it up. She kept climbing in and out and threw her toys in it. We are so excited for the neighborhood pool to open (next weekend). I am sure we will be walking up there a couple times a week...after nap time of course :-)

Tulip Time Weekend

We decided to head back to Pella last weekend for Tulip Time. It was a great weekend for Tulip Time and there were TONS of people who thought the same. It was pretty crazy.
Friday AM Avree and I decided to surprise my Mom, who was in DSM for a horse show. She was completely shocked and was so happy we came. She had to show Avree off to everyone we walked by :-)
Friday afternoon we headed up town for the Tulip Festival. My dad and Barb took Avree and Kaiya in the baby parade. They looked so cute in their dutch costumes. It was great seeing Jack again(and Shelly and Jay), Kaiya (and Steph and Luke). We also got to see Great Grandpa/Grandma McCulla, Matt & Tracie McCulla, Joy and Ian (and his girlfriend). A nice little family get together.
We headed home Saturday afternoon cause we didn't really want to spend part of Mother's Day traveling and Matt had to fly out Sunday night. Matt made me breakfast when I woke up and they gave me a cute card (Avree saying "mama, mama, mama") and then we went to Lowes to pick out my front storm door! I have wanted a front storm door for a long time now and I am so happy to finally have one :-) The dogs and Avree just love looking out the front now. I don't think the glass will ever be clean though. :-)

Looking forward to seeing family again this weekend for Shelly's baby shower!


Visiting Grandma H. at the fairgrounds in DSM


Loves the horses!


With the grandkids at the house


Getting ready to head uptown to go to Tulip Time


Me and the boys.. (Matt and his brother Brian)


Great Grandma McCulla with Jack


Baby Parade with Kaiya and Avree


Kaiya & Avree in the baby parade


Avree and Daddy by the pretty Tulips


Family Picture


The whole gang at Tulip Time


The sisters and their families



Grandpa & Grandma McCulla with their grandkids


The sisters and their kids


Baby Jack and I at Tulip Time