Tuesdays with Dad...

Just about every Tuesday night, Travis lets me get out of the house and watches Lexie for an hour or two. We have been doing this pretty regularly since she was just a few months old. Lexie and Trav always have a good time and I love to hear about what they did while I was gone.
Last Tuesday, Lexie went shopping with Dad. I think she is learning from a young age that she can get her way with him by being so sweet and cute. Travis just HAD to buy her this doll, named "Emily", he said she just lit up when she saw it at the store.
Does our daughter really need another stuffed doll? No, but it was so stinkin' cute that Daddy takes her shopping. When I got home, she just wouldn't let "Emily" out of her site. She kept showing her to me over and over again.
I hope that Lexie will train me on how to get that Coach purse I have been dreaming of!

Playdate for mom and dad

Travis and I got to go to a Mariner's game today, with our friends Chris and Aleisha Sexton. They have a cute little 14-month old named Brody who Lexie just adores! Chris works with Travis and Aleisha is the coordinator of the playgroup we are a part of.
The game went well, can't really tell you what the score was, but The Mariner's did win. I got to pig out on those delicious garlic fries, which are a once a year treat.
Lexie got to hang out with Grandma Neicey and Aunt Kelsey while we were gone. She absolutely loves to play with them and did great. I am pretty sure this is the longest I have left her, so the fact that it went well, makes me feel better about doing it again. Which we will, on September 13th when Chris and Aleisha take us to the Husky vs. Oklahoma game, woohoo!!

A Moo, Moo Here!

We stopped by the Pierce County Fair last month, but I am just now getting the pictures uploaded. Travis used to show pigs and sheep every year at this fair with his FFA club. He was our tour guide and told us all about the animals. We watched some kiddos show there pigs and Lexie thought it was funny. The pigs and cows were her favorite.
Now that she is turning in to such a farm lover, we are going with a farm-animal theme for the big 0-1 Birthday Party.
There will be miniature horse rides in the back for the kiddos and watch out for the tractors in the cult-a-sac
: )

Love for our Cuz

The Niemeyers (Chad, Rachel, Allison, Jackson, and Ashley) are some of our favorite people. Rachel is my cousin and her whole family is just so much fun, we love to be around them!
Lexie and I got to stop by last week and visit. It made me realize how much fun cousins are. Rachel and her sister Leah, were always some of my favorite cousins growing up. They were my babysitters, prank phone call trainers, and 80's fashion mentors (I always got so excited when Aunt Kathy brought their hand-me-downs over.)
All of the Niemeyer kiddos are so much fun. Their oldest daughter, Allison, has a special place in my heart because she was our flower girl. She just has the sweetest disposition and is so caring. I, also being the oldest girl in the family line up, totally get her. While we were visiting, she was so nurturing and helpful to Lexie. I hope Lexie grows up to be just like her!

Here are some flash back pictures of the cousins we love!Lexie meeting Allison at 1 week old

Rachel with Lexie at 10 weeks old

Allison, again, with Lexie (on the same couch) at 10 months old!

1st Boat Ride

And it won't be her last! She did great and even took a nice snooze on the way back. Thanks to Captain Garwood for cruising us around the sound on hot day!


Just taking off...have to admit I was a little nervous to see how she would do.

Trying to figure it out with Dad....

She is starting to like it!

Here was our fabulous Captain Garwood

Mission accomplished...Sleeping baby.

Happy Birthday Pops Garwood

Pops with me and Lexie

Donae, Chris, Casey, Me, Lexie, Mom, and Kelsey

Uncle Casey and Lexie and Papa Louie

After the Triathlon was over, we all headed back to Olympia to celebrate Pops' Birthday. It was also the last big get together before Casey heads back to Scott AFB and then scheduled to deploy to Iraq in September. It was a beautiful day and so many friends and family came to celebrate. As always the BBQ was delicious and view on the golf course was gorgeous. My brothers bought Pops "Rockstar" for the Wee. Travis and I had fun trying it out but Lexie (who usually loves music) looked a little scared. She did however enjoy listening to her uncles play.
It was a long day for Lexie, but I don't think she would have had it any other way, we all had a blast!

Satsop Triathlon

With our little girl before the race started

Casey getting ready to start his 12 mile bike, after a 500 meter swim

Chris finishing his 12 mile bike, getting ready for a 5k run.

I am on the home stretch of the 5k...almost done!

At the finish line, we are all winners!

While we were in Cancun, my brothers mentioned that they wanted to do Triathlon that was coming up the 1st weekend of August in Elma. Being the crazy girl I am, I thought I would join in. Although, I had done one 3 years ago in Lake Chelan, I hadn't trained much (OKAY, maybe only 4 days) for this one. Casey (active duty military) and Chris (works out all the time) kind of had the same mind set, we would all just do it to finish it.
So we loaded up our bikes and gear early Sunday morning and headed to Elma. Lexie was a champ...up and going much earlier then usual. She was sporting her warm up suit and looked super sporty (thanks Nana B.) It was chilly and as we arrived at the check-in area, we began to realize this may not be a beginners triathlon. All of the other participants looked kind of professional and had bikes more expensive then what my house is worth. Still we stayed in good spirits. When it came time to head down the lake to start the race (swim first) we realized that just about everyone else had a wet suit on (Oops.)
The boys started a few minutes before us girls. Neither of my brothers trained at all for the swim, so I passed them at the half way mark. I had to check and make sure they were okay : ) The swim was cold for me but I love to swim so it was not difficult.
Next came the bike, I immediately felt like a drunk 10 year old on my bike. It didn't take long for people to start passing me. There were several more hills on this course, as opposed to the 1 in Chelan, and 1 monster hill. It was a long 12 miles for me but somehow I stayed ahead of the boys.
Once I reached the transition area for the run, I was ready to run, or so I thought. Funny how your legs feel like jello after 12 miles on a bike. It felt like I was running in slow motion. Sure enough, Casey, passed by taunting me to move faster. It helped fuel my fire, a little bit seeing him and pressed through the rest of the way to complete the 5k run.
Overall, I finished this race in 1hr and 45min50seconds. I think that is about 10 minutes slower then the one I did in Chelan 3 years ago, but hey, I trained 5 months for that one and it was a much easier course! Casey ended up beating my time by just 30 seconds to be the Garwood winner, Chris came in just a few minutes after me. The boys did so awesome for this being their first tri and with very little training. I think we would all do it again, only with wet suits!

Happy Birthday Zack!

Today we headed over to The Walden's to celebrate little Zacky's 1st birthday. It was a great time. Zack was a little tired when it got to be cake time, but who could blame him, it is exhausting being the star of the show : )