Facebook

So, I avoided Facebook for as long as I could, but now am mildly addicted. I don't post my every action, but can update much more quickly about my "fascinating" life than on my blog. I also find it fun to write about myself in the third person and to be pithy, and enjoy my friends' comments. Here are some of my posts for those of you not in the Facebook world. (And I advise you stay that way until you are absolutely ready! It is fun, but I was obsessed for a short time. I am better now.)

Shelby Drake Hello fall/winter wardrobe! Oh, how I've missed you! Four long years... and though some of you are terribly outdated, you all fit! Yea!!
... September 20

Shelby Drake How can I, with clear conscious, make Grace eat the green pasta spirals when I have vivid memories of refusing to eat them myself?! ...September 8


Shelby Drake cleaned under the booster seats today and is quite convinced that someone should do that more often!!!
... September 9

Shelby Drake loves to hear, "Thanks for making dinner, Mommy. It is delicious!" :)
... August 31

Shelby Drake Crap. Didn't sunscreen the kiddos today. Nothing like a constant reminder of a bad mommy moment every time I look at their little pink faces!
... August 30

Shelby Drake is already tired of volleyball games with a toddler and a preschooler. Also, I'm wondering who thought NEON should come back! The shoes "the kids these days" are wearing are are AMAZING! ... August 25

Why is it so quiet?!

Artwork

An Octopus.

Mommy

(those are my hips on the sides)
?!?!

D is for Dots

One More Birthday

The Cooper family joined us for one last birthday celebration for Grace.

Ice cream this time!

Grandma and Grandpa have outfitted Grace for the winter season with some great new clothes and Uncle Ben and Aunt Laura got Grace some crafts! She likes to play with the beads after Cooper goes to bed. Not so much make the jewelry just yet, which I'm fine with!
So Cheesy.

Aunt Monica sent Grace a camera and a neck pillow for our trips to Ohio - or just to play with ALL THE TIME. It is her very own tiny Boppy Pillow! She puts her dolls in it and sleeps with it! I don't yet have a picture of it, but I'll get one soon!

Birthday Girl!

Grace turned three on the 5th! We had fun celebrating it all weekend... and the next! When asked what she wanted for her birthday she would say, "A purple cake with pink frosting. A house with green grass behind it and blue. A TV and toys in the house and a Mini Cooper outside." That's all?! I did the best I could.

She said she liked it, but I later learned from my mom, that Grace had told her I didn't do what she wanted. Oh well! I'll try again next year! She did get this brownie, and cookies with Grandma Margaret, AND ice cream with the Cooper family! Three sets of candles! What more could she want?! I know.... grass, blue, and a Mini Cooper!!

At Grandma Margaret's...

Yum!!

Cooper enjoyed carrying around Grandma's foot rest. This is his "this is hard work - but I'm pleased with myself" look. (Grace took this picture)

"Look, Mommy! I'm in an 'L' ! "

Fall Festival

We had a good time at our annual church Fall Festival. This years theme was Hillbilly Heaven. This was as hillbilly as I could get our family as I've worked very hard to get all of the plaid out of our house these last six years!

It was the first cool day of fall, and I didn't even think about sunscreen! They both had pink faces for a couple of days! Cooper was worse off because I had worked so hard all summer to keep a hat on his head. Bad Momma!

Things That Go!

Cooper loves to read! His favorite books are Lift the Flap and this one, Things That Go. I found him in his chair reading it! He signed all the the "things" for me.

Boat
Helicopter

Airplane

What a cutie!!

September has arrived!

Volleyball season has begun!

This is me in the stands... they both cling to me!!! It is going to be a long season.

THREE years ago today, I went into labor with Grace. I'm having trouble with three in that I really can't believe it has been only three years. It seems like forever that she has been with us and she talks like a 13 not 3! Things like, "Thank you for making dinner tonight, Mommy. It is Dee-licious!"
or "That would be perfect."
or "I'd be delighted."
or when I question when her birthday is, and she says, "September 5th! Why do you keep forgetting?!"

God has blessed us with an amazing daughter and we are looking forward to celebrating her birthday all weekend!!!
Cooper can say "Cheese!!"

We've started learning a letter each week. Grace loves it and pesters me until we do it each day. Last week was F for fish and this week is E for elephant, egg, and eagle.

Our Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree!

Aunt Monica keeps us stylin'!

Rockets, Smiles, Hair, and Ma and Pa!

Cooper got a new rocket from Owen to cruise around on. Thanks O - he loves it!!

This is the smile that often prevents discipline...what can you do?!

Grace likes to have her hair twisted in a clip like mine. So cute on her!

Fun with Grandpa and Grandma! Everyone was all smiles!!

Last Swims of the Season

We had only three weeks of warm water for swimming this year! So, we packed in as many swimming "parties" as we could at the end!

Allison

Ava, Adrianna, and Allison
Still a little cold for Cooper, but he'd rather snack anyway!

Grace and August jumping in together... most of the time!

She was supposed to jump UP!

Owen and Grace were falling in together, but by the time I got the camera, Grace had no patience!!

And our new favorite snack - pretzels and peanut butter... or just peanut butter.