chris.reese.girls1.2.3.4

Finley is three months old today. The time is ticking by and I am desperately trying to hold the clock still. It's not working. I manage to get a lot of pics of her with my cell phone - not a lot with my real camera. She is my chubby baby. How can you not absolutely go head over heels for those cheeks, chins and creases. (sigh) These past two months Chris has been unemployed. I love afternoon moments like these... This pic below was at the beginning of her third month. It's easy to see how much bigger she has become in just a few weeks! Crazy!! New things for Finley this month:   - She is sleeping so much better just in the past week and a half. I can usually get a 7-hour stretch!!  - Throughout the month, she had a few days where she slept up to 6-7 hours during the middle of the day. It was wild! It only lasted a few days and I'm pretty certain her body needed the energy to grow.  - She is getting stronger every day. She is now trying to do crunches and wants...

We recently held our first ever Apken family reunion with Chris's siblings and his parents. We met in Yakima over Father's Day weekend. Thanks to Laurie who was the mastermind behind the event and did the lion share of traveling to be here. We are grateful for her efforts in helping us maintain close relationships and to help our kids be cousin friends.  Saturday ended up being the only day we were ALL together, so we crammed in as much fun as possible. First on the list, as mandated by Grandma, was the family pictures (post to come as soon as I can get my hands on a few of the photos). Before my camera ran out of batteries (boo!) I snapped this shot. It's obvious Uncle Matt and Aunt Dani are a favorite with their nieces and nephews.  Afterwards, we met up for some bowling. The competition proved fierce! And we had a fun time! Grandma had bought all the kids matching teal shirts. They thought they were pretty cool... (You might notice the TV in the backgr...

We are still taking the time to explore this city we live in. On a cloudy (but dry!) Saturday morning we set out for Discovery Park. After working through our picnic lunch the sun came out and it ended up becoming a warm and beautiful day. There is no prettier place than Seattle...when the sun is out.  The girls had a blast...collecting shells, watching a sea otter, eating snacks... And always looking so cute in the process! This is a new thing for Paige...a serious showing of pouting. It's kind of funny...  And just like any sibling, they can be the best of friends, but know exactly how to taunt each other to no end. Brynn is doing just that here... Oh my sweet Finley Her first dip in the ocean. And she didn't mind at all. These photos really capture how chubby she is! I  L.O.V.E. it!! After a few hours on the beach, we rode bikes and enjoyed the playground. The zip-line was a favorite. This day is what I am now calling a "Freeze" day. It was one of those da...

After two years at Creative Kids Preschool , Paige celebrated her graduation. We have so enjoyed this preschool and have grown to love the teachers and staff. Paige has made wonderful friends and made great progress in her skills. We are proud of her...and look forward to many more graduations! Yay Paige! Here is (most) of what they shared about Paige Brynn was very proud of her sister, too! Afterwards, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch party Saying Thank You and Goodbye... This is Ms. Jennifer. She is head of the Community Center, so between dance and school, Paige has a lot of interaction with her. She is a wonderful, special lady. She is beyond dedicated to these kids and we love her!  Thanks, Ms. Colleen! We hope to see her when Brynn is headed to school! And Ms. Cheryl. She is moving to Arizona and will no longer teach here. It was a sad and teary goodbye with her. She has become Paige's special friend. They loved to sit together during snack and share what each other broug...

We got tucked into bed shortly after 11pm on Friday night from our Disney vacation...and woke the next morning to head off to Vantage for a weekend at the lake. I unpacked our suitcases into smaller suitcases, and threw some food in the cooler and we were off!  Good thing because the water looked like this... (Cell phone pic) The weather was a little on the chilly side so we were the lone boat at the beach! But honestly, it was one of the most perfect days on the lake. I can't remember a day with absolutely NO wind. It made it feel so much warmer! The girls had a blast in the tubes Cousin Kenton was so sweet to my girls! He is off on a mission in just a few short days.  And Cousin Brynna. Paige thinks she is soooo cool (and she is, really!) Here is our group at the lake on Monday. Two other boats joined us that day.  We do a really outstanding job of sitting around chatting and eating. Brynn spent a lot of her time eating peas. Aunt Dani would open up the pods for he...