Growing so fast!

These kids are growing like crazy! I can't believe Cole is already 6 months old, and turning into a little blondie! Alice is so full of personality as you can see from many of her photos. She is still loving to spend any moment she can outside! Time is flying by and we are totally loving and enjoying these cute little ones!

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The Cabin

We spent one night over Memorial Day weekend at my parents cabin. All the Calton cousins were there (except the China Calton's of course!) We had so much fun!

It's pictures like this that I love... but also make my heart just ache even more than it already does, wishing Ashley was here with us. Hannah is about the same age as Ash and they were really close. Hannah and Alice are great buddies, and I am so grateful for this!

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I was having fun just taking pictures of the kids around the house the other day and here are some fun shots. This first one is so funny to me and depicts what every day life is like with these two! Alice entertaining Cole with her fun personality!

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Memorial Day

This is the 3rd Memorial Day since Ashley left this earth! Crazy to think so much time has gone by. We are so grateful to feel so much peace when we visit the cemetery. We miss our little princess like crazy, and can't wait to see her again!

We were sitting here on Memorial Day and Paul's brother shows up with his family, then a few minutes later his sister and her kids! What a surprise, and how fun that we all came at the same time! It was so fun to sit around Ashley's headstone and just hang out and talk for awhile.

Paul's Trip

Paul just returned home from the Middle East! He went as part of his MBA program. He visited Morocco, Egypt, Dubai, and Turkey! He had a blast! We certainly missed him like crazy! He was gone for 17 days! Some how we survived!

Here are some highlights!

I think his favorite company that they visited was BMW!

If you asked Alice where her daddy was here is what she would say, "My Daddy went on a trip, on an airplane, to ride camels!" So when Paul had the opportunity to ride a camel he had to do it so he could get some pictures for Alice!

Citideal Capital in Egypt

View from the European side to the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey

View from the Worlds tallest building in Dubai

Skiing indoors at a mall in Dubai

Good times!

Alice was so excited for her first swimming lesson! We thought we would d a trial class to see if she liked it.... well she loved it!

She has talked about it every day since, and for a week straight after she wore her swimming suit! Thank goodness we start weekly private lessons next week!

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EASTER!

We had lots of Easter fun.

Here is Alice and her cousin Jack dying eggs!

Easter egg hunt at Grandma & Grandpa Calton's

All the cousins lined up ready to go!

Easter morning!

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THE ZOO!

Alice is obsessed with the Zoo right now. We went with some of her Calton cousins a couple of weeks ago and had so much fun!

She was so excited the rhino and elephants were out, because the last time we had gone they had all gone inside for the rest of the day!

Grey sweatshirt gang!

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CONGRATULATIONS TO PAUL! YEAH!

He road in his first bike race with his friends Chris, Todd, and Michael!

They road 25 miles and did great!

Good job boys!

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Cole got to meet his Grandma Joan and Grandpa Wayne for the first time last week.

We were so excited!

We wish our little man was feeling better, last week he got Bronchiolitis! We started off all night in the ER one night thinking it was croup. After x-rays, a breathing treatment, and steroids they sent us on our way, a few days later things just didn't seem right and he wasn't getting better. I didn't feel right about how he was doing and called the Dr. again, after more x-rays, 4 breathing treatments at the Dr. they said he actually had RSV and that it had now worsened into Bronchiolitis! Poor guy! Luckily we have been able to escape being admitted into the hospital. We have done breathing treatments at home, and have taken him to the hospital 3 times a day to be suctioned out! As of today, we are still taking him to get suctioned out, but he hasn't had to have a breathing treatment since Monday. So we feel like we are on the upswing of things and hopefully he will be better by the weekend!

We love you Cole! Get better soon ok!

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HAPPY 33rd BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEETHEART!

Yesterday was Paul's birthday!

We love you so much, thanks for being such a wonderful father, husband, and best friend. You work so hard for our family and we want you to know how much we appreciate all that you do for us! We are SO LUCKY to have you!

March Madness!

We are loving the warmer weather!

We are loving our walks. Here was Cole's first walk outside. He loved it and just went right to sleep!

The other day I was getting ready and I noticed Alice carry the scale into our closet, then came out and found her stool and carried it into the closet too, I gave her a minute to see what she was up to.....

And this is what I found.

Our laundry bags are her new favorite place to hide.

(Thank goodness for the scale, that gave her what, like another inch, to make it over and in! :)

Alice loving Cole!

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On St. Patrick's Day a little leprechaun came to our house while Alice was napping and left a little trail of candy that lead to a "pot of gold" or in Alice's case a prize. It was so funny, she was so excited it took her a few minutes to get to the prize, because she would stop and eat the chocolates on the way, she is my little chocolate lover. Like mother like daughter I guess!

Her prize was a big bubble container! She was so excited she would say cheese, but couldn't take her eyes off it!

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A couple of weeks ago, was the 2 year mark since our sweet Ashley left this earth. Obviously the day was tough. Lots of emotions surface. It's a very hard day.

We have decided that on this day that we would spend the day doing things Ashley loved. And as the kids get older we will let them choose what they think Ashley would have loved.

This is how we spent this day. (More for memory and journaling sake than for those out there who decide to read this!) Paul had school, so the kids and I went to Haggerman's for breakfast, something I used to do with Ash on occasion, and she loved it. We then went to the store to get balloons, and headed to the cemetery. Alice loves going to the cemetery. We then headed to Target to buy "Princess and the Frog," because we know Ash would have enjoyed it. After naps we headed to the Zoo! We have so many fun memories of going to the Zoo with Ash, so it seemed like the perfect thing. And Alice has been telling me for weeks she wants to go to the Zoo's house and see the giraffes! Our friends the Wades joined in on our fun! We then headed to Red Robin for a bite to eat. After that we headed back to the cemetery so Paul could go. We tried to get a picture with Alice and Paul at the cemetery, but she was off to the water fountain, one of her favorite things to do when we visit! We planned on having a movie night and watching our new movie with Alice, but by the time we got home she was exhausted.

This is the day before, March 19th

When we left the house the sun was out, I didn't even think to bring coats, by the time we got to the cemetery, which is only like 10 min. away, it was snowing like crazy!

March 20th, 2010

Cole at the Zoo

Alice & Lexi

The Fam!

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This is one of those moments as a Mom that just makes it all worth it!

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Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt!

Alice had so much fun!

Of course we couldn't get a picture of her looking, but I love her face in this picture, it just shows her excitement.

Alice with some of her friends

Alice, Abbie, Lexi, Cameron, Will, & Spencer!

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Cousin Will & Cole

These two are only 6 weeks apart. I am sure that in a couple of years they will be best little buddies getting into a lot of trouble together and we will look back at this picture and wish we could turn back time!

Cute little thing, isn't she?

P.S. Paul is beginning to think no one loves us any more because we don't get as many comments as we used to!!!! So if you want to make my hubby feel happy, take a few seconds write a few words!!!!!!!

LOL! :)