The Shipp Crew: Here we are!

In case anyone was worried, we are still here! We didn't get washed away at the Jersey Shore...in fact we haven't even been there yet! July has flown by. It is August which means it is wedding month for Doug and MB...I am SO excited. A little stressed about Arden and what mood she will be in that day. Will she be a sweet flower girl that smiles and makes it down the aisle? Or is she going to be sassy and not want to mind? We shall see! Either way, it isn't about her and Doug and MB will be so pretty that day (well, Doug will be handsome!). I will definitely have a wedding post and let you know about Arden and her performance.

Speaking of Arden, she is doing great but has definitely come into her own with her personality! She is definitely opinionated (can't imagine why she is like that, have you met us?!), sassy and loves to say NO but I think it is a combination of things: 1. She can't really communicate too well yet so that really causes her problems 2. she is tired! Definitely the evenings after school are the most trying. The positive side of that is that she loves school and plays hard and has the scrapes and bruises to show it. 3. She is a toddler! So really she is just doing what she is supposed to do. On her good days she is as good as gold and is as sweet as she can be. She gets more cuddly and laughs more. Her other days just tend to be fussy days that end up with a little bit of an earlier bed time or an extra nap. Either way she is my BFF. I love her so much it hurts. Since being here I have really realized how much strength she gives me. If I am homesick I can't have pity parties because she is making me laugh or dragging me to the pantry to pick out a snack. I am so thankful for her. Truly blessed.

July has been our first month that we feel like we can relax on the weekends and not really run a ton of errands to get things for the house or unpack another box...you know all of those things that end up being weekend projects. We bought Arden a blow up pool for the backyard (our backyard is fabulous if I do say so myself) and lounge chairs for us so we sit outside most Saturdays while she plays in the pool and we "lounge." Here is our month in pictures...

{A pic before church...with her muffins in my face!}

{Kevin didn't get the muffins in his face}

{This look says I am cute and I know it!}

{A sweeter smile}

{So cute!}

{Kevin's parents came to visit in mid-July, it was so hot so we went to a Children's Museum. Not really what Kevin and I had in mind for a Children's Museum, a little outdated, but Arden loved it!}

{Of course she really wanted to play with the computer at the museum...go figure she would play with something there that she has at home!}

{Driving the ambulance}

{Catching a fish with Dad}

{Back in the ambulance pushing buttons - she loves to push buttons, literally and figuratively ;)}

{Laying on the ambulance "gurney"...this grossed me out}

{This was Kevin and I's favorite area - a live TV news desk! Arden didn't appreciate it, there weren't any buttons to push or toys that made noise}

{Playing the drum in the teepee}

{Drawing pictures in the Caveman cave}

{Cooking in the kitchen...the oven mitts were her favorite! She sort of looks like she has lobster claws!}

{She liked the cash register...}

{...especially when she found the money!}

{By FAR her favorite exhibit - the life size Light Bright. We could not get her to leave it! We would take her somewhere else and she would run back to this!}

{Was so happy to find this step stool - it only made her hang around longer!}

{I'm definitely getting her a light bright for her birthday or Christmas...shhh, don't tell her ;)}

{Love this smile!}

{First train ride to NYC! Some of our favorite people, the Roarks, were in NYC for 4th of July weekend so we went to see them! So fun hanging out with everyone!}