Birthday Celebration

Each year at the McGraths, we have tried how best to handle the numerous amount of birthdays we have to celebrate in August, September and October. So this year we have decided to try to lump them together and celebrate the closest ones together. With everyone being so busy, it was just getting too hard to try to get together every week to celebrate someone else's birthday. Tis seems to be working out great! So, tonight we celebrated Chad's, Scott's and my birthdays'.

We each got to pick our own dessert! It was great!!

The last day of summer

The Last Day of Summer!!

We really wanted to take advantage of the last weekend the pool would be open. We swam until we couldn't swim anymore! Ella is really a little fish. About half-way through the summer she really figured out how to float and swim with her swimmies on, which she calls huggies, because we told her when we were blowing them uop on her arms, that they were going to give her arms hugs! She lasts about 10 minutes and then she wants to be in the baby pool, but she really got the hang of it!

You can't tell in the picture...but she was asleep before we even left the pool area!

After swimming, we napped...ALL of US, and then headed downtown to the Sky Concert (fireworks set to music). We eneded up meeting up with the Burdicks who were there too and hung out with them during the fireworks. Which worked out great for us, because they were also with Shannon's family...who love kids, so they helped entertain Ella and hlod Cole!! The fireworks were great. What an end to a great summer!!

Cinder-Ella, Cinder-Ella

We washed the cars and Ella decided that she wanted to help!

There were no child labor laws broken during the taking of this picture!

26

Happy 26th Birthday to ME!!!

I have to say that I feel extremly blessed to have a wonderful husband, truly great kids, so many fabulous friends and a supportive family. Life is good! This past year has changed me a lot. I can no longer use the excuse that I am a new mom...somehow, after you have the second baby, you are supposed to know it all and when you don't you can't blame it on being a first-timer! But I can say, without a doubt, that I don't know it all, but I am learning more and more everyday. Ella teaches me constantly...patience, how to have fun and laugh like a kid again, find new ways to look at the mundane, how to relax and just have fun for a while. Cole too is teaching me many things...how to know that everything doesn't have to be perfect, and that is ok, how to not worry about later, just focus on right now. With Ella I tried to not ever hold her while she was sleeping, because then she would get used to that and not sleep well on her own, but with Cole I cherish the times he falls asleep on my shoulder because they grow-up too fast and you can't get those times back! I cannot even imagine what each birthday must be like for my parents, thinking about me when I was Cole and Ella's age and not knowing where the time has gone. My birthday wish this year is that I can learn to focus on today and not worry about tomorrow!!

Giraffe Tent

"Thank you Aunt Sally for my NEW Giraffe tent that I get to keep at Nana and Papa's house!!!! I LOVE IT!!! And my mommy says to say thank you too for getting a zebra for our house!! She is going to love having a zebra in the play room!!"

Libby's Birthday!!

Happy 1st Birthday Libby!!!

We had Bella over today after playgroup and celebrating Libby’s 1st birthday! I can remember her comming to playgroup when she was just a little-bitty and now she is such a big girl!! I cannot wait to continue watching her grow into a beautiful little girl!

Ella and Izzy-Bella as Ella called her had a great time! There was minimal fighting and they really played with each other. They loved sitting on the couch and looking at books and playing with the baby dolls. We took a walk around the block and they chased each other the whole way! We had such a good time and can’t wait to “help-out” again!

This is ok now…but not when they are teenagers!! Isn’t there a song on the radio about “I just kissed a girl and I think I like it” and something about the taset of her cherry chapstick?

Sharing??

Not sharing!!!

Sharing??!!

Pretend napping!

Big Sister

Every time Ella would go over to Cole, he would stop fussing, watch her and GRIN! He was so happy when she would come over and talk to him! I tried to capture it and was only minimally successful! Oh well!

Summer Cook-Out

We headed uo to Greentown today to have lunch with Jess, Shane, Korbin, Kamp, and Kreed. Shane made Muffeletta...it is an Italian sandwich, Scott said it was really good...I didn't try it...go figure!! Korbin had their pick-nick table all set-up for him and Kamp and Ella. They were so cute. After lunch Kamp and Ella serenaded up with some piano music and then we were off to Terri's for swimming, volleyball and more yummy food. The kiddos "played" corn hole while everyone elase played volleyball. Ella, of course, loved the pool! We had a great weekend up there!

Fallyn's Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Fallyn!!!!

We celebrated Fallyn's 2nd birthday with a Dora The Explorer party at her house this afternoon. I was flying solo with the kiddos because Scott had a fantasy draft...so that made it a little more interesting. But, thank goodness for friends, because everyone there helped with either Ella, Cole or both! Thanks so much to everyone for the help!

Tummy Time

Say Cheese! I wish he was this happy during tummy time always!

Happy Birthday Chad!!

Happy 30th Birthday!!

We hope you have a great day and an even better year!

Happy to you, Uncle Chad!!-Love, Ella and Cole

GO BEARS!!

So it seemed really cool in the house today so I was looking for a hat to put on Cole and I jsut couldn't resist! This was too cute!! He is already ready for the season to begin!

Park day

We went to the park by our house today and Ella PLAYED!! She had so much fun on the slides and then she decided that she wanted to go play with the water! We should have brought her bathing suit because there was a sprinkler park there too. Oh, well...maybe next time!!

Look...No HANDS!!!