Another love letter from Yours Truely!

Hey Dudes!! Just a quick update. Then onto LOTS of Pictures! We are doing so Stinkin great out here in Saint Paul!! It is so lovely out here, I just can't get over it! We might have to come vacation here every Summer! Shawn is Doing Awesome! He fianlly LOVES what he's doing. He is selling so well, that his name got mentioned in one the of the Apx articles. I was such a proud wife.. Ok I'm going to totally market and brand for a sec... If you EVER think of selling Security, you might want to consider going with Apx; with Mike R. and Cade T's team. They are the best managers! We could not have been this happy without you guys! Thanks a million! They are a great pair, and take such good care of us. Not to forget Braun their Semi-Regional manager. They are the pro's!

Ok enough of that! McKenzie and I are doing great. McKenzie is teething something fierece and we hope to come home with 2 new teeth.. stay tuned.. Poor thing is not sleeping through the night and nawing on her fist, so soon I hope. Meanwhile, she is sitting up all on her own, still hates her tummy, and loves to chat. She said "Ma Ma" for the first time last week, and I can't get her to say it since.. hmph.. But she's a doll, and we love her so much. She's getting so big.. 16pds now, and very tall for her age, Doc said. She's now eating solids, and we'll see about getting her to crawl one of these days. We are loving the site seeing. We go to a new park almost every day, and have seen lots of fun things, including our first trip to the zoo and a conservatory!

Love you all and miss you so much. Only one month left and we are back. Can't wait to see you all and swap stories! Wish I had more exciting things to write about... .I know you read this whole blog thinking "that's it?!" Hey .. at least I got you to read the whole thing right?

Kisses!

I really need to get a camara like Tara's.. This Pic looks great, if you don't mind me sayin so.. Thanks Tara for taking such a great pic... You caught my kid smilin'. You Rule..

Shawn sportin his work attire..Workin hard.. Yea right!

The APX team ... After a game of Baseball. Our team lost.. It's cuz I didn't play.. I just know it.

Me and McKenzie in our backyard.. Love that we are right on the Riverfront.. So pretty.

Her head is huge.. I love it!!

McKenzie can now sit up all on her own!

McKenzie and I at the Como Conservatory.. Lots of pretty gardens and flowers.. Now to find who done it with what?!?!?

My flower child... Loves it in the Garden..

McKenzie in front of the Como Conservatory.. Really cool looking building!

Too dang cute!! Brynlee and Tommy are 2 other kiddies out here.. I loved taking this pic!

Another cute bumpkin, this is cute little Afton.. She is alreay so stylish at age 1!

Did you just say what I think you said???

WOO HOOO!!!! I think we have McKenzie's first word!!! Can you guess what it is?!?!?

Food 101

We are having WAY to much fun experimenting with food for McKenzie.. She has downed Sweet Potatoes and now bananas with her breakfast cereal. Too bad we didn't get the first taste of sweet potatoes on film.. you would have thought she was trying Castor oil for the first time. It was hilarious. I now know to be ready with my camera every time...

These are from our first experience with Sweet potatoes.. McKenzie decided to take a bite, then clean her palate with her socks after every taste.. So she pretty much wore most of her food. Too dang cute..

McKenzie then decided she could dress herself into her jammies.. Note the foot in the arm sleeve? Love it.

The Amazing Adventures of McKenzie the kid... and Mom

McKenzie's new work uniform.. She really just works part time though ...
Ok So I wish I had something great, and inspiring to tell you, but it's me so FAT chance of that happening.. But here's the update..

We are currently living in St Paul, MN right on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is beautiful! The summers out here almost fool you into moving here, before the 40 below temp sets in and freezes your bum off when it's too late to leave! So we'll be sure to head out before the first snow falls... Hey, I've heard it has snowed as early as August..

McKenzie and I are having SOO much fun exploring. We are finding fun trails to take beautiful walks on, visiting old historic Civil War sites, checking out the pool, always on the move! She just loves it too!! She gets so excited that she starts jumping up and down in my arms with glee to tell me how happy she is. I want her to be ONE with nature.. (raising a granola) so I try to take her somewhere outside every day to experience new things, and enjoy the beauty this earth has to offer. Shawn is doing soo well! He is so happy and having so much fun! I am so glad that the move has been worth it. This whole summer has been such a blur so it is so nice to reap the blessings we have been working so hard for. Our Heavenly Father knows our needs. And I sure do feel a bit spoiled right now. We'll be here until the end of August then we head back home to start back up our Company, Gates Cleaning Services.


These are our apartments from across the river. Love whoever decides to paint them the color of skittles..

This is the "wives club" at the park. We all went out to the taste of Minnesota for the day. Although there wasn't too much food tasting going on, it was still fun, and so nice to get to know the ladies in the office. They are lots of fun, and I have had so much fun getting to know them, and talking their ear off! Is it bad when people just start to smile and nod at you??



McKenzie and I on one of our nature walks.. Pretty sure I was a little more excited thanks she was.
That's right, I let my kid eat leaves... Notice she now holds herself up when she leans over? And how can you miss those blue eyes? Sorry Mom you were soo wrong..


At the local pool where there's lots of water fun.. can't you just tell how much fun McKenzie is having getting drenched by the fountian?? Poor thing started crying like crazy.. I Should really stop "making" her enjoy the water..

Shawn, McKenzie and I on the 4th of July. We watched fireworks from out backyard right by the river. McKenzie was a stud! She watched the entire show without crying and loved it! I have always wanted to watch fireworks with my hubby on a blanket in the grass, relaxed and having fun, and this year we finally got too! It was the best 4th yet!




I THINK WE FOUND HEAVEN..
Ok bare with me. These pictures were from Shawn's phone, we forgot our camera, but I'm sure we'll be back to take much better picutres so you can really understand. The pics just don't do this place justice, but just try to focus on the background and not so much the blurry people. Shawn and I were driving along trying to find a park to play with McKenzie, when we stumbled.. (gps) upon a park/private outdoor school/heaven. There was no one around, so we really weren't sure if we were allowed to be there or not, but we couldn't help ourselves. There were little trails and parks and hills, and we took a walk into the forrest and came into a clearing.. a small meadow.. maybe Bella and Edward's meadow?? But it was so preaceful, and pretty. It felt like time stood still.. the smell, the sounds of the birds chirping, with no one for miles around it seemed. It was soo pretty.. I wish you could've been there. I'm sure that's what heaven looks like.. at least my heaven. I didn't want to leave and we just loved sitting there with our little family laughing and playing with McKenzie.. We found bushes of rasberries and blackberries and ate them, and gave some to McKenzie.. not sure if she likes rasberries as much as I do.. She'll eat anything she can get in her mouth. I can't wait to go back!

Anyone watching the Bachelorette right now? Team (Ed)ward!!

Love Ya'll!