Going Private

I've decided to take the blog private.  If you want an invitation email me or leave a comment below {even if you've never commented before}.  I'll moderate comments so your email address won't be posted. 

Thanks guys!  We love our blog readers!

So I don't forget.

{photo by em}

Last night Mckinlay and I were dressing up in my jewelry.  We were getting ready to go to our weddings where we were going to marry princes.  

While getting ready our conversation went like this:

Mck:  What prince are you marrying Mom?

Me:  I'm marrying Prince Ty.  He looks just like Daddy.

        Who are you marrying?

Mck:  His name is Prince Sam.  

He looks just like Charles Muntz.

{You know, from Up?}

She also has a new "imagination friend." 
His name is Rico.
He's a skunk.

Where does she come up with these things?

An update in {mostly} photos

Lately we've been:

 

Doing

 

{Yes, I realize that says "starging."  

Call me lazy.Too many steps to fix it.}

  

{click to enlarge}

Yuck.

Frost, please hurry so they all die.  

I'd like to open my windows and doors again. 

{did i really just wish for the frost to come?}

 

 

Don't worry.  We're all fine.

A Little Preschooler

The long anticipated day has arrived.

Yesterday she laid out her clothes the on floor of her room just like there was a little body in them.  Shirt, pants, shoes and a bow.
Funny how she knows that is what you do the day before school starts.

She woke up 3 times last night in anticipation.

"No Mckinlay, it's 2:30 in the morning.  It's still nighttime."

Call her a brown-noser if you will, but she was insistent that we take Miss. Bridi a treat for the first day of school.  

Is she my child, or what!?

Happiness is:

Miss Personality

Yesterday Mckinlay was gabbering away. I wasn't really listening to what she was saying, then she turns to me and says:

"But that was when I didn't have a personality Mom."

 

{click to enlarge}

Not sure that there was ever a time this girl didn't have a personality.

Last week while I was putting on makeup, getting ready for my surprise anniversary date

 {Thank you Ty!  And thank you Pearsons for being party to the scheme!}

...Mckinlay says:

"Can I have some makeup too Mom?"

Me:

"No honey, it's just for Mommy."

Mckinlay:

"PLEASE Mom!  Just one 'cutie mark'!?"

Cutest little "cutie mark" I've ever seen.

6 years & we're almost there.

Someone told us the other day that once you hit year 7, it's smooth sailing from then on. 
I can't imagine the past 6 years being any better, so I'm pretty excited for years 7 - eternity!

{Photo by Sarah B.}

Love you hun.
So much.

Mckinlay Marie

This girl is growing up too fast.  Every time I look at her I'm amazed at how much older she looks, how long her legs are getting and by the concepts and ideas that come out of her mouth.

This is one of my all time favorite photos of Mckinlay.  It was taken by Em.  I love it because it's totally her. The huge grin, the little sparkle in her eye, the whispy hair.  That's my girl. 

 Here are a few things about Mckinlay at 3 and a 1/2:

{Photo by Sarah B.}

-She stopped sucking her thumb!  I took her to the store to pick out any prize she'd like.  I told her she would get the prize if she didn't suck her thumb for a week.  She picked out a tube of kids toothpaste.  Not a My Little Pony, not a Littlest Pet Shop, but a tube of tooth paste.  {Needless to say her Dad was proud.} Between the toothpaste motivation and a little Mavala Stop, she did it!  And fast too!

Hooray!

-Mckinlay loves to sing.  Her favorite's include: Sweet Caroline, The Primary colors, ABC {especially the "pig version"}, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Hey Soul Sister, songs from Scripture Scouts, and Backyardigans, and any/all the songs from Barbie and the Diamond Castle. 

-Mckinlay cannot stop dancing.  She doesn't walk, but flits everywhere she goes.  She's got some pretty sweet dance moves too.

-She'd eat a popsicle for every meal if she were allowed and then ask for another one for dessert.

-She loves to snuggle and watch movies or read stories.

-Mckinlay's tall.  Like, almost a head taller than a lot of kids her age.

-Whenever she's frustrated she goes "Arrrrhhhhh."  We were wondering where in the world she got that from, until Ty got frustrated, that is.

-She listens to everything we say.  Even things we had no idea she was listening to.  It's pretty funny.  One day I found her on her pretend cell phone repeating our full address, my cell number and Ty's.
"Call this number ---- OR this one ----."
We totally didn't teach her that.

-She loves to play with Eliza.  Especially to tickle her and make her laugh.

-She calls Eliza:

"Cutes", "Liza", and "Little Sparkle Eyes"

You often find Mckinlay in Liza's face saying:

"Hey little sparkle eyes!  Do you have a smile just for me?"

And Liza always does.
No one can make her giggle like Mckinlay can.

-Mckinlay still has a lot of imaginary friends and a very vivid imagination. She comes up with some great stories and plays well on her own.  "Tiko" is still her favorite friend of them all.  The other day we were driving in the car and she yelled, "Mom stop!"  To which I quickly turned around and she said "Tiko doesn't have his seat belt on yet."
Oh my.

-Mckinlay is starting preschool in the fall, 2 days a week.  I have never seen anyone more excited about starting school in the fall.  She talks about it all the time.

  "It's not fall yet because it's still really hot and is summer, but when summer is over it's the fall and I get to go to {pauses to look Ty straight in the eye} PRESCHOOL."

{Photo by Sarah B.}

Love, love love this girl!

Family pictures.

Here are just a few of our faves:

 

I'm kind of in love with these photos.

They were taken by darling Sarah B.  

{Thanks for making our little family look so good!}

Check out her website here.

troublesville.

my mom keeps saying that's where we're headed.  not exactly sure what that means.

lizy here.  

my mom's letting me guest post today.

and you know what else?

i've been working pretty hard on all this new stuff.

and i think she's pretty cool too.

xo,

eliza

Polka dot Deja vu.

How perfect that she cut bangs again last week!  

We're lucky enough to spend some time with my little sis this week.  The girls and I drove down to Kentucky Monday morning to meet up for a few days with all the Mckinlay girls {+ Eli, the token male}.  Mom's been there for a week and Maddle flew in Monday for a week.  We spent a few days all together down there, then Mom and Mandi {"Maddle"}followed us up to Cleveland for a couple days.  

We feel spoiled.

sharks and pixi dust

Mckinlay just finished a 4 week "Princess Ballet" class at the local community center.  

 She loved it!

It was a fun intro to ballet for her.

Since Ty's off this week, he got to come to her last class/performance.  She was pretty excited about it.

{Sorry the lighting is so bad...but you get the idea}

After we went to Mitchell's for a post performance treat.  

Pretty darn cute.

Who needs firecrackers...

when you have this little gal?

We're loving having the Mckinlay cousins back in town. The kids are having a fun playing, the Mamas are having fun cooking and sewing, and the men are having fun being manly.

Enjoy your weekend!

from our home,

{YIKES!}

to yours.

"Our Dad's Awesome!"

1st year of residency:
check

And now we get our Daddy for 12 whole days
before he starts 2nd year.

Pretty sure this is the longest vacation he's had in 5 years.
Can't think of someone who deserves a break more than he does.

Wahoo!!

And while we're talking about things that are awesome...
Mckinlay drew this just for Ty's "birthday."
{We put up streamers to welcome him home from his last day of 1st year.
streamers = birthday
There was no convincing her otherwise.}

Mckinlay Cousins Week

Alli and the kids drove up to our house this week, while B was in Japan on business. So these guys got to spend the week together.

There was lots of dress up, movie watching, treat eating, stamping, necklace making, and just plain fun. So much in fact, that we're going to do it again next week for the 4th of July!

While the kiddos played and slept, the Mama's sewed. We refashioned dresses for ourselves, and made these little cuties for the girls.

These two are so fun together! We really feel lucky to be so close.

Can't wait for more fun, and sewing projects
{and some manly-construction work}
next weekend!