Being 2 has been really fun for Lydia so far! A couple days after her birthday our zoo was having a special event where you could talk to keepers and go behind the scenes. Awesome! Lydia got to pet a snake and a baby alligator! Super cool! By the way this is one of Lydia's favorite shirts because it has a pineapple on it. :)

Our library had a summer reading kick-off party the other day so Lydia got to play some games and they even took her picture with the traveling theme (once again in her pineapple shirt)! The man taking her picture wasn't Daddy so she really didn't know what to think of it. Ha! Lydia's been getting ready for the baby by making sure the car seat is still usable. I had gotten it out of her closet yesterday and she promptly tucked her bear in all cozy. Then she piled pajamas and toys and books in it as well. I guess so her bear wouldn't get cold or bored. All day when we'd go in her room she's whisper "Shhh, bear sleeping." Let's hope she doesn't tuck her baby brother in the same way!

Yesterday Lydia finally let me do her hair! Amazing! Look at those pigtails! And hooray for caulk!

She loves posing for the camera now! I'd bring out the camera and she'd sit on her little chair all ready. She's so fun! What a sweet girl!

Lydia's 2! This is Lydia blowing out her candles - all two of them! What a big girl! We had a nice little dinner party with her temporarily bachelorized uncle (Kristi and the cousins are up in Utah for a couple of weeks) and us. Mike barbecued and I made the cake.A little story about the cake... When the cakes were cooling the night before Mike decided that he'd save us the calories of a double layer cake by dumping one of the layers on the floor. He was looking out for us all. :) But I managed to slice our one sad layer into two layers as it was (cuz I really wanted a strawberry filling cake), so it turned out to be just enough cake for all of us! Perfect! Lydia was really excited about opening her gifts, she was really good at ripping off the paper! And she really wanted to open her pool right away! She also loves this kiddie chalkboard we got out of someone's trash last week! I was so proud of myself and Mike is really quite embarassed that I would admit to such a thing, but c'mon! What a great find!! The great things I've learned from my parents!And Lydia is just so fun! She's become quite the bag lady. Here is a picture of her carting around her doll stroller full of stuff, a bucket (full of stuff), her purple purse (full of stuff), and a gift bag (also full of stuff). I had to laugh, it was hilarious! And when we go anywhere she has to have one of purses. Crazy girl!

By the way, we found out Lydia will be getting a little brother in October!! We're so excited!!

Seminary Graduation!

This is my class at seminary graduation last week (yes, unfortunately Lydia was very much a part of our class). Seminary is over! No more teaching kids at 6 am wondering if they're really just sleeping with their eyes open! But I'm really sad it's over. I loved my class and I loved teaching the Doctrine and Covenants! It was by far the most rewarding assignment I've ever had. And if it wasn't for this baby coming next fall I'd be doing it again (you can sort of see my tummy, or my lack of waist).
I had such a blast this past year and I'm so proud of my kids! Seminary rocks!