Noelle got the royal treatment at her first trip to the dentist here in town.

Mike’s Sunday school teacher from high school, Sandy, was Noelle’s hygienist – she is amazing, and Noelle was really into everything she was doing.

The office was incredible – Noelle played video games until it was her turn to get her teeth cleaned.

She got to ride the chair, and they gave her a sand timer so she can measure how long she needs to brush her teeth.  Pretty cool stuff.

Happy girl with a pretty smile and lots of prizes.  I’d say our first trip was a success!

Every time Noelle wears these glasses, she puts on some sort of scarf with them and says "I’m a dentist.  I really am!"  Not really sure how purple glasses and a scarf qualifies her to be a dentist, but there you have it folks!

Noelle’s favorite singer is Taylor Swift… she LOVES her (our) iPod!

We have been craving a family fun day together, and this weekend we seized the moment!  We are so blessed and in love! 

Noelle is CRAZY about Anna Kate!  Anna Kate’s still a little nervous around her big sissy, but I don’t blame her.  Suffice it to say Noelle is familiar with the vocabulary word "smother."

We are so blessed!  I will never forget how these smiles make me feel.

Anna Kate and Noelle – both pictures taken at 5 months old during their first week of eating rice cereal.  Just had to post these together!!!

Anna Kate is loving her rice cereal (took a week getting used to), and Noelle just wanted her picture taken with spaghetti all over her face! 

Noelle LOVES Dora… they sing "Row row row your boat" on the show, but end it with, "Life is but a bowl of spaghetti."  After they laugh about how that’s not how the song really goes, Dora asks the viewers sing the song correctly.  Noelle thinks this is hilarious and sings it to us "the wrong way" daily.  Never gets old, I tell you.

I was enjoying taking pictures of my family that I didn’t even bother to take a picture of the whole fireplace, but this is the gist of what it will look like.  We think it turned out really great!

Meanwhile, there was lots of action at Camp P&R!  Poppa and Rara took Noelle fishing Saturday night.  I love this picture of Noelle on Rara’s stool.  Queen bee as Rara is fixing her hair.

Dairy Queen and small towns just go together.  Lucky lucky little girl!

Poppa, great job with this picture.  It’s so precious!

"Hawaii Day!"

This is the adventure of a little girl who made up a bedtime story called "The Talking House."  Mommy helped her embellish the story with a forest whose floor goes "crunch crunch" from pine straws and on the other side of that forest, is a green and white talking house with a wrap around porch.  When you step on its boards, it says, "Ouch, I need a band-aid."  Other times the talking house says "Noelle, go to bed!" 

One of my mom’s best friends, Judy Angle, lives on the other side of the woods from Poppa and Rara.  Noelle and I have been making up stories about her house for as long as I can remember, however, Noelle just thought it was make believe.  Oh how wrong she was!  During this trip to Jacksonville, she got to experience the story of "The Talking House."  Rara and Noelle went through the forest and had lemonade with Judy at the talking house.  They even brought band-aids for the boards that talked to her about their ouchies. 

Our city girl is not sure what to think about catching fish later that day!

All throughout the weekend, Noelle had a little buddy in Jax to match her energy level and keep her laughing! 

Thanks for everything Poppa & Rara.  We needed the break more than I can describe!

While Noelle was gone, I wanted to spend lots of one-on-one time with Anna Kate.  On Saturday, we played dress-up in some of my baby dresses.

Poor baby was teething all weekend, but she was still so very sweet.  Her presence has such a calming affect on me.  I love you so much, Anna Kate!