Father's Day 2010

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loves his daughter
More than I love you!
-Paul Simon

What a wonderful Father's Day, celebrating extraordinary men! Lila and I woke up early this morning to put together a special breakfast for a special Daddy! Who doesn't love to be woken up by two ladies that love you to pieces and a fresh breakfast?!

The rest of our morning was spent hanging around the house, being lazy in our jammies, reading the paper, opening gifts and being downright silly!

After Lila's nap we got cleaned up and headed out to watch Celia play soccer. As we were leaving the house we got the call that it had been cancelled, so instead we met Jason, Jen and the girls at Noelridge park to enjoy the warm weather. After our time in the park we made a stop at Parlor City for ice cream! Lila enjoyed some banana yogurt, yum!

After a big day Lila was tuckered out, there is no better way to wind down than to read a few good stories before heading off to sleep.

The most amazing part of the day was watching Mike with Lila, enjoying being a father. As I was putting the pictures together for the posting tonight, I was looking through them thinking about all the fun we had today, but the truth is, every day is just like today, a celebration of the father that Mike is, the relationship he has with his little girl, it is pretty amazing and neither Lila nor I could be luckier! Thank you Mike for being the other half to my whole and the most amazing father I know! We love you!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad, thank you for being a wonderful father, grandfather, friend and mentor! We wish all of the amazing men out there celebrating today a Happy Father's Day!

Maiden Voyage!

This weekend marked the 2nd Annual Riverfest at my Dad's cabin in Guttenberg! Mike and I both took Friday off, sprung Lila from daycare, loaded up the truck and off we went! We were both really excited to take a day off and even more excited to head to the river.

My Dad has two new boats in his collection, so we were anxious to scope them out and take a ride. It also marked Lila's very first boat ride! It is kind of hard to believe that they make life jackets small enough for a little bean like Lila, but they do! Mike and I were excited to witness her first boat ride, but no one was more excited than her Grandpa Smith! This is a tradition that I lived out with my Grandpa Smith and I know Dad revels in the fact that he too, is creating that tradition with his grand kids. Some of my most treasured memories of being a kid are centered around spending time on the Mighty Mississippi!

The first of many rides!

What is a boat ride without a cold beverage?!

The Friday before Riverfest is a more relaxed time with just our family. We all come in the day before to spend some time together before all of the guests arrive on Saturday. We have had a very special guest join us both years, Tony Haselden. He is an amazing songwriter from Nashville, he has written many songs for very famous people, including George Strait! Tony played for us in the living room for about 45 minutes...a true treat!

With much anticipation Saturday came and other family and friends started to arrive to the cabin. Our good friends joined us a little early to try and take advantage of the boat(s), thank goodness the weather cleared itself up, it really made for a beautiful day! There were three other little ones that took their first rides this weekend, little Henley, Dylan and Danielle were all decked out ready to feel the wind in their hair!

Henley's first boat ride...soothing!

The gang!

It seemed like the weekend went by in a flash. Before we knew it we were on our way back to Cedar Rapids to prepare for a birthday celebration. The weekend before my brother Jason and Mom celebrated their birthday's on June 6th. We spent last weekend with Jason celebrating at their house, which we now know will be our last celebration there. They are moving this week into my Mom's house temporarily before their house is completed in October. We had a great time and good food, the girls even threw fish on the grill they had caught the day before with their Grandma and Grandpa Strike. YUM!

The Birthday Boy!

Hook, line & sinker!

This Sunday we were happy to host another birthday celebration with the Harvey side of the family for Jason and my Mom. My grandma is a wonderful cook/baker, always treating us with scrumptious cakes and pies on our birthdays. This year the girls had requested a sunshine cake and a peace sign, so she provided them with blank canvases and they had the freedom to decorate the cakes until their little hearts were content!

"Happy Birthday to You!"

My Mom also had another big announcement to share...the day before her birthday, her boyfriend of 3 1/2 years, Terry asked for her hand in marriage. We are happy for them both as they seem truly happy together!

It is amazing how quick life goes when you have a little one tearing up the house! Lila is all over the place and constantly wowing us with her amazing smarts and her hilarious personality! She is leading us on a chase all over the house one minute and the next she is begging to be in your lap for some snuggles!

Watching the news!

Reading to my dear friend Bongo!

Going for a stroll!

Life with Lila is changing by the minute! While our lives are full of schedules and structure for a one year old at the very same time she keeps us on our toes! She reminds us how the simple things in life are truly the most important, truly the things to be celebrated!

Enjoying the Weather!

We have been enjoying the warm weather the past few days! We celebrated Mother's Day late with my Mom last Friday while she was in town. Terry spent some time teaching some chords to Celia, she is quite the mandolin player! She had two big fans watching her as she played Twinkle, Twinkle! Amazing!

We have been taking as many walks as we can since Lila absolutely loves relaxing in her stroller as Mom, Dad and the puppies hoof it around the neighborhood! She looks so cute resting her little feet up on the tray of her stroller, with her sun hat on and her sippy cup of ice water! AHHHH, the good life!

We are pretty sure we have created a monster, Lila longs for outside...

And isn't happy until she is "free!"

Catching Up!

We have been quite busy at the Eddins household! Lila is enjoying all of her new toys from her birthday, including her riding toys! The wood floor makes for a perfect race track...she gives Mommy & Daddy anxiety as she slips and slides around.

Lila could not love her dogs more than she does and the feeling is mutual! Both of the puppies adore her. When we come in the house from being gone and set Lila down they are all over her giving kisses, sniffing her up and down to figure out where she has been. They often spend cuddle time on the couch, this is what a typical Sunday morning at our house looks like.

A few weekends ago I joined Jason & Jen to watch Celia and Ruby dance in their very first dance recital! They dance for the National Dance Academy...they had a packed house at the U.S. Cellular Center.

The Girls!

I was quite nervous for the girls considering the U.S. Cellular Center is huge and so was the stage that they were to perform on, but they marched out holding their little head's high with big smiles and danced their little hearts out! These girls are so important to Mike & I, we couldn't love them more, so the pride that swelled inside of me watching them dance...literally moved me to tears! I can't imagine being their Mom & Dad!

Tiny Dancers!

This Friday found Mike & I in Dubuque to watch our friend Riley, and his band The Life of Riley, perform at the Mississippi Moon Bar, they opened for Jordin Sparks! It was a great time! Riley and the band did such a great job, we were so happy to be there to show our support and listen to some great music...plus, we got an adult night! The evening was topped off by winning $200 at the craps table!

It is hard to believe but this Sunday marked 4 years in our house! It is definitely home, but I swear we just moved into it! It is amazing to think how much has happened in those 4 years. We moved in the May before we got married, so we were newlyweds in this house and brought our beautiful daughter home to this house!

We are looking forward to the many memories yet to be shared in this house...our home!

Happy Mother's Day

A mother is someone to shelter and guide us,

To love us, whatever we do,

With a warm understanding and infinite patience,

And wonderful gentleness, too.
How often a mother means swift reassurance

In soothing our small, childish fears,

How tenderly mothers watch over their children

And treasure them all through the years!
The heart of a mother is full of forgiveness

For any mistake, big or small,

And generous always in helping her family

Whose needs she has placed above all.
A mother can utter a word of compassion

And make all our cares fall away,

She can brighten a home with the sound of her laughter

And make life delightful and gay.
A mother possesses incredible wisdom

And wonderful insight and skill

In each human heart is that one special corner

Which only a mother can fill!

- Katherine Nelson Davis

I had a wonderful Mother's Day...all in part to my amazing husband, beautiful daughter and other family! I awoke, after sleeping in, to two beautiful bouquets of flowers, two sweet cards and the fabulous gift of an iPod touch! YAY for me!

We got cleaned up and off we went to brunch at CRCC, yum! We met up with my Dad, Laura, Carson, Cade and my Grandma Smith. It was so nice to have great food and catch up with family! There were so many happy Mother's there, it is nice to be a part of the group!

After brunch we took advantage of the surprise sunshine and headed to Culver's to do some browsing! We were on the hunt for a Lilac tree, but unfortunately they didn't have much to choose from. But, we did find a really neat potted plant for our front porch...thanks Dad!

After we left Culver's we headed home to hang out and enjoy the rest of the day. Lila inherited a playset that we bought for Celia when she was about her age, so she took her first "swing" on her swing! She really liked it! I can see a much bigger version in our future!

After some fun in the sun, Lila and I snuggled in on her big green chair and before we knew it we were both zonked! A true Mother's Day treat...considering a one year old has much better things to do than to snuggle in and take a nap with their Mommy!

I said to Mike today, "I sometimes still cannot believe that I am a MOM!" I wear the title like a badge of honor. I couldn't be more proud than I am to be a Mom, Lila's Mom, the Mom to Mike's child. I have never done such important work, I will never feel as accomplished in my life than I do when I look at my child.

Happy Mother's Day to all the AMAZING Mom's out there!