Whirl Wind of a Month

So much has happened in our lives since I last blogged!  Crazy how fast time flies...I find myself thinking, "I need to make sure I blog about that" and woosh, time flies by and I never get it done.  Anyhow, I'm making myself sit down and attempt to recall the highlights of our summer since the last day of school, through the use of pictures!!  Hope I don't forget any of the biggies...apologies if I do!

School ended and we were on our way to TX with Justin to visit our friends Terry and Reagan for the holiday (Memorial) weekend.  Our days were full of fun, with trips to the Botanic Garden, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, and ice skating.  Our days were full of love and smiles!

1-2-3 JUMP (or lift)!!!!

And again....1-2-3!!

Reagan and Vika

Feeding the fish

LOTS of BIG, Hungry Fish

More fishy food, please

Beautiful

Vika, Justin, Terry and Reagan on the bridge

Vika and the BIG KID, Terry, dancing
on a HUGE rock

Jammin' with her new buddy!

Reagan, Vika and Terry

Vika riding on Justin's shoulders

Reagan and Vika

Mama and Vika getting on our skates

The Skaters!!!  Justin, Terry, Me, and Vika

Mama and Justin helping me ice skate for the first time

There we go!  They won't let me fall!

AHHHHhhhhhhhhh!

 

I'm ready...I think?!?!  Hold me tight!

This must've been before Terry fell TWICE...
breaking his pride and nearly his wrist. lol.
We love you, Terry!

The four us skating.

She wanted to ride the bunny.

SMILE!

WILD and CRAZY blue tongue girl!

After spending a few days in the Dallas/Ft Worth area, we headed back to KS, with just enough time to repack, to leave for Ohio the next morning.

Yes, she woke up at 3am for this flight...
and still has a smile on her face. :)  Feeding
her puppy a cookie on the plane flight.

Due to summer Alphabetic Phonics Training, Vika went to stay with her Babushka and Dedushka for two weeks...without me!  My first time away from my baby girl...as difficult as it was for me, it was great knowing that she was in the loving arms of my parents.  And Vika LOVED LOVED LOVED her time in Ohio!  She had sooooo much fun, she didn't want to come back to Kansas...but who could blame her...it's KANSAS!!

Anyhow, babushka took off five days to be with Vika and the other days, Jackie watched her.  Jackie is such a blessing, and was great with Vika!  She loved on my baby like she was her own, which is exactly what I wanted.  

My lil' Princess

with Owen, her prince in shiny armor

a cowgirl

WORE OUT...Must take a nap!

 

She even got to ride on the 4-wheeler with Ron

Knowing she was in good hands and having a ball, made it possible for me to be away for two weeks.

So,...what did my baby girl do while in Ohio for 3.5 weeks (two of which were without me)?  Well, when she wasn't with Jackie, she was busy having fun with family and friends!  Vika made many memories with her "boyfriend", who insisted that he does NOT have cooties!  Yes, I had taught Vika that boys do, in fact, have cooties.  However, after spending just two weeks with her babushka, she now insist boys do not have cooties...at least not "cute boys".  Vika rode her first horse with Sylas, who held her, because "she is petite!"  Seriously, where do kids come up with this stuff?  I LOVE it!

 And they climbed an apple tree, which Sylas helped her up.

No fear, hanging from a tree branch

there Sy is, helping push her up

Monkin' around

Is my daughter holding hands with a boy?!?!?!

The tractor swing

"Babushka, push me HIGHER!!!"

Time to say good-bye...

Precious...

Vika also spent a lot of time, playing with her "big sis", Alex.  Vika has been calling Alex her big sister, ever since she met her in March.  They went shopping, swimming, picked berries, rode on the Polaris, swung on the tire swing, played at the ballpark, and so much more.  Occasionally, Avery and Addy were even able to get in on the fun... :)

They even dressed like sisters

Soap on the trampoline

Avery, Vika and Alex

 

Avery jumping in the pool with Vika

Vika jumping to Avery

Alex and Vika

Jumping in the pool...getting more brave!

Riding on the Polaris

And they are off...

Popsicles are a must

Vika's turn to drive

Aren't they the cutest??

Sister Love

helping Vika pick her first berries

Getting in there, herself

SHOVELING the berries in...by the handful!

 

 

Vika sitting with her big sis, watching Avery play softball.

Muah!

Vika also went canoeing for the first time with her mama, Babushka, Dedushka, Auntie Jenny, and Aunt Kathy.  Surprisingly, neither canoe was tipped, nor did we get into a water fight!  I think that must've been a first for us! :)  Therefore, we nearly made it all the way down the river without getting wet...until we came up to a group of kids with water guns...enough said.  We did have one battle wound...a paddle to the head...hence the bandana, with ice wrapped in it, on Vika's head.

All ready...snacks packed and life jacket on.

Auntie Jenny, Vika and Dedushka floating down the river

Auntie Jenny, Vika, Dedushka and Babushka

SMILES!!

Aunt Kathy and Vika with Babushka floating
down the river in a tube.

Eating pudding on the river with Babushka

Dedushka and Auntie Jenny were fast paddlers.

Vika watching out for the paddle... ;-)

Vika and Babushka

Standing...Put your hands in the air and dance!

Vika is flying

After a day on the water...Vika was pooped!

Precious!

Vika also went to the city pool with Alex, Sylas and Jurnie!!

Sy and Vika

Alex trying to teach Vika to swim

Love this face!

Sy, Alex, Vika and Jurnie

Jurnie and Vika in the pool

Froggy slide with Alex

Vika with her first boyfriend!

She asked Babushka for earrings, while she was staying with her for the two weeks...so when I traveled back to spend a week at my parents before we headed back to KS, we took her to get her ears pierced. 

waiting for them to pierce her ears...
BIG SMILE...I'm ready

Marking her ears...

Ready, Set, Pierce!

ALL DONE!!!

There you have it...ears pierced!

It also included rides on the lawn mower with Dedushka.  According to Dedushka, she drives just like her mama...give her the wheel and she heads straight for the only tree in the entire backyard :)

Vika also discovered how yummy spaghetti is...and how much fun it is to eat!  So glad she was at Babushka's house and NOT at a restaurant! :)

Vika with her Dedushka

As I sit here and reflect, it seems like just yesterday that I brought Vika home, and here it's been six months already.  Month five was a whirl wind of a month, and I don't expect month six to slow down at all!