Choo Choo

Alexa & I hittin' the slides at Miner Mikes

Here is the real reason we visited Miner Mikes...
Alexa LOVES this "Choo Choo Train" rollercoaster, she talks
about it all the time!

Looks like we got a thrill seeker on our hands!

Posin' in front of the much anticipated train line.
Initially I was surprised that Alexa liked it so much since
it goes around the track like 4 times and it's pretty fast!
Lucky for us, she loves it and rides it like 5 times in a row
everytime we go there.
I had to rotate turns this particular Saturday between
Grandma..I started getting dizzy after the first 2 rides

The LaBrue Crew's Easter Weekend

Here are some great pictures of our fun filled Easter weekend...in kind of a reversed order. (sorry I'm not a professional blogger yet!) We got an early start..on Thursday our good friends from Carthage..Buddy & Nadine LaRue & their daughter Makenna (22 mo. old) came and stayed the night with us! Nadine and & I had a lot of fun together...especially after we realized we had a matching outfit for the girls so we dressed them alike and then got the question "are they twins?" all day!
On Friday my mom & Grandma Weekes & my cousin's daughter Ethny came to spend the rest of the weekend with us. We attended the Egg-Mazing Easter egg hunt on Saturday and it was truly Egg-Mazing! They had a ton of blow up bounce houses & slides for the kids to go on. Both Ethny & Alexa loved the huge slide and went up & down it like 5 times. The only problem is that Ethny is big enough to go up and down by herself but Alexa required the help of mommy or daddy and it was a lot of work to lug her up that air slide! We had a ton of fun in the beautiful weather and enjoyed watching conference with all of our family (Kyle's included) ! It was a great Easter weekend!




Here is Makenna at the Egg-Mazing Easter Egg Hunt chowin' down on the hot dog! I love this picture! This girl cracks me up!











Grandma Bell & Alexa






Here I am taking Alexa down the huge blow up slide. It was a lot of work for 5 seconds of thrill but she loved it so it was all worth it!








As we were walking up to greet the Easter Bunny I was bracing myself for a tantrum of Alexa being scarred. Surprisingly enough she loved him (or her) and actually lunged at it forcing the bunny to hold her which worked great for the picture! Who woulda ever thought?





On Thursday Buddy & Nadine & Kyle & I took the girls to Miner Mikes. Again, they loved the slide and went up and down it... a lot!








I really wish I would have got a picture of Buddy playing the jump rope game at Miner Mike's arcade. He was amazing and drew a huge crowd! That guy can jump! and he won 300 tickets just from one game!






This is pre-Miner Mike's when we had the girl's dressed alike.










I tried to get a picture of them together actually looking at the camera but they were so sidetracked with the outside toys it was hard to get them to hold still. Both girls are very lovey and affectionate and they are great friends!

Lil' Squirt

Playin' in the sprinkler at home on a beautiful 80 degree Wed. afternoon







She kept filling up this cup and trying to drink the sprinkler water


























I just can't get enough of her! She's the most beautiful thing in the world and I just can't stop staring at her in awe!

Going to church in her Easter Dress. Don't get too excited, the hat only stayed on for about 3 minutes.

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid!

Yesterday, my good friends Melissa & Jill and all of our kids loaded up in our new Excursion of a bus and made the trip to Columbia to visit Chuckie Cheeses. The kids did great the whole 1 1/2 hour ride up there and the whole rest of the day! I haven't been to a Chuckie Cheese since I was like 6 & Alexa had never been so needless to say we were pretty excited! And it was everything I had remembered. I don't know who had more fun, Alexa or me watching her!
She didn't play many games but she rode a lot of rides and even the car ones that move electronically. I was wondering how she would do with those because in the past when we put her on one at Wal-mart she freaked out. She especially loved the dancing Chuckie and of course she had to boogie with him. I think her favorite out of all of it was the toddler slide that she could go up and down all by herself!
My favorite part was that we went on a Monday afternoon so we practically had the whole place to ourselves!
After Chuckie Cheeses we toured the Columbia Mall for a change of pace and let the kids play in the little Kids Court thing before heading home.
It was a fun fun trip and I'm so glad we went!



This is the toddler slide that Alexa went
up & down over & over !









Here is baby Addison hanging out (literally) with mommy.







The mini meri-go-round that Alexa loved and was un-sure of
at the same time.








Startin' the addiction young. Here's Kambrie opening her mouth anytime the straw came near it..and no Jill never actually gave her soda. It was soo cute!







Enjoying the ride and keeping her eyes on Chuckie the whole time









Alexa loves horsies and loved riding this one...I had to hold on to her at all times because the thing was quite fierce and I thought she would fall off!







Josh & Alexa riding the roller coaster simulation ride

On a Roll!

Kyle & Alexa & I just returned from a fun filled weekend with the fam...well some of the fam..
Friday, we left for an Arkansas getaway to visit John, Shannon & Addison! We had a blast, shopping, playing at the park (beautiful weather), swimming & just lounging around and playing video games and of course....eating!
There was no special occasion for this visit, except for the fact that we haven't seen each other in a while...a total of 2 1/2 months! (we're a pretty close family)

I was sooo excited to visit my very first garage sale of the season...and baby-less (Daddy-Daughter morning) Now I'm all hyped up for more garage sales and more stuff I don't know I need until I see it!

Alexa absolutely loved hanging out with Addison (who I must add is a very happy/smiley baby & very very kissable!) Alexa couldn't resist hugging and kissing on her & they actually played quite well together!
Now it's back to normal life as we know it! Thanks to the Hufford family for having us and showing us such a great time!

2 Months & 22 Days

Yeap, 2 months & 22 days is exactly how long it's been since I've published my last blog post. It's really pathetic and overwhelming...I don't know where to start on the catch up!

Actually, I'll start off by saying/making excuses that I lost the USB cord to my camera that I need to download the pictures and I just didn't feel right about blogging with no pictures.

So take a deep breath and prepare yourself for the randomness in all it's glory....



Happy Valentine's Day! Here is Alexa opening up her Valentine's gift. She had no clue why she was getting a present but that didn't matter, all she needed was Grandma to help her open it and get it out of the box pronto!





I woke up to a huge breakfast, roses & this on my kitchen table on Valentine's Day from my oh so sweet husband. I also have to add that not only did he make me & my mom breakfast that day but he made dinner the night before, breakfast & lunch that day and then took my out for dinner! These are a ton of reese peanut-butter cups...from the sweetest man alive...can life get any better?



CAUGHT! This is a random picture of Alexa getting caught red-handed trying to sneak into the junk food cupboard. I couldn't even get mad...look how cute she is, and she even posed for the picture...so yes, she did get a treat in the end.

Here is the oh so adorable Alexa playing in Mikenzie's room (Carolann's daughter) on our visit to Humansville. It was cool getting Carolann & Alise & I together again and watching our kids play together! When did we all grow up?

We also got to visit Grandma Bell that weekend to celebrate her birthday with her! Here is Alexa helping Grandma open her present. It was a fun filled weekend complete with eating, swimming & shopping. Can life get any better?

If you have had the chance to meet Alexa I'm sure you soon found out how lovey & affectionate she is. And this is a demonstration of that love to Christian..who I'm pretty sure is not enjoying the hug like Alexa is.

And yes, Grandma only gets one candle on her piece of birthday pie, its hard to find a pair of scissors in that woman's house...I counted my blessings with the one birthday candle.

So my camera is currently broken; consequently, I have taken a whole lot less pictures than before. Life is going great, I'm registered for college classes to finish up my degree and I only have 4 more classes to take!! Alexa is almost 18 months old and is repeating almost everything...which isn't always good when she's got Kyle for a dad. Kyle's insurance business is doing great and he's working very hard! He's an amazing husband and father and friend! I seriously don't know how I ever deserved such a wonderful man! We are living the high life with nothing too exciting going on (which is sometimes very nice to have ordinary). Alexa is growing up so fast and running around everywhere...and LOVES reading books...more specifically "Little Critter" books (does anyone remember those?) we've had to make several trips to the library to check out different editions...I'm going crazy reading the same 6 we have here at home. We recently purchased a new 2000 Ford Excursion Diesel and we all love it very very much. I love the space and the comfort knowing we are safer against those crazy drivers out there, Kyle just loves having a "manly" truck that gets decent gas mileage and Alexa loves sitting up high and being able to see everything out of the huge windows! I'm still adjusting to driving it since I technically drive it the most, it's sure a big difference from the honda civic! We are all doing great and anxiously awaiting the warmer weather that summer brings along! So we can get riding our bikes more (which is a whole 'nother blog entry in itself) staye tuned...

hopefully my next blog entry will show up a lot sooner than 2 months down the road!

Another Day in Paradise

As many of you have been doing, the LaBrue Crew has been preparing for another Christmas together. Who would have ever thought.... jk
Christmas time and December in general is always such a crazy time...but yet so fun! Kyle, Alexa, and I ventured to Kansas City last weekend to visit family and to celebrate an early Christmas with my Dad and his wife Marchelle since they won't be able to visit on Christmas.
Alexa had soo much fun running around and playing with all her cousins and their toys. She's getting so grown up and she doesn't need me there to hover around her anymore to make sure she's "ok". It was hard for me to just sit back and relax and let her do her own thing. That's not to say there wern't some disputes between the 5 cousins but sure enough they seemed to work it out on their own. Whenever we're in a large room with a bunch of people Alexa just takes off and doesn't even care where Kyle & I are. It was nice to come home and try to enjoy some time at home before we leave again for our other Christmas in Willard.
Unfortunatley, a few days ago I started getting sick and in turn Alexa started feeling pretty crummy too. But like the trooper she is she is still runnin' around hammin' it up for everyone just to see them smile. (Just like her Daddy)
Let me just say it's so nice to have my sweet mother-in-law nearby to help relieve my in my time of need while Kyle works.
Knock on wood Kyle hasn't gotten the sickness yet....it's really hard for me to resist loving and kissing on my little girl and amazing husband all in the name of not getting them sick.
Kyle has been such a help taking over my responsibilities while I'm under the weather and on top of that still taking such good care of Alexa & I.
Earlier tonight Kyle requested Puppy Chow so as I was making it Alexa was playing around in the kitchen and I looked down to find her sitting on the Chex cereal box scooting around on the floor like it was a car. I tried to get some good pictures but she wouldn't hold still long enough.
I swear that girl is soo creative and can make anything a toy. We all know she gets her imagination from her Daddy, because there isn't any in my blood.
Puppy Chow complete and Alexa doesn't even like it, instead she insists on picking up the pieces one at a time out of the bowl and handing them to Daddy so he can eat them. She was pretty proud of her role as the chow hander outer, until Kyle got impatient with his rations and had to hold the bowl himself. Now she's feeding mommy the chow one at a time until a sugar over-load starts to induce and I have to put the bowl out of her reach.
Yep, we're all just kind of existing and trying to get over this sickness that Alexa & I have but doesn't mean we can't still have fun in the process.
Needless to say, there aren't any pictures of us lately because no one looks good when they're sick but stay tuned for following posts and you may be in luck to catch a glimpse of the cutest little girl there ever was.....and yes, I'm talking about Alexa. : )