Summer Update * Numero Uno

Summer started out a little differently this year. We didn't make it to Lakeside, but we did get to enjoy being in our new home for a few weeks before heading to the beach with Mama and Papa O. I loved the ocean and can't wait to go back. This trip was the end of June, so we've done a LOT since then, but here's a sampling of our start to summer 2010.


I had lots and lots of fun on Sandbridge Beach with my Mama and Papa O, cousins Luke and Kyle, Aunt Kurt, Uncle Sara, and Mommy and Daddy!

Luke went into the water and I wanted to follow too! I settled for always getting my feet wet!

I learned to scoop up lots of water and carry it in my bucket. It was fun!

Mama O threw us a half birthday party at the beach.
She and Papa picked out a cake and let us blow out the candles and everything!

A snuggle before bedtime with Mama O and Kyle

I was exhausted, but mommy didn't have to get on an airplane and leave so she and daddy wanted to try to get one last evening walk and photo on the beach.

Since mommy didn't have to fly home we took ALL day to get back to Ohio. We drove through the battlefields at Yorktown to humor daddy's Revolutionary War fetish, then we stopped off at Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello. I didn't quite make it through the house tour, but daddy did. Mommy and I took advantage of a walk in the gardens. It was hot, but we had some good girl time.

Smelling the flowers at Monticello


One of only a few family pics from the trip. It was SO HOT that day,
but thankfully there was some shade :0)

I am such a big girl - I loved riding the bus at Monticello!

For more summer pics you can visit our Shutterfly site: http://olingers23.shutterfly.com/ Mommy said it takes TOO long to load all of them on here, so enjoy whatever you have time to look at!

Five months really?!

Well, I have to admit my mommy has had her hands full with me and until about a week ago, her school work. Not to mention Daddy's track schedule this past spring made things a little crazy. She spent a whole day uploading photos onto our computer and helping Daddy hang pictures in our house, so she keeps promising that she's going to get to the blog soon. I sure hope she does, because there are so many adventures you've missed in our life these past few months. I'll keep reminding mommy and maybe by Monday you'll have a long overdue update!

xoxo,
Gracie Reneee

Future Buckeye?!

This past Wednesday night Mommy and Daddy took me to my first Ohio State Basketball game. I had no idea what they were talking about, but after a few minutes in the arena taking in the sights and sounds, I realized I LOVE BASKETBALL GAMES! I don't really like to sit still, but I love the band, the cheerleaders, the boys on the court, and the sound of the sneakers and the bBall on the floor. Daddy was just as excited as I was to be at the game with his girls! He even taught me to do O-H-I-O . . . but I still need his help to get it just right! I LOVE listening to Cie Grant sing "Carmen Ohio" on YouTube and I loved listening to the marching band on iTunes, so I was definitely in love with all the music and noise at the game. At halftime Daddy and Mommy took me for a walk and showed me the hall of fame and the rest of the Schottenstein Center. We even found a football field where I could march with the band. I was so proud of myself, I marched all over that field and clapped my hands and squealed with delight! I think it was my favorite part of the night!

Until next time . . . O-H . . .

xoxo, Gracie

It's been too long . . . but I'm back!

Hey friends! I am so sorry that I haven't made time to post anything since August! It was a crazy fall and once mommy and daddy went back to school, I just couldn't seem to find the time to get on the computer AND play with them at night. I had a very busy fall and hopefully I can catch you up on the past few months, but for now I'm just going to focus on December . . . my BIRTHDAY MONTH!

I celebrated my first birthday and my dedication at Heritage Christian Church the first weekend in December with LOTS of family and friends. It was so fun to have everyone visit my new house. It was packed, but we had fun. I loved eating birthday cake and opening presents and playing with all my friends. Marley Grace, my new cousin, was a pretty special guest, I can't wait until we can

celebrate her first birthday next year!

A few weeks later we celebrated Christmas with all my grandparents, great-grands, aunties and uncles, cousins and a few friends. I got lots of great presents, I am so blessed, and then I got to the beach . . . my first, of hopefully many, beach parties!

It was rough driving there all night long in Uncle Jerry's Escalade, especially

through the mountains. It really hurt my ears and mouth when we came out of them, Mommy said it was because I was teething. Whatever, it HURT! I felt pretty yucky the first few days at the beach, but by day three I was feeling better and I was able to play a little in the sand. By the end of the week, though, I was loving the ocean, the seagulls, the sand, and just being able to hang out with my family. Here are a few of my favorite photos, there will be more posted to mommy and daddy's shutterfly page once mommy gets a few extra minutes . . . ha ha!

I felt yucky my first moment on the beach . . .

but by day three, I liked it a lot!

Sunset at Lely Barefoot Beach Preserve

Playing with Daddy

Playing on a boat with mommy

The whole Peddicord/Olinger gang!

We made lots of wonderful memories, which I'll write try to write more about later, but I am so thankful for all the Christmas love I experienced in 2009.

Mommy and daddy can't believe I'm one year old, but I am! I love getting into the tupperware drawer, giving mommy and daddy "advice" on everything, reading books, having dance parties in my new living room after school, and playing with anyone and everyone who comes to visit. I'll post more later, but I love and have missed many of you! Hope to see you soon!

xoxo,

Gracie