Two years ago today we were welcoming our second daughter into the world–and revealing her name, Trinity Maye, to anxiously awaiting family and friends.  Gracie was in love with her from the very first time she laid eyes on her, and we were thrilled to be starting this new chapter of our lives as a family of four.

To Trinity– our sweet, funny, stubborn, outgoing, bossy, extroverted little girl.  The second child with a “firstborn” personality.  We love you, we are so grateful for you and we love every minute of being your parents, even if you started your terrible two’s three weeks ago…

We’ll be having a party in two weeks.  I just couldn’t get it together before then!

I saw my plastic surgeon today and she is wondeful.  I am excited and scared.  The next appointment is July 8th and then that next week, I’ll have reconstruction surgery…not a lot of details right now, it’s just not in the forefront of my mind.  I’m just really happy to still be here to watch my baby turn two!

How weird is it that people that I meet now, don’t know I had cancer?  It’s not obvious anymore. I mean sure I don’t have boobs, but my hair and everything is starting to be very normal. How cool!  And welcome, new chapter! 

We live in a town heavily populated with Mexicans.  Now, I hope this doesn’t turn into a hot topic in my comments section because I LIKE the Mexicans.  A lot.  I like their grocery stores and I like their roadside taco stands.  I like their culture.  In general they make great neighbors and I’m happy to share my block with a Mexican family, even if they did paint their house a hideous shade of two tone blue that sticks out like a sore thumb on a street of white people’s white houses… but I digress.  But one thing I cannot stand is the fact that there is always a rooster about two blocks over, waking me up at 5 am.  WHY?  Oh why?   Now when I’m IN Mexico, even though it’s irritating, I understand it’s very much a necessity for those who cannot get electricity in their homes.  They have to work very early in order to get done before the heat of the day.  I get that.  But did you have to bring your rooster with you?  Did no one tell you that you’d have electricity in your American house?  Please, for the love of all that’s holy, take the rooster back where it came from!  You, my Mexican friend, can stay.  But the rooster has to go. 

And now, without further ado, I present to you pictures from the Arts Festival:

Tommy Bailey’s band.  They’re our worship/rock band at Northview.  They covered some classics, like Dave Matthews and U2, among others. 

Trinity rocking out to some DMB: 

 Gracie twirling, of course…

We love it downtown!

This was cool, it was the kids creation station.  They all got to tie ribbons on this huge caterpillar, then run through it.  Fun!

Gracie deciding on a face paint design.  She ended up asking for a “custom” job…

Yup…she’s the TARGET DOG!  lol

Trinity got a butterfly!   

alright that’s it.  I have to go do the neverending laundry. 

I hope you’re thinking of at least one way you can change your lifestyle to help take care of the earth that God has entrusted to us. 

For us, we went green last year with old towels and the girls’ old burp rags/cloth diapers instead of paper towels.  We’re doing our best to turn off lights, drive less or carpool, open up the house instead of using the air conditioner (it is soooo nice/overcast/fresh today!), and buying organic and local produce when it’s available.  We’re doing the concentrated formulas of detergents. Also we have re-used plastic bags for awhile and we’re starting to even get away from that in favor of green grocery totes.  Any little thing you decide to do is a step in the right direction!

I’m sure there’s a lot of things we’re not doing, but we’re getting there. 

Trinity’s still a freegan and Gracie does her best to get out of bath time. So those count too!  lol

Happy Earth Day, everyone! 

Gracie got her tee ball jersey!  They just lost their 3rd game, but Gracie doesn’t care.  The Bronchos are number one in her book!  She’s such a cheerleader…

Here’s her pink bat!

Trinity playing peek a boo:

Goofy Trinity:

Kendra, me, Katie…right before we got pierced!

My new jewelry…

The end!

I Love You Kari!!  - Chris