We went to California to visit Adam's parents for the long weekend. We had a wonderful time and they hosted a lovely party on Sunday for Rylie to meet many more special people.
Pictures from the party...
Rylie dancing (this now involves twirling and hand movements) as she waits for her guests to arrive-
A family picture overlooking the beach-
We discovered that Rylie loves humus and pita- she even dips it!
Sunday was also our 5th anniversary!
During our visit to Ventura, we had a chance to take Rylie for her first trip to the beach. She seemed to love playing in the sand, though it was way too cold to go in the water.
The "I'm about to do something I know I'm not supposed to do" look...
We know that over the years, Rylie will have friends from different aspects of her life. But there is a small group of other children with whom she will forever share a very special bond. As you may recall from our days in Astana, we shared our time there with a few other families as we all journeyed through the unforgettable process of bringing our children home. This weekend, we got to visit with two of these special families. We are so grateful for their friendships, and we hope we will continue to be a part of each other's lives for many years to come.
On Saturday, we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo with Rylie's good buddy Pema and her parents, Kate & Scott. After spending time together in Astana, we last saw them when we landed in Frankfurt after the first leg of our trip home. They sure are not the same two girls we had on that plane ride! We had a wonderful time visiting together and catching up on the past 5 months. We captured some great shots of the two girls- we were just so sad the day went by so quickly!
All smiles!
One of Rylie's all time favorite books is Dear Zoo. Pema seemed to love it too!
Our little monkey!
On Monday, when we got back to Phoenix, we had a very special visit with Rylie's dear friend, Aitugan, and her Mommy & Daddy. After much time spent together in Astana- including our memorable Thanksgiving dinner, it was wonderful to see Kjersten, Steve & Aitugan again! We had a wonderful time at the park and splash fountain and confirmed what we all had suspected- Rylie & Aitugan are very similar indeed. Suffice it to say, I don't believe there will be any tutus or ballet slippers in either of our families! We ended the day with dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant with some great food and some duck feeding. We had a fabulous visit together and were so sad to see them go at the end of the evening. Sadly, we didn't get any fabulous shots of the two girls, but luckily most of you know where to find some better ones!
Adam reading to Rylie & Aitugan.
Water babies!
Aitugan examining the splash fountain.
Two tired girls on the way back from the splash fountain.
So that was our truly wonderful, extra-special weekend.
Otherwise, life is good and Rylie is getting ready for the start of summer camp this week. We are continuing to just enjoy life with our happy, little girl.
Love to everyone...
With my most favorite little gift...
Weekend outfits are important in my world. I've started to introduce Rylie to the world of weekend outfits. Here is her early summer weekend outfit. Seriously, how cute!?!
Of course with her purse!
Important Rule: When going for a naked walk with your baby, make sure to bring your evening bag.
Rylie loves to carry her lunch pail to and from school. Very grown up!
Hanging out in the playroom before leaving for school. 
Rylie loves her new table and chairs set from Nana & Pa. She sits there reads books- it is truly adorable. She enjoys coloring too, but after eating 1/2 of a red crayon earlier this week, we've put the crayons away for a while.
