September brings new adventures!

So as I was uploading all of the following pictures, I realized that they are 100% BACKWARDS! The pictures of Callie on her first day of day care should be at the bottom and the Viking picture at the top - this is how a chronological order of pictures is supposed to be...
However, not this time, because I screwed up!

But as I stare at this first picture, I can't help but think that this NEEDS to be at the top! Here's why!

Meet Jessica! She is a dear friend of ours! But we haven't always known her. 2 years ago, her daughter, Alexis, walked into my classroom! Big bright, blue eyes ready and eager to learn! Jessica volunteered her time every Wednesday afternoon to help with our math centers. I got to know Jessica very well and we often talked baby (I was pregnant with Callie at the time). To make a long story short, Josh and I were going to have to "settle" for child care, because everything was already full for the following year...

After Callie was born, Jessica offered to provide childcare services for us and wanted to take on Callie everyday! Everyday I thank God for giving Jessica to us, for bringing her into our lives. She has made one of the hardest things such an easy thing to handle. Dropping Callie off at her house everyday isn't a "sad" time, because I can see the excitement in Callie's face every time she sees Jessica or her beautiful children! Callie loves going to Jessica's house, and we love having her there!

I guess it's easier to part with your child when you feel like she's staying with family everyday!

So here is Callie, on her first day back to "school" this year :) I just couldn't resist her new stylish boots! I seriously want a pair for myself!

I love how Callie just jumped right in and stood between Alexis and Jet like they are her big sister and big brother :) All 3 holding hands :) This is how I will forever remember these three!

So our MN State Fair pictures are also completely backwards -and I'm just too tired to care right now :) So picture you are reading this and looking through these pictures in "reverse!"

Here is Callie at the end of our trip - she made out pretty good if you ask me! The ladybug was given to her by some Carnies who win prizes and give them away to kids! I think they thought Callie was just too cute :) Because lets face it, she is :)

After she woke up from her evening cat nap, she was ecstatic to see Daddy won her a giraffe! Man was she excited about this :) She was bopping her little head around and waving her giraffe all over!

I suppose somewhere in this post I should tell you how we left with $31.00 that we found :) It started that Josh found a $10.00 bill! NORMALLY we would have good character and return it or find its owner...but not at a fair! So we claimed it :) Up $10.00 -GREAT! Then in the Midway, I found $1.00. As we were leaving the Midway to go home, I noticed tickets on the ground, and someone was stepping on them - completely unaware that they were under his foot. So I told Josh to pick them up...he did and as we were casually walking away, he said "Holy Crap, there's a lot of tickets here!" - 30 tickets! That's right! So we sold them to some people in the ticket line for $20.00 !!! Yes, we left with $31.00 in our pocket...

Callie has been pretty picky about eating lately, but like her mommy, you can't turn down state fair food! I told Josh, "I love being a McRae, but I have Shellum blood running through my veins, and I just don't get full at the fair!" Well, it turns out Callie has that same blood running through her veins :) She ate and ate and ate and ate...

Playing with Daddy while walking to get more food :)

Why Yes mommy, I do want to eat your entire ice cream cone! I'll share with you, but I'll scream if you take too big of a lick!

Having to hold it on her own - Miss Independent...wonder where she gets that from :)

We went to the Little Hands Farm and she had a blast. She was very tired and hungry again, so she got pretty upset with us...but she was still a trooper!

She loved the tractors! I'm so happy she enjoyed this :)

My little farmer all set and ready to go :)

Hey chicken, are you eating the entire caramel apple? Aren't you going to share!?!

My memory of this photo will forever be Josh, Callie and I in the "Fun House". Josh was playing with Callie looking through all of the glass windows, and I suggested he let her walk! Not thinking that would be a big deal! It wasn't until we heard a "thud" and realized that she had walked RIGHT into the glass! Haha - she tried to be so tough! She looked up at her daddy with her bottom lip out trying to keep it together! Poor girl!

Grandma Lynn took Callie on the fish ride. It was very bumpy - again, she wanted so badly to like it, but you can tell she was hanging on for dear life!

Daddy took Callie down the big slide :) She LOVED it so much - it was tough to get her off of it!

I went on the extremely bumpy and whip-lashing train with Callie! It was so comfortable too :) I loved having my knees pressed against the hard metal :) Callie on the other hand...LOVED the train ride! She cried when we got off, but if you remember, these are out of order - so the slide was next...she quickly got over the train ride!

We searched and searched for Goldy Gopher and never found him :( So we had to settle with the MN Wild Hockey mascot! Not sure of his name, but Callie got his autograph and a high five!

We were in the horse barn, and if you have been fortunate enough to hear Callie's horse noise it's PRICELESS! She goes "Hahahahaha" Anyway, she was making this noise and one of the owners wanted to show us her horse :) Such a nice woman! Callie used to be afraid of horses (and her rocking horse we have at home), but this helped her get over her fear! We were even able to pull her rocking horse out from the corner in our storage room :)

She LOVED the pig barn! Callie's favorite girl cousin, Claire, recently taught Callie how to make a pig noise! So she was having fun making that noise to the pigs that were awake!

Here she was able to pet a piglet :) So sweet!

And here she is telling us to "SHHHH" because the pigs were sleeping! AH! I LOVE HER!

Of course you need to squat down to talk to the cows :) I love that the cows mouth is open enough to look like he is talking back to her :) I wonder what he is saying!!

Admiring her first ever tattoo :)

Grandma Lynn and Callie had a blast at the fair! Callie also did a great job rocking the Pronto Pup hat :)

Oh look - Callie got a hold of Mommy's pronto pup! Can you tell she LOVED them :)

On the Carousel with Grandma Lynn & Larry! She could have ridden this all day!

Corn on the cob - YES PLEASE! Next year, I'll get you your own...again, this is moms! Why didn't she eat anything of daddy's??? Someone answer that for me please :)

Before the fair - a few days before, Callie helped daddy wash the car! He washed ours and Callie washed her own :) Daddy stayed dry and some how all of the water ended up on Callie :)

Like any Viking Family, we all need our own Viking Cheerleader! She looks so stinking cute! She's also rocking the new hair bows that I made for her! If you're lucky, someday you'll see them in person :) Only if you're lucky!

For now, this is the best update we have...it's a lot of stuff, and it's all backwards! Sorry about that...but I need to keep you wondering what is coming!

I do have a question for you though - if you could read a post about the McRae's - what would you like to read about? Leave a comment below if you have any special requests!!!