So So Sorry!

As most of you know, our lives are crazy busy right now! Between work, Macayla, coaching, buying a house, moving into a new house, and settling into a new house I'm sure you understand why I have not posted any new posts lately. So here is the short version of what has been going on:

• Macayla's 6 month stats: 28" long (98th %tile), and 15 lbs 4 oz (28th %tile)
• Macayla is eating cereal twice a day and having 2 servings of veggies and 2 servings of fruits a day
• She is loving being at the babysitter!
• Volleyball is a challenge but I'm loving every minute of it!
• Macayla has cut her first tooth!
• Two weekends ago with tons of help from both my parents and Jason's parents almost every room in our new house was painted...Thanks to them doesn't even begin to show our appreciation
• This past weekend we moved into our new home with the help of Jason's parents, our brother in law Dave and friend Ron
• We are now settling in and loving the space. The neighbors are very nice. There are tons of kids in the neighborhood. We just love it!

I have a tourney this weekend, but it is my hope to post pictures of the house as well as take and post Macayla's 7 month pictures. It is crazy to us that she is over the half way point to turning 1 years old!

Labor Day Weekend

Almost every year for the past 30? years my mom's side of the family has gotten together for a family reunion. We have been all over the Midwest, but this year we gathered in Wisconsin Dells. All 20+ of us took over an old farm house Scandinavian bed and breakfast. We had a great time!

6 Months Old!

Although Macayla doesn't turn 6 months for a couple more days, as I look at my schedule over the next few weeks I decided I needed to take advantage of this last day at home before school starts. I was really wanting to take Macayla in to get professional 6 month pictures, but like I mentioned our lives are in fast forward right now!

6 Month Accomplishments:

• Both Jason and I have sworn that we have heard "da" and "mom"...of course we know she didn't say it with any meaning behind it, we know we have heard it on a few occasions
• Besides those sounds, Macayla is always "talking"
• She easily rolls all over on the floor...she starts in one spot and it doesn't take her very long to get to where she wants to go! Roll, Twist & Turn!
• Macayla has started at the babysitter full time and has adjusted incredibly. Although in the past few weeks, school age kids have been around, she will have a little boy who is 4 weeks older and another boy who is 1 1/2 years old to play with
• When on her belly she can push up with her arms really high
• She recognizes her name...most of the time
• In the past week, Macayla has been able to sit on her own for up to 1 minute at a time
• She smiles and gets excited
• Her hungry, sleepy, and bored cries are definitely distinctive
• She reaches to us when she wants us to pick her up
• She loves to stand, and will do so whenever we let her
• She loves the exersaucer
• This weekend she started on baby food...so far so good with green beans
• Continues to have rice cereal
• Went on her first camping trip to Washington Island, which included her first ferry ride

We are buying a house!

Several weeks ago we got an accepted offer on a house. Before sharing this with all of you I wanted to make sure that actually getting the house was going to happen. All of the contingencies have gone through so I think this is truly going to happen! We close on September 18 with the plan of cleaning and painting that first weekend and moving in the following. Now you will understand why I have been behind on the blog. I've been busy being the communicator between the realtor, the loan officer, Jason and my dad (our lawyer :))....on top of that I've been busy starting my first season as Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at Bay Port High School (we won our first match on Thursday!), starting my 4th year teaching, being a mom and wife! So far my stress level is too bad...we'll see what happens when students start school on Tuesday!

Here are a few pictures of the house. It is 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, has daylight windows in the basement (which isn't finished yet), beautiful location and great neighborhood. It has a Green Bay mailing address but is in the small town of Scott. This town is near UW-Green Bay which is on the base of the peninsula of Wisconsin. We are up on a hill and can see the bay of Green Bay from the backyard.

Washington Island

So sorry that I'm behind in posting things. A couple of weekends ago we had the first annual Starke Family Reunion Camping Trip. All 30+ of us drove up to the tip of Door County, boarded a ferry and went to Washington Island. We had a outstanding time! Jason, Macayla and I stayed in Jason's parent's 5th wheel. So those of you who were thinking we were crazy going camping with a 5 1/2 month old...no worries...no tenting for us! Macayla was great the entire time. We are so lucky to have such an easy going baby. Here are a few pictures from the weekend :)

Play Time!

At the end of last week I put together this wonderful contraption! Although it was very timing to put together, Macayla absolutely loves it!

Cereal Round 1

This past weekend we started Rice Cereal with Macayla. She did outstanding!