Sweet Feet, and Sisters

Sometimes I look at my girls and think, "what would I have done with boys?!"... Ha ha, of course I would love them the same, but we wouldn't get to have so much fun with "girlie things!" Sweet little painted piggies above; Ava even has some little stick-on jewels too. Below is a typical bath time. The girls play really well together now, just like I remember playing with my sister. They even give each other a goodnight kiss, it just makes me melt.

Glamour Girls

Pictures from our last "pool weekend". I love the seasons, but I sure am sad to see summer go. I would've liked a little more time in the water.

Weekend Vacations

We've been busy...well, actually, I've been busy. Work stuff. Here are some pictures from a few weekends ago at Granny & Papa's. Papa started up the old tractor just to give the girls a ride, they loved it!

Play Date

I finally got to join Ava for a playdate with one of her friends. Seem a little backwards?? It is, but just how our world works now that I returned to work. Ava met a little girl at the library that Gracie takes her to every Tuesday. Apparently the two little girls really hit it off and her Mom gave Gracie (Ava's nanny) our phone number so we could get together sometime. We finally hooked up last Friday, over at their apartment complex. The girls swam for a bit and then we walked around the pond to find some ducks to feed. I always say Ava was excited, but this time she was bouncing off the wall to go to her friend's house, so funny! We had a great time! And Livi had fun too, especially with the little brother who is about 6 months old. But I had to watch her pretty closely, I caught her trying to pull him out of his little chair and the stroller; not sure if she thought he was a toy or what!

Water Picnic

The weekend before last, the girls + I met up with Mel + her babes at the splash park. The funniest thing happened...Ava + Kiley played in the water for an hour or more straight. This was highly unusual for Ava, but I'm seeing that since we started swim lessons she has become more comfortable in the water, especially with getting her face wet. And from what Mel said this was an equally unusual scene for Kiley, who spends more time on the playground than the spray-ground. Anyway, Ava informed me they were having a "water picnic"; we took all of our sand/water toys and that really helped keep them busy I think. Little sis, Livi, joined in now and then, when the big girls would let her, but mostly she enjoyed getting me to chase her to the playground. Yeah, she's only 17 months and she climbed right up the faux rock wall on the BIG playground....too busy spotting her to take a picture, but I was really quite impressed. Ava did not climb like Livi does, I think she gets it from her Dad.


Later, after I got tired of chasing Livi up the rock wall, I got her focus with lunch. Her and Cole were happy as clams sitting on the blanket eating.

Fun With Furniture!

Daddy made a tunnel with the pillows from the sofa... Oh what fun we had!

Escape Artist

Shortly after putting a clean diaper on Livi after her bath, this is how I found her in the Living Room.....



Here 'ya go, Mom...

Fair Prep

Finally we had a weekend that wasn't in the 100's, so we went to Six Flags....kind of a preparation for the State Fair later this month. It was hot at the park, but we had a lot of fun; we haven't been all summer. And for Labor Day weekend it wasn't all that crowded. Ava's main objective: "ride the roller coasters!" Her + Daddy are in the last car in the picture below:

The next pic is a bit blurry, but that's little Livi on the airplane. She seems so little for it, but she LOVES the rides, just like big sis.


Ava's other request, cotton candy.

Ava + Daddy on the "mini-mine train":

Child Labor

I loathe cleaning! Not the actual work, just the amount of time it takes. It's such an inconvenience to have to clean on my weekends. But at least my little helpers made it fun!

Summer Vacation

Last month I took the girls to my hometown in Indiana for a week of summer vacation. We packed A LOT in! We stopped for lunch at the lake by the airport...if you squint, it could be Florida. Good thing we left some toys at Grandma's house, the girls were in heaven in the "toy closet" and the little carousel.


The day we came in was also Great-Grandma Hester's 89th birthday. Ava serenaded her and then we enjoyed some cake.


We got to see Aunt Lisa for a bit too. We just didn't have enough time though, because we didn't get to see Uncle Andy and the horses...so sad. But we hope to be back soon for that!


Lots of good pool time!

Ava helps Grandpa prepare the motorhome for our camping trip.

Grocery shopping for our camping goodies!

Grandma + Livi on the boat. Livi went crazy, "boat" is one of her words so she had a lot to point out at the lake!

Grandma braved the water first, then the girls quickly followed. It was pretty cold, but after the initial shock it wasn't so bad.


Ava seizes the opportunity to sing with the tiller as a makeshift microphone. What an entertainer!
Even Mommy gets in....gross, but I had to brave it to show the girls it was OK. I don't want them to be germ-o-phobes like me.
Ava helps Grandma "Me-you" clean the boat, her "chores" she says. I think she got that from the Cinderella story.

Livi and her usual water routine, "get everyone wet".

Back at the campsite the girls help Me-you start the fire for our steaks + s'mores....yippee!!

My cautious one, Ava, moves her chair a good, safe distance from the fire.
....almost to the road.
Back at Mom + Dad's house Livi spends more time bonding with the dogs. Even with the swimming pool there for her, she was really more excited about the dogs' water dish.

And finally, the flight home. Probably the most exhausting part for me, mostly because of the little one who spent more time on my head and the floor than in her seat or my lap. Oh well, we survived. And we had a wonderful time, thanks Mom + Dad!