Day in and out

Well, we don't always have time for fun. There is still the daily laundry, food shopping, breakfast/lunch/dinner cooking, picking up, more picking up, dishes, more dishes, getting the girls to do their daily chores, cleaning bathrooms, and washing the floors. Here the girls are "helping" me! We try and do at least one fun thing a day even if it is for just a little while. Usually it is swimming if it is not raining hard. But sometimes it is art work. Here Damien traced the girls on some big paper he brought home we cut them out and then we made clothes, hair and faces with construction paper and other art materials. They ended up quite cute. We went to an art studio the other day to play. Here you can see Emily helping her sister. Alyssa started cheer camp this week. Here she is in one of her new outfits ready to go!

More Rain...

We have had historic amounts of rain here. The good news is it is keeping it cooler which helps with the electric bill and we don't have to water at all which helps with the water bill! Alyssa is home now! Here she is reading which we are still doing a lot of especially with the rain. Emily and Leanna did Vacation Bible School all week with their friends Hannah, Hayden and McKenna. Leanna always cried when I dropped her off but I would stick around and see that she would stop in about five minutes. Then when I picked them up, she told me how much fun she had! Now she runs around the house singing the songs she learned. Yesterday we went on a long bug walk when the rain let up so Emily could find some new bugs for her bug home. I have to admit I was feeling a little queasy watching her pick up bugs with her little tweezers! Anyways, the summer has been flying by but we still have five whole weeks left! Yeah! Meanwhile, Alyssa is growing like a weed! She grew an inch in six weeks! I just hope she won't outgrow the very expensive cheer uniforms we ordered for her in May!

Photo Shoot

Well we had an impromptu photo shoot last night before our "tubby time!" First the girls attempted mad faces but Leanna couldn't help but smile! Then happy faces, then monkey faces (Leanna is looking at Emily for monkey advice), then surprised faces! Then I got a shot of Emily showing off her second lost tooth, and Leanna showing us her "loose tooth!" Then I let Emily take MY picture while she was in the tub (the camera survived).
In other news....Alyssa is still in Michigan. We really miss her! But...it sounds like she is having lots of fun, eating really well, shopping, and going lots of places. My sister Lisa has posted some pics from her trip on her blog, click on Gracie under my links to see Gracie, Alyssa, and my cousin Megan. I can tell she will probably want to do it again!
Well the rest of us have been just hanging out at home having a good time. We have been reading a lot and taking lots of trips to the library! Since, there is nothing good on T.V. I have been reading books myself! I have read four books in the last couple of weeks! Emily had read at least 20! And we have read Leanna lots too! Alyssa called and said she is finishing up the books she took with her to Michigan. And she read quite a few before she left.
The other day I told Leanna and Emily we had to go to Kohl's to exchange a shirt for Daddy. (Damien needed some new clothes because he cut out eating so much junk food!) Earlier Leanna said that she did NOT want to go to the store. Anyways, Leanna was SO excited to get in the car. I thought it strange at the time. Then we get to the parking lot and she says enthusiastically I am going to tell Kohl all about my cut on my chin. Emily and I looked at each other smiling. We tried to explain to her that Kohl's was a store and not a person. But Leanna did not agree. So, we start walking around the store and Leanna keeps incessantly asking "where is Kohl?" And saying "I don't see Kohl anywhere!" Emily and I continued to try and explain the situation but Leanna became more and more distressed. Finally, we stopped in front of a nicely dressed and pleasant looking mannequin. I said "oh there Kohl is, we finally found her." Leanna wasn't so sure though. I picked her up and said "now tell her all about the cut on your chin." Leanna looked and looked suspiciously "but Mom she isn't talking!" I told her Kohl doesn't talk. So, Leanna then told her all about her chin. Emily laughed so hard she cried! It was funny but perhaps you had to be there!

More of our visit....

Damien has fixed the photo problem and I have a lot to share! First, we spent a lot of time in Crickets pool! She was so inviting to let us spend so much time over visiting! The kids really enjoyed the slide. P.J. was very cautious at first just staying on the steps. We didn't give him any pressure and before we knew it, he was down the slide and jumping into the deep end! We also went to a nearby water park that is part of a river. All the kids including P.J. and Leanna, went down the big blue slide there that is in the picture. We also went to the Guadalupe river at a nearby state park. The weather was overcast and drizzly but we made the best of it! The big kids took turns taking a tube ride down the river with Damien, and they played in the shallow pretending to be swept away. Then on our last day we went to the zoo. Savana remembered everything from the last time we went a year ago! She knew what was coming up next. And P.J. just ran from one exhibit to the next all very excited. Later, we meet up with our other cousins Nolan and Nathan. We all feed the birds out of nectar cups, visited the snakes, and played in the tiny tot nature spot. Phew.....then we went home went for a quick swim and had a rest! I think I might rest all week!

Happy 3rd Birthday Leanna!

Well, Leanna was SOOOOO cute on her birthday on June 22nd! She had zero expectations and she was like "for ME??" about everything! A lot better than her last birthday which she spent having jaw surgery! We started the day with a day trip to Chuckie Cheese with her sisters, Savana, and P.J. I walked in to find Leanna pulling the Dora cake her Aunt Noel made out of the fridge holding it in two hands, thinking we should bring it to Chuckie! I thankfully saved the cake! I let the kids run wild at Chuckie. Then we came home for a rest and prepare for her "big" party!! Well, it was supposed to be a pool party but it rained so I quickly threw together some decorations for the house. We had her friends McKenna and Hayden over with their parents, her big friend Alicia with her parents, her sisters, and her cousins Savana and P.J. Unfortunately, her cousins Nathan and Nolan were out of town for the weekend. But, Aunt Noel surprised her with a Dora cake and Miss Julie surprised her with a rainbow cake! So the lucky girl had two cakes! Then it was on to presents which she couldn't believe they were all for her! You can see her wearing her new headband, bathing suit, and holding the Dora that was in her cake.

Technical Difficulties

I have been TRYING to post but something is wrong with the port with my camera! I have many cute pictures to share! Damien is working on the problem. Anyways, we are having a good time with Savana and P.J. They are both really good nice kids. We are really glad we got them to visit! The four of them play for hours without a peep! We have been doing lots of swimming too. Too bad their Dad is coming to take them home tomorrow! Alyssa then leaves Thursday for Michigan! Her first trip on the airplane by herself! She has an action packed week planned and I am sure will have fun!
New pictures as SOON as the problem is fixed!