The Dog Days

The gang attempting to stay cool with popsicles and a backyard water fight!

I'll give you one guess as to which movie these two just went to the theater to see!

Recital Time

Cora had a great year of dance! She took somewhere new and her instructor was a real ballerina and was awesome! She learned so very much! Her recital was last week. I couldn't tape the real performance but I sure did get the dress rehearsal on tape! This time, they tapped to Chantilly Lace. Cora did great! I never think she's gonna pull it off, but she always does.

American Girl Extravaganza!

Last weekend Cade went to spend the night church camp for two whole nights! I was a nervous wreck and positive that he wouldn't brush his teeth or shower for three days. He LOVED it and came home surprisingly clean! In the meantime, we took the girls up to Atlanta to see Rob's parents for a night and Cora got to do and early birthday shopping spree at The American Girl Place compliments of Abuela! Cora and Samantha (her AG doll) had a great time choosing new clothes and even a sister for Samantha! Thanks Abuela for a shopping trip she's sure to remember forever!!!


Meet Samantha's new sister, Emma! She's a "my american girl" doll. Cora thought Emma looked the most like her! ;)


Cora and Samantha visiting the Hawaiian booth!

Samantha meets Emma!

Yes sir, yes sir, two bags full!!!

Cora and Abuela finalizing their decisions!

SUMMERTIME!!!

Well, my poor little Cade had to go to school the last few weeks while kids everywhere else in the country (and city for that matter) were already enjoying summer. BUT, today is his day! His last day of first grade! I cannot believe he's going to be a second grader in the fall. I'm mourning his teacher already! We loved Mrs. Riddell! She is an AWESOME teacher! Truly one of a kind! Cade loved her! Meanwhile, summer's in full swing around here! Check us out!

Gearing up for the big recital next week!

Backyard fun with friends! :)

Clara loves the water, especially when she's controlling it!

Even though he's aged up to 8 and under Cade's still raking in the swim team ribbons. (They're just not all blue this year! :)

Cade and sweet Mrs. R. He'll NEVER forget her!

It's getting hairy around here!

My mom always tells stories about how when we were little my sister would sit down at my mom's vanity before school and when mom would ask, "how do you want your hair fixed today?" Lauren's response would be "well, I want a side ponytail over here like this, with this bow and then I want an upside down fish braid on this side that splits midway up my head into two french twists that form buns at the top." (or something like that). There was never a simple ponytail with Lauren and she was never happy with what mom did. Well, I wasn't surprised at all a few weeks ago when Lauren was over at our house telling Cora about a patient she had at work who tries out all of these fancy hairdos on her little girl and they are "so cute!" She even went as far as to sit at my computer and pull up the blog that this woman patient of hers uses for hair fixing tutorials! http://cute2tryhairdos.blogspot.com/ We all looked together with Lauren and Cora oohing and ahhing over all the dos! It was a little too pageanty for my taste. I'm very happy with a side pulled back with a bow or pig tails. (for Cora, not me). But of course then Lauren had to leave, and she left me with a little girl DYING for pageant hair! PRONTO! So we've been very busy this last month perfecting our hairdos. We just don't always agree on when we do or don't have time to try one. Cora gets very frustrated that her hair unlike the little Rapunzel's on the blog is not ten feet long limiting her to only a few of the million updo styles. So I'm no real braider. My braids are lumpy and bumpy and uneven because I don't even use a comb, but I'm improving! Check out the what we've been up to.

we call this one "the double side braids on top into side pony half back with bow"

And this is called "double knots on top and bottom into two side very messy messy buns"

I'm quite sure this is next.

"cindy lou who hair"

Stay tuned for many many more! In the meantime, this is the only hairdo Clara will hold still long enough for!

We call it "PJ bottoms on head! " :)