I Love Summer!

Our life is drastically different in the summer as compared to the rest of the year.
The biggest difference is the absence of a schedule. 
It is not unusual for people to still be asleep at 9 am around here. 
Lately it has been reminiscent of a lazy Saturday...everyday.  
The kids were 30 minutes late to swim team the other morning because I forgot what day it was.
It has been nice. 
I feel like my brain is on vacation.   
Here is what we have been doing.

Multiple trips to the zoo.

 Watching the penguins.

 Playing in the children's zoo.

Stuck in the egg shell.

 Luke has been playing T Ball.

 Waiting to bat.

 The White Lightening.

Ally has been playing softball.

 Lady Tigers up to bat.

 Up to bat.  She plays machine pitch and has improved TONS.

 Jumping on the ripped trampoline.  Dad took it down the next day.

 Losing more teeth!

Spending lots of time at the pool.

 Flying Green Monster

 Superman!

 Relaxing in the sun.

 Ryan's Grandpa Taylor surprised  us one day...he was in town visiting his sister.  Clark had never met him.

Spent the evening at the Global Water Dances event.  My sister organized and choreographed the event. 

 Maga the flag carrier and Molly the Director.

 Beautiful evening.  The weather was perfect.

Emma got a new hair cut.

We have also been able to spend lots of time with cousins.  Ally and Emma have been to Dance Camps, Luke and Emma both attended Tennis Camp.  We have had multiple trips to the library, but not as many as we should. 

hope you are having fun this summer!  We should hang out.

Double Digits

Ally is TEN! I am amazed at how fast the time flies! It seems like just a few years ago I was pregnant for the first time and eagerly awaiting becoming a mother (read: scared to death!) I am so excited for her to continue to become a real person. She is smart, funny and very involved. She also knows exactly what she wants.  This birthday brought that realization into clear focus.  Here are a few examples.

We went shopping for her birthday outfit and she chose this shirt right off.  We looked and looked and shopped for a long time, but she kept coming back to this shirt.  She likes how the ruffles bounce up and down as she dances hip hop. 

For her birthday she wanted her hair highlighted and to have a feather put in. Aunt Sam did the highlights and we headed over to Austin Kade Academy for the fancy hair, the feather and the nails.

Ally decided she wanted to go to dinner for her birthday.  She wanted Texas Roadhouse because her favorite thing to eat is Steak.  Did I mention she is only 10?

In school this year they read a book about Eleanor Roosevelt.  Her favorite cake was Angel Food Cake with Pink Whipped Cream (full of fresh strawberries).  Ally copied the recipe out of the book and brought it home.  This was in February.  When it came time to choose the cake she wanted, she pulled out the recipe and said, "this is what I want for my birthday cake."  Not super pretty, but MAN did it taste good! 

We had a cake with our IF cousins.  We have a bigger, better swimming party planned for when more cousins will be in town next week. 

Ally is an amazing help around the house.  I love watching her grow and become a beautiful young woman.  Last night at dinner she asked if she got to go to Girls Camp this year.  We told her she had to be 12.  Then it hit me that soon she will be.  I feel like I missed a few years somewhere along the way to have children old enough to be thinking about young women and caring whether they have their nails painted.  She is growing up way to fast for me, but I feel like I am powerless to stop it. 

Did I mention she shaved her legs the other day?  She showed me this morning.