A Wonderful Day at the Pool.

After a very warm gardening session, I asked Eva if she would like to go for a swim. She said, "YES!!!". The pool was perfect today. It is sunny and 86 degrees with a slight breeze. The water was refreshing (instead of balmy) after a low in the 70's last night. Sadly, we could only stay for about an hour. We have to pick El up and take her to her 11 year old check-up. This includes a shot:(

I have added a video from a few weeks ago of Eva at the pool. She loves to jump in and swim to me. She was real nervous about swimming very far. I kept telling her that she is doing it and just needs to believe in herself. She finally did it and said, "Mom! Now I believe myself!"

Why does this keep happening???

Yesterday!

TODAY!!!

See what I mean?

Love, love, love these girls!

Eva loved pre-school. She had a wonderful time. Here she is playing in the science center. She loved the hermit crabs and the kitchen as well.

~Overheard conversation this morning~

Todd: I am going to school with you today Eva.

Eva: Nooooooooooooo

Todd: Yep, I can't wait to go to preschool!

Eva: No Dad, you are not old enough.

You can only drop a kid off.

You have to be four.

What the heck is going on here?

This was yesterday...

and this is today!

Can someone please tell what is going on here????

Happy Anniversary

This lovely couple has been together 50 years and four days! Had to add the four days since it has taken me that long to get this blog posted. To the best parents a girl could wish for, Happy Anniversary!

Another requested photo shoot

Eva decided to dress up and do another photo shoot.

This time she chose to be a princess bride.

I think her inner model is coming out!

What should we do today?

We're bored. What can we do?

Let's go to Sea World!

One fine day we woke up and decided to go to Sea World. Gramma Pat and Pa bought us season passes so we can go as often as we like!

As we arrived, Eva noticed that the cloud was the shape of a dolphin!

After roasting in the 102 degree weather we took a little dip in the pool.

El and Eva enjoy the shows.

We have another biker in the family.

Eva decided to give her bike another try. She has ridden before, but never really took off. This time she got it and loved it!

It was all joy and happiness until the inevitable... going to quickly for the turn. Yep, she fell over. She was not hurt, but was not real fond of falling.

When El took her first fall, I happened to be right there with camera in hand. So after taking a few shots of her tangled with the bike on the ground, I helped her up. Luckily for Eva, I had already put the camera away. So I ran to help her immediately. Sorry El.

School Days, School days...

Eva starts pre-school on Tuesday. She went to try it out and loved it!

We had to go straight to the store and get her backpack and lunch box!

As you can see she is pretty proud of them.

Look out world... here comes Princess Eva!

Wine on the Wall

We built a wall, and a tradition was born.

We built a wall between our front yard and our neighbors garage. Not because we do not care for them, just so they can drive home and not feel as though they are driving into our living room. Soon after the wall was built we asked Gary and Leslie over for wine on the wall.

Eva thought this was the best event ever! She thought we should have wine on the wall every night! I think Daddy likes that idea too:) This picture is of Gary, Leslie, their grandchild Auralia, DeDe, and Todd.

They girls are settled in for some Juice! (without fermentation)

Buster and Lelly take advantage of the blanket I brought out for the girls.

Eva the mermaid.

p.s. El was present but runs from the camera

Cheer Camp Counselor

This is El standing in the back as the cheer camp girls do their performance on the final day. El does the routine so they can follow along. She had a great time at the camp but left exhausted each day.

The head of the camp was impressed with El's ability to handle the 4 to 6 year olds.

El has plenty of experience in that arena!

Eva came as a cheerleader to watch the performance. She cheered along with Issy.

Meow

This is what you get when the kids are upstairs and quiet for too long! Eva is now a kitty, compliments of El. I just love what kids come up with to entertain themselves.

I remember being bored and we made an entire monopoly game on the bottom side of a cardboard box. We cut out money and made play pieces. I wonder if we actually ever played the game???

This is El's required summer reading for 6th grade. As you can see she has annotated the entire book with sticky notes (as well as notes in the margins). The card on top is from Put Art in Your Heart. El has been asked to volunteer as a camp counselor.

Beauty and the Beast

Eva woke up and decided to be Belle. After dressing, she decided that a photo shoot was in order. These are three of about 50 shots taken. Eva pretty much acted the entire movie in photos.

Texas Fairy Houses

Eva decided we should have a fairy garden at our house. So se went shopping and found a house. She is painting it purple and pink with some silver and gold. We are going to make the fairy garden when Gramma DeDe comes down since DeDe likes to make gardens "for the kids".

Just Hangin' Out

We had an evening of just hanging out with the family. Gramma Brown came over with Kathryn. Gramma Pat made yummy lasagna. We just had a nice relaxed time.

Eva said she didn't care for lasagna so Gramma Pat asked her what she would like. She wanted watermelon. She got watermelon... and a spoon. She thought this was the best idea ever!

Barefoot in the grass.

Reminds of growing up in Ohio.

Would you believe another tractor story?

Prologue

While in Findlay the girls rode the garden tractor around A LOT. Eva would go grab PaPa and ask to go again, and again, and again. Eventually PaPa asked me if she could ride with El. I said, "No, no, no that would not be very safe". So he took several more laps around the house.

Chapter 3

Later while at Gramma Pat and Pa's, Eva and Pa were out side. The rest of us were inside just visiting and such. After quite a long time someone told me I should really go check on Eva. She is with Pa, Mr. Overprotective, why would there be a need for me to check on her? I was urged to do so anyway... and this is what I found.

Yeah, it's moving!

Then it was Pa's turn for a surprise. Eva decided she was bored with riding in circles in just the front yard. So without a word she takes off around the house. Well, this is a bit of an obstacle course. Not a lot of space between house, trees, garage, porch. As you can see Pa decided to get a little closer to the four year old he set loose on a motorized vehicle.

Big sis takes a drive.

This is the garden tractor Pa rebuilt just for the girls. It has no mower and is not real speedy. He was upset that he ran out of time to get it repainted before we arrived.

Just checkin' out her new wheels!

Visitors from Orlando

We had a quick visit with Darla, Johnny, Amanda, Drew, and Faith. Our crazy Ohio schedules sometimes do not let us get together. We managed to find a bit of time one afternoon. Hopefully more next year!

Later that evening Eva and Pa hung out watching Disney Channel and having a snack.