Not very many people know I can French braid, but Clarissa sure does.  So, she gave me an idea of what she wanted, and I made her look all cute!

Every night Clarissa was here Anna Kate fell asleep on top of her.  When Noelle saw these pictures, she said, "Anna Kate loves her Clarissa!"  

The girls were trying on their swim suits for next summer this afternoon.  They are a huge hit!  Mike and I decided Noelle was too prissy for a two piece this summer, but we couldn’t pass up the ruffles for next year, so we’ll see!  🙂

Anna Kate had such a blast having Clarissa here!  We wore her out, so much so, that she even fell asleep sitting up!

The girls loved cuddling with Clarissa!

After eating at our favorite restaurant, Gloria’s, and heading to Wally world for Texas-style silly bands, we made Clarissa dress-up for her dessert!  You should have seen the drama in putting a cow nose on that child!

Chick-fil-A was finishing up Cow Appreciation Day with free sundaes… so of course, we’re going to stop by!  The big chocolate balls had marshmallows inside, YUM!

All my cows!  Moo!

Headed to Cow Appreciation Day to get free chicken!

London and Anna Kate giving cute hugs!

Crazy teenagers!!!

Bekah hanging out with the girls!

Nikki and London were so cute!

Mmm…

Anna Kate ran right up to the cow to give high fives!

Noelle has had so much fun with Shelby (pictured) and her sister Cameron this summer!  Sharon has been watching these cute girls, and this is our 3rd summer hanging out with them. 

Make em laugh, make em laugh, make em laugh!!! 

Noelle has had a fear of face painting her whole life, but this night she "faced her fears."  We’ve been doing a lot of that lately… facing our fears.  She also decided to "face her fears" and watch Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.  We are still working on Finding Nemo.  For some reason, that one is really scary to her.  And we all know she’s "faced her fears" of holding bugs and reptiles!

Noelle walked the cake walk ALL night, and her efforts finally paid off when she won the very last cake!

Last week we went to a carnival at Grandma’s care facility.  Mike and I trade out camera nights depending on whose family we are with so one person is not behind the camera all the time, but neither one of us got a shot of the girls with grandma.  We’ll get one next time!

Mike and Noelle went shopping for teenage food because Clarissa is on her way to Texas right now!!!

Happy girls!

Anna Kate began to love the water this weekend – yay!

Noelle faced her fears with reptiles and bugs this weekend, that’s for sure.  Let’s see, she caught a frog by the leg, a lizard by the tail, a grasshopper, and I think that’s it.  She told me I needed to face my fears too, and I told her no way!  *Isn’t Rara’s inside out braid cool?  I need to learn how to do that… she’s the only person I know who does braids this way, and the funny thing is, she can’t do a normal braid! 

Dad played like he was a shark with the kids in the pool… they loved it!  

Smiley’s back!  🙂

Oh, you poor little thing!

Drink it all Noelle?  Don’t leave a sip.  Oh my family!  Aren’t they great!

We had a wonderful mini-vacation and can’t thank Uncle Fred and Aunt Elsie enough for making it super special and fun!  They truly thought of everything.  The 4th of July is by far Noelle’s favorite holiday.  At Thanksgiving and Christmas she asks when the 4th of July will be here.  How cool is that?  Thanks again!

Fun family time!

Mike and Noelle got to ride in the parade, and Noelle loved it!

Lots of festive parade attire!

These girls were having a blast!

Anna Kate hopped on at the end!

With the land parade being over, Noelley was ready to swim!  Anna Kate carried the team for the boat parade.

I can’t believe Anna Kate figured out how to press the boat horn.  She had the time of her life!

The despised competition… enough said.

"She’s the queen of the waves!"  (Barbie in a Mermaid Tale)

The boat parade was a success, and we even had bubbles for the crowd!

My cupcakes are a Pond family 4th tradition.  We take them where ever we go!  Anna Kate got these beads at the parade and was so proud to strut them with Rara! 

Thank you Uncle Andy for the delicious blueberry margaritas!  They were superb!

What a great way to end our 2nd night on the lake!  Good night, ya’ll!

We knew these were waiting for us!

Noelle could not wait to get to Horseshoe Bay.  She even posed with her floatie while buckled in her car seat!

And then Anna Kate copied her pose.  Anna Kate is getting funny just like her sissy.

We’re almost there baby girl.  Noelle asked me to take a pic of her toenails!  🙂

We made it!

Before and after

4th of July, here we come!

Noelle and Mommy went out for a special date night last week to get ready for our Horseshoe Bay trip!  We had a great weekend at the lake!