We saw this squirrel after swimming lessons one day, and Anna Kate pointed and screamed, “An animal!  An animal!”  It really cracked me up.  Noelle and I were so tickled and quickly taught her the word, “Squirrel.”  Every time I see a squirrel now, I’m going to remember her excited little voice squealing, “An animal!”

 

The girls and I went to the splash park after swimming lessons on Monday and ate lunch out there.  We had a great time playing together!

This picture perfectly captures the fun they were having!

 

It was so funny I captured this sisterly prank on camera – lol!

 

This post is picture overload of Anna Kate, but she was having so much fun and I couldn’t pick between her expressions, and why should I have to?  This blog is all about the kids anyway… a little online scrapbook for them.  I’ll try to be a better editor, but sometimes, it just is what it is.  I love my kids!

  

  

The only trouble with going out with the big girls is how hot it is for baby Rose.   She slept today even though I kept putting cold water on her forehead.  She was in a bathing suit and the wind was blowing, so she was comfortable, but I still keep a close eye on her when we are outside in this weather!

  

Noelle’s always coming up with creative ways to play with the norms… she took the buckets over to the dry area of the sidewalk so that she could draw. 

  

Okay, so Anna Kate saw Noelle’s hands were folded, so look what she does:

Isn’t that precious!  Thank goodness Noelle is a great example for her, because she copies everything she does! 

Here’s all of our get-up.  I honestly don’t know how I do it, but then again, it’s easier to go out than stay home.  That’s the truth!  I guess because our pj days are my work days/catch-up days from when we were out!

  

Waking up and ready to go…

 

I’m so glad I get to capture these special memories on camera.  It helps the girls remember where we went and what we did, and they love reminiscing about our days when we look at the pictures together.  Also, Mike gets to be a part of our days too and that means so much to me because he works so hard to take good care of us.  I’m so camera mom, but so be it…

Sweet Anna Kate took two falls this week to land her some pretty cuts and bruises!  As she would say, “Bless my heart!”

 

Noelle had VBS last week and of course, had a blast!  She learned so many Bible stories and remembered lots of details about them – that was neat.  I hope she will ponder them in her heart like I did growing up. 

 

Thursday night they had a VBS celebration, with bounce houses, mazes and slides.  Mike was out of town, but Kay Kay, Grandpapa, and Bekah all came with us!

  

 

 

Our girls are in love with the Prince girls… they have the sweetest little bond!

 

As you can tell, we had such a fun night!  The girls went over and over on the big slide.  Anna Kate is so brave for her age!

Noelle loved riding the track-less train, but Anna Kate wouldn’t go any where near it!  I think her biggest fear in life so far is trains and the sound of trains.  When she hears a train, she will start shaking and run to jump in my arms – it’s crazy!

 

 

This is a picture of William and Noelle right before he kissed her on the cheek.  As she was grinning and walking off, he fell back on the bounce house, fists in the air, and said, “Yes!  Finally!” 

 

While Noelle was at VBS last week, I took Anna Kate and Rose for a little swim play date with Brylee and Cerly Grace.  These pictures really capture the fun they were having!

Rose and Cerly Grace were having fun just chillin’ and listening to the water fall…

  

I love how the big sisters have their hands on their baby sisters’ heads. Lol!

I wish Noelley were here, but I know she was having so much fun too, I just miss her when we’re not together; kindergarten is going to be so hard!  🙁

  

 

I love Brylee’s “hey girl” expression in this picture!  And sweet baby Rose – my goodness – love.that.baby.

Pure joy.

  

This was a very happy morning indeed!

These are some sweet girls who love each other very much right here!

Mike had a blast hanging out with his best friends last week for Kevin’s bachelor party… he works so hard all the time, so I was really happy he got to do this!  He can’t stop talking about how much fun they had and came back so energized and ready to jump right back in!

Eating at The Salt Lick in Austin – these guys have been best friends since junior high!

When they got back into town, we all went to Kevin and Katie’s wedding shower at the Fearings… it was so great!  Life is fast and busy right now for all of us with toddlers and babies and life, but it is always so great when we can be together and catch up!

We had a great, relaxing weekend playing catch-up around here!

 

Anna Kate realized all on her own that she and Mike matched, top and bottom.  She walked right up to him and held out her shirt and said, “We match!”  It was so cute!  And here is a picture of Poppa with his cuddle buddy, Rose!

Our goofy middle (pics compliments of Mike)

 

Anna Kate trying not to laugh, and Rose and Daddy before our party last night.

Noelle giving Daddy his Father’s Day craft!

Mike and his girls this morning hanging out around the kitchen table!

Poppa and Rara took the girls to make Father’s Day bobble heads at JoAnns on Saturday… so Noelle put them on Mike’s desk with beds that she made for them (fabric she cut from her remnants), drinks, and snacks.

The rabbit, Elizabeth the Tulip, had to have a carrot, of course.

And here is Anna Kate’s kitty, Kate.  Lol!

  

Wow, I had no idea how much Noelle and Anna Kate are starting to look alike!  Although you can tell who is who, they are definitely sisters!

 

 

Was that what you thought it was!?!  Oh yes it was… a roasted pig!

 

Noelle danced the night away, that’s for sure!

Anna Kate always asks me to take her picture and then asks if she can see it on the camera screen… when I show her, she always says “Ahh…” no matter what! 

Get down girl!

My buddy and me!

This girl hung the moon for me – she’s everything and more that I could ever hope for in a little daughter… not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for my first baby!

 

Noelle kept begging me to dance, so after a margarita, I was good to go!  🙂

Watching the sun set – like seriously, how much more relaxing does it get!?!

 

Anna Kate – June 2010 and June 2011

                        

I’ve had so many people tell me that Rose looks just like me.  I could never really see it until I got home and saw this picture Mike took of us… I guess we do look alike. 

Let the dancing begin!

I didn’t have time to change the settings on my camera, so this picture is blurry, but check out our limbo champion!  He was a little rusty but still made us proud.  That’s one random trivia fact about Mike… he’s pretty much the best at limbo!

Thanks Peters family for inviting us to your annual luau – it was a blast!  *I can’t believe I didn’t get a picture with the party star, my friend Donnette.  I won’t forget next year!

 

We had a blast at Ysa’s birthday party last weekend!

 

Of course Malia and Anna Kate are always so excited to see each other!

This is me with my friend Thalassia, Ysa’s Mom!

 

We also got to have Ysa over for lunch this week after VBS – it was fun!