The girls had a blast at this sweet little back to school pool party.  We have the sweetest friends I could ever hope for!

 

Anna Kate loves to go to the store, and play store, any day, any time!  Let’s see, the day with the ladder play started at 3AM one morning when our smoke alarm went off.  Mike figured it out, but the next morning, we were too tired to put the ladder up.  Turned into the cheapest fun ever.  The girls pretended on that thing all.day.long.  I think they were flying to London in this picture!

 

Polly pockets play date with Malia; Doesn’t get better than that!  Rose loves this blue hair we got at a S&S birthday party last year and asks me to put it in her hair all the time.  I call her my “Blueberry Princess!”

 

After Anna Kate faced her fears and started swimming mid-July, we went to get yogurt right out of the pool!  We are so proud of this kid! 

 

Mike started brewing really tasty tea this summer.  Who knew?  I’m a huge fan and love every cup!  I love this quote, and it’s helped me a lot in my own life (mostly the ‘Is it necessary?’) and explaining what is okay and not okay to say to the girls.  Seeing their words pass through gates make a very visual impression in their little minds as they go through the questions. 

 

Fancy Nancy and her sweet mom taught Noelle and me how to do foil curls this summer.  They are a lot of work but turn out so pretty the next morning.  And, uh um, someone got another hair cut by Anna Kate.  Anna Kate promises Rose asked her to, and she really believed that that made it okay.  Um, no.  Her consequence was no sweets or desserts whatsoever for 5 days, even when her sisters got them in front of her.  We’ve never had so many desserts than we did those 5 days, lol.  Every time I gave Noelle and Rose their treat, I would ask Anna Kate, “Why aren’t you getting a treat today?” and she’d have to tell me, “Because I cut Rose’s hair.”  That consequence hurt.  Bad.  I would be very surprised if she ever tries to cut Rose’s hair again.  And if she does?  I promised her I would cut her hair (Anna Kate’s) in the exact same way she cut Rose’s.  Please don’t make me follow through with this one, Anna Kate.  We may have some crazy hair styles going on in the Pond fam if Anna Kate decides to go there. 

 

Moving on to Anna Kate’s first dessert, post hair drama, on a really sweet ice cream date with Bekah before she up and went off to college!  One more pretty picture of Noelle on her fancy fondue night out on the town! 

 

Ice cream social with some super fun neighbors and friends!

 

 

 

We love McAlister’s!  With an adult purchase, kids meals are only .99, all the time!  We ate there a lot this summer!

Big girl Mommy/daughter lunch date and afternoon tea.  So thankful for these moments with our girls.  We were all floating on Cloud 9!  These little moments are what life is made of.

 

Noelle doing her own fishtail braids and more complicated rainbow looms.  Anna Kate and one of her summer shops.  The girl can flip anything into a store in seconds.  She stays super busy taking orders, answering the phones, checking out customers and announcing store specials into the microphone. 

  

Today Anna Kate was a zoo keeper!  She makes me smile.

 

Noelle did these amazing hair styles all by herself.  She made up the one on the right.  I’m impressed!

 

Rose and Anna Kate turned into Mother Gothel and Rapunzel one slow summer day.  Anna Kate is actually balancing Pascal on her hat.  You can see him if you look closely.    Noelle got bonked on the lip on the trampoline with some friends one night at a party.  She didn’t cry, but from what I hear, there was a lot of blood.  It’s almost all better now.  She’s one tough cookie!

 

Happy birthday to Phil!  This was such an amazing night of music under the stars with awesome friends.  One of the highlights of my summer, for sure.  In the picture to the right, this silly fish wouldn’t stop making kissy faces at Anna Kate.  We named him Kissy Face.  He lives at our dentist’s office, so we’ll check back in with him in 6 months. 

 

Bill and Lisa’s wedding photographer took this photo of Noelle and posted it on his Facebook page the night of the wedding.  Like mother, like daughter!  Noelle asked me to take a picture of this canvas (on the right) at Hobby Lobby, so she could use it as her wallpaper on her phone.  It really touched me because this quote is fresh, new and real to her and is truly how she feels.

A girl I really admire (just Aaron Paul’s wife) wrote this in honor of Robin Williams.  This is exactly how I feel deep down.  She also Co-Founded the Kind Campaign.  www.kindcampaign.com (click on the above left column to make it bigger to read).

Anna Kate and Rose with some sweet little friends they made over the summer.  We are blessed with precious play mates.

This is just about the best thing I have ever read.  These types of friendships make my world go round!  I want to be that.  I want to do that.  I want us all to have that.  Amen!

 

Another cool braid Noelle created.  Go girl!  I have had some pretty low health days this summer.  I can’t even tell you how bad it gets when I am weak (I hide it very well as my way of coping/not wanting to talk about it/not wanting to give it any more thought space than it triggers physically).  It is about all my muscles can do to survive when those days hit.  Noelle wheeled me in this breakfast on a very low day.  I could not dream up a sweeter person than Noelle Pond.  She is selfless beyond her years, and I am so very proud of her giving heart.  She is so amazing!   

 

Well, here we are!  Crochet lessons with Mrs. Rose are in full swing.  It’s an amazing story about how we found this sweetheart.  I’ll tell the tale one day as time allows.  For now, Noelle and I are being challenged and taking it one step at a time.  It’s so hard!  And I’ve thought about the comment on the right for weeks now.  Such wise words.  Focus on having a happy spirit than worrying about what you can’t change.  That’s huge.  Mom used to say, “Happiness is between here and here” and she’d point to both sides of her head.  I got it, but now I get it.  You control your happiness meter, regardless of your circumstances.  There are rich and famous totally miserable people in this world and there are people who don’t even have basic necessities that breathe in peace and contentment.  Don’t be a victim.  Be alive!  It’s your choice.  Deal with your problems but don’t dwell on them.  That helps me, at least, so I’m throwing it out there.

 

Whew!  After some heavy inspiration, let’s move on to Landon’s awesome birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza!  Such a fun time!

Happy 5th birthday, big boy!  We love you soooooo much!

Hashtag Noelle.  Mike created this little photo, and it’s adorable.  So them.  I’ll end my summer on my phone with this quote from the hair ninja of all hair ninjas, Mindy, from Cute Girls Hairstyles.  I’m a dedicated mother trying to do all I can to live inner beauty and be inner beauty for my girls, no matter what the days may hold, good or bad.  Sometimes I’m very pleased with my example and other days I feel bummed because I could have done better.  But, the important thing is that I’m trying my very best, and I think that counts for something.  Living out these character traits (all of them) for our girls is my life’s work, challenge and joy. XOXO