Here are some of my fav phone pics from the summer!  Camp DCC was such a cool experience for Noelle and Ava!

Anna Kate has been my little sidekick this summer, and for the past 5 years really!  Kindergarten hits me like a ton of bricks, and I’m stressing out.  It’s just such an adjustment for all of us in so many ways.  We’ve got 2 weeks left before school starts, and we’re soaking it up!

My friend Angela has three girls stair-stepped just above my girls.  It’s beyond encouraging to watch them grow and get a sneak peek at what’s coming next.  Angela is an awesome mom and inspires me so much!  Her girls are equally as awesome!

 

Phone pic of our baby getting her rainbow ballet picture made, and Poppa surprised us for a super fun lunch and mall date back in June.

Noelle is such a great girl!  She is truly so kind and wonderful. 

 

Thumbs up lunch for Cutie Kate and pencil dangles by Noelle. 

Summer storm from Mike’s office window.  This summer has been awesome with mild temps and lots of rain in Texas!

 

Science camp and cheer pool party, some hits and some misses of summer, lol.  Let’s just say science camp really wasn’t up her alley, but she was a great sport and finished strong.

Lots of playing office and store around here!  These girls play pretend a lot more than Noelle did at their age.  She was always busy coloring.  Anna Kate loves to set up areas of creativity and act scenes out all in her head, but Rose will speak out loud complete conversations between characters.  She’ll change her voice when it’s another character’s turn to talk.  It’s really interesting.  They are all so smart and so different!

 

Here are the girls passing out 4th of July buttons at the nursing home during Bingo.  I just finished 10 years of service at our local pregnancy center as a client coordinator so that I could focus more on incorporating the girls in my love for helping others.  They are little lights everywhere they go, and to see their confidence build as they brighten someone’s day… well, it’s simply amazing.  This is definitely intimidating and out of my comfort zone (I’ve gotten really shy in some areas as an adult), but it was so worth it!  Try it with your kiddos!  Once I follow through with an idea of service, I am always glad I did and look forward to doing it again and again! 

We’ve had too many sleepovers to count!

And lots of lunch dates at McAllister’s with this sweetie!  Rose has really matured over the summer.  It’s bittersweet.

 

My sweethearts enjoying a relaxing evening of Mexican food on the patio.  Anna Kate’s very favorite thing right now is playing store (well, when we are home).  She has this cupcake game where she can build all different types of cupcakes.  This day, she opened up shop, and Noelle was her first customer.  Here’s how it played out:

Anna Kate: Would you like a cupcake, ma’am?

Noelle: Sure, how much do they cost?

Anna Kate: One thousand dollars a piece.

Noelle (looks super confused)

Anna Kate: Ma’am, are you concerned about the price? 

 

As one of my friends said, nothing says “America” like a parrot!?!  Regardless, the girls loved him at the 4th of July parade!

 

Our neighborhood has outdoor movie nights under the stars that are so much fun!  This night, Noelle came downstairs with this twisted braid she created all by herself.  It equally surprised and impressed me.  I just wouldn’t have thought she would be doing her own hair like this at age 8!  It’s fun to watch her creativity blossom with lots of different mediums.

 

Susie sent me these pics from a play date Malia and Anna Kate had one day this summer.  So sweet!

 

Noelle and I love dates at La Madeline!  Just for fun, guess how much this super-sized Olaf costs? 

$500!  I wonder if it’s full of gold!?!