Beautiful one year pictures by Melanie Timmons!  Lovin’ me some baby Rose!!!

We haven’t been in the pool a whole lot during the summers because it is too hard for me with little ones, so Noelle hasn’t gotten a whole lot of practice swimming.  We are so proud of her for working so hard during swimming lessons.  She was determined to swim, and she’s got it!

So proud of my big girl for finishing swimming lessons!  She concentrated so hard and tried her very best.  At one point during the week, she was tearing up because she was so frustrated, but she never stopped trying.  I couldn’t be more proud!

Rose and I had a lot of fun hanging out during Noelle’s lessons.  A huge thanks to Susie for watching Anna Kate these past two weeks during swimming lessons. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her! 

Noelle worked really hard this week!

As far as Rose goes, I took tons of snacks, and this chair worked to my favor.  I sat her on one end, and I sat on the other, with my bag of tricks in between.  For the first week, she didn’t realize she could get off of it (ha)!  The second week, she was all over the place, but at least I was only chasing one kid by the pool while Noelle was trying to concentrate.  By the end of each lesson, we were both toast (as you can see in the second picture).  It is so hot in Texas right now, but I absolutely love it!  

Noelle never got the diving head first part down, but we’ll work on it.  I can’t wait to get in the water and practice with her.  She’s getting so much more brave!

I knew the light was gorgeous right here for a picture of Rose’s pretty blue eyes, but I couldn’t get her to look up.  I finally started snapping my fingers and she looked up… and then she started trying to snap too.  We were both laughing so hard.

So excited I can start doing fun things with Rose’s growing hair!  She’s so cute!  Each girl is as if there was only one girl.  I don’t know what I’d do without her.  We need her in our family so much!  My heart overflows for each girl unconditionally.  All three are just the most special little people I could ever think up!

Back to swimming lessons (lol)… Noelle swam the length of the pool and waited 6 counts in between breaths.  Mrs. Illene and I were SO proud of her.  She did a great job, and we look forward to getting lots of practice the rest of the summer!

Somehow this little cutie pie convinced me to help her make this bag…  we were so busy all this week, but she brought me all of the fabrics with the design and everything.  She was so busy explaining it all with such excitement, I couldn’t say no.  She used scraps from a remnant pile of fabrics Rara gave her last year.  Seriously, this entire purse, strap and all, was entirely her idea!

She asked me to add a white sparkly button to the front of it the next day that totally finished it off.  This girl is something else!

We had a blast today at The Little Gym celebrating Madison’s 3rd birthday!

They played this game where the kids ran around in a circle and then froze, but Rose was running the wrong way.  Noelle noticed and scooped her up and started running with her in her arms.  Rose was having a blast and everyone was laughing.  It was so neat seeing Noelle watching out for her like that.  However, Anna Kate felt excluded and started bawling her eyes out, so Noelle had to put Rose down and hold hands and run with Anna Kate after that.  Noelle takes care of them both so well, and they really look up to her.  I love it!

They then had an activity with scarves, and the girls loved that!

Then they had open gym time…

Noelle was so excited to wear her “4th of July” gym suit.  I got tons of really awesome gym suits for so cheap (like $3-5 cheap) at the consignment sale this past spring.  Even though we don’t take gym weekly, the girls love going to camps every couple of months.

Mindy did such a great job making Madison’s birthday party so special.  Rapunzel was the theme and the girls loved these cupcakes in ice cream cones.  Anna Kate said the window of Rapunzel’s castle tasted so good!

This is the only picture I got of Anna Kate with Madison.  This age is just so hard… they are seriously so busy!

Noelle was checking out the cool lantern on the table!

This was the first time I’ve ever let Rose sit at a birthday table all by herself.  She was beyond proud of herself and ate everything on her plate!

Madison’s hair was so pretty!  Her Mommy helps me with the girls’ bows and is so creative!

We had such a blast!  This afternoon was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.  I felt really healthy, and it was just such a blessing to watch my girls loving each other and having fun with their friends!  Thanks Madison!

Anna Kate got an adorable new hair cut last week.  I’ll get a good picture this week.  It’s precious.  She LOVES doing “homework” with Noelle, so we have been busy working on little worksheets this summer.

She looks so big and proud in this picture.  She was intentionally looking down and pretending to concentrate.  It was cracking me up.  I love her silly little antics so much!

Mike took off work one morning so that I could go to the doctor, and when I got home for lunch, this was waiting for me.  He’s the best!

Noelle and I have been busy crafting it up for the 4th of July.  She had another sleepover with Autumn this week and Suzanne took them to get this for breakfast!

We’ve had so much fun playing outside after dark this summer.  We just get out all the toys and let the kids play their hearts out.  Rose was being so silly with these glasses on one night; I had to run in and grab the camera.

Aww… sweet girl.

More “homework.”  We found a wonderful school for Anna Kate to go to in the fall, and she asks me every day if it’s time for her to go to school yet.  She can’t wait, but I can!

Malia came over to play one night, and the girls had a ball.  We did a little bit of everything, but the second picture is them having a tea party with goldfish and lemonade.  Noelle is so good with them and is always encouraging them and teaching them new things (like how to hold their pinky fingers while drinking tea).  It’s so neat to watch.

Sweet Lily turned 6 this week, and we had fun at her Pump It Up birthday! 

This picture is out of focus, but Carson came over today and crafted it up with Noelle.  They did an art camp together earlier this summer, so I knew she would love to help Noelle work on some summer crafts I had planned.

Who else would think up this ensemble, diamond bracelet included!?!  Noelle never ceases to amaze me with her creativity and flair for fashion.  She asked me if I would take some pictures of her modeling and so I did.  I wish I had the time, energy, and money to help her model for real.  She loves being behind the camera and is such a beautiful little girl!  Every child has their special talents, and hers is make-up and fashion.  I wouldn’t have necessarily picked it for her, but she’s obviously gifted.  She is learning to sew and is always designing new dresses on sketch pads.  Wait until you see her latest creations… they are truly impressive.  It’s weird how she’s already doing something that I can’t and she’s only 6!  She’s like my alter ego… I wish I was as brave with my wardrobe as she is… I wish I was as fancy and sassy!  We embrace Noelle for who she is and think she’s pretty amazing!  It is just a tricky talent to help foster and develop at this age.  I mean, there’s not a fashion team or personal shopping classes for 6 year olds.  It’s more of a loose thing that will always be something she loves to do.

When people ask Noelle what she wants to be when she grows up, she always answers, “A fashion designer!” It is her dream to go to Paris and design dresses. One time when we were shopping together, she saw a necklace with an Eiffel Tower charm on it. First, she asked me if it was real (like real gold/silver), and I answered no.  And then she said, “When I design my first dress in Paris, will you buy me a real necklace with an Eiffel Tower charm on it?” I just grinned and said, “Of course!”  She dreams big!

After Rose saw Noelle crossing her arms for the picture, she wanted in on the action.  Lesleigh said, “Melissa, Rose wants you to take her picture!” and when she set her down, sure enough, she did this!  It will be so fun to see what Anna Kate and Rose are interested in.  Kids are so cool, and I love having a front row seat for mine!

This pic was about as good as it got today… the littles were sooo fussy!

The girls and I made this stepping stone for Mike for Father’s Day, but it took several days to dry.  We used Anna Kate’s hands for the butterfly (Noelle’s idea) and Noelle did most of the mosaic pieces by herself.  We let Rose help put some of the marbles in, but she kept putting the cement in her hair, so her help didn’t last long!  Drew made one like this a couple years ago for Poppa and Rara, so when we went to pick one out at Hobby Lobby, the girls really wanted this one since it was a flower shape and they’d seen it before at P&R’s house.  Thanks for the great idea, Michele!

Noelle was pretend crying since the littles were, pretty funny picture… some days are just like this!

Noelle did great last week during her first week of swimming lessons!

Rose was a little concerned about Noelle jumping off the diving board, but after Noelle dove in and started swimming to the side, she’d start laughing!  It was cute!

The girls and I spontaneously decided to eat lunch at Olive Garden last week all by ourselves.  Afterward, we danced to Italian music for a good 30 minutes meeting and greeting on the patio outside.  The girls loved holding the door open for people and then showing them pretty dancing spins.  They love making people smile.  It was a really fun lunch!

Julia had a fun Pump It Up party Saturday!  I brought my camera, but the battery was charging in the wall at home, so these were all the pics I got… boo!  Anna Kate was crying in the group picture because she wanted to sit by Julia… pretty sweet!

Noelle LOVES fake nails (and buys them with her own money)… she cracks me up!  Mike took this pic of the littles on Saturday afternoon watching Max and Ruby!

We went to a surprise party at a really cool Thai restaurant in downtown Ft. Worth for Stephanie on Friday night.  Noelle is so thoughtful (and funny).  She wanted to give Stephanie a birthday present, so she got one of Mike’s beers out of the fridge, bedazzled it and put a bracelet around it that said, “You’re a big deal!”  She put it in a wine bag and put tissue in it and everything before she showed it to us.  Of course, we let her give it to her!  It was the hit of the party!!!

Okay, this first picture was a random play date with Autumn last week.  The girls went upstairs to play dress-up and came down looking like this!  You know I’m going to take a picture!!!  Too funny.  The next picture is a picture of Noelle and her “boyfriend” Ethan.  He lives down the street and is moving to Austin this summer.  Noelle is really sad, but his grandparents live here, so they will be back for visits.  She said, “My boyfriends’ moms keep wanting them to move away from me!”  (because Bailey moved to Georgia last year too)  Lol!  She’s such a mess!