Summer 2011

Aside from our fun vacation to Texas and Arizona, here are some other things we've been doing this summer...

Within one week of returning home from AZ, Kendall started crawling. I know it seems late (afterall, she's 11 months old), but I'm so grateful she didn't start crawling until we were home from our trip to AZ. I got a glimpse of what 5.5 hours would have been like by myself on an airplane with three kids - one of them just learning to crawl - when the four of us went to the movies last week. Crawlers do not sit on laps, even to watch a movie! Now, we'll work on walking, which she appears to have no interest in doing yet, even though she loves pulling herself up on her knees.

The girls and I have baked some of the things we love ... cupcakes, monkey bread, banana bread. Needless to say I'm not looking any better in my swim suit than I was five months ago when I was wearing my "winter coat." =-)

Nothing like a thick layer of chocolate cream cheese frosting to liven up that cupcake!

We've also been crafting like crazy. We've made salt dough cut outs, tie-dyed butterflies, rickrack flower rings, paper plate monsters, cricut animals, crayon hot rocks, and so much more. The girls have seriously painted everything they can get their hands on and they are now sewing their own purses and mending their torn stuffed animals. Every night I go blog surfing to find the next day's craft project and the girls and I are loving everything I find! Thank heavens for all of those amazingly creative women out there who are willing to share their ideas for FREE!

Ella's good friend, Julia, joined in the fun. Even with her "thumb-sucking cap" attached to her hand and wrist, she was still able to roll and cut out her dough. I need to get a few of those things for my two thumb suckers!

Ella finished her first season of soccer! Coach Ryan was there for every game (even the ones that were too FREEZING COLD for the rest of us wimpy girls to stay), to give pointers and help Ella understand the importance of actually kicking the ball in the direction of the goal, rather than making new friends during a game or picking dandelions.

So proud of that medal!