We love our Ali!

Our cousin just graduated from high school and we will celebrate with her this weekend.

Seize the day, Ali!

Ali and Maddie: November 2002

Ali and Elise: July 2005

Ali and Gus: March 2008

Artsy Fartsy

We have been spending some of our afternoons being artsy fartsy. The girls have been working on their "art projects" for about two weeks and finished them today before our trip -- Maddie did her first "Paint by Number" and Elise colored a huge jungle scene.

\They were very proud to have their art in their bedroom tonight as they went to sleep.

We fly out tomorrow evening. See you midwest folks soon...

Dinner's Delightful Screams

Gus is ready for real food. Enough of this pureed stuff. He wants taco meat, toast, watermelon, you name it. Check out how excited he gets...

Jemez Hiking

We went into the Jemez mountains for the Father's Day, hiking on the East Fork of the Jemez river, wading in the water, searching for imaginary animals to rescue, and ending our day with yummy burgers at Los Ojos.

It's good to be a dad...

Father's Day was good...cool homemade gifts, a new table tennis set that attaches to the breakfast table, a show from the girls, and lots of love.

Cool Pool

We are settled into summer and we love to hang out at the pool. If we are organized and have our lunch made in time, we catch the bus at the end of our street and ride it there. The girls swim, make forts with their towels, and hang with their buddies while the moms and babies keep cool in the shade or the wading pool. No complaints here.

Lazy Days of Summer

We are trying to just relax and enjoy summer now. Maybe a day at the pool, maybe the farmer's market, maybe lounging in the backyard with popsicles, maybe a crafty little project, maybe the kids will sleep in today, maybe I'll exercise, maybe I'll do the blog, maybe ...

Gus is almost 9 months. Ahhhh.....

Waiting for the local bus with friends. It is free, drives right by our house, and takes us to the local pool.

I made the girls dresses out of old pillowcases. Recognize our old sheets? :) I'm trying to use my mom's old sewing machine once and awhile and this was easy.

Sandy Sand Dunes

Memorial Weekend was the official start of Summer since school was out. We planned to camp with the Prices for the whole weekend but cold temperatures on Friday and Saturday turned it into just an overnight trip. Still great fun!

The kids loved the beach that is created by the mountain run-off.

Check out Gus' hair.

It really was that windy. Aimee and I hiked up the High Dune for a some serious exfoliation and exercise. Sorry the video is sideways.

They Earned It!

At the beginning of the school year, Maddie started earning "Green Smiley Faces" for good behavior. Eric said, "If you get green smiley faces all year, you can go to Build-A-Bear Workshop." (Quite a status symbol for the Kindergarteners in her class) And Eric told Elise "If you earned good girl cookies all year from Sandy, you can go to Build-A-Bear Workshop too!" Please meet the coolest stuffed animals we've ever gotten...

Sister Sugar Pup

Sparkles

So the Saturday after school was out, we drove an hour and a half to Albuquerque and spent the day at the mall. Not a common event. :) The girls were CRAZY excited on the way down!

May 23: School's Out

Our last week of school was busy and fun...final exams for my classes, a family picnic at Maddie's school, Elise's last hiker party with Sandy, packing my classroom things, making thank you gifts, Maddie's Kindergarten Celebration and Mrs. Wishy Washy play.

We love Maddie's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Hopkins. She is a Minnesota-native with three young daughters of her own. Maddie got her phone number so she can call her this summer. She even gave Maddie a flower at her ballet performance.

Check out Maddie in the Santa Hat doing "Ah-Too-Tee-Ta, Ah-Too-Tee-Ta, ...Elbows back...Knee together..." dance with her classmates.

Elise made this picture for Sandy. Notice the drawing of Sandy and Elise on the left -- they are blue (their favorite color!). The top circles are special messages that say, "I love you Sandy."

Sandy and her puppy named Sugar Babe with sleeping Ovaska kids on the last day together before summer break.