Happy 2nd Birthday Eva Faith!

the fourth....

was celebrated with friends. We went swimming most of the day, went to the parade, then ended the day with fireworks, food and fun!!

Tina.

Our neighbor. Friend. Last minute baby-sitter. She spoils the girls ROTTEN with her generosity. I can't even begin to list all the wonderful, selfless ways in which Tina has blessed our family. She can't even go outside and sit on her back deck without the girls running to her fence, begging her for a popsicle, juicy drink or to just go play with Playdoh. She truly loves our girls and for that we are so thankful. Because, not only does she watch our girls to help us out or give us a break, she does it because she truly WANTS to spend time with them. Thank you for ALL you do...you have NO idea how MUCH you are appreciated.

Softball.

Jared almost fell over when Emma came home and decided that she was going to play softball. He soon learned that ALL of her best friends were playing and they were going to have "cool socks and pink uniforms and do cartwheels on the way out to the field". She was sold on the idea. Although the uniforms "weren't quite what she had in mind...and there were few less cartwheels than what she planned on...and the socks were hot"....overall, she had a whole lot of fun with her friends.

Swim Team 2012

Emma and Ellie had another successful summer on swim team. It has been fun watching their personalities emerge...Ellie is quite the competetive and confident one and Emma is definitively a tad more laid back. As I mentioned last year, Ellie knew exactly how many medals and ribbons she had won and Emma was just going to "share hers with the neighbor because she didn't have one". Here was a few of our conversations at their first meet: Mom: "Emma, you swam so hard and you just won, you got first place!!" Emma: "Really, mom, are you sure?...Really, I really DID beat that girl??" Mom: "Yes, Emma, you really did!!" Emma: "Wow! I still can't believe it!" And on the other hand.... Mom: "Ellie, you swam so hard and you just won, you got first place!!" Ellie: "I know that already mom, I'm gonna win ALL my races."

Golf 2012

May is always such a BUSY month. **sigh** High school regional and state golf have been just a few of our activities in the past few years. The Chieftans had an awesome year and won the League and Regional Tournaments and Jared was such a proud head coach. They came in 2nd at the state tourney by one stroke (but we don't mention that. ever.) The "golfing boys" came over multiple times during the season for breakfast and "team building" which turned into some wrestling on the trampoline, the girls being chased and of course, the girls teasing the boys. Much to daddy's dismay, the girls got pretty excited and giddy. Toward the end of the season, the girls all had "boyfriends". Eva is pictured with Tyler, the one she gravitated to. But the girls warned her, "Now Eva, you just need to know that Tyler MIGHT be already married by the time you are old enough to get married, ok?"

Dance Recital 2012

What fun it is to get all dressed up, put on more than a necessary amount of make-up and dance the night away!