the week in review

Here's our little girl all dressed up in her heels ready to go with her purse! The girls love these shoes. Anna Kate even likes to wear them to the store and out . . . Lucy isn't there yet, but I'm not sure how much longer I have until they both are clicking around in plastic dress-up shoes.

This morning I thought I had such a great idea! Outdoor water play. So, I got everything ready and put the water box in the yard. The girls had a great time playing, only got a little wet, and, to my surprise, did not get in the box! So, this afternoon, after naps, I moved it to the deck because I needed to finish some work in the office (and the windows look out to the deck). We're off to a good start! Starting to put our feet in, happyily.
Totally sitting, and, now, calling it a pool! Uh-oh! We had a great time anyways, just were a little wet when we came inside!

Anna Kate asked for this picture of her and "Oliver" to be taken! She is sweet! Lucy is really funny these days! I discovered this week (thanks to big sis' Anna Kate) that Lucy can completely climb the changing table on her own. I wonder where she learned that from? Here she is on the move . . . and she has decided that she really likes the green oven mitt. It's hilarious. But, she will walk around doing her thing with the mitt on . . . tonight, she had it on for a long time while she was carrying her baby, busy, and even while climbing the changing table!

Home again, Home again

There's nothing like being home! Our neighbor, Joe, brough over some tomatoes from his garden. Anna Kate could hardly wait for one to be washed before she bit into it! She ate it just like an apple, which I can't imagine doing, but I've heard my mom and Gram did so!
It does look good, right?
Anna Kate was thrilled to find her tricycle and so many other toys waiting for her just as she left them. She has been giving her Boynton chicken a ride on the tricycle in the baby backpack. She even helped Lucy use the tricycle - all on her own! We were so proud of her, and we really see them developing into good friends. Anna Kate is a great big sister . . .
Anna Kate enjoying a mouthful of blueberries. Yep, we finally went "u-pick-it" on Saturday morning. It was good fun for everyone - outdoors, beautiful, peaceful, and yummy!

Here are a bunch of the girls. I don't know if you can see, but Lucy's basket is basically always empty. If you have ever read the book Blueberries for Sal, then you'll know what I mean when I say that Lucy was exactly like Little Sal - picking blueberries and eating every single one of them! Anna Kate was a diligent picker, and picked almost an entire quart basket herself!

From CO

Here are a couple of great pictures from our time in Colorado. Lucy is really starting to imitate Anna Kate's play, which is amazing. So, here she is feeding her baby. She would give the baby food and then say, "yummy!" Anna Kate is a great mom to her babies! Here she is reading to her baby! I'm amazed at how many stories she has memorized and can "read."
I can't resist taking pictures of the girls sleeping. Here's Anna Kate in her sleeping bag; as the summer moved along, we added more and more stuffed animals to the ones she slept with! Can you see the piggy (that's Wilbur from Charlotte's Web), the horsey (named Emeline after a good friend's new baby), bear, and a blankie! whew!

Lucy at White Acres Farm in Denver, which is a really fun place to take the kids and eat. There is a petting zoo, upstairs play area complete with "pig chute" slide (our girls still aren't big enough to ride), and yummy pies! Lucy is a real cowgirl riding that horse, right? Lucy's bear really does go everywhere with us. On this day, bear had gone along to Horsetooth Reservoir, where even bear had swam and played in the dirt, right alongside Lucy!!

Bear takes a bath

Lucy loves, absolutely loves, and is attached to this pink cuddle bear that my friend gave her. The bear goes everywhere with us; we have even bought back-ups so that we can keep one clean. Here is Lucy, regretting her decision to allow me to wash both bears at once!

Still Catching Up

Anna Kate is really great at puzzles, blocks, and all that! One day, she surprised me by building a house from Lincoln Logs all by herself! She just came out to the kitchen, and said, "Look at my house."
Here is some excitement among the cousins: Decker's 8th grade graduation had a Mardi Gras theme. He came home with a shoebox full of beads for the s! If only you could have heard the oohs and ahhs!
Reading with Gramma Maggy and Emmy.
We spent the 4th with the Denver-based Sheehans! Even though it was raining, we managed to do a few sparklers before the s went to bed.

Grandma Sheehan helped Anna Kate with a sparkler!

Catching Up

We've been on the road - in El Paso, Denver, and now in Ft. Collins - and unfortunately, I've had some trouble uploading pictures. Now that it is solved, here's some pictures to enjoy!
Here is Anna Kate cuddled up with her cousin Emmy, who is only 5 months younger - hardly noticeable anymore!
I couldn't resist taking a picture of Lucy sleeping. She is getting so tall! Anna Kate and Lucy enjoyed afternoon snacks on Grandma and Grandpa Sheehan's back deck.
Lucy did this all on her own! She carried out the wipes box and sat on it! Isn't it cute?

Anna Kate and Lucy show off their matching bathing suits! We have really enjoyed swimming this summer, both in El Paso and now in Ft. Collins, and Anna Kate is getting brave in the pool, too!

In the pool with Daddy - he has his hands full!
For a short while, Lucy thought she wanted to swim like a big girl in an inner tube! She loves the water, but doesn't really want to float in anything (we've tried 4 different floats!) ... she wants to be free.
Anna Kate is swimming with floaties on . . . now, she will swim with only her swim vest most of the time!

We all loved seeing Aunt Emilie and Uncle Chris. Anna Kate snuggled right up for some stories!

At the Tulip Festival

The girls really enjoyed dancing and playing on the grass, and Dave and I got to enjoy this great concert! We loved every minute of it!