Girls Choice

Well, today I gave the girls three choices of what we could do.
1. swimming pool
2. zoo
3. water fountains at Stony Point Fashion Park

They chose to go to the mall! OK...not the mall shopping part, but the cool water fountains that
spit water.
It was SO SO hot here today. Definitely 100 degrees, if not very close. We hit the mall about 11:00 this afternoon and the water fountains were packed. Tons of kids, strollers, moms, and a few dads stretched out all over the place. Nora and Charlotte played for a little bit, but it was so crowded, they couldn't really run around. So it wasn't very interesting.
We left and did some shopping and ate lunch. Maybe this picture was taken two hours later and it was a lot more fun. The mommy brigade had all left and there was ample room to play. Charlotte opted out of going back in. Nora ran into the water spits and had a lot of fun. I keep calling these things water spits, I'm sure there is a lovely name to call them, little geysers maybe?
Tomorrow it will be a toss up between pool or zoo. I think zoo will win out because we hit the pool on Wednesday and the zoo was a very close second today.

ETA: I finally sized the pictures correctly. So if you click on them, they won't be HUGE!
But only in this post and the next ones! Why go back....it's all a learning experience, right?
Next, photo shop...so I can play with the lighting and editing.

One major project

Last weekend, Craig rented a stump grinder to rid the backyard of at least 8 stumps. This is it. A very strange and scary machine that had me and the girls running away!
It is a cool thing though that Craig knows what he is doing with all this stuff. He really did power his way through the backyard grinding all those stumps.
You wouldn't know we lived in a residential neighborhood on a golf course with all the farm machines on the property. Ahh...gotta love rural Virginia.
This coming weekend, Craig is planning on finishing the grading of the yard and planting grass seed. Then hopefully it will rain, rain , and rain!
Our one casualty from last weekend. A stone shot up from the stump grinder and broke a kitchen window. This window was changed out on Monday. Our German fixes things lickety split!

While we wait

I made a video of the girls relaxing and chatting on the front steps of the house after a morning of slip & slide but I can't get it to load.

I've tried twice to get it up, but to no avail. I will try again later tonight to see if I can figure it out.

So in the meantime for your viewing pleasure, I made this layout of the Pipster. I was inspired by her beautiful medley yesterday.

Of to make some layouts for Nora's album. I haven't made a Nora layout in a while.

I think the girls are sleeping, but I hear a lot of noise coming from upstairs. So I'm going to go investigate because one of my beauties is definitely awake. Goodbye!

All you need is love

How lucky and blessed am I to have this little love in my life singing to me everyday!

Now that I know how to upload videos, I have one of Nora coming soon!

And of course, my Pinky Dog will make a cameo!

Doing my best Miley

Story on these pants at bottom.

Love that little face! These pictures are from Thursday. Playing outside after picking Nora up from VBS.
Watch out! Yeah, I'm too old to be posing and taking pictures of myself, but I've got a CHILD in these photos too. If I don't get pictures of us, no one will. I know I mocked Allie after looking at her Face book. Why do young girls constantly take photos of themselves? So I did my best Miley Cyrus impression for my close up. Anyway that facial expression came from reading too much Perez .
Another one with the three of us! Yeah! We hardly have any pictures of us! I'm always taking pictures, but not of myself. I've definitely calmed down. I hated having my picture taken for a long time.

I think now with all the scrapbooking I've been doing, I've come to realize I want my kids to know what I looked like at this age. I want to know what my mother looked like at 33. I don't have that. Do I look like my mother or father at this age? I want Nora and Charlotte to have these pictures and whatever stories I remember to write down.
Charlotte is using the scissors I bought her for bad! She is cutting everything in sight. In this picture, Nora is holding the stuffing from a bear that Charlotte cut open. The playroom floor is littered with the flesh of stuffed animals and doll hair!

OK... as I was literally writing this post, Charlotte was cutting off her pajamas! I'm not joking! Hence the picture I added at the top. Craig caught her and confiscated the scissors. Bye bye scissors! Now why didn't I think of that? Maybe because Craig caught the look on my face and told me, "It's not funny." Yikes! That scary German!

SYTYCD!!

OK...this is totally my new favorite dance from this show. I really like this Katee. She blows me away every week! I thought her Bollywood routine was awesome, but this tops it. I think Twitch is my fav too.

I had to change the first song on my play list to reflect this. I've heard Duffy before, but then I thought she was just another Brit trying to sound like Amy Winehouse. She's growing on me and she's like an Amy Winehouse minus the crack! I dig that.

Sister...pause the playlist music before you play the youtube video. ;)

Happy Weekend

Yesterday we went up to Fredericksburg, VA to look around and do a little shopping. Cute downtown, a lot of character, reminded me of Williamsburg. All very nice, but nothing compares to Newport, RI. Now that's colonial done right!

These pictures were taken last night on our tot lot. Nora is wearing a boys t-shirt from Target. Shh! She doesn't know and I got it for $0.49. It looks beautiful with her eyes.

Today more of the same. Char and I went to Target this morning and went a little batty. They have a lot of stuff on clearance, so we picked up some new outdoor toys. Also a cool rug.

Got to get off the computer now. Kids are going loco!

My national geographic photographer

Miss Nora took these pictures today at the zoo. I think she did a fantastic job and she can't wait to print them out so she make a book with them.
Nora and Charlotte have been busy making books. They draw beautiful pictures and use their glue sticks to make a book. We have been saving them in a special place to show family when they visit.
They are having a very crafty summer. I signed Nora and Charlotte up for the same dance class this year. Ballet/ Tap I.
I'm putting Charlotte in the class also. We are skipping Creative Movement with Charlotte. She's got rhythm and the moves, so I think she can handle herself with 4-5yr old. Go Char Char!

Kings Dominion

Yesterday was Craig's company picnic at Kings Dominion. Girls had tons of fun. I'm still not used to seeing Charlotte riding the big kid rides. We have a silly picture of the girls with Dora and Diego, but I have to edit it because I'm in it and I look like a beast!

Rain rain go away!

I forgot that Nora was still waiting to see the fireworks from the Fourth until she reminded me this morning. We've had rain and/or overcast skies since the holiday weekend. The fireworks were cancelled and we're still waiting for the rescheduled time to see them.
Charlotte on the move again and won't stand still for a couple shots with the cute umbrellas.


Last night regularly scheduled programing was interrupted for tornado warnings. So from 7-8 pm, I was putting away laundry I had folded earlier. I was looking out every bedroom window for possible twisters. Good housework always prevails over twisters! We just had rain and some lightening. All bad weather was to the south and east of us.
What are we growing? We planted so many seeds in April and sporadically took care of them. So we only had one seed sprout. So I think it looks like a zucchini blossom, but I don't remember planting zucchini. I do remember planting pumpkins though. The leaves are huge. We'll have to wait and see.

Recognize anything?

Could it be? Is it really him? The birthday bear made a surprise appearance last night during the singing portion of Pinky's birthday.
Don't be too upset sister that the birthday bear is now a Virginian. I may have to hide him when you're here on your visit in August.

Why are there two girls on my bookshelves?

What happened to my glorious books?

I can't take a picture. It's too horrible. "That junk" as Charlotte fondly calls my books are all over the floor. They are using them to block the doors so I can't escape. Which I really wanted to do after I took the picture where Charlotte pulled Nora's hair. Screech City!!!

Welcome Glenn the Fish

I almost forgot to introduce y'all to Glenn the Fish.

Nora and Charlotte have been talking about having a fish forever. This wasn't going to happen because if there's something I dislike more than picking up dog feces, it's cleaning out smelly fish tanks.

Now Glenn is here and we all like looking at him. Except Pinky...she could care less. I'd bet Bello would like Glenn.

Happy Birthday Pink Dog!

So one year ago today the fabulous Pinkydog was born 07/07/07!

Here's a silly sequence of Charlotte and Pink.

Pink sees the food.

Gonna get it.

Gone!

Happy 4th of July!

Layout I made of Pip & pink last week.
Slip & Slide madness with the girls.