camping

We decided to take the girls on their first camping trip over Memorial Day weekend. We have had our 1970-something hand-me-down pop-up camper since last fall and hadn't gotten to try her out yet. We decided that it was best to stay relatively close to home for our trial run, so we set it up at my cousins' farm. It was pretty close to paradise--we camped right by a beautiful creek, had a fire pit, a tire swing, rode the mule, fished in the pond... You couldn't really ask for anything more. Lilly kept saying it was the best day of her whole life. The girls both loved it--even poor little Mamie who happened to be under the one leak we didn't know we had in the camper. At about 3:00 it started really storming and I had gotten up and zipped up all the windows and checked on everything. At about 4:00, Mamie woke up crying and when I picked her up it felt like I was picking her up out of the bathtub. Her pillow weighed about 10 pounds. She was literally soaked to the skin. I had to strip her down and wrap her up in our sheet and snuggle with her to warm her up. When you ask her about camping, she will tell you it was fun, she ate marshmallows, AND that she got wet. I know we'll be going back again soon!

Don't you love how Lilly poses when I try to take a picture?

Our sweet old Scole got to come along. He had so much fun he could barely get up off the floor for about three days after we got home. Jon and I have to hoist him up into the truck with a towel ever since he got hit :(

The girls ready for a mule ride.

Scole trying to scare off ALL of the fish. He sure does love to swim.

Watching daddy get the fishing poles ready.

Fishing with the Dora rod. We actually caught several with it.

Lilly and daddy showing off a good sized bass they caught.

The first victim of the Dora rod. It was a pretty fat little bluegill.

Grillin' corn, burgers, and onions. Why does food always taste so good when you are camping?

Home sweet home. With the potty in the front yard, of course.

Mamie eating one of many marshmallows by the blazing fire (AKA the reason Jon has no leg hair, eyelashes or eyebrows).

Sweet sisters sleeping together. I thought they would never fall asleep, but they did.

And here's the "after" picture of Mamie. Can you tell her hair is completely wet? Poor little thing.

graduation (but not really)

Last Wednesday was Lilly's "graduation" ceremony. Most of the kids in her class will be going to kindergarten next year, but she was the youngest in her class, so she'll be "graduating" again next year! She loved school so much this past year. She had an amazing teacher and the sweetest little class I have ever seen. I have loved getting to know all their families. She has learned so much and is so excited about handwriting, reading, rhyming, beginning sounds, opposites, etc. I am so glad I have another year with her before she's off to school five days a week. I am not ready for that yet!

Lilly and the fabulous "Miss" Sandra

Sassy and Mamie ready for the program to begin.

Lilly receiving her certificate and t-shirt and sharing what she wants to be when she grows up--"a mommy!"

Her class singing "Jesus Loves the Little Children."

pictures!!!

I know I am posting way too many pictures, but I can't make up my mind which ones to put on here. I am never going to be able to choose which ones I want to frame. If you are looking for a photographer, you should check out Brooke's website-- www.brookeraineyphotos.com
She has always done the girls' pictures and we all love her!

trying so hard not to smile and keep her "mean" face

pickles and baby birds

We have been really busy lately, but I'm not sure what we've been doing. I have been working a lot lately and Jon has been wonderful about keeping the girls when he's off. He even took them to the zoo by himself (not the first time he's done it) on Tuesday. They have been loving their daddy time! Just thought I would post a few random pictures--I haven't been taking very many lately.

Mamie's new favorite food. She must take after her daddy. She cries and wants pickles on her plate at every meal. Ham, cantaloupe, and pickles for lunch, pizza, grapes, and pickles for dinner, pickles for an afternoon snack...

Just a quick picture I took of the girls before school one morning. Lilly is writing "Love Lilly Carman" on everything these days. I love it. And yes, the binky needs to go. I am being so lazy about it. Someone tell me it won't be as bad as I think it will when I take it away. Lilly never had one, so I have no idea what to expect.

Our baby birds. We have had so much fun watching them. The mother robin built the nest right outside the girls' bathroom window, so we can see everything. If only I had a zoom lens, so could you! The girls love watching the mama bird feed the babies.

where is lilly?

This morning I made cinnamon toast. Lilly usually eats two pieces. She was about halfway through her first one when she said,
"Mom, may I be excused?"
Me: "Don't you want another piece?"
Lilly: "No, cinnamon toast is made out of sugar and sugar is not good for you. I want to go dust my furniture in my room. May I be excused please?"

She's in there singing at the top of her lungs dusting away...

Right now I can hear some of her made-up lyrics--"No matter what you look like, God still loves you, we're special, we're special, he never ever lets us go!"

preview...

Brooke took pictures of the girls a few weeks ago. Here are a just a few--I can't wait until I have them all and can put some more on here. She is fabulous and the girls had so much fun with her. We also got a couple of ticks, but who cares if you get a few good pictures, right?

this one pretty much sums up Mamie