Updates... 2

After doing my post yesterday, a couple of new things happened that I wanted to add :)

• Madeline actually played in the water at the pool! Since she has fallen in twice this year, and I mean the scary, silent fall in with eyes wide open in fear, she has not wanted to get in the water.  Yesterday this changed! She came in the water with me and walked around! It was great :) She was so excited to be in the water!
• I made another dress!! This one for Brooke, so I just had to share! This was much harder than the other one I made.  I used one of Brooke's other dresses for a "pattern".  Which means I looked at it and just kind of figured out how to make it (there were some things that I did wrong... but I will do better next time!)

And yes, we are still taping Brooke's fingers to get her to stop sucking them!

What's new?

I have been kind of busy lately and haven't done a real update blog in a while... so here goes!

• The girls have had a busy summer so far.  They have been to 2 different church camps.  We have spent a large amount of time at the gym & it's pool.  We have been to the beach a few times.  And we are only 1/2 way through the summer!

• I made my first dress!  It is a pillowcase dress (just the style... some are made from pillowcases).  I made this one for fall, but it was cute so Hana wore it on Sunday.  I have more material and plan to make another one.  I also have some Christmas material for 3 Christmas dresses (I didn't know how long it would take me to make the dresses, so I wanted to be sure they would have a chance to wear them!)
• Jack and I had our TEN year anniversary!! I can't believe we have been married for 10 years! In some ways it has gone by really fast, in other ways it seems like forever.  We went out to dinner with some friends.  And we have a trip planned for a couple of days in Charleston in August. 
• I have had strep throat twice in 3 weeks.  Hana and Brooke had it, and we have found out that they may be carriers, since they didn't really have any symptoms.  Fun fun :(
• I have not heard anything about teaching at the preschool for the fall.  Sad.  But I guess it just isn't the right time.  I am trying to work more on my photography businesses.  (I have some deals running now! Check out the blog if you are interested!!).  I LOVE doing it, I just haven't had much time to focus on it lately. 
• I am still leading a Moms group on Tuesdays. It is going well! I really enjoy doing it.  
• Madeline is a tiny, crazy, adorable almost 2 year old.  She talks up a storm! (in fact at church they suggested that we move her up to the 2 year old room because she was so far ahead of the other one year olds.  We did, she did fine, she is just so tiny!!)  But she can say anything.  And she puts about 4-5 words in sentences regularly.
• We are working on Brooke's allergies.  We got her a new mattress and a mattress cover.  I am trying to wash her sheets regularly.  I will also be steam cleaning the carpets.  She says that she isn't as itchy now.  Which is great! We got some stronger cream for her spots and she looks SO much better!
• Hana will be in first grade soon! So hard to believe! She keeps telling me that she misses school and her friends.  I am not quite sure she understands that when she goes back she will have a different class and teacher.  I am praying she has another great year and a great teacher!

Ok that is it!! :)

Fireworks!!

Every year we have people over to our house because our neighborhood has amazing fireworks.  A lady that lives on a street over from us puts on a very impressive display.  The only problem was, last year she said it was going to be her last year.  So we weren't totally sure what was going on for this year.  But we found out on FRIDAY that the display was on.  So I told everyone that they were on... for the 4th and we started getting ready :)  Well at about 1:00 on SUNDAY the 3rd, we were hanging out when our neighbor stopped by and informed us that the fireworks were today! So I sent out messages, texted, and called people to make sure everyone knew the change of plans.  Not as many people were able to come.  But that was OK, we were still able to have a great time with some close friends!! And once again the fireworks were amazing!!! We think they are as good as the ones the city puts on downtown, everyone who comes to our house agrees!!

 pre-firework hugs :)

posing!

We killed time waiting for the fireworks with... bubbles!!

 

 some of the patriotic food :)

waiting for the fireworks!

 Hana and Madeline were doing, what we thought was, an interpretive dance to the fireworks.

Well when I asked Hana this morning, she told me she was pretending to have magic powers and was controlling the fireworks!  (I think I liked interpretive dance better ;)

 And the fireworks!! Always impressive!

 

 

Happy 4th of July!!!