Yard Sale, Day 1

Today the girls and I set up a yard sale at our house along with Nana and Pee Paw. It was a successful first day. We are cleaning out some toys in hopes of the girls getting enough money for something they really want. Financial lessons start young :)

Yard Sale Fairies :) LOVE this picture.

RIP Swimmy :(

We had to work through some sad news first thing this morning: Our beloved Swimmy wasn't swimming any more. Leyna took it really hard. She cried and cried and I held her and cried for sweet broken heart. Cora checked on him several times and continually asked why he wasn't swimming, and when he wouldn't be dead any more. In fact, she asked those questions for the entire rest of the day. I tried to explain repeatedly that he was sick so he died, but he went to heaven and now his fins and eyes were beautiful again and he wouldn't be sick any more. Leyna got it, Cora not so much. "But when will he come back alive again?" was her question of the day. Thankfully Leyna ended the day with a positive outlook telling me that some day she would have a puppy ad she wouldn't even remember that she used to have a pet fish. I'm sorry but that is just funny. Way to look on the bright side Leyna! I wish I could move on from tragedy that fast!
In other news, I spent the day prepping for our yard sale tomorrow and was shocked that the girls didn't talk me out of any of the toys I was putting tags on. Yes! Tonight it was just us girls so we had a special candlelit dinner and then went for not one but three long walks afterward. Phew! Gosh I love my energetic little sweethearts.

The only picture I took today. Cora was mad because she wanted mac n cheese (but in the end she ate her salad and 4 noodles - SCORE!)

Wordless Wednesday

Workin' Hard

This morning I got the girls dressed and woke them up at little after 6:00. Yes, in that order. Our CSA farm has been short handed so I volunteered us to help. We arrived at 7:00 a little sleepy but ready to work. We spent about the first hour picking tomatoes and the second hour picking green beans.

Ready to pick (Kind of. Poor Cora!)

The girls weren't quite as gung-ho as I had hoped but the more I called them my "little helpers" and challenged them to find green beans as long as their arms the better they did. When our work was done we headed home for baths and rest and then went back out at 3:00 to help fill boxes for the people who pick up on Tuesdays. Cora fell asleep on the way there and slept through the entire job - that's one way to get out of it! Leyna was my star helper. The other ladies found out she can count to 200 (!!!) so they let her fill small bags with cherry tomatoes and carrots and then she divvied up peppers, green beans, wax beans, squash, carrots and tomatoes between all of the boxes. She loved it and I was so proud of what a hard worker and good listener she was. In the end they let her pick out some veggies to take home, and also rewarded her and her sleeping sister with a bag of cookies each. Hard work pays off!
Next it was home to clean up again and head out to meet our little friends Max and LP for dinner. Afterward we headed out for some ice cream from the candy store. The kids were so good and had a ball.

Cuteness Overload!

After ice cream the girls each got one piece of candy which was a red gummy slice of watermelon. I am convinced that Leyna has some sort of red dye allergy - it makes her INSANE. I'm talking crazy-out-of-her-mind. Well, I forgot about it tonight and let her have that piece of candy. It was just the girls and I on the way home and we were singing and dancing to church songs and Leyna started moving her body all around, crossing her eyes, and making silly faces. Then she yelled "I'm doing the red dye dance!!!" I about died laughing. That girl is something else :)

Waitressing and Jumping

This  morning Pee Paw watched the girls while I got a much overdo haircut. We hung out for a while when I got back and the girls spent most of that time playing waitress. They brought Pee Paw peanut butter & tomato sandwiches, corn on the cob, and toast. They were on the ball!

Afterward we met Conner, Scott, Anna, Reagan, and Reed at a bounce gym. The kids had an absolute ball bouncing for 2 hours. Cora was so proud of herself that she was tall enough and strong enough to accomplish all of the obstacles this time!

Oh, and did you ever know that it's possible to sleep on your tippy toes?...

Sunday Dinner/Summer Red Party

We had a low-key Sunday morning and then headed to Nana and Pee Paw's for an early Sunday dinner with them and Great Grandpa. Nana made a yummy meatloaf dinner and afterward we all hung out and played with/showed off for Great Grandpa. Leyna had decided that this occasion was going to be a "Summer Red Party" so the girls were in their favorite red dresses and after dinner Nana and Pee Paw changed into their red clothes as well. It was a very nice family night and a great way to end the weekend :)

Helping Nana stir the gravy

"Playing" Connect Four with Great Grandpa

Really she was enjoying bossing him around and telling him exactly what color to put where ;)

Ladies in red

Pee Paw and Leyna dancing the Mambo to "Mambo Italiano" by Rosemary Clooney. The girls sing this song ALL the time these days!

Snakes and Sundaes

I worked today and the girls had a fun-filled Daddy day. They met Conner and Scott at the park, got to pet snakes at the nature center, and went out to lunch with them afterward (Conner and Scott, that is - not the snakes).

They were completely worn out this evening so we dubbed it "movie night" and I made us girls a huge ice cream sundae to kick it off.

Now it's time for some sweet dreams!

Little Artists

Leyna drew this pick-me-up picture for me this morning. She said she's the one with the "umbrella handles" on the end of her hair and I'm the one with the straight ends :)

 And Cora came up with this beauty...

She said it's her with long hair and Leyna with short hair. LOL!

Meeting Kenley & Morgan

The girls have waited 6 weeks to meet their little twin cousins and they were SOO excited that today was finally the day. Of course, the tiny squirmy little creatures didn't hold their attention for very long since they couldn't actually play. But they did a few "awws," patted their heads, and then moved on to playing Mr. Potato Head. LOL

(Morgan)

(Morgan)

(Morgan)

(Kenley)

I'm sure these 4 will have plenty of fun in a year or two :)

Wordless Wedesday

Last Tuesday

Today was the last day of my summer Tuesday work schedule. I'm sad to see my work hours go and Nana and Pee Paw and the girls are sad to see their all-day Tuesday fun days go. Plus it means the start of school is coming - Ack!
It sounds like they really did it up today - dressing up, playing at the park, and having ice cream. My favorite part was when I went to pick them up and Cora said, "Mommy! I missed you!" I should have reminded her of that when she was fighting me at bed time ;)

A big thanks to Nana and Pee Paw for ALL their help this summer. I couldn't have held it all together without them!

Monday, Monday

Today was SUCH a Monday. That's all I've got to say!

The long trip back home

Oh yes it was. Five hours of driving, almost getting car sick, trying to get our car DVD player to keep working, whining, spilling entire milkshakes in car seats... you get the picture. But it was all worth it because we had such a fun time at the cabin over the past 3 days. The girls really had the time of their lives playing all day and soaking up all of the space and freedom and fresh air.
Now it's back to reality and our own beds. No pictures today but you can look back over the past 3 days one more time if you'd like ;)

At the cabin, day 3

Hanging out on the couch in pjs

Hanging out on the porch in pjs

Then we hit a nearby park for a change of scenery

I'm flying!

She made it to the top and back down all by herself!

What?!

Baby ducks!

Now Conner's flying

I think these two could have spun for hours

After an awesome lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, we headed back to the cabin for a nice long walk

The kids ran...

...and ran and ran. And then we ran back to the cabin for ice cream sundaes!

Cora and Anna. SO CUTE!

Playing horses

One last Gator ride...

...down to the fishing hole

Cora and I watched from our perch under the bridge.

Tackle boxes are amazing.

As are Cora's battle wounds from yesterday. We were walking through a field and she was right behind me. I heard a cry, turned around, and she had disappeared. Turns out she was at the bottom of a thorny ditch. Poor baby. She was lucky to escape with only scratches.

Vacations can be dangerous!

One of my favorite pictures of the trip. Love it!