Swimming pictures

So, I borrowed a nice digital SLR over the weekend and I got some cute pictures of the girls. Avery is in her last week of swimming lessons and seems to be learning a lot. She passed the Baby 1 class and can now enroll in Baby 2 which means she can float for 10 sec by herself and then the goal of Baby 2 is to swim half the width of the pool by herself. I think she'll be able to do it. Now we just have to spend time at the pool on the weekends. It's kind of hard for her when the only time she's in the pool is at class. I love the weather out here but it often doesn't get warm enough on the weekends to warrant the pool! Maybe I'll have to brave the chill and do it anyway!

Blowing raspberries

Isabel has learned to blow raspberries. It is pretty funny!

4th of July and Grace's birthday

We had a peaceful 4th this year. We just went over to Rich and Kelly's house for a BBQ. The mom's and kids (minus Isabel) then went to the Pinole coast to see the fireworks. Small but fun!



This was at Grace's birthday party. She was born about 4 weeks before Isabel. Christie made the party hats herself!




Isabel loves to eat and drink!


This is how Avery constantly treats Isabel. Wait until she's old enough to tackle her!

Water park

All my mommy friends and I went to the water park last Friday. We had a great time, even if no one really knew who was watching the kids! Avery did not like the slides but after me forces her to put the life jacket on she really enjoyed floating along with Sydney-Kate. Hopefully we can go back sometime when Isabel can swim more and Avery isn't so scared of the slides.(I really don't get her sometimes. She will touch any bug or animal but screams when I make her go down big slides!)

Sydney-Kate going down.

Jilly going down.








Avery going down. I had to make her try it. I told her she didn't have to do it again if she didn't want to. Kelly says that she got off the slide, started taking off her jacket and said "I don't want to do it again" Oh well...

Swingset

Trying so hard to get caught up!
While we were in PA Ryan got started on this swingset. I was so impressed with the first part I asked him to keep going. We found a slide on craigslist for $20 and even made the rope ladder ourselves. This is totally his thing, he didn't use a plan or anything. I really think the girls will have fun with this!

First one, pretty good, lots of fun.


The final version! Even more fun!

Finally Pittsburgh pictures!

Several weeks ago the girls and I visited my family near Pittsburgh. My parents grew up there, it was where I was born and where I would go visit my grandparents every year so Bridgeville has a special place in my heart. My wonderful grandmother is in heaven now but my grandfather, aunt, uncle and cousins are still there. I haven't seen them in over 3 years so it felt like time for a visit. My cousins' kids are about the same age as Avery and Isabel so I knew they would have a great time. Christie (my cousin) graciously opened her home to us and Avery and Ella (her daughter) had a wonderful time playing together. They are both very strong-willed, opinionated, bossy, take-charge type of girls so the dynamic between them was so much fun to see. You would think with that combo that they would have fought a lot but they never had an issue. It was if they immediately realized that the other wasn't going to stand for any crap so there was no reason to start. The weekend went by so fast and I really do wish I was closer to family. We do have pictures to remember the weekend so that will have to be enough for now. Hopefully during the summers I can stay over 2 weekends in Indy and we can take turns driving back and forth to see each other.
The weekend we picked was Father's Day and while I hated taking the girls away from Ryan that weekend it was special to be with my father and grandfather. My grandfather is 86 now so every year is a gift. I have so many wonderful memories with this man. My grandparents were the best and as I get older and realize not everyone was as lucky as me, I cherish them even more.

The first morning we just played with all the fun toys at Christie's house while the kids got to know each other.




Trying to fly a kite. Almost, but not quite windy enough.


My aunt and uncle had a BBQ for all the family on Saturday. It was nice to relax and get to see people I haven't seen in years! Even my cousin Beth and her adorable son Alex stopped by. Avery and Isabel got to play with my cousin Brad's kids Haley and Carrie.

This picture was a near disaster. Not even my grandfather wanted to be there for it...


Me and my "Poppy"

A wild moment running through the house.

Carrie and Isabel.



The girls playing together. Avery was the first patient.




The people next door had fireworks that night. This is the only way that Avery wasn't scared.

Avery and Ella had "the big meal" (lunch) at Poppy's "old folk's home". They were very well behaved and that is something for a nearly 2 hour lunch with much waiting in between courses!


Eating ice cream


Poppy with 3 of his 5 great-granddaughters.


Dad trying to get his Father's Day picture with the girls.


On Sunday (Father's Day) we decided to go to a local Farm to pick strawberries. They also had a small petting zoo we thought the kids would like. Avery, Isabel and Dylan thought the animals were great! (Isabel gets just as or more excited than Avery!) Unfortunately for Ella she HATED them.

Here Avery is telling Dylan he's not allowed to touch the geese. Of course she was trying to get as close as she could.





Dylan hugging a goat.

The girls were not impressed with the berries or the mud. They sat here most of the time.


The girls following Mike to the strawberries.


This is Christie with her son Dylan

Isable trying to sneak a strawberry!

All of us in Mike's truck on our way back from berry picking.


This is such a cute picture of my dad and Avery. She loves her grandaddy.

The last night we just relaxed and my aunt Debbie and uncle Tom came over to see us off.