Seven is Heaven!

Peter is seven!  Hard to believe my little baby boy is getting to be such a big guy.  His birthday turned out to be a pretty incredible day.  First he had baseball camp with his good friend, Andy.  Because it was such a hot day, Andy and Gaby came over for swimming and cake after camp, and we all had a wonderful afternoon playing and celebrating Peter.  What joy!  Can there be anything better than swimming with friends, lego candles on an ice cream cake, and a picnic in the backyard?  It doesn't get much better than that!  Happy Birthday to one of the very best!

Summertime S'Mores

One of my very favorite summertime activities is having a backyard cookout at Auntie Elizabeth's house.  Man, it is just the best.  It's so hot outside, and the kids go bananas swimming in the pool.  They're laughing and jumping in and splashing all around.  Even Catherine's getting into the play, with her little floatie on furiously kicking her little legs all around the pool.  We sit and watch, sipping a cold drink and enjoying the joy of the afternoon.  As it starts to get dark, we light the fire pit, and the kids scramble over for s'mores.  Their delight is contagious, and it's just the best way to spend a lazy summer evening.

Golfing Buddies

These guys are ready to hit the course, and boy will they look cute doing it!

Happy Birthday, Lizzy

I love this great picture of four wonderful friends.  Watching these guys play, and swim, and run around, and invent, and imagine is truly one of the most joyful things in my life.

Lizzy is 9!

 Lizzy is 9!  What?!  How is that even possible!  Nine is old....really old.  Lizzy is such a capable, mature, loving, kind, gentle hearted, sweet, funny, intelligent, all-around-wonderful girl......of course we had to celebrate her!  Lizzy invited her friends over for a swimming party.  We had a great time!  We decorated flip flops with jewels, had a ton of fun swimming, enjoyed an amazing BBQ prepared by daddy, and topped it all off with a silly string fight!  Lizzy's friends are all such sweet girls, it was wonderful to get to spend such a fun afternoon with them.  We love Lizzy so much!  We absolutely love getting to watch her grow up.  She is such an amazing girl- so smart and interesting, so fun to be around, such a kind, loving person.  Happy Birthday to our darling girl!

Peter Shines

Look at Peter!  Look at how handsome he is!  He is such a big, big boy now, it is amazing!  Peter had a special concert at school, and we were all so glad to get to see it.  It was one of those truly special moments that I treasure.  His class was so adorable!  His teacher had spent such a long time choosing such cute songs.  The kids were all dressed up and just looked so big and so precious.  Afterwards we had a special reception together, and it was so fun to get to see Peter will all his friends.  Peter has grown up so much, and matured into such a wonderful boy.  I love seeing the person he is becoming!

It's Getting Hot!

Water day at school = Best Day Ever!