My Thoughts

1). Lilly is starting preschool next week. I am having some mixed emotions about it...like every other mother does when she sends her kids to school. Lilly is going to love it, I know she will. Every time I tell her about school though, she hates the thought of me not being there. I am excited for her though, she seems ready. She loves to color, and sing, and be around other kids.
2). My mom took all the girls in the family out for dinner to "Francks". Holy Moly. YUM. It is a place I would never think to go with Anton, thus making it even more fun :) The food was delicious, and the company even better. I feel so lucky to have such extraordinary women in my life.
3). Today we went to the pool - probably one of the last times before summer winds down. Lilly is such a good little swimmer! She refused to swim with her floaties, and she did so much better than I thought she would. She was swimming all over the place....except for, I didn't want her swimming where she couldn't touch. But, at least she has the concept of face in the water, kicking and using her hands to get to where she needs to go. I was so proud!
4). Claire and Lilly are finally starting to enjoy one another. Claire has always loved Lilly, but not so much the other way around. Now that Claire can run/walk, it has made a big difference. Lilly realizes she can actually play with Claire now. Don't get me wrong...about 75% of the time, they are still fighting over someone taking someones toys, but it's getting better. Slowly, but surely.
5). I feel so grateful for my little family. I think of my life without Anton and my girls, and it honestly makes me want to cry. We aren't perfect, and there are days where I just want to rip my hair out (cleaning up non stop messes, cooking every meal, laundry that is endless...you get the point), but there isn't a place in the world I would rather be. I mean I love to go on dates with Anton, but some of my very favorite nights are when we are all settled in relaxing watching movies...just the 4 of us. I adore them more than I even know how to express.
6). Lilly does the funniest/saddest thing lately. See, Lilly is a tender little soul. She hates to get in trouble...it literally breaks her heart. Claire on the otherhand could care less, but that's a different story. Anyway, so if Lilly gets upset, she usually starts crying, then wants to leave the room. Any time you try and stop her and tell her to come back, she looks over her shoulder with THE saddest look and waves...all while walking away to go cry. Basically giving the sign to stop talking because nothing you say can make her feel better. SO funny, and so tender sad.
7). By this time of year, I always get ready for fall to come...but this year I am kind of sad. I look forward to the cooler weather because it allows us to do things that in my opinion are too hot to do (The Zoo, The Farm etc.), but I have had SUCH a fun summer. I am sad to see it all end. Especially our cousins swimming days at Willow Creek.
8). Zucchini Bread made with zucchini's from the garden is a favorite at our house right now.
9). Claire loves to sing "Ashes, Ashes, Ashes, Ashes aw fah dow". She says way too many "Ashes", which makes it so funny.

Lake Mary

A few weeks ago we went with our friends the Larsen's on a hike up to Lake Mary.
It was fantastic - until Lilly fell in the lake, and I fell down while carrying Lilly down the hill.
I am sure Anton was super proud to be seen with us!
It was fun none-the-less!!

Catch Up

1. Lilly is so proud of her "crossed eyes". I am always doing it to her, and she thinks it is so funny. One day she walked up to me and said "Hi Mom!" - with crossed eyes. Such a proud moment for both of us ;)
2. Claire is walking. Claire is also wanting to run. YIKES!
3. Lilly drew her first portrait. I am going to frame it...it honestly is the cutest thing.
4. I went to Lake Powell with some of my family a couple weeks ago. Oh, My, Word...so much fun. I have the greatest husband and friends who helped out with my girls while I went.
5. Anton has been working his guts out this summer - but also has managed to get some great hikes in (which he loves)! Granger, Mt. Olympus, Snowbird, Dog Lake...I know I am missing so many.
6. "My hair is kinda ugly". Lilly talking to herself in the mirror. So funny!

Claire's Good Looks

I don't know how she does it, but this child is always dirty.
And, she hates the bath.
Nice combination.
But, we have had some good laughs over her and her many good looks.
She is such a quirky little bug! Love her to pieces!

Summer so far

I have been horrible about documenting our summer, and equally as horrible about taking pictures. It has been such a fun, busy summer...the best kind in my opinion!

We have been to "The Farm" several times. I love packing a lunch and taking the girls over there. They love it, it is free, and its so fun to get out and do something with them.

Lilly finished her second round of swim lessons on Friday. She adored them....she loved swimming, she loved the teachers, she was so happy. Claire was a little trooper too. I hardly let her out of her stroller because she would head right to the water. So, given she had to stay in her stroller every morning, she was such a trooper. And, as you can see in the picture above, she actually let me do her hair. She eventually figured out her mullet was missing, and yanked out her piggies. What can you do...she loves her mullet. We were joking with my parents that her name should really be Ricky Bobby. Fitting if you ask me. 

 We celebrated Anton's birthday! He probably isn't thrilled that the world knows how old he is now, but I couldn't help but show the cake. See, Lilly has figured out how to climb up onto the counter. BUT, she can't get down. So, I was getting out of the shower after making Antons awesomely ghetto looking cake to hear Lilly yelling "Mom! Can you get me down!". I knew right then she had done something to the cake, or she had eaten the cake. She was decorating it with "seeds". Lilly loves to work in the yard with Anton, so she thought she would "give daddy some seeds". Silly bug!

Some of my favorite things about the girls right now:

* Claire is a Jabber Mouth. Talks and talk and talks. And, is actually starting to say things now. I am proud to say that her first phrase was: "That's MINE!". Yelling it, of course.

*Lilly says something every day that cracks me up. Still, my favorite is while we were listening to the Sleeping Beauty song in the car she said, "Oh, when Dylan hears this, he is going to want to come out and dance with me". Dylan is her "Handsome Prince" in case you were wondering!

*Lilly is so affectionate and loving right now. She is always giving loves, or kisses or telling me how much she loves me. I, of course, love it.

*Claire is SO BUSY. I honestly can't believe it. She is like a cyclone. Either she is sleeping, or she is destroying something in the house. Exhausting, I tell you.
*"Hey Claire, are you a cute girl?"..."YEAH!!". 

*"Oh, that's just my mom. I love her. And, I love Dylan. And Daddy. And, Claire. Oh wait, not Claire." That was Lilly talking to herself in bed one night when she heard me walk by. So funny!

Dirt Face and Sassy Pants

I love this picture. It is so right on for how my girls are:

Lilly being miss Sassy Pants.

Claire, aka: Dirt Face, eating her one of many helpings of dirt.

Squirts!! 

Lonesome Dove

I loved the characters (Especially Gus)...I loved that it was a western...I loved that I always caught myself thinking about it... I simply loved the story. Such a great book. I am sad that it's over.