Carefree

This is my all-time favorite picture of the girls! They were holding hands and running around the house laughing. Such joy in their faces.

Learning to Swim

Since we have a pool, we have been swimming quite a bit, which has been good for the girls because they have been learning to swim. Ava was first. She can float by herself (with the water wings). She can spin herself around, she can lay on her back, and she can kick to get where she needs to go. I think it is so cute that they are so little and can motor around like they do.

Avery was a little more timid about swimming. She can jump into the pool to us with no fear, but once in the pool she wouldn't let us let go. Then one day, she gave it a shot and is now a pro. She does have trouble keeping her mouth shut and doesn't like to be on her own for long. Hopefully swimming is like riding a bike and we won't have to re-teach them next year!

Keeping Cool

With the temperatures in the 100's for over a week at a time, July proved to be a hot one!


The girls love to go outside, so we found a way to keep them cool in the heat. The first time I turned this sprinkler flower on, they ran away screaming because it flips all over the place. We now just leave it on and let them carry it around. This works Ok, but as you can see in this picture, Avery usually gains control and poor Ava gets soaked!

Avery getting a drink. How do they know to do this?

Ava, also getting a drink.

Patriotic Beauties

I was gone for the 4th of July, but had bought these shirts for the girls to wear. But because I had them hanging in the closet, not in the drawer (where dad looked) they wore brown shirts for the 4th. So when I got home I had to take these pics.

Oldies but Goodies

While in Tennessee I changed some of my parents slides to digital. Here are some of the great finds! This is my dad in 1974. He was quite the fisherman.

This is me and Rob, must be summer.

Here's me and Rob in Orange Park, FL. Very colorful:)

This is a nice pic of my parents in Hawaii in 1973 or 1974.

This is me with Rob behind me.

Aw, baby Caroline. I am excited about this photo because there aren't many baby pics of me.

A Birthday Fit for Princesses

For the girls' 2nd birthday we went with the princess theme. Darin's parents, sister, brother and our nephew Jonathon were able to come celebrate this momentus occasion with us. The girls had a good time playing with family, but didn't really get the concept of the cake. Ava tried to blow out the candle and succeeded with help. We re-lit the candle for Avery, but she was a bit afraid and we had to do it for her. They got lots of fun gifts. They are good girls and actually play with ALL of their toys.

Tennessee Trip

A few years back my mother told me that she had given a baby girl up for adoption before she met and married my dad. She told me this because this person has now contacted her. My mom went out and met her, and kept in contact through emails. I would send holiday cards and when I got on Facebook, I was able to chat with her. We decided to meet in Tennessee for the 4th of July weekend. My parents live there and my brother goes there every year for the 4th, so we thought that would be fun. So after the girls' birthday, I got on a plane Tennessee bound. While in Tennessee I was able to meet my sister Deb, and her family...

went white water rafting...

(Me, Rob, & Deb)

( Rob & Tammy)

(Deb & Keith)

got to visit with my mom and dad, changed my parents' old slides into digital images (very time consuming),

hit a Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game with fireworks and heard from Tommy Lasorda, who was at the game because Chattanooga Lookouts are a farm team for the Dodgers...

visited with my old childhood friend Kim, (grew up next door to her since 3rd grade)...


...and last but not least I was able to sleep in everyday! Did I mention that I went by myself. Darin stayed at home with the kiddies so I could have a vacation from sleep-interrupted nights and whining 2 year olds. It was a great trip and I already want another vacation!

Buddies

The girls are fighting now more than ever. But when they play together nicely, they are the best of friends. I took Avery to the store one day and left Ava with Darin, and Avery literally asked the entire time, "where's sissy?"

Little Critters

Avery getting a kiss from the llama

Avery getting a lick from mama pig

For something to do, we called a friend to go to a petting zoo with us. I tried to find out when it opened but it wasn't on the website and they didn't return my call, so we just went. When we got there, we found out that it is open when the lady wakes up. Nice. So we just saw the animals in the cages near the parking spot. We saw a mama pig and her babies, chickens, a turkey and a llama. The llama was a favorite. Very gentle and interested in us too. Avery wanted to touch the animals and got a lick from the pig (yuck) and the llama. Ava wasn't too interested and would rather play in the dirt.

Potty Time

I forgot to mention that on Father's Day, when we got back from the park, we went swimming. When we were done, I stripped the girls and sent them in to sit on their new potty chair. It is a cute princess chair and when they go in it, it plays music. Well, Ava went in the potty chair, but they had been taking the chairs apart and they turned the switch off, so I didn't know until a minute later that she had gone. I had to praise her heavily for it. She didn't know what she was doing, but we were still excited. She is getting it. She was 9 days shy of her 2nd birthday. She has gone two more times since then. Avery resists, of course. Sorry if the pictures offend:)

Avery's a Goer

Avery doesn't like to stay in the house all day, and usually by 10 am she is saying "bye, bye". If it is too hot to go to the park, and we have nowhere else to go, we will just drive around for a little bit. It breaks up the day and they can't reach each other to fight while in their car seats!

1st Haircut

Poor Avery has my hair and it just falls in her face. She refuses to keep barettes in her hair for very long, and if she were to forget about it, her sister is quick to point it out. So for their 2 year pictures, I decided to take them in for a trim. It really didn't seem to help much. Ava lasted for the picture and then she had to sit in my lap to finish the cut. I didn't even try to put Avery on the booster. I just put her in the chair for the pic and then put her in my lap.

Father's Day

Father's Day this year fell on our 13th Anniversary. We went to dinner with the girls the night before, to celebrate. We took the girls to the park after church. I guess we are kind of boring.

Summertime Fun

The family

Ava, stylin for the pool

Mama and Ava ready for a dip in the pool

This summer was full of fun. The girls like to go to the park that has a dog park connected. That way they can play on the playground and see puppies! It gets really hot out here in the desert, so we have had to limit the excursions. We have a pool, so we have been swimming a lot! They are slowly getting the hang of it.