Fireworks

We were lucky to have about a 20 minute break in the rain last night to get the fireworks started for all the kids. They loved it! Even when it started a steady drizzle, again, the men were nice enough to keep the show going. We just threw rain coats on the kids and all was well. This was Josie's first time seeing fireworks and I was relieved to find out how much she loved them! She kept cheering and yelling "Again! Again!" We all had a great time at the party!

Happy 1/2 Birthday Ellie!

Ellie celebrated her 4 1/2 birthday with a "fancy" princess tea party with her friends at the LS Ayres Tea Room on the canal. She loved it! The server brought each of the little girls their very own silver tea pots (filled with lemonade) to pour, themselves, into their own china cups. Ellie must have had at least 8 cups of lemonade! All the girls politely ordered their own food and continued (for the most part) to act like little ladies throughout lunch.
After lunch, we all went for a walk along the canal and saw a waterfall and the amphitheatre. It was a great day!

Happy Father's Day!

Josie got to join in the baking fun, this Father's Day, making a delicious blueberry pie! The girls sure love their Daddy and we are so thankful to have him in our lives!

Pictures

The girls and I snuck off to Picture People for pictures last week so we could surprise Eric with some nicely framed photos for his office today. Here are my favorites...

Strawberry Festival

Ellie got to attend this year her first ever Strawberry Festival- held annually in my hometown. She had a blast! It was fun for me to see a festival that I grew up attending, now through her eyes. She played games, got her face painted, ate festival food, and danced to music playing on the stage. She got to meet the festival "queen" and was completely star-struck! She exclaimed "I can't BELIEVE I got to meet a REAL queen!". She also saw a magic show and when the magician turned a scarf into a real carnation, he picked her out the audience, asked her name, and then gave her the flower. She just beamed! It was a really fun afternoon...


huge slide



Ellie's first ever pony ride


festival games


rainbow star face paint



with the Strawberry Queen


with the magician (holding her magical carnation)


festival food (in the rain)


Ellie's famous dancing!

Eagle Creek

Here are a few pictures of the girls by the water (from two different days). It is not a visit to Eagle Creek to them if I do not end the visit with a trip to the marina for them to gather and throw rocks in. I love the marina and am happy to oblige them everytime!

My awesome friend Megan just recently introduced me to a cool free add-on for Photoshop. I've been playing with it a lot lately and am so impressed with what it can do! Check out these neat stills of Ellie.

This is the original. Pretty cute, right?


But now look at it with the "copper" filter. Awesome!


I like this one too...with the "still life 2" filter.


Thanks for sharing Megan...I love it!