Girls Week Continue

Today I surprised the girls with tickets to see Mary Poppins at Derby Dinner. Ellie has been several times, but this was Maddie's first time. 

Sunny Day

The girl ate a little better than I expected

And this was expected as well, Maddie was out before intermission and slept until about 10 minutes until curtain. But I love holding my baby girl.

4-H Fair Week

We love fair week. But I will say that this year most of the cousin are not out of 4-H and we did not have much to do. I know that it is only a matter of time before the girls are completely submerged in it, so I should enjoy these down year. 

Love this pic of all of us girls.

Shelby and her Grand Champion Rabbit--so proud of this girl 

Love these girls so much

Wednesday night we went met up with Meg and Eme and let the girls ride some rides. 

This was Maddie's first and only time on the Dragon, Ellie's favorite that she rode all night.

Cannot believe Ellie actually got on this

More Maddie's type of ride

The girls loved the slide

Brave Daddy and Maddie

Pure fair happiness

No night is complete without snow cones

The girls found Shelby and wanted her to ride with them

Love our county fair!

Big 4

This has technically been my first week of summer break. I taught at IUS the entire month of June. Had meetings at school during first week of July and the AP training. I am sad that there is only one week left after this one, and I have to be at school the beginning of that week. 

I made a promise to the girls that I would spend the entire week with them. Yesterday we did nothing until 4:30 when we got dressed and took Ellie to karate.

Today started the same way, but it is our busy day with Ellie going to karate and Maddie to dance. The girls and I left a bit early to walk on the bridge before dance. After we finished, Bob met me to get Ellie to take her on to karate. 

Surprisingly we not only made it up the ramp, but also halfway across the bridge before Maddie had had enough. I wanted to make sure she got back down off of the bridge and I did not have to carry her. 

Love my girls and their icee faces

Pre-dance selfie

Surprises

Tonight was my last night in Indy, tomorrow after 8 long hours of training I will get to head home. While it has been a good training, it has also not be ideally how I wanted to spend a week of my summer break.  My work co-everything Nicole, came to Indy to meet me for lunch. We drove down to Broadripple and had some great food at 3 Sisters and then some pretty good ice cream.

Loved getting these pictures texted to me. So blessed that my daughters have a Daddy who takes good care of them when I am gone. 

I am also grateful for my Mother who loves on them for me and always willing to help out with the girls. 

Water Fun

This week I go to AP training in Indy and will be gone all week :*(. So today was all about the girls.

We spent most of the morning just sleeping in and then laying around

Then this afternoon, I took the girls to the splash park for some water fun.

This was Maddie's first time really enjoying it.

Love their happy faces. I hope this week goes by fast.

Family Traditions

Every year on the fourth we go to my aunt and uncles for food and fireworks. They are always such great host and this year was no exception. 

A 4th Selfie

These things were intense

Sparkler fun

I would only trust me uncle to let my daughters shoot off roman candles

They has a blast

Yellow Belt

It's Official--she is a Yellow Belt

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Summer Cleaning

Love a clean room

Karate Testing

Ellie in many ways has been an ideal child (not just saying that because she is mine). She is outgoing, not attached to either one of us, fun-loving with a huge heart, never meets a stranger, and always willing to try new things (except food). But today she was so nervous about her yellow belt test. 

This week she was not her self and after spending some time alone with Bob, she opened up to him. It was pretty pricey to not only keep her in karate monthly, but also to pay for her to test for the belt. She was with me when I had to pay for her to test and she new that it was quite a bit of money. (this was a week or so ago) She told Bob that she is scared that she will not pass her test and then we will be out that money and have to pay it again for her to test in the future. She had been stewing over this for quite a long time. She loves karate and we will support her as long as we can, and in reality what karate has done for her outweighs all the money by far. 

So when we got there this morning, she shut down and would not talk or practice with the rest of the kids. Finally after threatening to leave (because she would not do anything) she made it onto the mat. Thanks to one of the instructors (who is a bit silly) she started smiling and laughing and soon was practicing a little more.

She was in the first group to test, and did really good. She passed and will get her belt during a ceremony this week. 

After testing, can tell the stress has weighed on her.

Much happier after a celebration lunch.

We took the girls to Toast on Market and then we went to the Farmer's Market in                        downtown New Albany

Ellie was pretty proud of sissy too. 

Wow-surprised

Since Maddie has been born, she has not been a fan of water outside of the bath. For the past summers we have spent limited time in water parks and pools because it is no fun sitting out of the water with Maddie. We thought this summer would be no different at the beginning of the month when we went to Holiday World and she wanted no part of the water park. 

Today Ellie asked if they could play in the sprinkler. This was actually one of the warmer days of the summer, so we went outside and turned the water on. It took Maddie a while to decide on trying the water out, but soon after she was playing and LOVING the water. I hope this is helping her fear whatever it may be so we can spend more time in the water in the future (because Ellie loves the water).

This is my favorite part of summer vacation.

Nap time with my babies--Ellie no longer takes naps, but thankful my Maddie does and she loves to cuddle.