Lately

My first drive in the Jeep

Swimming pool courtesy of Popo (and his cows)

Relaxing with Dad

So smiley

I just had my 8 month photo shoot.  Here is a preview with more to come!

A visit from the Swaneys!  Bailey and me: Blondes have more fun!

Hanging out at Will Patrick's birthday party.  See Kate running away?

She was heading here!  It was sooooo hot!

The gates are up!  I am moving.

Playing kissy face with my Mom.

Happy place.

Swinging on the back porch.

Downward dog with Mom.

And a visit from Mama T and Daddy Bob.

Here is a photo round-up of what we have been up to for the past couple of weeks.....

Sunday morning hike

Sunday morning we headed down to the Lost Creek greenbelt for a little nature time.  First we fed the turtles and then we hiked down to the water where I got to sit and throw rocks into the water. (And I NEVER get to throw rocks.)  Nothing like a little fresh air first thing in the morning (before it got up to 106 degrees that day!)  Also, you will notice that even on a hike, I insisted I wear a dress.  No pants or shorts for me these days no matter what!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Daddy's 36th birthday.  We baked him a cake and I helped him blow out the candles.  Then he and Mom went out to dinner while we stayed home with Erin.  Happy Birthday Daddy!

My Butterfly Garden

Ready, butterflies?

There goes the first one!

There goes the second one!

Make it bake it!

A celebration of the butterfly

A couple of weeks ago, I got a Butterfly Garden as a reward for earning stars on my chore chart.  Every day I checked the mail because Mom said there were going to be caterpillars in there very soon!  And she was right!  The caterpillars came and then they ate and grew.  And grew. And grew.  And then one day something very magical happened.  We watched them spin their cocoons, or as I call them - KAH-koons and then we waited.  Yesterday, all four butterflies finally hatched from the cocoons.  It was amazing!  This morning it was time to let them fly free and to celebrate the butterfly life cycle by making my very first make-it-bake-it.  Fly butterflies fly!

Americana: 4th of July in New England

Austin airport waiting and watching the airplanes

Ready for our trip!

Luke's first plane ride.  This nap didn't last long.

Made it to NYC.  In the cab, Kate was beyond excited to just get to sit in the regular seat with us.

On our way to Grand Central

Kate's first train ride: Grand Central to Darien

Kate's first time taking photos.  Not too shabby.  "Daddy, say cheeeeese."

"Now you, Mommy.  Say cheeeeeeeese."

And we arrive at the Jeffers.

Beach time!  We could walk to the beach as it was only 2 blocks from their house!  And the snack shack in the background had some yummy chicken nuggets for lunch!

Have to grab my sunglasses.  Then back to the water.

Going for a little golf cart ride around the neighborhood.

And we end at the beach where we have a fun BBQ.

Princess hugs

We spent lots of time doing a whole lot of this.  I don't get to run in the street at home so this was fantastic!

Taking Luke for a little stroll to the beach.

Saturday night was grown ups only at the Noroton Bay Lobster Bake.

Mom thought the lobster was so pretty she would take a picture to show us.    

Baby boys: Henry and Luke

The whole gang ready for the parade on the 4th: Kate, Luke, Henry, Emma, Daniel and Patrick

Before the parade started, we got together for a family photo

And some snuggles with my Dad.

Enjoying music in the park with my Dad.

We have just returned from the most perfect place to spend the 4th of July.  We were in Darien, Connecticut visiting our friends, the Jeffers.  Dad and Craig were good friends and roommates in college, Craig (or Jeffers as I call him) was in Mom and Dad's wedding and he and his sweet wife Monica are just all around good friends.  They live in Darien which is about 40 minutes from New York City, so getting there was half the fun!  Luke took his first plane ride and I took my 4th.  It was the day of planes, trains and automobiles:  We flew into JFK, took a taxi to Grand Central and then took a train out to Darien.  I loved that I could just sit in the back seat of the cab with no car seat and by the time we got to the train, I decided I needed to take a little nap to get ready for Connecticut.  When we got there, it was just crazy time!  I haven't seen them in two years and we had such a great time.  Emma and I did all things girlie: princess dress up, ballerina dancing, and squealing.  Over the next four days, we spent hours on the beach, eating at the snack shack, playing in the yard, going for rides in the golf cart and on the 4th we were in a crazy parade and ended up dancing to music in the park.  I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story......