Enjoying Our Summer

We have had a great summer! This morning as I was looking through the circulars in the paper, it made me sick to my stomach to see the back to school ads because it means summer is ending soon and colder weather is on its way.  We have absolutely loved our pool this summer and go just about every day either in the morning or after nap time.  Both girls love the water and Madelyn has really come a long way swimming this year. I'm also fond of our lazy mornings and the fact that the kids are staying up a little later and sleeping in on some mornings! I have really enjoyed it!  Here are some pictures from the pool last week and bowling:

Watermelon and pizza party with friends!

Free Summer Bowling is always a hit for us.  This is the first time Ellie was able to bowl!

Madelyn was so excited that her feet are finally big enough to wear bowling shoes!

They loved bowling and did awesome taking turns!

Lainey helping Ellie bowl!

Madelyn just adores our neighbors and they are so good to our girls!

What a fun morning!

Farm Party and Squirrels!

We had awesome weather this past weekend (in the 80's - Woo hoo!) so it was the perfect weekend to visit the Bertoni Family Farm and go to a Flying Squirrels game.  My cousin, Kathryn, owns an organic farm in the mountains outside of Charlottesville and she hosted a Farm Party with a bunch of our high school friends.  The kids loved running around the farm with all the kids and seeing all the animals and vegetables.  It is really beautiful where they live and it was so nice to catch up with some of my old friends.  Madelyn and Ellie's favorite part of the farm was collecting eggs from the chicken coop.  They thought it was so fun to bring the eggs back to the house.  Ellie kept wanting to go back to see the chickens again and again.

We have been wanting to go to a Flying Squirrels game all summer and with the weather, Sunday was the perfect night. The girls had a blast at the game and loved dancing to all the music and watching Nutzy the Squirrel from afar.  They were also excited to get their picture taken with Nutzy during the 4th inning.  It was a really good family outing for us and we hope to see another game before the season ends!

Very excited about holding the eggs! 

Relaxing at the farm!

Going on a tour of the farm with Cousin Eli!

Girls just love Nutzy!

Ellie actually looking at the camera in this picture!

Ellie was all smiles during the game!

It was very easy to get the girls to smile for pictures because they really did have a good time!

This a true Ellie smile!

Happy 60th Birthday Nana!

Yesterday was Nana's 60th birthday and we had a little surprise celebration at our house.  We told Nana that we were having a little get together with just family but surprised her with several of her closest friends at the party.  It was a really fun night with yummy food (Pop hired a fabulous caterer), drinks, and company.  The kids loved being part of Nana's celebration and were so excited to hide behind the couch and jumped out to yell "surprise".   They also painted a vase with their handprints and were very excited to give Nana her special gift.  It was a really fun birthday party and Pop did a great job planning all the details.  Happy 60th birthday Nana!  We love you!

Surprise Nana!

Kids were so excited!

The yummy food!

Love my little man Joshua!

Time to eat dinner!

They were so excited about their special gift to Nana!

Mom and her girls!

3 generations!

Helping Nana blow out her candles!

Some of the surprise guests at the party!

The kids loved playing with Uncle Harold!

What We Have Been Doing

Having a sleepover with Cousin Cora

Movie Night



Watching a scary part of a movie!

Painting pottery for Nana's 60th Birthday!

Making Handprints on Vases for Nana's Birthday!

Playing at the pool!

Wearing our bikinis at the pool!

Introducing High Heel shoes to Cousin Joshua!

Playing dress up with our cousins!



LOTS of pizza dinners at the pool.  Are there enough girls at this pizza party?

Vacation Bible School

Last week we participated in Vacation Bible School at our church.  Madelyn was finally old enough to attend and I volunteered each day with the PreK kids.  Since I was a volunteer, Ellie was able to participate which was really fun.  Our church puts on a great bible school program and we had a ton of fun.  By the end of the week, we were absolutely exhausted but it was well worth it.  The kids learned lots of new songs and dances, did arts and crafts, played games, listened to bible stores and we all met a lot of new people at our church.  We can't wait to go again next year!  Here are some photos from our week:

Madelyn and Kelsey at the end of week performance for the parents!  Madelyn was so excited that Nana and Cora came to see the show.  Ellie was suppoused to be in the show but she was throwing a fit and wanted to sit in my lap.  Maybe next year!

Madelyn loved her binoculars!  Ellie was pretty much done with bible school at this point!

They took pictures of all the kids to take home and this is Madelyn's photo!

Ellie didn't really know what to think about going to "school" every day.  She was a little overwhelmed at times but did good overall!

Ellie's favorite part of the morning was snack time!

Fourth of July

This year was definitely one of the most fun Independence Day we've had in a long time.  The night before July 4th, we headed over to the Genworth with several our friends, the Nolan Family and Nana and Pop for their annual celebration which included kids activities, a concert and fireworks.  The weather ended up being perfect and the kids loved dancing to the music and watching the fireworks with their friends.  The fireworks were o.k., but I would definitely go back again because it was close to home, free and kept the kids entertained.  I also loved getting the fireworks over with the night before.  On Independence Day, we headed over to the pool for their annual party.  The pool was absolutely packed but we had a blast.  The food was really good and they had lots of fun games and activities for kids.  We ended up staying at the party from 11-4 so Madelyn and Ellie were absolutely exhausted that night.  We ended up letting Madelyn launch her "flying lantern" in the daylight because there was no way they were going to stay up until dark.  It was a great holiday!

I also included a little video of Madelyn swimming.  She's come so far this summer, and we are so proud of her!

All ready to head over to Genworth!

Bill with his girls after jumping in the bounce house.  They look pretty hot and tired!

Big smile for ice cream!

Ellie wasn't in the mood for photos!

Little Miss 4th of July!

Madelyn, Ellie, Shay and Isabella dancing!

Madelyn ready for some fireworks!

Ellie and Sophia are growing up so fast!

Watching the fireworks with Uncle Sam!

Cora and Madelyn ended up in Pop's lap.  Ellie was in Nana's lap and actually did well during the fireworks unlike her reaction at Grandpa's the other week!

On the way home.  I must stay up!

Madelyn's flying lantern that Bill picked up from PA last week!  Ellie was scared of it and hid in the garage.  Madelyn loved it and thought it was just like the movie "Tangled".

Cookout at the pool.  Lots of yummy food and desserts.  Didn't take many pictures because it was so hot we were in the water the entire time!

Our campsite for the day. The pool was so packed a bunch of us had to use our canopy which worked out great!