Wild Wagon Ride

I think the picture says enough. Emily had a rough night. She was being pulled in a wagon with her sister and when she went to climb out the darn thing dumped her out on her face. It took her a long time to calm down. She's all better now though. It's been a few days and she's all healed up. :)

Another Artist

Creativity must run in the blood.

Warm Sunny Days

Yeah, we hit the 80's. It was a heat wave for a few days. We spent the afternoons with a hose outside. Mya has enjoyed the sprinkler, so long as she can have her princess umbrella with her. Emily does not enjoy the cold water. She will, however play with the hose if it has a tiny flow that she can drink from. She LOVES that. Recently, Emily has discovered that it's fun to carry the cat. Poor cat. I have to keep a close eye, that kitty does not get strangled. Literally. Then, there are the pictures of the girls spitting water. It goes without saying, what big sister does, be certain that little sis will do it too.
Our neighbor, Mr Ralph, spoils Mya yet again. First it was a fishing pole in purple (Mya's Fav. color). Now, it is a brand new, full size tackle box, with lewers to boot! After Mya had gone to bed, daddy put her pole together with a bobber. He opened her tackle box, and found it as pictured. Mya placed everything in it herself. No help. Talk about a born-organizer! She surprises us every day with her creativity and personality. What a gift she is to us!
Having a blast! Just wait.......
Can you see what is keeping the girls' attention?
......please....... help...... I am NOT enjoying this.
Mommy was having a busy cleaning day. The girls did a wonderful job playing well together. I love that the thing that entertained them so well was just pulling out a big suitcase. So much fun!!!

"Uh oh! Where's Emily and Mya?!"

Adding a kitty would make this just perfect!
And then, there's the fun they have in the hall closet. Never a dull moment in this house!

Painted Ladies

For Mya's Birthday, Joe, Sarah and Zeke sent a Butterfly Treehouse. We had to mail out a card to receive Caterpillar larva. There is a process of receiving your caterpillars. We watched them eat the food they were sent with that made them grow. We saw them transform into their cocoon. This was new to me. I thought they spun silk to make the cocoon. They don't do that. They hang upside down, and their body hardens, forming the outer shell. After that, it is a sit and wait type situation. Watching every day, we waited for them to emerge. Sunday morning, we had two butterflies! Monday morning, we had two more! We released one into the wild. It was fun to watch it flutter about. What we'll do with the rest, I am not sure. What an amazing experience! To fully see the way the caterpillar transforms into something TOTALLY different is just too cool.

Sarah, there was only one that didn't make it. This was a terrific idea! Thank you.

Sunset on Ontario

Both Matt and I were amazed at the glass-like water. It was the first time we had ever seen the "Great Lakes" so calm. The girls enjoyed dipping their feet in again, while I enjoyed soaking in the views. Matt took the girls into a little kite shop to let me have some picture time. When I found them, Matt said the girls were given free toys. Here they are, pictured with the gifts some nice man gave them.

After a long, full day of activities, we decided to treat ourselves to some ice cream. We had heard good things about "Uncle G's", but had yet to try it. Let me tell you..... I can't wait to go back! It is a very popular spot! Delicious ice cream, smoothies, sundaes, you name it. Also, a nice area to just hang out. We are big fans of Uncle G's.

Potter's Hand's

The Niagara River is in the background. It's huge!One of the Bounce Houses for all the kids.
Emily has a look of terror. Matt decided after going down, he was really too big, and shouldn't do it anymore. I guess it worked out. Emily didn't seem to want to go again.

Mya was fearless. She went over and over, trying new techniques each time.
It was really warm! Mya had been wanting to get her feet wet. This was the safest place we could find, considering we were upstream from the Falls. I have been told that the River flows at about 14 mph. We didn't want to risk anything.

A friend invited our family to attend a "Potter's Hand's" event that has been held annually for the past 4 years. It is a ministry dedicated to helping others who have no means of helping themselves, for various reasons. They donate furniture, vehicles, and offer time and services to help re-build and repair homes that have been damaged. Some are single moms, some are elderly people. The range varies greatly. This event was dedicated to sharing what God has done through the ministry to bless lives, and to find out where more people can get involved. Although our church helps this ministry out, it is not THROUGH our church. What a neat thing to be a part of!

Olcott, NY

My exposure was way off here, but by the time I fixed that problem, the shot was gone. Even though it it very washed out, I loved the picture anyway. My girls.....

The girls and I had a busy morning on Thursday. So busy, that as soon as they were buckled in their car seats, they were asleep. I didn't want to wake them too early by heading straight home. I had my camera with me, and was really hoping to do some exploring around the lake (Ontario). It was my first time, and I had no map. I was pleasantly surprised at what I came across. On top of the beautiful weather, the picturesque scenery, and the sense of accomplishment, the girls had a great nap! We would be coming back to this spot more often. I hope you enjoy what I captured. I'm sure it's obvious that I love taking photos.