We were all totally spoiled last week with my parents here - the girls got lots of attention, Greg and I got some much needed sleep, and my dad completely overhauled our garage, including building us a massive shelf over the garage door. Starting with this week's Monday morning daycare drop off where all 3 of the girls were just screaming, we're all going through our post vacation slump. We're all cranky, irritable, and feeling overwhelmed again.

The girls were each supposed to get a day to stay home with Grandma and Grandpa during the week, but Becca was running a fever on Thursday morning, which was supposed to be Emma's day, so poor Em missed out. And Becca's fever was gone by 10 am.

My dad got some great pictures of the girls during the week. I wish mine came out this good. They're straight out of camera.










They are *still* trying to pull the pacifier out of one of my Cabbage Patch dolls.



Reading to the animals on her "sick" day. (That white chair is our "thinking" chair. It has already become a toy.)


What's she reading? Why, Rachel Ray of course.


Everyone stayed home on Friday because my cousin and aunt and their husbands came for a visit. I hadn't seen them in years... It may have been more than 10 years. It was so good to see them and start catching up with them. The girls put on quite the show and were just eating up all the attention. We all went out for barbeque for dinner, and the girls inhaled some banana pudding.
Everybody


Julie in the car on the way to BBQ. She's got her handles.


Becca meditating.


Becca got hungry.


Em


I took Becca swimming again on Saturday, and she was really liking it. She started kicking her legs a little bit, but more than anything, she just loves to sit on the edge and fall in. At the end, I was also holding her while I was on my back and pushing off the wall, and she loved that, too. I can't believe this week is our last lesson. Greg is going to take Julie starting in September, and I'm going to start taking Emma to the pool maybe in the afternoons. Maybe later this year we can all go to the pool together.

Saturday was just a really gray, dark kind of day. We just lazed around the house. I took some pictures of the girls being wacky. They love blankets right now, and love to spread them out on the floor and then stand or sit on them. With free reign of the kitchen, they started pulling blankets in there and we played camping.

Crazy Em


Sweet Em


We matched... not intentionally. :)


Emma started the camping thing.



Em and Becca laying down




Greg and I were going to go out on a date on Saturday night, but I was just feeling completely lazy. Instead, we all went out for pizza, and of course the music man was there. The girls loved it, though, and were dancing again. It was a really nice night out with everyone again.

Julie dancing to the music.




Emma enjoyed her pizza ... a lot.

Becca enjoyed hers, too.

Becca having a grand old time.

More dancing.

Daddy's nose


On Sunday, we packed in all sorts of fun. We went to the park in the morning, and it was hot. We were dripping in sweat. You can see the girls' rosy cheeks, too.

Miss J

E & R in the swings with Grandma

Julie helping Grandma push Becca

And giving Emma a push, too.

Becca taking a breather

E sliding

Had to share some of my dad's amazing butterfly photos, too.



Despite the heat, we also went apple picking on Sunday. It was still warm, but much more bearable up in the mountains. The girls had a blast.

First wagon ride

J & Dad

R, E, J

Picking apples with Grandpa

Julie with an apple. Right before she said "ball" and threw it on the ground.

So, Becca decided she wanted to pull the wagon. And I was totally shocked she was able to pull it.

And then Emma decided SHE was going to pull. And didn't want any help. Grandma managed to sneak in there, though.