Hello family! It's been a while!

We have been BUSY!!! I can't believe the last time I updated this for you all was for Rosalie's 2nd birthday in May. Yikes! So let me catch you up to speed, if I can recall all that has happened. Claire finished preschool and will be starting Kindergarten in the fall. Ella finished the 1st grade and is moving on to the 2nd. Ella has been reading all summer and is very good at it! The girls had their dance recital. Ella was in Jazz and ballet this year and Claire did tap. We celebrated Father's day, birthdays, and the 4th of July. The girls attended Farm camp, each going a separate week. Claire's was only a half day and Ella was a full day. Ella had real farm chores such as feeding the pigs and chickens as well as picking up horse poop. The girls also went to Skull Island Camp for three days, all day long. They had a BLAST! It's a camp site where they learn to fish, play on a rope swing, tire swing over the water, water trampoline, crafts, home cooked food, peddle boats, swimming, etc... It was so fun for Claire that on the last day, at 10 am she passed out and took a nap!!! They came home so tired each day it was so awesome. I am looking forward to sending them next year for a whole week! (or two!!!)

Steve and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. Time flies when you are having fun! We went out to dinner to a REAL Italian restaurant, hit the casino, and a movie. Nothing too fancy but anytime we are together with out the whining princesses is a fabulous time.

We had a visit from Aunt Barbie and we stayed up late watching ghost hunters a few nights. I couldn't get them to agree to watching Paranormal Activity 2, though. *hmph* Dan moved back to Mi, and we got him all settled into his new Apartment...which is down the street from Five Guys Burgers, so it seems to me, that I will be visiting him more often! LOL

Ella went to painting camp for a week. Turns out that her claims of being an artist some day might actually come true! She painted the most amazing picture of sunflowers. We will be framing it very soon. She has said she wanted to be an artist since she was 3 or 4. She has some serious talent and we are very proud of her!

Claire went to a princess party, and got all glammed up. She had so much fun making crafts, putting on makeup and dancing like a princess on the stage. She also told me that a hissy fit breaks the magic princess spell. Too bad that only lasted for one day because in this house...the magic princess spell is broken EVERY DAY!!!!

The kids have been non-stop playing in the water slide, sprinklers, and friend's pools. As I am sitting here typing this in the 90 degree heat, with beads of sweat dripping in places I didn't know could sweat, I am very tempted to launch myself down the water slide as well.

The rest of the summer is now booked with playdates, relaxing, and Jim and Stephanie's wedding in North Carolina. We have a few other small adventures planned but nothing major. I have been trying to train the kids to sleep longer, but it isn't going so well. But the TV in our room is helping so I can sleep in at least! I have learned to sleep through all annoying noises (like cartoons and whining) so I am enjoying sleeping in until 7:30 or 8! (yeah, I know....it's pathetic)

I joined a running club and I am very excited about it. It is really going to help me train for my first full marathon this fall. I just finished a 15k this past weekend. It was hot, and hilly, but it was a good run and I was very happy with my finish.

We also celebrated Claire's 5th birthday a month early. We had her party at Skull Island, and we had to have it early due to family conflicts and limited available dates for a party. Claire had a blast, but once again, she is confused about how old she is. She is now claiming that she is 5, even though she knows her birthday is August 23rd. I give up honestly. If she wants to say she is 5, then whatever. Ella can fight with her (and you know she will because Ella won't let her get away with anything!) And if you had stock in Disney's Tangled, then your stock just went up because Claire got almost everything "Tangled" for her birthday. She is one happy little "5 year old."