Rhode Island

Over the weekend, we went down to Rhode Island to visit some neighbors of ours from Monterey that moved there recently. We had a great time. We made s'mores and watched movies and the girls got their nails painted! It was a great recharge for our batteries as we come into the beginning of school. It is wonderful to have awesome friends so close by! A special thanks go out to her big kids who helped cook and watch the girls so I could have some down time as well!

The girls and I and Becki and her kids.

Ms Delew's House

Last week Thursday, we were invited to Malia's old teacher's house for some pool and craft time (a few of my girls' favorite things). Ms. Delew worked with Malia the year before we left Londonderry and sent us boxes of crafts while we were in Monterey. She holds a special place in Malia's heart and in ours as a very sweet and loving person. Needless to say, the girls were in heaven here.

Jessi putting ooh-gobs of paint on her puppy craft

Kaitlyn decorating her new notebook Ms. Delew gave her.

Bethany and Malia playing with all Ms. Delew's miniature plastic animals in what, I'm sure is an elaborate creative game headed up by Bethany.

All the girls in "craft heaven!"

Ereth, the Guinea Pig

Bethany has been working really hard doing the dishwasher every day for the past month and a half to prove herself responsible enough to take care of a pet. She has been very diligent, sometimes loading and unloading the dishwasher twice a day. Saturday she even cleaned the whole kitchen including wiping down the counters.

Originally she was trying for a dog. Luckily, (for me) she decided that a guinea pig is what she wanted instead. At the pet store, we met this little cutie. I made the observation that he looked a little like a porcupine and Bethany thought that his name should be Ereth, which is short for Erethizon dorsatum (don't ask me to pronounce the whole thing) or the scientific name of a porcupine. I suggested the name Porky but she didn't appreciate my humor for some reason.

Ereth

Daddy Bear

While at Build-a-Bear Workshop on Monday, we found an Army uniform just like Arnie wears and we decided to make a bear to represent him. The lady helping us build him tuned into what we were doing right away and had all of us pick a heart to put in him, so he has a lot of heart and love. The girls named him "Daddy Bear." We also found a pair of surfing trunks and a surf board for Daddy Bear when he isn't in uniform. The girls love snuggling with Daddy Bear.

The girls giving Daddy Bear a fluff bath

Daddy Bear in uniform

Primary Pool Party

Today we went to the Primary yearly Pool Party. It is held at the same church member's house every year. It is a fun event and this is the first year that all of my children are of primary age (3-11 yrs). Bethany and Malia are very competent swimmers now, navigating the 9ft deep water and jumping off the diving board with ease. Jessi and Kaitlyn, when dressed to the hilt in floaty armor, keep me from being too anxious about them. But with so many kids in the pool, I was right there within arms reach of the younger ones, anyway. It was nice in this sunny weather.

Jessi and Kaitlyn in their muscle man floaty suits

Bethany demonstrating the art of squirting water

This looked like some kind of equation to me: c/o= good sisters
The little girls sitting amongst all of our stuff that got throughly soaked.

It was a great turn out. No incidents, which is saying a lot considering how many kids were there.

Chalk-topolis

We went over to our friends house for dinner yesterday. Their kids and my girls played in various water toys, sprinklers and such. After that they occupied themselves by creating a wonderful chalk city that they could pedal and scoot around. It is wonderful to have such creative children.

The girls and her friends standing in the midst of their chalk city they created.


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