Rose's birthday

Our Rose Ryan is four!!!

Camping!!!



Camping was never something we did growing up. We always went on family vacations but not camping like lots of folks did. I did go a few years ago with the Salinases but we had a camper. This was my first real-in a tent on the ground-camping trip.  And it was wonderful!!!!!!!! I can't quite get the pictures in any order but the general ideas are there.

 

 

Emmy got some hair treatments.

Jorge and John surveying the swimming area.

Busy time while waiting to get to the water!

 

We were about to get on the paddleboats and got one last quick picture.

 

I am not sure what this face was about from Lu.

Oh these two. Love, love, love.

Again. A famous Lu face.

Emmy is ready to ride.

Smores. Lazy.

 

John was an excellent kid chunker at the swimming hole.

 

Oh this one. Best Buddies.

We were the first to wake this morning. Emmy was patiently waiting for the rest of them to be ready to play.

 

 

We had bacon for breakfast and Emmy made herself a bacon sandwich with tomatoes that Papa Richie sent her.

Independence Day

We had the most fun at Neall and Becca's 4th of July party!!!! I don't know what is more precious--seeing these kids be kids or seeing the parents be parents. There is something so special about having known these guys my whole life and then seeing them now with kids of their own. And they are so very good at it. 

But, they are also pretty funny when they get the chance to blow up stuff too.

Dean is exceptionally handsome of course. 

It is such an amazing life for these kids---in the pool watching fireworks. They kept yelling for "more!". 

 The girls after they finally started getting ready for bed.

Sparklers for the masses. 

A good eye doctor told Emmy to protect her eyes. 

Cheerleading camp

Oh sweet girl, you and your cheerleading camp. Emmy has hated t-ball and soccer but I told her she has to have a sport--she has to do something. When she decided she wanted to do cheerleading, I knew I couldn't say no, but oh sweet, sweet girl; I don't ever want your heart broken. I remember high school and it sometimes still hurts. I pray you never know that stuff. But, she was pretty adorable for camp. It was at the church where she attend daycamp during the summer. She had already taken gymnastics with them so Ms. Mary Hannah knows her. Camp was every morning for a week and she just loved it. They had a show the last day and the kids from the daycamp came to watch. When she was doing stunts and the entire class said "ooooh Emmy!" as she was on top of the little pyramid, I cried with joy. When she marched out there as the youngest girl (they ranged in age from 1st to 6th grade) and didn't even flinch, I beamed with pride. When we got home and she watched the videos that she insisted I take, she realized that she didn't quite stay in sync with everyone else and she was pretty disappointed, my heart tore a little.

She has signed up now for Power Tumbling lessons for the rest of the summer and we will see what happens in the fall. Right now, she says that she wants to do the cheerleading and the gymnastic lessons. I didn't get many photos--instead lots of video. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year holds!!!!

Night time baseball

I can only imagine how much our neighbors enjoyed this evening of baseball in the backyard. I love her outfit and most importantly, I love her tiara with rain boots.

All the Presidents

Last night, I was doing a little work from home and John and Emmy were studying a placemat with all of the US Presidents on it. It was quite interesting to overhear their conversation. First she wanted to know why they were all men so John told her that hasn’t been that long that women were even able to vote for president. She is certain she wants to be a President one day. John told her about the President Burr-Hamilton duel and now she thinks she might be in a gun duel. There were quite a few pieces of history that John was telling her that either I didn’t remember or ever know—I was quite impressed.

 

Then she told him the most handsome president was Clinton and she was delighted to know he was from Arkansas. “Like Sol?”

 

These are a few of her latest drawings that I just can’t stop smiling when I see. There is the Father’s Day card they made at summer camp. I especially love the drawing of her and her daddy. The people kissing and the drawing of Justin Beiber.