The Aquarium...and the day before school started...

The girls took their Beluga Whale and Sea Otter backpacks with them to the aquarium....

Ellie showing her Beluga Whale to the Beluga Whale...

Random Summer Photos Part 1

This picture just cracks me up....Quincy is a total nut! Please ignore my hand-wash stuff drying on the rack in the background....

Summer Part 2 Swim Lessons

Emily, one of the girl's super-perfect sitters, gave the girls one-on-one lessons this year...she is so so so so good with little kids!

They are now both doing the backstroke....pretty good for a 3- and 4-year old!

Summer Part 3 Ellie's Surgery

Ellie had surgery this summer to repair a hernia that she had since birth. While the surgery itself wasn't a big deal (the surgeon's words, not mine), she still had to go under general anesthesia so I was a wreck.

Ellie, however, was great....just blissfully waiting for the anaesthesiologist to do his thing....

Summer Part 4--Picking Blueberries

The blueberries were plentiful this year and the girls picked a bunch....

...and then tripped and spilled them all right after we paid for them. :(

...but the trauma was short lived and smiles soon returned!

Summer Part 5---4th of July

Playing Corn-hole...and, yes, that's the actual name of the game.

Uncle Dave...

And beautiful Taylor....she is the reason we decided to have children...she is that wonderful....

Summer Part 6---4th of July in the South

We went to Dave and Cathy's in downtown Woodstock for the 4th. They live a stone's throw from downtown where there is a parade every 4th of July...naturally, we went 'cause I love a parade! Below are some photos that I took that perfectly sum up the parade. Think "conservative"...

50% of the floats (i.e., cars) were driving by large stuffed animals...

The girls watching the show...

The vehicle above belongs to the Sheriff's Dept....

Sarah Palin made an appearance...

A three year old (???) was driving this car....

The ponies were super cute....

Summer, Part 7

One of the girl's cupcake creations....

This photo above captures the essence of Ellie for this summer...

and this photo perfectly captures Quincy....

....while this photo perfectly captures how the girls never want to be more than two feet away from each other at anytime during the day (or night!)...life is good....