Random Photos

The girls got a hold of my camera the other day and this is what I found on it! Silly girls.

Fun on Father's Day

Father's Day morning started with cheese omelets and toast for John. After breakfast we presented John with his gifts. 

The girls had definite ideas about what they were going to get him. Lily had a Super Hero theme and bought him the Ironman movie along with a coupon good for more movie time watching the other Super Heros together. She also got him a Super Pop cup filled with Pop its. Shelly (and I) made him 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies with 3 coupons for baked treats of his choice. She also got him cashews, root beer. and a cat shirt!

John's choice of activity for Father's Day was a trip to Mount Airy to do some cherry picking. We set out on our 1.5 hour trip and along the way it turned into a 2.5 hour trip. Once we hit the cherry orchard we were told there had been 800 people there already that day. So, that resulted in fewer cherries to pick. John climbed a ladder to get to the higher limbs on the trees and picked some cherries for us. Shelly and I also climbed the ladder while Lily secured the scene below holding the cherry bucket. We had lots of laughs about getting lost and climbing ladders for cherries. It made for a memorable day. 

On our way home from the orchard we stopped at Dario-s and had a delicious lunch that ended with yummy shakes. It was a happy Father's Day for sure!

Happy Girls with their daddy

Sweetness

Terrific Dads

A big huge HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my dad, today! 

I am lucky enough to be blessed with a super father. As a little girl I loved hanging out with my dad and he was always so patient and willing to help me. As a teenager I took my dad's good advice to heart and tried to make the best decisions based on what he had taught me. And as an adult, my dad set the bar VERY high for other men in my life. By his example, I knew that I was looking for a guy who knew how to respect and love their wife. 

Today, I still count on my dad for all of the above. It is a special man/father who raises three happy and well adjusted women and that is exactly what my dad did. 

Love you, pop!

My dad and the sock monkey!!!

As I mentioned above, I was looking for just the right man and when I found him I just knew that he would be a great dad, too. 

John is a funny, loving, and helpful father and our girls are so lucky to call him daddy. 

Happy Father's Day to two of the best dads around!

John and his girls

Balance Beam Fun

The girls find various ways to amuse themselves in the summer. Here they are performing on Shelly's balance beam.

Daisy photo bombing in the background

Beta Club

At the end of the school year Lily received notice that she was selected for the National Junior Beta Club at her school. We were very proud of her.

The induction was held on a Sunday afternoon and afterward we joined several of her friends for a little celebratory lunch at a Mexican restaurant. 

Lily and friends

Sisters

Lily and Claudia

Busch Gardens

Lily went with a friend and her family to Williamsburg this past week. They went to Busch Gardens and had the opportunity to visit the park two days in a row. 

Lily was a little apprehensive about all of the roller coasters, but after just a short amount of time at BG she was officially a roller coaster girl. She loved it and we can't wait to go back this summer. 

Lily and Ally

Mach Tower

Book Time

The girls and I agreed that this summer we needed to devote time to reading. It is so easy to get caught up with spending time on the computer, the iPad, the iPods, and watching TV. We have worked to create a little time to read during the day and I am not overly upset if we miss a day or two, but I do like having a plan.

We went to the library the other day and the girls picked up some books that interested them. I had just downloaded the book Bloom on my iPad. We are all hoping that we can keep to our book reading schedule and have some good books under our belt by the end of August.

School House

Awhile back the girls and I created a school area in their "play room". We used an available wall and put up a dry erase board (the chalkboard is so 1990s) and a bulletin board. 

They also added some classroom decorations on the wall and had an area for their "faux" students' birthdays and the jobs for their classroom. It's a fun little area to use their imagination and play school...girls after my own heart!

Extra Chores for Cash

As the summer approached I began thinking about a better way to do chores for the girls. They are both pretty good about cleaning and doing what is asked of them. But, I wanted to come up with a list of chores that were expected daily and a group of chores that the girls could choose to do for extra money each week. 

Here is their list of "Everyday Chores" and they are both very good about completing these jobs. These chores are not associated with a monetary amount. They are simply the things that they need to accomplish as part of a member of our household.

The list of "Extra Chores" are the things that they can select and complete for extra spending money. I go along with them on the first time they attempt a task to show them the basics of completing the job. Then they complete the chore, have me evaluate whether it was completed satisfactorily, and place the slip of paper in their envelope. On Fridays, I total their money amounts and they receive that amount for the week.

Extra chores list:

• 50¢    Wipe down kitchen counters (all)
• 50¢    Empty all house garbages and take them to the green box
• 50¢    Sweep the kitchen floor
• $1  Dust downstairs
• $1  Vacuum downstairs
• $1  Vacuum upstairs
• $1  Unload the dishwasher
• 50¢    Clean all bathroom mirrors
• $1  Clean the shower/bathtub
• $1  Clean kitchen faces (front of cabinets, oven, refrig)
• $1  Clean toilets
• $2  Make a dinner meal
• $1  Clean up kitchen after meal (includes washing dishes and putting in dish washer)

I thought it was an interesting way for them to see how when they have an actual job one day that the more you do within your job, the better you will be compensated (hopefully). And, if they don't choose to do any extra jobs, they don't get any extra money for the week. A bit similar to the early colonists way of living...You Must Work to Survive. Ok, maybe that's going a bit too far, but it is hopefully instilling a sense of responsibility and a work ethic in them both.

Prepared with her supplies

Off to complete a task

Cleaning the bathroom mirrors

Bun with a Twist

Here's Shelly in her latest hair tutorial video...Enjoy!!!!

Summer Week #1

We had an active and fun first week of summer vacation. We started things off with a movie. We saw Epic and all thought it was cute and entertaining.


The girls had friends over to swim and spend the night on Wednesday. They all had tons of fun and spent plenty of time in the water.

The girls and I went to the White Oak Amphitheater to see Darius Rucker in concert. We are all huge fans and Darius is the one performer I have really wanted to go see. 

So, we got lawn tickets on the day of the concert and headed out with a huge quilt for our lawn seats. The opening acts performed (Jana Kramer and Justin Moore) and soon after, one of Darius Rucker's crew members offered us seats on the floor about 10 rows from the stage. Not only were the seats close but we sat front and center!!! It was such an awesome experience and we loved every minute of the show. He didn't disappoint!

Shelly went to a friends' birthday party on Friday and spent the night at her house. Lily and I stuck around the party and chatted and laughed with the other moms.

Saturday afternoon we headed to Boone, NC for a mini trip. We went to the Mast General Store for candy and had appetizers at Char and then dinner at Macadoos (we love their mac 'n cheese). Sunday morning we had breakfast at the hotel and headed to the Linville Caverns in Linville, NC. We explored a cavern with a guide. It was a new and interesting experience for all of us. After the caverns we headed back home and completed our first week of summer fun!

Hotel in Boone chillin' out

Inside the cave!