4th of July

Just another 4th of July celebration with the Miller family. I think this makes 5 years in a row. We deviated a little by going over to some other friends (just in the next cul-de-sac) and watched as their grown sons "educated" my young sons about fire (I mean fireworks).

Molly kept telling everyone to help her lite another "sprinkler."

Swim Team 2010

2010 was Molly's first year on the swim team.

Rusty thought I was crazy to register her since he had witnessed her two months earlier, during spring break, unable to even get in the pool without a floaty or me holding her. But I was not about to let that deter my goal of having Molly be a proud member of the Glen Oaks Swim Team. I really wanted her to learn to swim, and another HUGE deciding factor was our swim teams policy: pay for three kids and the fourth one is free. I am all about getting something free.

Therefore, I went on the hunt to find someone to teach Molly swim lessons three times a week during the month of May so that she would be able to "pass" the tryout and swim the length of the pool by June 1, 2010. After paying a small fortune for intense private lessons, she was accepted as a Glen Oaks Gator. In hind sight, I wonder if the swim lessons were worth the free swim team season.

Our swim team does a lot of fun things throughout the season (these enticements are the only way I am able to convince Meg to swim. . .that, and promising her she only has to go to practice two times a week with one of the practices being the "fun practice". . .I'm just picking my battles:). They have a pirate swim meet where everyone dresses up like pirates, we have an Amazing Race party which ends with a pudding drop, and a great awards banquet right before championships (see pictures below).

Most improved for the 11-12 year old girls.

Molly Turns 5

We love having cousin Abbie and Grandma Thompson here to help us celebrate.

Mason is Molly AND Meg's friend. Mason asked that I take this picture of him and Meg. Too cute!!!

Another homemade and awesome cake made and decorated by Rusty. This one is actually cupcakes that we could pull off. Molly insisted on a bear cake to go with her "Bear theme" (her words not mine). She wanted a Build a Bear birthday for about a year. Molly is a girl who knows what she wants and rarely is swayed. No idea where she gets this trait, but I foresee problems with her and I in the future (in the near future:).

It was only about 102 degrees out. . .perfect playing on the trampoline weather (with 10 kids on the tramp at one time). I was afraid we were going to have heat stroke. Send your kids to my house.