August

August is going to be fun! We started the month in Houston with the Boettchers and the Carrolls-twelve years and six kids later we all still look exactly the same!! The girls had their final week of camp but this time it was with all their friends from school(so they RAN to the car each and every morning to get there).

Soon we are headed to the cool of Idaho-it is still unbearably hot in Austin.

Despite the heat, we have this growing in our front yard:

And these two, out foxing me at every turn:

Kate's Birthday

We celebrated Kate's birthday over a couple of days. It started at home on the 12th once we were home from the wedding. The next night we had dinner and presents at Queenie & Grandad's house. Her pool party was at the end of the week and was celebrated with her friend Reese. Here are some pics of the events:

Opening presents-lots of good stuff!

LOVES her new penguin from Aunt Funny & Eagle

There is no laughing at Queenie and Grandad's-ever...

Lauren was not left out-Aunt funny outfitted her with a new "beautiful necklace"

Tattoos c/o Aunt Funny....thankssomuch

Ice cream!

Cupcakes with friends!

Yum!! Icing first is always the best way to eat them!

Barrett & Sam's Wedding Weekend Part 2

The wedding was in an airplane hanger in Santa Teresa(just outside EP). The decorations were very festive and the party was full of surprises(a flyover or two!!). More pics:

All dressed up and ready to go

Lauren takes a turn at photography

The ring bearers

The wedding party

Happy Couple and the folks

Who would have thought these folks could clean up so nicely!

Cousins and the girls

Gorgeous sisters!

Loved seeing Brandon, Rob & Lenetta!

Dancing the night away

Eating the Longhorn cake(next to dancing, the girls favorite part of the night!)

Story of the night: Lauren goes up to Grandad and asks for his corsage "I need to wear it so people know who I am". She then proceeds to dance with anyone on the dance floor(stranger or not).

Barrett & Sam's Wedding Weekend Part 1

Barrett and Sam were married on July 11th in EP. In what was a fun filled weekend, the girls walked down the isle like pros and the happy couple celebrated with all their friends and family.
Queenie and Grandad hosted the Rehearsal Dinner at our second home in EP, the "G&R"

Love the decor

Aunt Funny loved it a little too much

Girls had to touch each and every pinata

Love their Grandad

"Party Pic!"

Sam and Lauren

Two handsome guys

Cousin Rob and Lenetta!! So loved getting to see them!

Girls and the aunts! What a beautiful bunch!

The best man speaks

Slide show is soon to follow...lots of embarrasing childhood photos

night-night

Kate

This time of year I always think back to how it all began. Kate coming early, three months in the NICU, and the scariest nine months of our lives. Time and her amazing spirit have dulled the reality of all that we went through. Recently, I read some of the updates I sent-details of how many cc's she was able to take that day("up to 5!!"), a breathing "set back", or when she finally hit three pounds. Five years ago, she was so fragile and small but those are not words we could use to describe this beautiful thing today:

Miss Legs

Fourth of July

July was wild. We had the 4th of July, Barrett's wedding, Kates birthday and camps galore.

It has also been a record July as far as heat-all but four days where 100+ . The girls and I spend most afternoons inside counting down the days until we get to Idaho.

We spent the night of the 4th at the McMahans. In what has become a great tradition, they cooked out, the kids swam(and made new friends), and there was an awesome light show to end the evening.

Sunday we had another round of fireworks with Queenie and Grandad. Aunt Funny and Eagle brought the fire power and the girls had a ball setting the grass on fire. Sparklers were the biggest hit of the afternoon...

San Antonio Zoo

Thursday we made the journey down to San Antonio. It was a "girls only"(or as the girls called it "no boys allowed trip") and their friend Reese came with us. They had a ball! One(my sleeper) got a little tired about three hours in and we called it a day(and still did not get to see everything!). Can't wait to take them back-
Some pics:

The "no boys allowed" brigade

Inside the butterfly exhibit(one of their favorite sites)

Meeting the leopard

Taking a breather to watch the enormous fish!

Loved the flamingos(good thing because they were everywhere!)

AN ELEPHANT! Talked about seeing him a lot of the way home

Rhino eating his lunch(fascinated the girls)

On the train