Milestones of the Mouth...

It's been a while since I had a free minute to post on here. So many home improvement projects and work has really been taking it out of me lately! Summer is the time to gear up for the coming school year and get our office in good order & I've been trying to take some time off to spend with family as well. The last couple of weeks I worked really hard in order to feel comfortable taking a week off for a little family vacation & then honestly that was an exhausting vacation! Some fun times with the highlights being away from the worst of the wild fire smoke for a few days & taking the kids to the zoo and the Olympic National Rainforest. I feel really behind on all the things I want to post, but I had to share these pics of the girls since Lily got her braces off yesterday...and before it's been too long since Sierra lost this tooth! The new one is already starting to poke itself through her gums.

 I'm gaga over this girl's cute smile!

 

Sierra lost one of her front teeth last month, and is so cute with this little gap toothed smile! I love to watch her talk with it and her little extra lispiness - it is too cute - I probably get all moony-eyed every time she launches into a lengthy explanation or story because it really is just so adorable. Why do they have to grow up!?

At the same time - -it is really wonderful to see them grow! I can't believe how much older Lily looks from the time she got her braces on last year.

 Is she not gorgeous!?

Such a relief for her to not need help to floss her teeth every night! (Not that I can take credit for it - Mike was the one who had the patience and perseverance to help in that area! So grateful for him and all he does for us - he is the best!)

Will have to catch up with other photos from the summer soon - our fireplace re-do, going to the lake this summer, my parents visit, Lily's birthday, did I even post Sierra's? our little vacation on the WA coast...Summer is going by far too fast! Grateful we still have until after Labor Day - not that we can get out and enjoy it too much with all the wildfire smoke! Happy to have more wind this year than last so it is not constantly as bad like it was last year!! Anyway, enough rambling for now - I am determined to go work on a beach painting I started a long time ago to hang in my bathroom. Determined! ;)

Lily's Birthday CelebrationS

We went all out this year for Lily's birthday and took the party to California!

I told Lily all she needed for a great birthday was her cousins, and she agreed.
I said I could blog about it and call it Just Add Cousins. She did not agree! ;)

But with traveling and all - we did keep it pretty simple this year. Aunt Emily got some decorations and provided the pool, I made the cake and Lily and Audrey decided to celebrate their birthdays together since they could. Lily drew a pin the flower on the Hawaiian girl to go with their chosen theme and even provided the prize (long coveted candies from Sierra's present to her)

Before the party we met all the cousins at the beach. The last time our whole family went to the beach was for Lily's 2nd birthday! This wasn't officially part of the party, but it sure was fun! We were the first out there because we wanted to stop by one of our favorite donuts shops on the way. They sell out fast they are so good so we got there early! It was kind of misty and empty when we first got to the beach, but got very busy as the day wore on, so we were glad we got there early and staked out a large area with some sheets so our group could all sit together.

Playing at the beach

Lily, Audrey and Auji were so cute boogie boarding together, and Sierra was so busy shell searching and filling buckets for her moat I had to constantly keep my eye on her so she wouldn't lose track of where we were.

The Pool Party

 Hard to get them all looking the same way!

 Sierra modeling the game Lily made

 This was a great gift for Lily, she has plans to turn her charms into a business ;)

Party #2

Lily got a lot of birthday celebrations this year! When we got home from our trip Grandma Elsie surprised her with decorations at the table, her birthday presents from her ready and wrapped up, and a cake in the fridge. We waited to open them until we could have Grandma and Grandpa over for dinner and a party. Lily made another game - pin the party hat on Lily - which we played together, and then even got out her magic set and put on a show. This was the easiest birthday I ever planned ;) I did make her a chocolate cake to fit the little cake stand my mom got for them - so she had even more cakes than she had parties this year! And Mike planned a big friend party at the end of summer to give the girls a chance to play with their friends all together before school started, so though that wasn't a birthday party she really got a lot of partying this year! 

  

The magic show

 Cake Central

 Just what she wanted!

 Sierra posing as a present. She is a wonderful gift!!

Lily enjoying her army men and remote control car from Grandpa Blaine