4th of July

Here is a huge picture post of our 4th of July!  It was hot, but lots of fun!  I'll let the pics tell the story this time!

Swimming

There is no better way to enjoy the hot summer days of Texas than to spend them in the water!  This sweet girl is such a fish this year!  I am so proud of her swimming!

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches poolside!

Our ever daring and active Clark diving right in!

Claire enjoying "Mr. Ray" our new Finding Dory float!

Clark gives it a try!

Their favorite, a "double jump"!

Clark has mastered his canon ball!!!

Love these days so much!  Lots of changes are coming up.  I know change can be good, but I'm pretty happy where we are right now.  I love having my babies home with me, the relaxed schedule of summer, the late evenings spent in the backyard and the slow mornings.  I am in no hurry for this to end.  

First Time in the Sand

We were invited to a beach pool birthday party today and the kids had an absolute blast!  They LOVE the sand.  

Clark loved digging in it and Claire enjoyed making a sandcastle with a moat around it!

This was the perfect way to see how the kids would like a beach trip, and hands down now we know they would love every second of it.  If you can't make it to the beach, then this is the best thing!  Only 15 minutes from home, but it's not open to the public, so we were so thankful to be invited to swim here today to celebrate William's birthday!

I have to say that prior to having kids, summer was definitely at the bottom of my list for favorite seasons because of the heat, but it has made it's way to the top seeing all the joy they have doing summer activities...not to mention all the memories we make and all the extra time I get with them since we are not on a school schedule.  I am absolutely loving this summer and holding on tight to everyday, knowing that each day brings us one day closer to Claire starting kinder and being in school more than ever before. 

Recital Time!

I can't believe it...another year has come and gone and we were at Claire's second Dance Recital today!  

They danced to "Blame it on the Boogie" this year.

She did a great job and loves to be on stage!

She loves to swing her pony tail!

We have spent the last two years with these sweet friends every Wednesday morning.  As all these girls start kinder next year, we sure will miss these families and our weekly visits at dance class.

Nana and Opa came to watch her perform today...

Kevin and I with Claire after her performance.  We were there all day, through lunch and nap time so Clark was having a blast at home with a babysitter!  He would not have been a happy camper trying to sit still for nearly 3 hours during the recital.

Me and my sweet girl...

and since I wasn't blogging back in 2015 here are a few pics of her first dance recital, last year...

Getting her make up on.  This was her first time to wear all this make up.  It was a special mother daughter time to teach her what it all was and how to put it on!  Very fun!! 

Family pic last year

Claire and her Lita

Dancing to "Rockin' Robin"  I'll never forget their "tweet-tweet" moves.  This was by far our favorite dance ever!  So adorable!

Lots of flowers!!!

With kinder starting in a few short months, we told Claire to choose one activity she would like to do and she chose gymnastics...so we will be taking a break from dance next year.  It is bittersweet, but I know that going to school 5 days a week all day long and starting early in the mornings is going to rock our world, so we are going to take it easy!  I am so proud of her!  I sure do love seeing her smile and her joy when she is on stage!  I remember feeling like she was so little when we signed up for lessons...and how in only 2 years she has grown up SO very much.  Absolutely amazing...it is such a blessing and a privilege to be her mommy and Clark's mommy too!