Minnesota

Our annual trip to Minnesota was timed around Mo’s high school reunion and around NeeNee and Pops’ 50th wedding anniversary celebration. So the girls got to miss a little school for the trip, but more than made up for it with experience at the farm, on the boat, etc.

At the airport, Ali kept wanting to see “more” planes….

Ava too wanted in on the better vantage point.

Once we got there, we took advantage of cool (for Arizonans) weather and headed straight outside. Ali and Pops started building with blocks.

The girls loved going to Kay’s farm. Ali and Ava took turns feeding the horses.

Even getting nose-to-nose with Zorro.

Taking turns with the kitty.

Ali shaking hands with the kitty. Of course now she wants one for home too…

Click the image above for a video of Ali with the kitten.

Ava riding NeeNee’s horse.

Click the image above for a video of Ava riding the horse.

 

Mom and Dad went to Mom’s HS reunion…

Mom with her friends…

We all got to go boating on Pop’s boat. Ava and Pops even did a little fishing – Ava caught (and lost) her first fish.

Ali loved the wind in her hair. She kept saying to go “fast”

There is a great park nearby that we went to a bunch of times. There is even a merry go round at it.

Ava had fun climbing, with Ali trying to keep up too.

Ali at the top (with a little help).

Around the house the girls generally played pretty well together. Sometimes we could get them to dress alike…

Ali loves shoes by the way. And does great in Mom’s heels.

And stacking blocks around the house.

More time at the park near the house.

Ali loves the water, whether it is rain…here she is catching the runoff on her nightgown one morning.

Waterfalls….crossing a bridge near a waterfall.

Or the lake…throwing rocks into the lake.

When Mom and Dad headed up to Minneapolis for a night, Ava and Ali got to do their cookout.

Ava and cousin Issac had fun at NeeNee and Pop’s anniversary celebration.

As did Ali.

From the airport, Ava played in the plane.

While Ali drove the baggage cart.

As much fun as we had, it was good to get home to our normal routines…

First Day of School

School starts early here in Arizona.

Ava started pre-K on 8/6. She’s excited – we’ve been talking about it all summer. Ava has all day pre-K 5 days week, so Mom and Dad are excited too…

Ava (and Ali) posed for Ava’s first day of pre-K.

Ava wanted a solo shot as well.

At school, Ava and Sofia quickly posed for us.

Ava with Mrs. Daddario.

A week later Ali started her preschool She is going 2 mornings per week (Wednesdays and Fridays) with the same teacher that Ava had 3 years ago. My how time flies.

Unfortunately Ali was not quite as photogenic. She would not let go of her school bag.

 

Ali was still carrying it in the classroom.

Here’s Ali playing with some of her friends at school.

Our gym had a back to school pool party – the photographer managed to get the whole family smiling (and still) in a single shot…

On Ava’s school days, Ali sometimes hangs out in the office with Dad. Note the Anna cape and Anna doll in her lap.

Click the image above for a video of Ali playing around the house

August also brings us our monsoon storms. Ali loved playing in the rain one afternoon…

Click the image above for a video of Ali playing in the rain

Children’s Museum

Somehow July (and August) went by super quick. Some quick updates.

The rest of July went by pretty quickly. Usually we have been in the pool in the afternoon.

The girls went to the Children’s Museum one weekend. Ava and Ali had fun on the car wash ride.

And the girls had fun with the grocery store too.

Ali is a natural shopper by the way.

Ava pitched in to help checkout some other kids.

Later Ali practiced her fine motor skills by scooping up beans.

More to come…

Ava’s Fifth Birthday and the Girls’ Birthday Party

Our big girl is getting older – she turned 5 on July 13th. Birthday morning started off with some presents. Here are the girls showing off their Anna and Elsa dresses.

Ava went through a few wardrobe changes as she tried on all of her new clothes….

Doing a new puzzle while wearing her new Hello Kitty tennis outfit.

Later the girls (Ava, Mom, and NeeNee) got their nails done. Ava is now hooked on manicures.

Ava of course had to try out her new Ezy Roller up the street.

The next day we had the girls’ birthday party. Of course we went with the Frozen theme ….albeit a bit more focused on the “summer” portion since we have the pool.
It just isn’t a party without a giant balloon.

Pre-party, the girls are chilling in their jammies.

After a bunch of swimming, the crew was ready for cake. Mom is doing a good job of lighting the candles.

While Ali is mostly focused on getting to the icing.

Afterwards we were able to get one photo of the girls somewhat calm.

Later in the week, Ava had her lunch and haircut outing with NeeNee.

And Ava had her first swim meet…
She was a little nervous at the start.

After finishing the freestyle.

Ready to start backstroke.

And she’s off…















Ava's first swimming ribbons!

We had more fun during the week. We had a monsoon storm one afternoon. Ali (and Pepper) had fun with the rain.

And since the girls were wet, it was a perfect time for the pool. Ali loves the slide.

While Ava was working on her new hairdo (or is it hair don’t?)

Happy Birthdays to our Princesses!