hiatus

Time for our annual trek down to bayou country! I may have a chance to blog little bits from time to time, but for the most part things here will be quiet for the next 4 weeks!

the birthday party

What could be more fun than discovering your very best friend in the world was born on the exact same day as you? Well, celebrating that special day with a double birthday party, of course!

My friend Michelle (mom of Alaire's bff Ava) and I decided a few months ago that it'd be really fun to throw Ava and Alaire a birthday party together. The girls chose to have the party at the Ceramic Cafe so all of their little girlfriends from school, along with siblings of the birthday girls, could choose a ceramic piece to paint together. It was very much fun for everyone. The girls had sooo much fun being co-birthday girls! And as the parent, how awesome to be able to have such a great party and then split the cost with a friend, right? Win-win situation!

Cook flew in 2½ hours before the party started--perfect!

the daddies

the mommies

gift opening at Ava's post-party! GREAT day!! Happy 7th Alaire and Ava!!

cooling off

it was over 100º today... heat index near 115 is what I heard...If Cook thought she was flying in to escape the south Louisiana heat for a few days, this certainly is not what she would've been expecting!

7 years old!

While I'm usually so pitiful about my babies getting older, after going through that terrible scary accident Alaire had in February I couldn't be happier about her having another birthday! She is such a joy and a beautiful bright shining ray of light, and we are just so, so blessed to call her our little girl.

I just love the way these two are glued side by side for one another's birthday gift opening! ♥

Happy, happy birthday, you little cupcake!

(watch for pics to come soon of her upcoming party!)

the one thing Alaire specifically requested to do on her birthday:

mission accomplished!

(and a really big thank you to Ramsey and Maren for filling these 175 water balloons while the birthday girl was at her t-ball game!)

alaire's last day as a 6-year-old

time to pass that "6" tee shirt on to another lucky girl...

our july 4th

totally fun and mellow... a little bbq at home--I sat outside watching my cute kids play and my cute husband cook--

and then we drove out to Aaron's campus and grabbed a comfy spot to catch the fireworks over Overland Park on a beautiful clear night--just imagine seriously amazing fireworks right here in this exact spot with that pretty moon...

happy, happy, happy is all I felt this whole day long.