Last Pool Pics, I Promise

The kids were cute together in the pool today.  First, a couple of pics of Henry's pacifier getting tangled up in Evie's hair.  Then, a couple of pics of this adorable note that Evie had me write for the birds.  We have a big cactus in our yard that produces a ton of fruit that the birds like to eat.  Evie found a couple of the fruits and wanted to set them out for a bird, and with it her personal note.  She drew the picture and dictated, I wrote.  Evie is truly a friend to all.

Ice Cream!

Evie the Artist

Evie has really taken an interest in creating art over these last few months.  And she is PROLIFIC, drawing or painting many pieces a day sometimes.  And she's getting pretty good with all of this practice.  Evie also loves displaying her artwork, so we have some paintings in her bedroom, and she is currently working on wallpapering other parts of our house.  (These photos represent just the start.  I will have to update with recent pics).  I've really tried not to push her into art at all, so I am so thrilled that she has taken such an interest all by herself.  It is also SO nice that she's found a great way to entertain herself.  We are very proud of her.

Neighborhood Block Party

These are not the best photos, but our neighborhood block party was a ton of fun tonight - especially for the kids.  There was a bounce house, face painting, a cookie decorating table, a fire truck, and lots of potluck food.  Evie had 3 different paintings on her face and wrists, and always comes up with some interesting requests.  The fire truck was also really cool, and they let the kids spray the truck's water hose into our front yard.  This event is so exciting for the kids, and it all happens right on the street in front of our house.  At 9 pm, the block party ended and I took the kids inside while Joe stayed to help clean up. Evie and Henry were literally crying in the bathtub, they were so sad that it was over.

A Cowboy & A Cowgirl

Our little cow pokes are just the cutest!  They really got into it tonight, riding their stick horses around the living room and yelling "yeehaw!"

ZOO!

Joe took the kids to the zoo today to give me some precious (quiet) time at home by myself.  The zoo has a really cool display right now with Lego animals making appearances throughout.  The kids had so much fun!

Mall Carousel

Well, as we were driving to the zoo today, it started raining.  So our indoor entertainment options are fairly limited and we ended up at Arizona Mills shopping mall.  Mostly we just ate lunch and then walked around the mall (literally, because it's a circle), but we also took a spin on the carousel.  I can't remember what Joe was doing to make the kids laugh, but his efforts are especially commendable now that we are old and get motion sickness on carousels if we're not really careful.