More Summer Fun

One of our favorite things this summer has been that Brooklin has been here to visit quite a bit. Yea!

We spent one morning at a park with fountains (referred to as "the water park" by Brooklin.) Coincidentally, we ran into some of our best friends that same day. Yea, again!

Many games of tag were played. And all these many months later, Clara, the Mouse King, and the Nutcracker are still favorites. Clara tended to get sleepier and sleepier as the game continued :).

 

Happy cousins

 

Brooklin Quote

Brooklin was having a wedding and Keegan said she would be the preacher.
Brooklin responded adamantly, "Shoo, shoo, Creature!"

Brooklin Quote

Talk, talk, talk, "please."
Kelsey and me, "Good manners!"
Brooklin, "I will keep them my whole life."

Different Swimming

In addition to swim team, the girls have gotten to swim a few times at Aunt Lisa's house with the favorite cousin, Brooklin!

Some duplicate pictures from Facebook, but I liked them enough to post twice :).

Caitlyn looking pretty (in the bathing suit we shopped hard and long for.)

Love this picture of Brooklin and Kelse. They have such fun together.

 

Yeah, Brooklin didn't look at the camera, but, oh, well :).

 

Speaking of having fun...

Keegan, Kelsey, and Brooklin have had more fun doing this

they all pile on to a float,

then tip!

And laugh :).

As I have been known to do when watching :).

Very thankful that this cutie has been here visiting so much this summer.

Hope you're having just as much fun as we are!

Bye for now!

(with a final picture of a too grown-up looking Keegan!)



Brooklin Quote

She's reached that age.

"Hey! You want to hear a really funny joke?"

"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Banana"
"Banana who?"
"Banana pancake!" Hahahahaha

"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Banana"
"Banana who?"
"Banana pencil!" Hahahahaha

And especially for Keegan,
"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Banana"
"Banana who?"
"Banana soccer game!" Hahahahaha

Bye bye to Brooklin

Well, life has a way of moving on, and now it has. Our sweet little great-niece/cousin, Brooklin, whom we got to enjoy one day each week, has moved away.

 

We are proud of her daddy for getting a promotion, but awfully sad to have their family over three hours away :(.

Reading some favorite books the final day we got to keep her. She's a fan of Sandra Boynton :).

 

We're thankful for the fun we've had with Brooklin and glad that we've gotten to know her so much better over the last year+.

 

We're looking forward to visits and hope that they are very happy in their new home.

But it's still hard to say good-bye.

Sweet moment

I love this picture!

 

 

I already posted this on Facebook,but I love it and wanted to post it here, too :). So, sorry if you've seen it before (but not really because it's worth seeing twice ;).

Brooklin was being a monster, "scaring" Kelsey.

Such a cute moment between two precious girls.

Funny Fingerpainting

So, we have this tradition...

if you have read for a year or longer, you are probably familiar with our unique family Saint Patrick's Day celebration - fingerpainting with green whipped cream, smearing it on our faces, and eating it!

"Why?" you may ask. I don't know. It sounded like fun once and went from there :).

This year, we decided to do it on a day when Brooklin was with us.

Kelsey was the role model for spreading it on your face.

It was pretty funny - Brooklin got into it, telling me, "I love finger painting!"

 until I told her it was really whipped cram and, "this one special time," she could eat it. My girls' favorite part! I don't think Brooklin believed me! Or else she thought I was very, very strange. Maybe both :). She looked suspiciously at me, looked very suspiciously

at Keegan and Kelsey, who were happily licking away,

 took a tiny, tentative lick of one lip and decided she was all done! Hahaha.

A very cute blast from the past - aren't they adorable?!?

2008

Snow! Snow? Snow!

We did not get as much snow this year as I would have hoped. Actually, not one big snow at all :(.
We made up for it a little bit with this artificial snow.

It's pretty cool! It actually feels cold and you can mold it and shape it, just like regular snow.
It's also perfect for hiding Squinkies :).

Plus, Brooklin is just cute.

Kelsey, too!

Third B-day

I am not known for watching my children grow up gracefully. In reality, I kick and scream and fight against it as hard as I can.

Now, not only are my babies growing up way too quickly, but my little great-niece, Brooklin is doing the same thing!

 The former "Baby Brooklin" has had her third birthday!

We gave her presents one day when she was at our house  - some toys and a Dora blanket,

 made with much love by Kelsey.

 I had warned Kelse that the blanket would be something that was enjoyed over time, while the toys would be what she would play with immediately.

 
 
 

Just goes to show (once again) how much I know.

She was crazy over the blanket.

^^^Those big smiles^^^

are all for this.

 Brooklin wanted Keegan to "be the prince" using the Dora blanket and Keegan, a good sport as usual, did just that.

 
 

Brooklin joined in as the princess, and a great time was had by all.

She did play with the toys a bit, too :).

 

And from her actual party -

Lots of pink and princess finery, just as it should have been.

 

Happy third birthday, Brooklin!

We love you!