SUMMERTIME!!!

 A couple of funny things from the summer!

 It was SO HOT here (117 degrees!!!),

that we had to cook pizza on our van dashboard!
Sarah helped me check them throughout the day...

(the cheese was great, the peperoni was ok)

One evening we were walking in from the parking lot 

and Rachel called over that she had found a cheetah spotted toad.

~So, here he is!~

The girls started calling him Cheetah.

Funny night pet!

Nothing like the zoo with friends!

A good hot day at the zoo!

The kids all climbed up 10 ft to the top of this 

HUGE ROCK 

and posed for pictures.

My kids never cease to amaze me!

Emma and Rachel meditating in the rainforest with Sam.

Enjoying the rain in the rainforest!

It was a great break from the heat outside.

Piled in for the photo-op!

 Rachel and her cheetah!

Sarah riding her seahorse

Emma's cutie pony

So grateful to have friends to wander the zoo with for 4 or 5 hours!

Summertime and the living is...... Basketball!

Since it's so HOT here,

all 3 girls are playing indoor basketball to keep busy!

 Their first season ever....

 Emma learning the basics

Sarah getting ready to run some tough drills with Cosh Boschee.

Her team is girls 9 to 13 years.  Yep, she is the youngest.

  Go Rachel, Go!

 Game day for Emma

Watching for the rebound.  A little nervous.

 Sarah playing hard

 Her friends really push her and she is learning a lot.

 Rachel has been working really hard on her passing and shooting.

Watching Rachel's basketball game with Sarah.

Fun times in the summer!!!

Some Summer Silliness!

 Misc. summer adventures in our new hometown!

Flying kites is a blast!

 

Rachel helped Emma with her kite.  It's tough to get it into the air!

Sarah flew her kite so high most of the time, until the string flew out of her hand and it got trapped in the top of a tree.  Mom finally pulled it down.  Phew!

Playing in the water!

 The girls found a puddle to play in and they made...

Islands

 AND...

 ...Continents

 Sarah made this boat out of a leaf, a twig, and some bark.  Pretty sweet!!!

 Did you know that June 1st is National Doughnut Day?

It is!!!

So we got together with some friends and took a tour of the local

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

 (Don't you love their hats?)

2 pretty cool mamas!

 The awesome doughnut line.  So cool!

 Enjoyed the tour?

Yes for sure!  They even got to decorate their own doughnut!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Softball Madness at our house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah and Rachel are both involved in softball this summer. 7 solid weeks of 2 games a week each! Somedays 2 games a night, sometimes 4 different nights a week! Wow! And Richard is coaching Sarah's class and that is crazy! It is finals week and he has 6 tests Monday through Thursday and he is coaching! Busy week for all of us!!!!!!!!!

Sarah trying her hand as pitcher! She did really well!

Great hit Sarah!

Rachel wants to hit it so bad! Look closely at that face!!!

Getting ready for the ball to come to her!

And what does Emma do during the games, you may ask? She is over playing on the playground! 3 hours of playing! Her dream day! She loves it!

Honestly, this is been insane and crazy and it will be a great rest when it is over, but we are so glad that we did softball! I think the girls are learning so much! And it's just nice to sit and enjoy the warm evenings together and catch fireflies on the way home!!!