Two Cheese Doodles

"Cheese Doodles" are what we sometimes call our new boys. Here are some new pictures of their latest antics - and there are LOADS of antics involved with two teenaged cats! My ficus tree is in permanent danger. It's like having a baby in the house again - don't leave anything lying around on the floor or the counter because it might get eaten!

Can you spot the cat in this picture?

They all had the afternoon lazies!

A little friendly fighting - this could go on all night.

Snoozing together

John is a major cuddler - Emily loves this!

Rock Stars

Emily has gotten really in anything that she considers "rock starish" lately. This could include anything tie-dyed, chains, stars, etc. but most especially anything with peace signs or guitars - rock star guitars (electric) and not round guitars (acoustic). Be sure to make the distinction! I came across these mesh fingerless gloves at Target this week and decided they were just her style. She created an ensemble of a twirly skirt, rocker t-shirt, gloves, and silly bands for an excursion with Abby this week. Look out Madonna!

She's even got the fashionista crossed-leg pose down. Crazy.

Beach Trip!

Donald and I took the girls on two quickie beach trips last week to the Callaway Gardens beach. What a great time! Callaway Gardens is close enough to be easily accessible and far enough to feel like you've really taken a trip somewhere. I love that there are no waves (unless a speed boat goes by!) so that the girls were really able to get in and swim. They were like little fishes the whole time! Swimming lessons are really paying off. I liberally coated all of us in sunblock but even so, Emily has managed to do something that I've tried to do most of my life - tan! She's got the sweetest tan lines around her bathing suit. Can't say the same for me, but then I hid underneath a huge hat all afternoon!

Getting ready to head out - I love the way Emily's hat is on sideways. She looks kind of like a beach pirate.

Check out the lady all bent over in the background. An odd addition to our family photo.

No strange background folks on this one!

Happy Fourth!

We spent our customary evening with the Blounts on the square in Newnan for fireworks this year. It was such a great time - wonderful desserts, wonderful friends, and wonderful people watching. Emily enjoyed the fireworks and attached herself to the older girls all evening. It was funny to see her follow the teenagers around all night! At the very least, I think we got a few leads on new babysitters! Hope your Fourth was excellent!

A special dessert just for Emily. Just as well - that meant more blueberry-peach cobbler for me!

Abby surveys the fireworks

Trying out some sparklers

Emily watched the fireworks with her fingers firmly in her ears the whole time.

Cheese with Rachel!

Lunch with Betty

I always look forward to seeing Aunt Betty and we were fortunate to be able to have lunch with her recently at one of my all-time favorite restaurants - Houston's. Yum! The food was great and the company, as always, was wonderful. Emily loves Betty. They spent the entire meal playing with stickers and coloring together. So sweet! This was the only picture that I took of our excursion, but it was a good one!

Circus Days

This week we made our yearly summer trek to see the FSU Flying High Circus perform at Callaway Gardens. Donald and I took the girls down and had a pre-circus picnic on the beach before heading up to the big top to the see the performance. If you've never been, it's such a fun time for the kids - and free, which is always nice! You can check out the FSU program online at http://circus.fsu.edu/

I think it's hilarious that students can sign up for circus classes as elective credit. Just think - if West Georgia offered such a program, we could all have been learning trapeze skills instead of line dancing or appreciating art ( I dropped that class, anyway). The weather was wonderful and the show was excellent. We're thinking we might go again next week!KFC from the corner gas station. We're living dangerously!
Looking serious

So many mosquito bites! And now, probably sand fleas, as well!

They really wanted to stay to play in the sand more than they wanted to see the circus at this point.

Practicing her tightrope walking

All the ladies!

The ladies and the lone gentleman

They were excited to get to sit on the top of the bleachers. So much to see!

I like this - who knows what they're whispering?

Curls!

Circus tradition - after the show, the girls have to practice what they saw. Donald had to give them both some help trying out their cartwheels.

And now for the ride home!

Swim Update

Emily appears to have had some kind of breakthrough at swimming and had a great time at her last lesson. It was so great to see her running around and having fun with the other swimmers! Too bad that Miss Betsy is on a cruise for the week - I'm afraid we'll have to start from square one when we head back to lessons! For now, enjoy the happy pool pictures! Rock Star heads off to the pool
Surveying the scene

Love love love this picture!

I like the way the straps stick out on the sides of her mask. She looks like Yoda.

In she goes! She earned double candy and a special candy bracelet because of her fine performance that day!

Happy Father's Day!

Donald wanted to cook his own Father's Day dinner this year, so we traveled to Spezzano's in Tyrone and bought some incredible steaks to grill out with the family. Always fun to have everyone come over to eat! Daddy and Emi

Ranch dip has become a specialty for her

Cici was forced to eat at the children's table.

Helping Papa open his prize. Notice the homemade card with peace signs. Peace signs are her new thing. She has some drawn on her legs at the moment.

A little Wii action after lunch.

The brothers face off at sword fighting.

They refused to stay still too long to have their picture taken.

Catching some fireflies in the evening

She got one! Love the one purple fingernail.

Such concentration!