Back to Dance and School

Auditions went well for Lainey this year! It's hard to believe that this is her SEVENTH audition for this studio! Crazy! 

Each year, we go to Mama's Pizza the night before school starts. I'm thankful that our family of four could enjoy this tradition TOGETHER this year! 

annual selfie with Dad before the first day of school

AND...here they are, on the first day of 5th and 3rd. ;) All smiles, and they both have amazing teachers, and we are all thankful to enjoy this school year together as a family.

Here's Walker in his classroom. His teacher is darling! Lainey wouldn't let us walk in with her this year. She's barely letting Walker walk in with her, which is surprising as they are very close. He doesn't seem bothered by it, so that's a good thing. ;)

Lainey's goals for dance this year...mostly ballet-oriented! This surprised me! :) I love her last goal, too - to "have fun"! It's a reminder for me that she still views dance as a very fun activity...where as I'm beginning to view it as a very competitive and expensive one. :) Ha!

The last bit of summer...

Enzo and Walker, playing some Fortnite. Enzo is so good with Walker. He's Brooke and Kate's cousin on the other side...but Walker refers to him his cousin, as well. :) 

Holding Belle like a baby...notice Belle's face! :) Ha! Walker's face is blurry, but hers is the perfect picture of bewilderment.

Walker has been asking Ben to "sleepover" in his room all summer. Finally, on Sunday evening, Ben spent the night with Walker. :) Here they are, all tucked into their beds!

We've been fortunate to get a lot of good rain lately! On Monday, we accidentally got stuck in a downpour while riding our bikes. We got SOAKED. Then the kids (Lainey, her friend Rylie, and Walker) proceeded to jump on the trampoline, in the rain, for a solid hour. 

And finally, as a way to commemorate the end to a good summer, we went to Hawaiian Falls yesterday. The kids each brought a friend (Lainey brought Rylie and Walker brought Kasen) and then we also brought Kasen's sister Kylie and her friend Nadia. Everyone was fantastic; they were all so responsible and helpful but I didn't get a SINGLE picture except this one! It's the Torpedo Drop. I did it once, and that was enough. :) 

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School starts tomorrow. Both kids have wonderful teachers; I'm excited for them to make new friends and reconnect with old ones! Here's to 3rd and 5th grade! 

Lainey's ears are PIERCED!

On August 10th, 2018, Lainey got her ears pierced!

Before...

After!

All smiles...no tears. Lainey has done great taking care of her ears post-piercing as well. :) 

Walker, on the other hand, didn't enjoy the process one single bit. He didn't even want us to talk about it in his presence. He is very squeamish!

Thankfully, Walker made it through the ordeal. :) 

After getting Lainey's ears pierced, we met Uncle Matt, Aunt Whitney, and Tom at Mi Cocina for an early dinner. AND! I am pretty sure we witnessed Tom tentatively take his first steps...on the table at Mi Cocina.

We love our baby. He's the cutest.

Walker still enjoys seeing fancy cars. ;) And by the way, over the summer Walker's hair turned SO light! It has some pretty nice highlights! 

Crazy, Sweet Belle

Just hanging out with the bunny. She's surprisingly cooperative when she's in this position!

Belles' face... :) 

Belle looks like a little stuffed animal in this photo! :) And Walker is awfully proud to be holding her like that!

Ben!

Just a quick update...our favorite West Nile Virus Survivor is doing GREAT. :) 

Ben with our kids' pediatrician, who also happens to have been his pediatrician 38 years ago! 

with some of Ben's favorite nurses from the Neuro-ICU

outside his room :(

We are so thankful to be on THIS side of the ordeal. These people are amazing! We are very thankful to the doctors and nurses at Medical City Plano. It was so wonderful to see them all again. :) Especially from this side of things... ;) 

Hot Summer Days

braving the heat with friends...scooters at the park

Lainey, Cami, Kaitllyn, and Brayden spelled "HI" with their bodies. Walker decided to abstain from that activity. :)

VERVE Intensive, Summer 2018

Lainey was given the opportunity to attend a local dance intensive called VERVE (as part of a larger intensive called CORE). She had the best time! VERVE was an intensive that focused on performing and she loved it!

Pool Party: Madeline, Lainey, Izzy, Morgan, and Faith

same kids, different background

I have no idea what was happening in this photo (my friend Christine took it as I wasn't there for most of the closing show) but Lainey seems very excited.

Lainey and her friend Faith won partial scholarships to attend the intensive next year. :) What an honor! Every little bit helps!

VERVE was a great experience! I'm so thankful that Lainey enjoyed it!

We're at this point in the summer...

Always hilarious...