Friday, July 26, 2013

An Adults Only Post?

Yep, that's right.  One post, where the only pictures with people in them are adults!  Jer and I took a 4 day break from the kiddos and flew the coop.  We checked an item off both of our bucket lists and went to Vegas!
 
 
We stayed at the Paris Hotel.  I loved it.  The room was great, the restaurants were good and it was right across from the Bellagio, so we had a great view.
 
 
The view from our room:


 
We tried hard to perfect the self portrait on this trip. 
 


This was one of my favorite spots!  The quarter slots at the Golden Nugget with a nice cold Coca-Cola.  Ahhhh.
We played a few other places, but our two favorites were the Golden Nugget and the Four Queens, both downtown spots.  We played a few hands of blackjack on the strip, but I'm not a regular player and $10 min. tables mean quick $$ down the drain for me. . .


We rented a car one of the days (mustang convertible!) and went out to the Hoover Dam.



 
It was pretty hot, but we wanted to get out and hike a little.


 
Then we came back in to town and did a little more sight seeing.  We had to stop at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop from the show 'Pawn Stars'.  No buying or selling for us, but fun to see.


Did I mention that it was hot?



 
We had to get this picture for the girls!  A Castle! 
 
 
We also rode the roller coaster at NY NY, pretty crazy!


 

We are happy to be back home to cooler temperatures and green grass!  Oh, and the kids, who are supposed to be napping right now after spending 4 days at the fabulous Camp Carter (we owe them big time), but who can't fall asleep because they are too busy crying about how they aren't tired.  ; )
 
 

 

 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Monday Madness!

We added Golf Camp to our week this week and started bright and early with Uncle Tom at Pheasant Acres Golf course.
 
 Then Ellen gets her turn at ballet with our favorite dance instructor, Miss Bree!


 
Mom, No camera!
 
 Not done yet, it's time to run to the other end of the park for soccer.
 
 getting ready to stop the ball
 

 
 The look of determination!
 
Exhausted, I fall to the couch to write this.  The girls are still full of energy. . .

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Butterflies!

These pictures are actually from today.  Lucy was just so excited and her expression was so fabulous that it inspired me to begin to catch up with the blog, just so I could post these pictures. 
We got 6 caterpillars (in the mail!) a few weeks ago.  The girls set up a home for them complete with leaves, sticks and water.  We watched them climb around and finally make chrysalises.  Then we went to Duluth overnight and when we came home we discovered 4 butterflies!
 
 
 Ellen wanted to take pictures of them with my phone (but she did not want to touch them!)

 
 Lucy wanted to release them, but she desperately wanted one to sit on her finger first.


So fabulous!!!  Goodbye fluttery friends.  We will be doing this again!

Milwaukee Kite Festival

Such a fun day!  I wish I had more pictures.  Thanks to Jer, Jim, April & Michael for the kite running and fun!
 




 



Ellen's Golden Birthday

The little cutie turned 4 on the 4th.  As Ellen says, May Thorth.
 
 
This year she got to have a party at home with her best buddies.
 
 
Elsa, Elizabeth, Emma & Ellen
 
 
We had a Golden Book party.  Everyone decorated their own book bag and got a little golden book to take home in their bag.

Ellen really wanted the Barbie cake this year.  She had been asking for it for months, so we had to make her gold!



 Wardrobe change.

 
 One of the presents that Ellen received was a movie, so at the end of the party everyone grabbed a stuffed animal and a blanket and they snuggled in for a movie.
 
Ellie also got to celebrate in Viroqua on her actual birthday.  More gold!