Some backed-up happenings:
Elle’s still playing a bunch of tennis.
We signed her up in the “Advanced” tournament and she got cremated.
Good for her is all I can say 🙂 We do hard things, right?
She’s working bump up her game this weekend.
Grace wrote me the following note after I got my hair cut in my mid-life-crisis mode before my birthday. I wasn’t in love with my haircut because I figured that’s what you do when you’re 40, and I should have gone against the grain, but I was glad to get a fresh change. Hair is hair so whatever.
But she wrote me this nice consolation letter:
Elle’s fascinated with making cupcakes:
While Dave was gone on this trip we got invited with a bunch of families to go up to our friends’ cabin so I packed up the kids and went as a “single.”
I mean, how can you pass up an invite to a place like this?
I’ll let the pictures tell the story:
(Those curling irons led to the hair-dos in the rest of the pictures…these girls were quite the hair dressers.)
(Max just measured in at 6’2″ just FYI.)
Now that’s a lot of kids.
This was when Lu was telling our friends that we are the “Love” family:
Not sure where she got that but I’ll take it.
Need I say we had fun?
Random dinner from Dave’s iPhone:
(With Max not home from volleyball yet…that empty plate on the right is waiting for him.)
From my iPhone after one of Max’s volleyball games:
And where we wait for the school bus:
Justin Bieber’s birthday:
(Not because she loves him, just because we thought it was funny we happened to have purple tulips for the occasion.)
Elle’s choir concert I had to miss 🙁
Dave was my photographer.
(I think he took that last one to capture those long legs. 🙂
Instagram homework:
Squinkies are still going strong:
I wish I had a bundle of pictures from doctor’s offices lately…I’ll have to work on that one for my next “little things” update, but for now, I’m off to the allergist with Max.
Love the messy buns your girls were rockin'! My kind of hairstyle. What camera do you use?
Love seeing your day-to-day life! And your hair looks great! I have a funny question. I noticed you had flowers for Elle on JB's bday 🙂 I just wondered how much you encourage or don't encourage pop culture stuff. My 11 year old is a big JB fan. If I let her, she would have posters all over her room, I'm sure. I do remember having those when I was younger, but I wasn't as young as she is and (thinking about the importance of things on our walls) I don't want her staring at that all the live-long day! I've let her download a few songs (which I like too!) but I just want to find a balance with that and not have paraphernalia all over her and her room! 11 is a tough age in that she is right as the crossroads of little girl and young woman and I am trying to put on the brakes of the young woman stage as much as I can to just savor her youth and innocence. I would love some advice and specific examples would be great!!
Lisa I know you weren't asking me, but I just have to say your questions inspired a laugh out of me. My mother was so worried about me because Michael Jackson was ALL OVER my walls as a 12-15 year old. I was so into him and listenened to him constantly. I turned out okay, although I did mourn when he died and played him constantly after he died. Then my HUSBAND was very worried about me 🙂
Lisa, I'll have to clarify your question in the post…Elle isn't a big Justin Bieber fan, just wore purple to be funny on his birthday and I happened to have some purple tulips that I wanted a picture of anyway so I snapped a shot. I don't think there's anything at all wrong with posters on walls except for the little fact that I don't like posters! At all. And it's funny because my kids have never asked for them, except the one time that Elle bought a picture of a cute little cat poster at some book fair years ago. I let her put it up for a little bit in her room cause she loved it but I have to admit it was kind of hard for me. See what an un-fun mom I am? 🙂 I agree with you that you don't want kids to grow up too fast but hey, it's fun to have a little fun with pop culture here and there.
Oh and Cheryl, that was pretty funny about MJ. My friend was same obsessed with Madonna and turned out pretty great.
And Lillian, I use a Mark II 5D…you can read more about it in that link called "photography FAQ" at the top of my blog.
Max is the same size as my 15 year-old son!
Fun pictures!
love the photo of you and elle behind the book…:-)
I just recently discovered your blog, and I am obsessed! I think your family is adorable, and your parenting counsel is so realistic and helpful! I love the necklaces your girls wear with their initial and birthstone(?). I hope your move to a new home won't change your blogging consistency.
~Dianne (mom to 5 kiddos, age 8 to 14-month-old twins)
Off the subject comment for your David: Have you heard of the book, “Chi Running”? Great method. Cuts down on stress and ankle injuries and increases efficiency. Take a look-see: http://www.chirunning.com/
Max is 6'2"??? He's as tall as my husband! I remember babysitting him when he was just a little guy. WOW! What a great kid he is.
I see that you guys were playing Ticket To Ride! That is our family's FAVORITE game and when we get together, we all have to bring our own game so that all 30 of us can play!
love that picture of all the kids around the dining table, how could you pass up a little break like that! awesome!
and 6 ft 2 in high school! I wonder is he going to stop growing? I married a man 6ft 3 and I'm only 5ft so I secretly hoped for a few tall children as I didn't always love being the smallest in the grade!
gorgeous pics:)
Corrie:)