Are you ready for the summer?!?!

Well, WE are!! With dance recitals and birthdays done for another year, we have been able to focus on our summer camping plans! But first, a shot of Luci's cosmetology skills. I think she needs to study just a bit more!



Drew's Brownie troop visited a local sheep farm to earn a badge. Here, Drew pets an obliging bunny.

Luci tagged along, too. She loved the animals!

The farm's watchdog, Tucker, (Great Pyrinese...sp?)liked Luci a lot! I think she smelled our dogs on her or something...she just kept following her around! Luci didn't mind a bit!

Hannah shows off another lost tooth!

All of the girls got to feed the sheep some bread.

This little goat, named Bertha, waits while her mom gets milked.

A couple of goslings learning how to honk.

The girls take a turn petting a baby chick...not sure which breed it is, but it was white with a black tuft on it's head. Very cute!

Hay ride!!

The troop with the farmers, Mr. and Mrs. F.

I had yet to try out the waterproof feature on my new camera, so I brought it along when we hit the hot tub one evening.

Works pretty well, I'd say!

Blowing bubbles!

Drew working on somewhat of a unibrow! When she gets older, I'll introduce her to the magic of hot wax!

And finally, the rest of this post is dedicated to our wonderful first camping trip of the year! We have waited all winter long with anticipation for this trip! This year, we went to Wellesley Island State Park. The weather obliged us by staying lovely! Our site was situated across the road from a large field, and eventually, a kickball game started! Below, Dean catches the ball to try to tag Luci out at first. (Daddy let her make it!!)

Julie and Luci man second base as Drew gets ready to run for third!

Pile on Jim!!

Dean tries to prevent Hannah from touching first base and the other girls attack him!

Drew kicks and makes it safe at first! Jim just has issues! Ha ha!

Running the bases!

One of the other activities which kept the girls busy was skating.

When we got to the site, we put Luci on her bike and were surprised to find that she had somehow "forgotten" how to ride it. It was as if she was starting all over again! She'd look down at her feet and then end up off the road. When we told her to look where she was going, she'd forget to pedal! Eventually, somewhere in her brain, it clicked again and she was a happy camper once again as she drove her bike up and down the road, even turning on her own (though she still needs practice with this) and once or twice taking off on her own, too! The bike she was using has a wobbly back wheel from last year when Daddy hit it with the truck. So we thought we'd try her on Drew's bike, which is much bigger than hers and she rode that one better than the small one! So, Jim and Julie are giving Drew Hannah's old bike and we'll give Drew's to Luci. That's my big girl!

Dean took the girls on a 4 mile hike through the park's nature trail. I sent the camera with him and they saw lots of stuff including this 5-6 foot garter snake sunning itself on some branches.

This is the result of a hungry beaver!

The weather was so warm on Sunday, that we took the girls to the beach. Sara started off by practicing her casting.

The water was unbelieveably cold, but that didn't stop them!

Cartwheel!

Luci little good luck charm!

One of the downfalls of having such a tall camper (13 feet tall at the highest point!) is changing a lightbulb without a ladder!

Our warm toasty fire...I love camping!

Dancing and partying!

May is finally starting to get a little less busy! Ahhhhhhh......that's better! Between just the birthdays and dance recitals, let's just say I'm practically exhausted! If it weren't for our first camping trip of the season coming up this weekend, I'd be a wreck, but as I LOVE camping so much, I am energized and ready to go! But first, a recap... Below, Luci poses in her ballet costume waiting her turn to go on stage.



Luci and Sonja (aka the hair piece twins) perform on stage to their ballet song, Boom Boom.

Luci's got lipstick issues. Whenever she has it on, she's afraid to move her mouth except when she forgets it's there. But apparently, she remembered and puckered instead of smiling! Oh well, she's still a cutie!

Her next dance, a tap dance to Shirley Temple's Good Ship Lollipop, included a prop which she got to take home!

New this year, Drew's dance studio offered baton classes which Drew jumped on! She loves it!

Drew demonstrates what's known as a "pancake".

Drew dropped out of jazz and tap this year, but is excited to take them back up again next year when her instructor will be Miss Jill who Drew loves! She also loves her ballet instructor, Miss Judy. I like her too, she keeps the girls focused because she is firm and doesn't let them fool around in class! Anyway, here's the first costume for Drew's ballet dances. She had to learn a lot of them, I forget the count, but learn they did and it was beautiful as usual!

Miss Judy poses with all 6 girls in the ballet group. The dolls are part of the first dance and as it happened, they all had at least one American Girl doll!

Costume #2. I love this picture because of Drew's smile! There were very few times on stage when she didn't smile! You can tell she really loves it!

Costume #3. One of my favorites! (The dance, not the costume.)

Costume #4

I actually caught Hannah smiling! I know she loves ballet, too, but I think the reason she doesn't smile too much is nerves or perhaps bashfulness?? She's certainly not bashful off stage!! Hee hee!

The final pose! It was so beautiful! I can't wait for Rebecca Kelly Ballet this summer! (Neither can Drew!)

Finale...the Cha Cha Slide...I think that's what the song is called.

The day after the recital, Drew had her 7th birthday party. I'll give you three guesses what the theme was......American Girl, of course (which explains the stars)! I saved some money this year and made cupcakes instead of buying an expensive store bought cake!

All of her guests were asked to bring a doll so they could have their own little party as well! I made mini-cupcakes for each doll and they all had a party hat, blow-out and goody bag to take home! The cake in the middle of the table is actually a candle in the shape of a cake.

Drew and Sara pose with their dolls.

MORE webkinz!

Drew opens an American Girl television...she really wanted it!

MORE AG stuff! She got soooo much stuff for her American Girl dolls! She got camping equipment including a tent, sleeping bag, camp chair, campfire, smores and accessories, a kayak, brownie uniforms, a scooter, a washing machine, homemade clothes and a bed, the bunk bed and livingroom furniture, a tv, $60 towards her next doll, AG clothes, Heely's, a chair to hold the doll on your bike handle bars and a rolling suitcase to keep it all in! She's not spoiled....really!! Her firends got her a variety of things, some AG some not. She loved it all!

Once the gifts were open and cupcakes and ice cream consumed, the girls made their way up to Drew and Luci's room to play on their bed.

Eventually, the party headed outside to swing and jump on the trampoline. Drew was completely happy with her party and kept coming over to give me hugs, kisses and lots of "I love you's!" I love you, too, Monkey! Happy Birthday!