POOL TIME...

With summer days growing warmer and Taylor working on her swimming skills, my parents helped us join Pierremont Oaks for the summer.

Hey, look who is here...
The Langhams joined too!!
Two cousins can have plenty of fun in the sun together!
And their Mommies and Daddies have fun too!

WET & WILD FUN...

Ray and I have some dear friends from high school that we were able to reconnect with while living in Baton Rouge, Alexander and Daphne Mijalis. After Alex finished Law School, they, too, moved back home to Shreveport. They have been blessed with two ADORABLE boys, Jonathan (2) and Mark (almost 6 months). Last week, Jonathan invited Taylor over for some summer time slip-n-sliding! Taylor and Jonathan have had several play dates, but nothing like this. Golly, did those kids have fun!!

Taylor wasn't as much into the slip-n-slide as she was splashing, collecting fish, and stealing buckets and cups from Jonathan.

After awhile, attention spans ran short and we needed a new activity. And who doesn't like a little sidewalk chalk?
Well, Taylor wanted to color, but not on the sidewalk....
And, finally, a ride around on the tractor!!!

What sweet friends they have become! It reminds me, in so many ways, of mine and Sarah's friendships with the Roe boys growing up. Do I see vacations, coordinating costumes, and bubble baths in their future? Maybe...

Thank you, Jonathan, for letting us come play with all of your fun summer toys. And a thank you to Mark for being such precious and sweet baby. Taylor loved her time with you too!!!!

Taylor is just barely beginning to understand the concept of sharing. So, this play date would not have been complete without a few meltdowns...I didn't include any pictures of these. But, as I am sure you can imagine, between a 2 year old and a 20 month old, they were pretty good at turning on the waterworks :)

SNEAKIN' VEGGIES...

This past Easter, I gave Masyn a little Easter basket of goodies. Although she is a few months shy of trying baby food, I gave her a pouch of Ella's Kitchen Baby Food. Being the caring big sis that she is, Braylin helped Masyn dig through her goodies. Upon finding the Carrot, Apples, & Parsnips pouch, Braylin proceeded to unscrew the cap, stick the spout in her mouth and suck down the entire 3.5 ounces of mush. This got me thinking...

Taylor is rarely willing to eat all of her veggies. Sometimes we are lucky to get her to eat 3 green beans a day. We are now giving her V8 Fusion as a supplement for her daily 'juice' allotment in the attempt to keep veggies in her diet. So, if it worked for Braylin, why not Taylor. A yummy 'smoothie.' I bought a few pouches and waited for the right meal to introduce this idea.

The day arrived. I chilled the pouch and hyped up the 'smoothie' all afternoon. Taylor was so excited, almost antsy to taste this yummy treat Mommy had been raving about.

The moment came. She grasped the pouch and took one BIG gulp. I held my breath...
After spitting the chilly purplish-brownish mush down her shirt, Taylor decided the green beans weren't a bad option.

So, maybe I'm not the genius mom I thought I was when this idea came to me. But, then again, Ella's Kitchen has now come out with Fruit Smoothie Pouches for toddlers!!! They stole my idea :)

SUMMER HEAT, SWEET TREAT...

With the temperatures nearing triple digits, I thought you might like to see a cool kid enjoying a cool treat at GayGay and GaGa's house...

MADELINE COMES TO AMERICA...

My cousin Elizabeth, her husband and daughter, Madeline, live in England. Elizabeth had a few weeks off from Med School and used the break to bring her beautiful daughter to visit the family in Louisiana! Elizabeth, Madeline, and Aunt Sue drove up to Shreveport for a night and we all got together so the kids could play. And play they did!

Madeline, Braylin, and Taylor ran around in the yard, taking a few breaks to say hello to Tree Man.

They checked on the tomatoes in the garden.And just became dear friends. All three were so sweet to one another, exchanging hugs, holding hands, sharing snacks...
We took about 20 pictures with Grandmother and all of her great-grand-daughters and a few with Grandaddy too. It was moments like that in which you truly appreciate the work of a children's photographer. We managed to get this ONE good one...

What special memories. We hope they will come visit again soon. Or maybe WE can make a trip over the Atlantic!