Just wanted to post Hailey's school pitcure. What happened to my baby girl? She looks so grown up. Like the way the picture turned out - very cool. Taken, of course, by Kent @ Picture This (check out his link on the right).

Also adding her favorite recipe:

Hailey’s Peanut Butter Pie

½ cup Peanut Butter
½ cup Milk
1 8 oz. package Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar (sifted)
1 cup Whipped Topping
1 Graham Cracker or Chocolate Cookie Crust

Combine peanut butter, milk and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl on low speed. Add powdered sugar and whipped topping and mix until smooth. Pour into graham cracker crust and freeze. Before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup or top with chocolate shavings. Store in the freezer.

You Run, Girl!

I just wanted to record this little story before it gets lost among life’s other everyday stories. Hailey & Grandma Shirley had a fight the other night – a water fight. It started out that evening when Grandma started to leave (we’d been outside playing with the girls). Hailey had a bucket that she’d been using to carry water to the sandbox. She splashed some on Grandma and I started to get on to her but something made me stop and instead I grabbed her & told Grandma “Get her!” For the next hour they ran around the yard throwing buckets of water at each other. When I finally made her come in at dark she was so excited and said they were both "soaked to the bone" and they were. She said it was the “funnest thing ever!” She went on and on all evening about how much fun they had. She thought it was pretty funny that she told Grandma “you run, girl!” Finally, in Hailey’s words “Mom, that’s the only way you should ever fight.” I agree.

Shhhh. . . . .

Don’t tell Hailey, but today mom & I worked on dress-up clothes for her birthday. We almost completed 3 dresses and got started on 2 more. I think she’s going to love it! She still likes to dress up and pretend so for her birthday party, we’re going to invite all the girls in her class to come to the studio and dress up, play & have cake – maybe like a tea party? Not sure how we’re going to do the party yet - still working out the details. Going online today to order a few party favors – princess cups, etc. Hailey & dad working at the farm today on the new house. Posted a few pictures from this summer of Hailey & her friend playing "dress-up".

Great way to end the summer

Friday night Brian & Hailey “camped out” in a tent in the middle of the living room. They watched movies, ate junk food and stayed up way too late. The girls had so much fun playing in the tent that I’ve left it up. Saturday we watched the Ringwood Fair, where we indulged in Snow Cones from Uncle Rex & Aunt Robin and Sunday was the perfect day of rest. Just hanging out with the family, watching the girls playing in the water and the cardboard box/tent. Top that off with pizza for supper and you have the perfect day. Monday was non-stop. Hailey rode her bike in the parade & won 1st place in her age group - $5 – not bad! She also did the bike races and foot races and won another $1. The rest of the day she spent playing & swimming with her friend Morgan. Then a wiener roast at the farm with S'mores & home-made ice cream. YUM!

This has been the best summer! Both girls love the water. Kaitlyn likes playing in a bucket of water – literally. She can sit down in and usually tries to take off her bathing suit & diaper and run around in her birthday suit. And Hailey has really taken to the water. When she swims, most of her time is spent under the water – hard to believe that just a year ago she was too afraid to put her head under for a second. We had to bribe her last summer with mini Milky Ways!

Makes me kind of sad to see summer come to an end.

beautiful morning

Kaitlyn & I walked Hailey to school today. She ran part of the way, she was so excited! She's growing up so fast. Posting a few pictures from the first day of school. If you look closely, Kaitlyn is in the background of one picture.