Essie Tries Her First Reese Cup

man's best friend ≠ 3 year old's best friend, or does it?

For those of you who haven't met our 60lb. Springer Spaniel named Caesar, he can be a bit of a lumbering oaf at times. This morning the girls and I were heading downstairs so they could watch "Cind*rella". As usual, Caesar came barreling down the stairs after us and just about knocked Essie down the stairs. She managed to hold on but when she came finally came down, she lit into Caesar about pushing her and almost knocking her down. Caesar by this point was lying on the coach (his favorite place to be) and looking all pathetic at her. I tried to explain that Caesar doesn't understand how big he is and that he doesn't mean to run into them. He just likes running down stairs. I told them it would be better for them to wait until Caesar ran downstairs before they started down, but that wasn't a sufficient answer for Essie. I got the movie started and headed back upstairs to get some work done. Caesar of course followed me (he's my first baby, after all) and half way up the stairs I hear Chloe yell, "It's ok Caesar. The movie not scary. It's a good one."

Yellow Sunday

Showing off our best Sunday yellow:

Chilly Saturday

With afternoon temps in the 60's, it was unseasonably cool on Saturday. It made it easier to get some work done in the yard, but the girls had to break out their jackets:

Canoeing

Our Wilmore adoption group went canoeing on the Kentucky and Dix Rivers last night. Some of our friends were out on their pontoon and snapped these pictures. (Thanks, Kellie!)

Kinnell family on the Kentucky River

Amy and the girls

Coming out under High Bridge

Our friends Charlie and Jackie with their son John from Taiwan

Slip 'N Slide!

If these pictures and videos don't bring a big fat smile to your face, I don't know what will. Matt's mom and dad bought the girls a slip 'n slide, and we got it out on Sunday after lunch to try it out:

At first the concept was difficult to grasp

But rolling around in the water was fun

Then Ababa demonstrated the proper use of the slide

Ababa is getting too old for this

Essie laughed so hard she could hardly catch her breath

Chloe

Essie

Essie

Chloe

Essie

Essie

Chloe

Essie

Potatoes!

Some of you may remember Essie and Chloe helping me (Amy) plant potatoes earlier in the summer. Well, some of our plants suddenly died (not sure why) so I decided to dig up the plants and see if any potatoes actually grew. To my surprise, we did get a small basket of potatoes.

Essie finding "tomatoes" (still working on saying potatoes)

Helping mommy clean off all the dirt

Not so sure about eating raw potatoes

Enjoying the fruits of our labor

July 4th

Ready for the 4th of July parade in Wilmore!

Kids' Row

Chloe & Matt watch the fire trucks

Chloe & Matt riding the sky lift up to Natural Bridge

Essie likes riding "into the sky"!

Chloe, Matt, and Essie atop Natural Bridge

Stopping for a rest along the trail. (Chloe's not angry - that's her "say cheese" face.)

Fat Man's Squeeze

Posing with Amy, but a little nervous about the strangers nearby

Exploring some neat rock formations

Home less than four months and already experienced hikers

Chloe

Essie

Exploring

Happy 4th of July!