4TH OF JULY

We decided to go spend some time up at the cabin this year to celebrate the 4th of July. We went swimming, saw fireworks, rode four wheelers, boat rides, roasted marshmallows, and Abby even tried tubing for the first time. Which she loved!! We all had lots of FUN spending time with Great grandma, Great Papa, Grandma, Papa, Aunts, Uncles, and lots of cousins. On the last day we went up to the dam, and we saw a giant snapping turtle, which I had never seen before, and I couldn't believe how mean it was. Luckily the park host/hostess stopped us before we got up to it, I was going to show the kids the giant turtle....not a good idea. They used a shovel to try and get it back into the swamp instead of heading towards the playground, and the thing would bite the shovel, thanks to Papa though he got back in the swamp. Ally is not a fan of boat or four wheeler rides, she cried the entire time on both. But she does like fireworks, and swimming. She would scream with delight after each firework she saw.

OUR CAMPER

My cousin has a camper that is parked at the cabin, so that is where we slept. Abby and Ally loved it, it had everything including a shower & toilet. Abby wondered why we ever went in the cabin, we could have lived in there all week. The kitchen table folded down into a bed the perfect size for the two girls, although Ally played musical beds most of the night. It was just too exciting for her to get to sleep in a big bed with Abby. Ally is kind of a bed hog and Abby ended up on the floor at 2 am the first night. But they still wanted to sleep together, even though there was two other beds they could have slept in.

SWIMMING

Maddie, Hannah, Abby, Ally, Mara & Payton(running off)

SANDY TOES

All the girls decided to bury Stephen in the sand.....Curt decided they were doing it too neatly and he needed to help speed up this process.

FOUR WHEELIN'

ROASTIN' MARSHMALLOWS

Abby decided to try and roast her own marshmallow this time...

Ally thought roasting a marshamllow was a waste of time, when you could just open up a candy bar and get right to the good part:)

BOATING/TUBING

THE 4TH OF JULY

Maddie, Payton, Ally, Hannah, Mara, Abby, Great Grandma & Great Papa

Waiting for fireworks.....

The MEAN turtle!!!

ABBY "THE STYLIST"

Abby loves to do hair, or as she calls it "the hair-styler girl". She will do anyones hair who will let her, Ally rarely thinks this is a good time, but the other day she went a long with it, and let Abby style her hair.

A VISIT FROM FAMILY

A few weeks back we had all the Gourleys in town again for a visit. We always love having them come, Abby really misses her Aunties & Cousins not living here. We had lots of fun while they were all here.

GRADUATION

Abby with her "cap"

The whole class

Abby with Mrs. Lisa & Mrs. Amy

(The best teachers in the world)

The Family

Abby & Tippy

Abby has officially graduated from her first year of preschool. They had a graduation ceremony complete with a certificate and a construction paper hat. The whole ceremony lasted all of 10 minutes, it was great!!!! Abby loved preschool this year and she can't wait to go again next year. I have no idea what I am going to do with her this summer, she is already asking when she gets to be in the 3 day-a-week class:)

FIELD TRIP

GETTING ON THE BUS

ROOF TOP PARK

FACE PAINTING

WASHING DISHES

SNOWBOARDING

Abby's class had a field trip to the Children's Museum, and of course I had to go as one of the chaperones. It was so much fun, I was responsible for Abby & her friend, Kennedy. It was kinda funny, a lot of the parents were only responsible for their own child. Abby was so excited to bring a bag lunch, and to ride on the bus. After about 5 minutes on the bus she told me she was bored of sitting there, it was a long ride there and home with her asking every 2 minutes are we there yet? But she had a lot of fun while at the Children's Museum, and she told me her favorite part was washing dishes, lets hope she still likes that in a couple years right?

GRAND RIOS

Last Friday we took the girls to Grand Rios, or as Abby calls it Water Park of America. We all had so much fun. Abby loved the slides and I even convinced her to go down the big tube slide with me and she loved it, I had to make her stop going on it. She didn't want to leave it either, but it was time for Ally's nap. Ally was a bit cautious at first, but after a bit she was lovin it. We even took Uncle Stephen with us, he convinced me to go on the hurricane. Just before I went down I read the sign that said "strong swimmers only", I haven't been in anything bigger than a wading pool for about 5 years so I wasn't sure if I qualified. I was sure I was going to die. As you can see I lived, but I would not recommend that one, the rest of them were o.k. Most of the pics are of Ally, because Abby would not hold still long enough for me to even snap a picture.

TRACKS IN THE SNOW???

The other morning when we opened the blinds we saw these tracks on our patio. I asked Abby what animal she thought had made the tracks. She replied "I am sure it was the giraffes Mom." What do you think?