2 to Grow With : This time of year.....

I must say my husband knows me well. Monday evening as we were getting the girls settled, I began to “share” (aka stress) about all the things we needed to get done before school started. In his wonderful calm voice he simply said “it’s that time of year”. What? I guess I am pretty predictable! So my list has begun but this year having a little fun is on there too! I have come a long way! The list: hair cuts, new shoes, new lunch box, school supplies, etc. Jimmy has even added to the list: rotate the girls books out so we are not reading the same 5 books for 6 months!

Gracie is debating right now what she wants to do for her activity this year. She has done gymnastics since she was about 3. She has loved it more each year and the past two summers when she can really focus on it, she has given it all she has. However, this year she really has taken to swimming. Not just playing in the pool, but swimming laps, diving and working on technique. Is she my child? ha! Jimmy still does not like me to show the girls I plug my nose when I go under! So Gracie is really thinking about what she wants to do and we are supporting her in her decision. I can’t wait to see where her heart tugs and her interest lies!

This week Wednesday was sibling day at camp so Maggie tagged along again. They LOVED it. Sweet friends of ours have their daughter Maggie at camp this summer so their little one, Logan, was there with our Maggie. It is so sweet to see our daughters together and how much they all love each other (but they all 4 have their moments!).

Gracie and (little) Maggie with (big) Maggie and Logan.

She thought she was hot stuff going to sister's camp!

I told Grammy the other night Maggie is all Martin and McGonagill, meaning her personality is so much like Jimmy’s side of the family. We adore her, she makes us belly laugh, she tests our patience, and along with many other things makes our family complete.

Gracie is our love bug. She has begun to really articulate her feelings and what she needs, which often is to cuddle up for snuggles. I love those moments. Jimmy was snuggling her in bed and told her she was his “swimmer girl” with big smiles she said “and your dancer girl”. Her new favorite song to dance to is Hoedown Throwdown by Miley Cyrus. We adore her, she makes us smile with a consistent warmth in our hearts, she challenges us with our patience and along with other things began our family over 7 years ago and forever changed who we are!

One day at camp this week was Cowgirl day! She loved it but told me we needed to get some boots!

This weekend was absolutely perfect! We decided to enjoy a Friday night low key meaning dinner out (no clean up), Lupis Cookie dough (make cookies at home that are really better than any I make I think), and movie snuggles watching despicable Me. Saturday we decided to surprise the girls with a family date morning. We headed downtown to Aretha Frankenstein’s for breakfast, a walk on the walking bridge (Maggie has been asking for months to go on the walking bridge), and wandered through Enzo’s (a new upscale grocery store downtown). Saturday evening was date night so the girls enjoyed play time with Ms. Allie and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner together to connect!