Moments!

Just a few more weeks of summer as the girls start back to school August 12th.  So we are enjoying these moments.    Despite the crazy weeks at work for both of us its always important for us to be home with the girls.   This means some early mornings (4am) and some late nights (10pm) working from home before the girls are up and after they go to bed.  The past week is was both of us as a lot hit all at once.  Jimmy has said since the day he proposed "I would not trade the worst of our days for the best of anyone else's".    We do this together!  

Sister Sunday Pic

Snuggles on Sunday!   The girls actually did not nap but played while Jimmy and I took a nap!  

Snuggles with Daddy while Gracie and Mommy were at a party 

Sunday swim! 

Our new dog trainer!  

Love the missing teeth smile 

Evening snuggles before bed

One tired girl! 

Daddy snuggles 

no words!   I am so proud of our city and beyond thankful for all this that serve to protect us each day

We have started commissions for the girls.  They can earn money, but its not given to them just because.   There are things they do because they are part of the family (set the table, clear the table, etc) and other things that we do give them money for doing to begin to teach responsibility with money.  So they have their give, save, spend envelopes!  Two weeks in and its going great!  I am proud of them.   The hurdles is the balance between a 5 year old and a 9 year old expectations.   

The girls are sweet, sassy, and everything in between these days!   I don't often document their likes and dislikes, however thought I should.

Gracie:   loves music like her Daddy!   Her favorite songs are "Bad Blood", "Honey I'm Good", and "Worth it".  She loves Taylor Swift.    She loves to cook with her Mama and pick out recipes (tonight she searched Pinterest for the cookies she wants to make).   She has spent the summer working hard on reading and we are forever thankful and blessed by her two tutors that have invested in her and done a fabulous job!    Gracie wants Maggie to often sleep in her room (not in her bed, just her room...ha).  Gracie prefers her t-shirts and athletic shorts but is eager to dress up, paint her nails and do a little makeup.   She is my mini me!  This week she wanted to wear her sparkly father daughter dance shoes (which I did agree to really because I have tried to take the perspective of saying "yes" as much as possible so the "no" is impactful and with reason) and enjoyed hearing the click of the shoes as she walked!

Working hard reading each night this last week

and this week it was without any reminders from her parents

Salon day!  Waiting while I got my hair hi lighted before she got hers cut

Yes she does kinda look like me! 

Bella dog!   

Getting the girls was one of the best decisions we made.  It has taught them responsibility and many other lessons. 

and provided so many smiles! 

priceless 

Maggie:   Maggie is certainly her own person.  She has no desire or need to meet anyones expectations and often has her own reason for why she is doing something at that specific moment!    She is our talker who can talk about everything and nothing!   Her joy for life shows through each day.  She loves to sleep in Gracie's room and will do it as often as allowed on a pallet on the floor.   She will give up her bed to be with her sis!   She says she wants to go back to daycare as she thinks Kindergarten will be hard!   Maggie is very picky about clothes, primarily textures as she wants all "comfy" cotton clothes and will ditch her dresses any day!    Flip flops and tennis shoes are her preference.  

While Gracie and I were getting our hair done Jimmy took Maggie to get her nails done.   So sweet! 

This says it all!  

Our lunch date today while Gracie was at a party 

Maggie has decided she wanted to help too in the kitchen!   So precious!