Everything here continues as usual, for the most part! We are fighting the AZ heat by staying inside a lot. Mckayla has been busy with summer school, dance class, gym and swimming lessons so that helps keep her entertained, but yet at times she is still full of energy that is bursting to come out. I cannot wait til it cools off and the girls can play together in the yard while I sit and watch! Isabelle will love exploring the yard with Mckayla- for the first time walking on her own out there and it not being too hot to play. She took her first steps in March but by the time she was walking well it was too hot to really play outside!I still remember Mckayla's first fall in this house and how much she loved just wandering around and exploring with the dogs following close behind her.
Mckayla is continuing to love all the activities she is involved in. She has finished up her dance class and we may look for another for her to take. When the weather cools off though, we will enroll her in some outdoor sport activities. We will save the dance classes for the warm weather when you want to avoid being outside at all costs! She continues to enjoy school and gym. She does not seem to enjoy swimming lessons as much as I had hoped, but it is still very important for he to continue until she is a very strong swimmer. A couple months ago she learned how to swim about 10ft on her own- so we continue to work on this. Mckayla loves to play with her little sister and they really seem to have a great relationship (a part for the occasional difficulties sharing etc). Mckayla will have a week between summer school and when the school year begins. She will be attending the same school where she was last year and thru summer. This school is owned by our church and is only about 4 miles from our home, which makes it very convenient.
Mckayla turned 4 on June 27th and had a lovely birthday party with a Minnie and Mickey Mouse theme. She had lots of friends and family here and had the time of her life. This year Mckayla got a very special gift for her biurthday from us- a new big girl bike with training wheels and a helmet (of course!). We also went on a special outing to the Phoenix Children's Museum the day before her birthday to celebrate as a family. Because we did it on my mum's day off, she was also able to come along too. James, the girls and I first went to Starbucks for breakfast, so Mckayla could have a donut there, then we met my mum at the museum. Its a fun place even for real little one's like Izzy. We went the day before her birthday, due to the fact she had summer school on her birthday and wanted to be there and take donuts to share with her friends.
Isabelle is doing great- enjoying life and just exploring everything! She is our little moneky and seems to like trying to climb on whatever she can find. Today I asked if she was hungry and she headed over to her seat at the table and attempted to climb into it- luckily I saw her and was quick enough to stop there from being any fall. She could not actually get all the way into her seat but definitely already had both feet well off the ground! She is starting to talk, which is also a lot of fun! Lots of little words and trying new words all the time. She loves to follow her sister around and wants everything she has and wants to do everything she does (no surprise!).
In July we had a very special opportunity to attend a Camping Family Reunion. James' grandmother planned it for her 6 children, all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. We all stayed at a resort in north Phoenix for two nights. We all ate dinner together both nights and then did our own things at the resort the rest of the time. Family flew in from out of state, and even one of James' cousins and family flew in from Canada. James' siblings flew in from Tennessee and James parents live nearby- so it was all a lot of fun seeing everyone and for me meeting some family members I had never even met.
Summer is coming to a close soon and with it I cannot wait to say goodbye to the heat and begin spending more time outside again. We will be finishing up the summer with a trip to California with my dad and family. I cannot wait for our escape from the heat for a little and for the girls to experience the beach (Mckayla experience it again and Izzy for the first time!).
We have recently started attending a different church- well really the same church but a different campus. Our church merged with another church, which is located much closer to home. I wanted to continue going to the campus we had been at, but the pastors there kept asking for people to try out the Tempe campus and see if we'd be willing to make it our church home. So we felt that living so close to it, we should at least try it. I still much prefer the campus we were at, but we are trying it for awhile and see if my feelings change. We are trying to get involved in ministries there- me helping with children's ministries and James helping out with tech and/or lighting needs. We will see how this goes and if this helps us find our place there. This is also where Mckayla attends preschool.
Here are some photos of the last couple months!!-
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| Cleberating her birthday with a donut at Starbucks |
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| Daddy and Izzy at Starbucks |
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| Mommy and the birthday girl |
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| Mckayla, Daddy, Izzy and Grammy having fun at the museum |
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| More fun at the museum |
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| Izzy trying out a car |
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| Just having fun with Grammy |
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| Peek-a-boo |
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| Trying out her new bike for the first time |
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| She caught on right away and off she went |
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| Showing us she is 4 |
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| birthday party time |
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| opening presents |
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| playing pin the nose on Mickey |
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| The amazing cake a friend made |
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| blowing out the candles |
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| hitting the pinata |
I will have to return later to add photos of our special Camping Family Reunion Weekend! Hope you are all well and have enjoyed reading our family update!
