MY BABY TURNED SEVEN.

this summer has been busy and wonderful and i've been putting blogging waaaay on the backburner. i don't even want to be blogging this second, but i want to make sure i document hallie's seventh birthday before she turns eight.

 

i'm not sure how this:

 

 

 

became this:

 

 

 

 

when did she turn seven?! she is going into second grade in a few weeks. time, it flies. i just can't believe that my darling baby girl has grown up to be seven. seven.

 

SEVEN.

 

i love her so much. she is sensitive and demanding and loves jesus so much. she never stops talking (ever) and still wants me to lay with her at night. she is a hypochondriac with "weak ankles," who loves horses and wants to be a horse trainer when she grows up.

 

she has more sass than i'm sure i ever did (haha) and can act so mature, but look so young at the same time. she is a magnificent traveler and a lover of popsicles and television.

 

she loves nature and climbing trees and playing/tormenting henry. she is smart as a whip and got straights o's on her last report card...in everything except for physical education (she is definitely my child) - and that was an s+.

 

man, i love her.

we had another swim party for her - rented out the municipal swimming pool and invited the besties. a horse cake with red icing was her only request.

it was perfect. except i didn't get a single "normal" picture of her. that's hallie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  (a rainbow!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOUGHT A NEW CAR LAST NIGHT.

pretty happy about it still today.

 

i love it.

 

we saved our pennies. a lot of pennies. so many pennies, but it was worth it, because i got the car i wanted!

 

yippee!

 

it is a 2013 toyota highlander. it's nautica blue. yes. blue. i....wasn't sure about blue, and even in my head it was bright, bright blue. but when i saw it again last night it is more of a midnight blue.

 

perfectly acceptable.

 

anyway, i love it.

 

 

see, it's not so bad.

LEFT MY HEART IN COLORADO.

okay, so that's pretty dramatic and not at all true.

 

but man do i love colorado. it put on quite a show, what with its insanely beautiful weather, fabulous friends and amazing family.

 

and i already miss this joker:

 

 

 

 

VACATION: THE LAKE, PART 4

oh my gravy.

 

i'm going to combine my remaining pictures.

 

so, so many.

 

we always go to the dogpatch, arcade and go-karting. it can get stressful with a sleepy baby, but this year was just perfect. it wasn't too hot and i didn't get in a huge wreck on the go-karts. win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we also celebrated hallie, vinnie and henry's birthday (poor maggie!) and the fourth of july. the fireworks were INSANE this year, and we were able to enjoy them from the comfort of our screened-in porch. fabulous.

 

 

 

 so there you go! i didn't want to leave. i kept pushing back our departure date. and i already want to go back.

 

the end.

 

VACATION: THE LAKE, PART 3

LAKE TIME

 

my favorite.

 

i love tubing. hallie loves tubing...in a perfectly straight line minimal, gentle waves. i spend the majority of the time talking about HOW MUCH FUN we are having and to ENJOY IT, WHEEEE! sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

so much fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VACATION: THE LAKE, PART 2

we always get in a great routine when we're at the lake. sleep in, late breakfast, tube/jetski, pool, lunch, nap (henry)/school work (me)/chillout (kids), more pool/lake, supper, pool, bed.

 

perfection.

 

henry did great in the pool and hallie is a little fish.

 

i'm not sure how to split the pictures up, so i'm just going to wing it.

 

prepare for lots and lots of pictures.

 

POOL TIME:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VACATION: LAKE OF THE OZARKS, PART 1

here we go again.

 

yes, another week of vacation.

 

one week apart.

 

we always go to the lake the first week of july to celebrate the fourth and hallie and vinnie's birthdays with my mom.

 

and it is always awesome. i get to sleep in, cook absolutely nothing and spend my time in the pool and the lake. this year was no exception.

 

except that i had to fit in my school work too. which i was able to do while i sunned myself on "big mama." it was pretty awesome.

 

the kids always play so well together and henry is just along for the ride.