Isabelle has a baby sister

Isabelle (Emerson's best friend) welcomed her baby sister, Gwendolyn Elise McDermott, yesterday about 2 weeks early. She is 6lbs. 5oz. and is 20 inches long. Mom, Dad and baby are fine. Will post more pictures when I get more.

Ballet at Dancer's Workshop

Added onto everything else we have going on this summer, Emerson started ballet classes at Dancer's Workshop. She loves it so far and her teacher Mrs. Mary Camille is all business. No messin' around in her class. Emerson has been begging us to take ballet, so we figured we would start in the summer to make sure it was something she would truly want to do. So far so good.

Lola and the sleepover

Lola spent the night with us last night. Emerson was so excited to have a friend sleepover. Lola however, not too excited about the idea. We brought them to Dixie to ride rides, eat wonderful nutritious dinner and watch the LaserLite Show. All to get them as tired as possible thus making the sleeping much easier for everyone. Lola was not too excited when her grandmother "K.K." dropped her off at our house. A sucker made it much easier to handle. We loaded them into the car and set out to Dixie. Lola had never been before so she had no frame of reference when we told her where we were taking them. The way there Lola is like, "I would like you to call my K.K. and have her pick me up now", " Are you taking me to my K.K.'s house Aunt Shell"? "Aunt Shell, have you called my K.K. to come get me yet"? She's all yeah whatever the hell you are talking about sounds terrible and I want to go to K.K's. Meanwhile, Denny and I are panicking inside....until we turn the corner into the driveway of Dixie. Lola takes a deep breath and says loudly, "ARE WE GOING THERE"? We are telling her yes and Emerson is explaining the rules of riding rides. Lola says "CAN I RIDE THOSE"? And from here on she was fine. They rode every ride they could twice, ate pizza, hot dogs, french fries, ice cream cones and danced to the music at the laserlite show.

We got them home, bathed them and started the bedtime routine. Lola starts figuring out that she just may have to sleep at our house. They read a few books and Lola wants to know when her Mom is coming to pick her up. We talked to her about sleeping next to Em and having breakfast in the morning. After a brief discussion about the breakfast options, prayers and some rocking both girls are asleep. Lola woke up this morning, walked out the bedroom and announced she was ready for her waffle.

They played until after lunch and had a great time together as they always do.

Happy Father's Day Denny

It truly seems like forever ago that she was this small. How the time flies by. Thank you for the being the dad you were then and the dad you are today. Her eyes light up when she sees you. She adores you, just as a daughter should!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I love you.

Audubon Zoobilation 2010

Emerson got to bring her best friend Isabelle with us to the Audubon Zoobilation Event Wednesday evening. Hot, but fun. The girls had a great time, but I think they enjoyed being together the most. They walked around in their own little princess worlds with no regard to the outside world around them. This works fine at home but no so much in a crowd.

Emerson staring asking where the peacock was the minute we walked thru the gates and we finally found him on top of a Lemur exhibit.

Some of the goats were getting baths, so the girls got to brush them. You have no idea how much soap and hand-sanitizer I put on them after.

Isabelle loved her some Mr. Denny all night. Sorry Alex.

I have never seen a baby flamingo and I am so in love with this one I stood here for at least 30 minutes watching. At least 10 females were sitting on nests and this was the only baby I saw.

After the event was over we went to Houston's for dinner. They both fell asleep mid-sentence in the car on the way home. A very special evening that I think they will both remember for awhile.

The green tube

My mother is going to have something to say about these. It so looks like we just sent her off into the ocean in the green tube. The water was so calm this day. Yes, Denny is right there just out of camera shot. She had a ball in this tube.

Alys Beach playground

Alys Beach has such a cool modern playground. We spent awhile there one evening.Love this one.

Of course she was in the middle of a performance. The world is her stage.