Catching Up on July

There's so much catching up to do for the month. Gryffy knows all about being caught up (by his big sister).

 Park Place had their annual block party, and Mark's band always does the gig. We love their music--songs everybody knows from Tina Turner to Lady Gaga to Black Eyed Peas--and the kids love seeing Daddy up there.

 Before we saw the band play, the kids and I were walking along with our sack dinners and sat down on a bench. A second later, a scowling man came up to my kids and said, "Scoot!" I didn't think I'd heard right (I was a bit in shock by his behavior) and asked him if he wanted to sit there, to which he sat down and then replied, "I was going to sit here until you took the bench from me!"  I couldn't believe it but I got up with the kids and walked away, and that's when we found a better place to sit--a table with our friends, the McKenna's.  They had exactly three seats.  I couldn't help but to see the parallel in life: that sometimes we want to settle on a bench, when God's prepared a table for us: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." I was so grateful for that miserable man. What a reminder for me and the kids about how God can bless us when we're persecuted (and, perhaps, a lesson for that man too).
Here's a sweet shot of the kids and Daddy when the band took a break.

 These girls are my Sole Sisters.  I stole the name from a group of moms that I walk with occasionally from Lulu's grade school, and started a Sole Sisters with friends from church this summer.  Love these girls. We walk every other Tuesday night and then sneak into a restaurant for food & drinks.

 I've repainted the living room for the fourth time in six years.  Color has such an affect on me; it has to be just right for me to be satisfied.

 And I love it!  Raffia, by Valspar.  Paint makes me so happy.

 And Gryffy has begun his first official lessons: fencing.

 I knew it would be right up his alley. He says he loves sword fighting. And I catch him practicing his moves. I think it's only going to be a summer thing for now as classes will conflict with L's violin this fall and we've already signed Gryffy up for soccer, but I can see more fencing in this boy's future.  After all, that's what pirates do!

There's my little man, in the pirate costume, green crocs, and oversized hat.  He's the youngest in class.

En garde!

The boy still dresses like this several times a week.

And finally, drama camp. Yes, I signed poor Gryffy up for "princess camp." But it's because the camp was based on Tangled, and Lorelei was going to be in it, and Gryffy went through a Flynn Ryder stage.

 Only he's past that stage now, and is a fully committed pirate.

This girl, Kennedy, became Lorelei's bosom friend at drama camp. She just took L under her wing and looked for her everyday at drop off.  She was a doll.

 Gryffy had to hide his eyes. Bah, princess camp!

 This is the entirety of his performance on stage.  Everyone else had to just shuffle around him.  Bless his sweet heart, he stayed up there!

 Lorelei, on the other hand, loved it!

She did way more dancing here than she ever did in her dance recital. I really just thought she didn't like dance, but I was wrong. She was phenomenal up there!

Let's just get a look at that boy again:

Sweet princess Lulu.

 Bpop, Grammy and Meg were there too.

Wardrobe malfunction. Lulu's dress came from our dress up box, so she had to keep pulling it up.

We're proud of you kids!