How much can you pack into one week?

Apparently - a LOT! In just seven days we did this:

1) Went to the Buffalo Bill Days Parade:
2) Rode the kiddie ferris wheel

3) Went to the Children's Festival and rode a giant rocking horse4) and a real pony
5) Went to the Dragon Boat Races and made a Panda Fan

6) And got to get up close and personal with a dragon head
7) Got a SUPER COOL new play set - THANKS DADDY for putting it together!

8) Had a tea party
9) Got into trouble while mommy made lunch
10) And played "Show Pony" with our very favorite dog!

Hot, hot, hot!

Heat wave! It's been in the 90's (and 100's) here lately and with no air conditioning it's been HOT!! We've been trying to get out of the house as much as possible - last week when it was a little cooler we went up for a hike in Golden - it was so pretty and Violet is getting so good at doing all of it by herself!


My favorite picture of Violet and I taken by our visitor "Uncle Jon" - our friend from high school!
We also tried out a local pool - it was GREAT! Violet had a great time playing in her floatie Shamu and splashing around with her friends.

Here is a very sweet video of Miss Willa giving me kisses and playing Peek-a-boo. She is just the cutest thing and LOVES giving kisses!

Happy 4th of July!

We celebrated the 4th by driving up to a little mountain town that *gasp* actually has a 4th of July parade. Why doesn't Denver want to have a parade anyway? I don't get it! But I do have to say this is a great little parade. We got there just as it was starting and still found a spot on the curb down the parade route.
The girls had a GREAT time! Violet got tons and tons of candy. Here is Willa demonstrating how she eats it (with the wrappers on).

Willa showing off our stash of candy...Daddy liked it too. Mostly because of the cool old cars and trucks that were in the parade!
Violet thought this guy was Santa Claus.

And she fell fast asleep in the car on the way home with a sucker stick in her mouth. Aww.

Earlier that morning Daddy and Violet snuggled on the couch.So sweet!
Here are our two little princesses. Violet has really been wanting to dress up with Willa lately, and we have a tiny sized Tinkerbell dress. Violet is Barbie, Willa is Tinkerbell. Too cute!!
Here is a little video of Willa (in her Tinkerbell dress) petting and kissing Porter. Such a good dog!

Willa is ONE!!

Happy (belated) Birthday to Sweet Willa Mae! She turned one a few weeks ago and we've had visitors and parties and craft shows galore so I haven't had a chance to update with new pictures!

I have been making a TON of 1st Birthday Sets through Hip Violet lately, so it was pretty fun to make one for my own Willa! I picked out some super special "retro mushrooms" fabric and made her a shirt and bib to match.

We had so much fun on her birthday! Oma was visiting for her big day so we went to the Botanic Gardens where we got this picture:

Later we had a super fun party where she ate her mushroom cupcakes and very much loved her first real sweets!
Out for dinner on her birthday. Cheese Nips! YUM!
All the Denver Cousins at her birthday party! They are all wearing my shirts! LOVE it!We have been really loving being outside and of course I love taking PICTURES outside! Here are some we've gotten over the last few weeks of both girls and of Willa's 1-year pictures:



Whoa! Look at that face! She makes that every time she is crawling with a mission. So funny!A girl and her dog...
Oma and Violet at the Botanic Gardens
Aunt Heather and Violet at the Gardens

Happy Belated Father's Day too! We took a nice walk in the morning on Father's Day. Here is the best daddy we know!
And here is Violet's first Family Portrait. Now people are getting noses, and sometimes arms, legs and hair too! I could watch her draw all day!

We love summer!

Summer is finally here! We are SO glad to spend more time outside enjoying all the fun that Colorado has to offer. This weekend we went downtown to the Chalk Art Festival. It was SO COOL! There were dozens and dozens of artists working on amazing drawings on the streets. I can't imagine spending that much time on something only to have it wash away...

We took some sidewalk chalk with us and Violet was really excited to be part of the action!Drew her first sunshine!Willa is finally figuring out how to drink from a sippy cup (and HAS figured out how to eat snacks from a snack-trap. HURRAY!), but still needs some help. Luckily she has a pretty fantastic big sister who helps her out when she's thirsty.
Getting some snuggles with daddy in the shade.
Sweet little Willa.
Pool time! We got a new pool for the girls this year - here are some pictures of their first swim!
(yes, they have matching mermaid bathing suits)
On Memorial Day we took another hike around Red Rocks, this time with Jon and our friends Carolyn and Hannah. We have found that peer pressure works perfectly to get 3 year olds to actually HIKE and not want to be CARRIED! In fact, it worked so well that Violet even did the steep steps in and out!

Violet and her pal Hannah.
Hiking girls! Violet also brought along her doll, Larry.
Random pictures of the two girls in pink!



Here is a funny video of the life that Porter lives. Violet had just spent about 45 minutes before this walking him around and around and around the back yard with his leash on. He was NOT HAPPY that she wasn't taking him for a real walk. When she finally brought him back inside he was exhausted and she took good care of him and put him to sleep. She cracks me up!


And Willa playing Peek-a-boo