Lily

Lily the Frog is the star of this post. She belongs to Abigail's classroom and gets to spend her weekends with the children, going home with them one at a time. She comes to you with a journal that you help your child complete with pictures and stories of Lily's adventures while staying with them. The journal was fun to read because it was almost four years old by the time it was finally Abigail's turn (I have a feeling I will see Lily again a few years from now when Bryony hits Pre-K). Abigail could not wait (she also actually cried on the Monday morning when it was over) and I was lucky that we did indeed host Lily on a busy weekend with lots of opportunity for the journal.

plastic play food, Abigail insisted that Lily only eat green items?!

ballet lesson

celebrating the Queens Jubilee

shoe-shopping with mummy

Snow Patrol

I recently went to see Snow Patrol in concert. I love when you go to a concert with minimum expectation and then get blown away by how much better the band is than that. I LOVED this show! I'm calling Snow Patrol my new Coldplay and keep warning Jake that he had better watch out because I might run off with lead singer Gary Lightbody. Look them up, buy a couple songs and fall in love with me! As one critic put it, there's no reason Snow Patrol shouldn't be the biggest band out of Ireland right behind U2. And if you get the chance to go see them, do it! Live they were just amazing, and because only a small crowd in the U.S. have caught on, you will be in a nice intimate venue just a few steps away from the stage. I heart Snow Patrol.

Random Life Photos

reading at bedtime (these girls have the BEST dad)

of course, a book called 'Becoming a Doctor'

CUTEST 19 month old in the world

Eating Out

We don't treat ourselves to dinner out very often. But all four of us love love love it! Here we are at a pizza place we tried that gave dough to the kids to play with instead of crayons. Abigail loved that. Bryony just kept trying to eat it.

Summer Swim

Jonathan & Claire's visit

Uncle Jonathan (still makes me giggle to say that) and his girlfriend Claire had a two-week visit and we had a great time with them. Swimming, BBQing, a Diamondbacks game, play-time with his nieces, etc. But sadly, I got ONE photo only. Jonathan, Claire, if you're reading, I KNOW you got some good ones - can you email any?

hot-tub time with Bryony

Ballet Recital - Good Ship Lollipop

It was surprising to see how much bigger this group of girls were compared to last summer. They have all become good dancers and the best of friends along the way. This year, they performed a tap dance to 'Good Ship Lollipop' for the Candyland-themed recital.



Abigail & Alexis at technical rehearsal

yes, I let her have the make-up!

she's the furthest on the right - I promise to get better seats next year

and in this picture, furthest on the left

Grandma and Daddy gave her the all-important bouquet

we'll miss our friends over the summer - see you for 2012/2013!

The Hunger Games

Haven't been here for a while - May was very busy for me. I will be back soon with some family updates, including the big birthday trip to Disneyland. In the meantime, I have a book update.

In May I finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Not my usual type of genre but I read it because Grandma Sharon picked it up at Costco and we both agreed we'd give it a shot because the whole world seems to be talking about it! Surprisingly, I liked it. In fact, the beginning starts off with such suspense - I've never known a book to have me on the edge of my seat by page two. I thought that that alone definitely deserves some praise. There were a few times I felt like I was in the middle of a video-game but not too much, and I guess that's what made it the perfect novel for a movie. Overall, I liked this. I can see why the world is obsessed.