Waking up is hard to do

Ellis came in our room this morning (around 6:45) to finish her nights sleep. She and I are the same in the morning. It is so hard to wake up for me some days. Granted I can't sleep past 7:15am, but it's the getting up that is hard. Once I am up, that's it, not much rest for the weary in a day. I know that once I am up I am working and running errands and taking care of the kids until they are sound asleep that night. Not that I don't enjoy it, but I am the type who likes to listen to the birds through my chimney from the fireplace in our bedroom. I like to look at how the light reflects off of things in the bedroom and imagine what kind of painting it woud make.
But this morning I couldn't help but get my camera and take pictures of Ellis sleeping.

Dancing Queens

My bedroom doubles as a dance floor sometimes. Yesterday the girls wanted to put on a quick dancing show. These are just a few quick shots of the action.

Lollipops and Lemonade Stand

The summer itch to have a lemonade stand hit the kids hard this week. I tried to give them a bit of warning that it is soooo hot that we just don't have the walking traffic we normally do. But no talking them out of it, so that means I had to buy the powered lemonade, cups and what nots. My girlfriends kids were also in the action, so they brought their umbrella and table. I bought the kids lollipops because I figured this would give them something during all of their lemonade stand boredom.
I think they made $5.00, but keep in mind, most of that was a donation of some kind from a passing workman in a truck or the sweet mail lady who gave them a dollar.
One day was not enough, so yesterday they tried their luck at my girlfriends house to see if that street was more profitable. Turns out they made $10 there. So $15 dollars for all of the kids to split in the end. They were happy. Eva gave me "a cut of the profits" because I bought some of the lemonade (my girlfriend did too) then I helped make the lemonade, bought them water bottles so they didn't dehydrate plus sat outside with them for 1 and a half hours to make sure no freaks came along. So, she gave me a quarter...my cut.
But they had a good time and got their little entrepreneur minds rolling.

Father's Day and Swimming with friends

Father's Day was pretty uneventful, but very nice and quiet. The kids always get so excited about a special day to celebrate. Eva got up first thing in the morning, (The way she tells it is that Gabby woke her up first to remind her that she wanted to make breakfast for the whole family) and made all of us scrambled eggs with toast. She did such a great job and was very proud of herself for making breakfast alone AND cleaning up! We were super impressed.

After church the kids played and later we went swimming with some neighborhood friends. Ellis is enchanted with the little girl because she owns a real live hampster...something neither Trip nor I want to jump into purchasing. I had a hampster as a child named "Digger." That poor thing died of neglect I am certain. It seemed like such a good idea at the time of purchase!

For now, Gabby is the best summer pet we could ask for.

Father

The unordered

the creature keeper and looking out of the window.

Ellis likes her bug cage. She either has a lizard or a ladybug in it.

Gabby Lovin'

No shortage of affection for the Gabs. She is just awesome. The other day I was downstairs and thought I heard the shower running upstairs. I go in my room and see my bathroom door is closed (not the norm.) So I open the door and there is Ellis in her birthday suit in our shower and Gabby standing right next to her in our shower with her curly hair all flat and wet. It was such a funny sight. I couldn't believe Gabby didn't seem to mind, so I just washed her and she went on her way, shaking everywhere. Ellis thought her shaking was hilarious. I think she gave herself the hiccups from laughing so hard.

Gabby and Dancing Queen

The kids love dancing to Boom Boom Pow and the group Nuttin' But Strings and their song "Thunder"