Ice cream socials.

It's no secret that Brendon and I love our weekly blizzards from Dairy Queen. "Date night" as we call it, equates to small blizzards while we watch crap TV after the kids are in bed (it's the little pleasures in parenthood). I used to tell Brendon that I felt so scandalous, consuming these little bits of Heaven without the girls around. So this past summer, we finally ordered them their own vanilla soft serve. The result? Life changing! You're welcome DQ, for the two new addicts. 

 

 They are shockingly good at sharing this treat.

 "I hold it for you Aliyah Biyah".

 Her happy ice cream face.

 Now the silliness begins...

 Here it comes...

 Sugar High!!!

Ali: what's wrong with sissy?

Ali: OK! I'll join the party!

Ali loves corn!

Nuff said.

 Unsure if she truly liked it (because you know, toddlers are very fickle creatures),

 I made it again a few days later.

Still a winner!

Sidewalk Art

We spent a recent "cooler" (95 degrees) afternoon outside, working on a little sidewalk art. Peyla hasn't been too interested in making actual pictures, she just enjoys the scribbling of color. But that particular day, she was very focused on her efforts and when I asked her what she was drawing, she said "meeeeee!".

 

 The first attempt, I like to call it "abstract pixie".

 A few guiding questions from mom ("where are your eyes, where is your hair, etc.")

 Concentrating!

 That long line reflects how tall she is!

 Meanwhile...trouble is brewing on the tricycle!

Cutest biker ever!

Moon Sand!

I am one of those moms that pins countless ideas on Pinterest and then never remembers to try any of them! I finally made the concerted effort to test out a project called Moon Sand. It was easy and brainless (perfect for busy parents!), simply a mixture of flour and baby oil. The result? A silky, sweet-smelling sand to play with! These girls enjoyed it for quite a while.

SCORE: Pinterest- 347, Mommy- 1!

 

Ali's sticker

Our Ali girl has a preoccupation with stickers, of any kind, shape, color or size. This girl will carry the sticky seal to her diaper wipes around for an entire day if we don't pry it from her little paws. I'm not sure if it is a sensorial thing or perhaps a feeling of comfort, but she presses the sticker ("stickie" according to Ali) on her upper lip and walks around with it like that. It's the cutest, most unusual little habit! So of course, I had to document this little "Ali-ism". I love this girl! She cracks me up.

The Get-Along-Gang

Ten years ago, our best friends Kendra and Nate moved away from AZ to experience new adventures. They lived many places on the west coast, all of which Brendon and I visited many times in order to see these awesome friends. Then we all began to build our families and visits became less frequent. I always hoped that they would return to AZ someday, and last year they DID! We have been so blessed to have this wonderful family in our lives, not only because Nate/Brendon and Kendra/I are so close, but because our children love one another too. We have shared so many wonderful moments since they've returned, and we look forward to the memories still to come! Here is a little "recap" of the summer (pictures are poached from Kendra's great collection, lol) :

 Summer kick-off with the Schnepf Farm Peach Festival



 Visiting the dinosaur bones at the Natural History Museum in Mesa

 

 

 Girls night! Pizza and pajama party while the guys were camping.

 

 One of many trips to local splash pads!

 

Staying cool while hanging with our buddies.

 

 Peyla's two honorary big sisters!

 

 The 1st annual family road trip...National Lampoon's style!

 

 

Silliest girls in the world! 

 

"Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned the meaning of anything."

- Muhammad Ali

 

Let it rain!

We've been having a few good rain storms over the part month. To live in Arizona, means you live for the monsoons in the summer time! Every afternoon we watch the clouds pile up, hoping and wishing for rain. I have memories of my brother and I playing out in our backyard during these same storms...filling buckets with fresh rain water and getting soaked. Looks like my girls enjoy doing the very same things!

 

There is nothing like a desert rain.