Making Fireworks

Last week, Maren got her 5 year check up and kindergarten shots.  I guess that inspired her to be extra brave (after all, she hardly even winced when she got her shots) and she decided that she could give her two-wheeler a try.  A few minutes, and she had it down:

 What a big girl!

Also, we made our own play dough last week: 

 Can you tell we pay a lot of attention to hair around here in the summer time?

 Want a great recipe?  Put 1 c. flour, 1 c. water, 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 1/4 c. salt, 1 T. oil and a few drops of food coloring in a saucepan and let your little cherub stir it up.  Then put it on the stove over medium heat and stir until it forms a ball.  When it is cool enough to handle, knead it for a few minutes and, ta-da!, play dough that can be stored and enjoyed until your kids leave it out and it dries up!

Over the weekend, we had a sick little boy, so Daddy stayed home with him while I took the big girls to church.  It is always a surprise to see what Nick has been up to in the house while I'm gone.  On this particular day, I walked in to find pizza dough in the works, as well as this:

 Nick had cut out "fireworks" and he and the girls glittered them up, and then tied them to our dining room chandelier for some Fourth of July decor.  My man crafted of his own free will.  Two days later, it still makes me smile.  My girls know they have the coolest dad ever and the kids all comment about our own firework show all the time.

And, here's a little collage of some other happenings:

*The kids all passed their swim levels and had a great time in the pool every day for the last two weeks.  Also, adding to dad's coolness is that he took the big girls to the pool for several hours so they could show off all their new skills.

*38 weeks.  We're getting close, folks.

*A great evening with our great friends.  We watched a parade and enjoyed delicious food.  Lainey totally spilled a cup of ice water down my crotch.  I squealed and stood up with a wet bottom.  Our friends were hoping that my water had broke, but nope, just cooling down on a hot day.  :)