Toot your own horn......

Alison got a hold of one of those party favor blowers from a treat bag that Grace received from a birthday party not too long ago....she gets the giggles when she uses it!

It's been a few days.....

We hadn't had the camera out in a while so Ashley took some pictures of the girls before bed Sunday night.....

"I've got a secret........"
The toothy grin.......
Sisters with Big Smiles.......
My Name is Earl, I mean, Alison.......

Happy Birthday Ashley!!

Somebody in the house had a birthday.......she doesn't like for me to advertise her birthday but it rhymes with Flirty Fun.......Ashley and I went out to lunch sans kiddoes today at one of her favorite restaurants so lunch wasn't as much work as it usually is! But, we did let the girls in on the cake.....


The girls get ready to sing Happy Birthday.....Alison is singing from a live remote location......
Grace helps Mommy blow out the candles .......
Grace put the sprinkles on, and handled placement of the candles....(the candles are in the photo above)......
The Three Amigas get ready to open presents......if Grace smiled any harder, her forehead would split open......
The gift of Grace.....
Alison is ready to open the big box....
The girls watch mommy open one of her presents......

The Podge

Here's some different photos from the last week or so from various sources.....

While we were up in Michigan, Grace spent a half a day with her Aunt Vicki working on crafts for the July Birthdays (Papa and Mommy).....Vicki took a photo of Grace at work......
Grace and her "cousin" Savannah.....
Some more backyard pool photos......Grace lounging in the pool......
Alison cheers on the impact.......
Alison contemplating some pretty complex "stuff" as she gets in the pool...
We sold the Jimmy right before we left for MI, and when we got back we bought a new car (Saturn Aura)......I thought I'd take a picture of the "cleanest it will ever be, inside or outside"

It was family swim night at State Farm Park last night, and we took the girls......Alison models a new swimsuit......she loves a good one-piece......
Having a good laugh about her sunglasses......
"Wait'll you see my Gidget!"
The Storm girls ready for the pool.......
Miss Nichole had a water day at her house on Friday, and she snapped a few photos......Here's Alison with her spikey sponge-ball.......

Grace had one too!

Alison in some sort of water trance.......
"If I reach high enough, maybe I can get the smudge off that cloud"
Action shot - throwing the ball!
After a hard day's play.......

I can't drive, (I'm) 55

Happy Birthday Papa! Here's a couple of pictures of the "old man" and the girls from the last few years -

Here's one of Grace and Papa with their BMW motorcycle shirts on (July 2005).......
Alison and Papa sharing a laugh - July 2007

Post-Fourth pictures

We spent a long weekend in MI over the Fourth of July holiday......the girls had a lot of fun playing outside at Nana and Papa's house....they had lots for them to do!

Alison checks out the swing the first morning we were there (yep, that's a sweatshirt)....
Ali and Nana play on the trike.....

Alison and her dad hanging out in Papa's hammock......
Grace and Ali tussle in the hammock......
Aunt Vicki and the girls on a wagon ride!
Another pose.......
The girls cheer after their ride is over......

Alison decides to hi-jack the Cub Cadet........
....too bad her feet can't reach the pedals while she's sitting......
"Now where do they put the choke lever on these things......."
Alison gives Grace a new hair-'do

The kids got to play with a little blow up pool w/slide.......

Alison tries to escape the chilly waters.....
Ali and mommy wait for Grace to land in the pool.....
Here she comes!
Now THAT'S a face full of water......
A more gentle landing......

Nana and Alison hang out at the pool........
Alison checks out the slide as Grace goes by........
"Where'd she go?"......