Pleasures at home

I've been taking to bathing the kids in the morning during these summer months. That way they don't waste any outdoors time, as it's usually cool in the mornings, and I have much more energy at the beginning of the day than at the end, and bathing them takes a good bit of energy! :o) 

Hence, morning playtime in her favourite spot while Mommy does breakfast dishes. Notice where her favourite spot is? On the mat in front of the sink. Right where my feet need to go. :o)

She loves to play baking, just like her big sister does.

All clean and letting Hopey's hair dry.

I was preparing for company that night, and the girls were very underfoot, so I pulled out "the blanket" and had them try to play on it while I worked. :o)

 Our dear friends, Phil and Sandy Hartzler, from IN, were nearby visiting their daughter and family, and they graced us by coming over for dinner.

 Our girls enjoyed them too. :o)

 Sandy was very patient and creative, playing blocks with the two of them (as they each seem to think the block that the other sister has is the one they should have.)

 And Sandy was good to get them to help clean up when it was time for that. :o)

 Then Hopey really wanted to dance and sing. Phil, sitting there on the couch, wasted no time in starting up on a children's song, which turned to a good twenty minutes of all of us singing for the girls as they twirled around with some fluffy scarves.

 It was a great way to end the evening.

 Evening time with Daddy. Fun for the girls, and usually a bit of relaxing, mixed with exercise for Daddy. :o) 

 Look at the adventure in those eyes. 

 Look out Daddy!

 Awwwwww. 

 We've been teaching Hope how to play Hide-and-Seek. This evening, while I was still doing dishes, her and Josh got into it with the stuffed animals too.

 Hope loves it when you make grass whistles. 

 She tries to imitate the sound, which is so cute. 

 Our chubbier one, snacking during bedtime stories. :o) 

 I've been wanting to try something like this in Hope's hair for a while. Finally got to it. :o) 

 Haha. This isn't the best shot, because she actually gets her whole torso in the cupboard when reaching for the breakfast cereals on the back shelf. It's actually really nice. I don't like bending down into that cupboard when I'm pregnant, and the girls gladly do it for me!

 The time had come for putting flowers in the pots, and I decided to let the girls help me, rather than doing it all during their naptime.

 Joy still hasn't convinced herself that dirt isn't for eating, so she got a good bit of grit in her system that day!

 Bliss for Mommy. With the planters done, we had lunch, I put the girls down for their naps and prepared for a little bit of heaven on earth - planting my new front beds for the first time. :o) (Pictures to follow in later posts.) :o)

 Hee hee. These look so immature in this shot, compared to how they are now, but I purposely bought young geraniums so they could mature in their permanent environment. :o)

I love this colour, Strawberry Sizzle. It's the second year I've bought it, and I just love how the blossoms keep their colour. This flower head has since fully bloomed out, been pummeled by the rain, and is ready for dead-heading and it's second growth to begin. 

Just a bit of Hopey making music after supper one evening.