NOLA Arts Market

I took the girls to the Arts Market -- a definite MUST for anyone visiting NOLA! It's very low-key, friendly, and so interesting to see all the different artists and their work. They even have a children's performance and an art project (the girls made maracas by adding rice and beans to old plastic water bottles) and great food booths -- oh, and the Friends of New Orleans Library people are there with $1 children's books -- we picked up a few Magic Treehouse books, which are a big hit with the girls.  Overall, a great outing! I didn't take many photos because it was hot and my subjects were not very cooperative...

I did manage this one -- the girls with this giant poodle wearing sunglasses and pink bows!

And this one of the crazy house we saw on the way to the market... very original painting scheme!  You can see the girls holding the maracas they made.

An Evening at the Circus

Mommy and the girls went to the circus - we had a craft and dinner before the show.

Here is Katie the Elephant!

and Ella the Elephant!

And here are the girls with one of the clowns.

To Grandma and Granddad's House We Go

We made several trips to Oklahoma early this summer.... here are a few snapshots from a couple of our trips.

It takes almost 12 hours to get to Atoka from New Orleans.... in Katie and Ella time, that is 6 movies. Just to have something new to watch, I bought the girls the new Alice in Wonderland, which they really, really like (Mom too!) except for the eyeball part. Katie and I both have a hard time with the mean dog creature who gets his eye plucked out by the little mouse -- very GROSS! This is Katie during that part of the movie.... she takes off her headphones and puts her gwaugy (her special blanket) over her head until it's over. I think it's a pretty smart/effective coping mechanism!

This is the pretty flower bush in Grandma's front yard. The girls wanted to take a picture with it.

This is Katie.

And, this is Ella -- striking a pose, I might add!

This is Ella with Gigi's (Grandma's dog) puppies. The girls were in love with these puppies and were begging for one as we were leaving... I have a feeling my no-dog-days are numbered.

The turtle that lives in grandma's front flower bed... we saw him several times crossing the driveway.

Grandma's roses - the pink ones were Katie's favorite.

The toad we found in the backyard.

And the beautiful rose that looks like a sunset.

The biggest accomplishment while we were staying in Oklahoma is that Katie learned to swim in Aunt Lynda's swimming pool!  I took some video, but am having trouble getting is to work.  Hopefully I'll be able to add it later.  However, wanted to document the official beginning of Katie's swimming.  I'm so proud of her.  Ella is not far behind, but hasn't gotten it just yet.  She's still a little afraid to put her head completely under water -- doesn't like the feeling of having water in her ears.  Can't blame her really -- it IS a yucky feeling!

A Poem of Love

An original poem made up by Katie and Ella while playing together this morning...


A Poem of Love

Hugs and Kisses
X's and O's
On your cheeks and on your nose.

Bayou Boogaloo

Went to another festival... this one called Bayou Boogaloo. Had a nice time listening to music and checking out the vendors...

Katie getting her face painted... a pink butterfly.

Ella getting a blue/purple butterfly...

Two beautiful butterflies!

There was a group of hippies -- seriously, hippies! -- at the festival. They were traveling across the country and you could help paint their bus (they were hoping for donations, of course!)... Katie and Ella were all over that!

There was a really cool vendor that made jewelry out of antique buttons.... this was the button dress they had on display. It was fun looking at all the different kinds of buttons!

Our Preschool Grads!!!

Katie and Ella are reading to begin Kindergarten... Congratulations to my babies! Er, I mean, BIG GIRLS!!! Seriously, can my girls be finishing Pre-K... ????

A family photo on the last day of preschool at St. Andrew's.

Katie is next to Mommy and Ella is next to Daddy.

Graduation Day! Or, as the school called it, "The Big Close-Up"

This is a bit of a shock, but Katie is wearing BLUE today and Ella is in the pink floral dress!

Visiting the "Mary Garden"...

I guess Katie is saying a little prayer...

Katie's ceremony was first. Daddy and Ella waiting for "The Big Close-Up" to begin.

Katie was in the front of the line (goes along with have a B name!)... you can see her peaking at me from behind her classmate. She was so excited and nervous! We are learning that Katie has a bit of stage-fright.

Here's a photo of Katie with her classmates during the ceremony...

Here, she's singing away!

Notice how she's standing up looking straight ahead, keeping her hands to herself (compared to all other other kids)... that is our Katie! Such a rule-follower. :-)

Katie, Ella, and Daddy checking out the scrapbook the teachers made them. Such a great keepsake!!

Katie's favorite teacher, Mrs. Kettering!

The girls with Katie's primary teacher, Mrs. Goens.

They had a little reception following The Big Close-Up -- here are a few pictures with Katie's classmates. Ella, being the social butterfly that she is, knew them all!

One of my favorite pictures of the girls.

This is Katie's favorite boy friend, Bryce.... she hasn't quite decided, but she's thinking she might marry him one day. It's between him and Owen (from her VA preschool). Bryce is very, very funny and makes her laugh, but Owen can read and is very smart. Tough decision. We are encouraging her to take her time deciding...

Putting her autograph on Bryce's keepsake dog.

Katie with a couple of her classmates....

interesting because the tall girl terrorized Katie all semester, but that day was as sweet as pie. Katie found that very confusing (as did her mother!).

Here are a few pictures of Ella and her classmates prior to her "Big Close-Up".... the kids were in the classroom going absolutely MAD - those poor teachers!

Ella had a lot of great kids in her class. Here she is with a few more of her friends...

Time for Ella's ceremony...

Ella getting her graduation medal.

Katie taking a picture of Ella during the ceremony.

This is the absolutely adorable girl who terrorized Ella all semester, but in a different way from what happened to Katie -- she, at 4/5, has mastered the art of social terrorizing. One day inviting Ella to her birthday party and the next day, when she's mad at Ella, un-inviting her. After about 3 months of this, Ella finally said to me, "Mommy, she is not a good friend". You are a very smart girl, Ella, and I'm so glad you figured this out early.

Another of Ella's good friends from class...

Ella's teacher, Mrs. Parsiola.

Broadmoor Fest 2010

We made it out to a neighborhood in Uptown New Orleans called Broadmoor for their annual festival. Had some fun dancing, swinging, and jumping in the bouncy house before the skies opened up with a monsoon of rain this afternoon. Unfortunately the rain prevented us from getting our faces painted and getting a "snowball" treat. But, we had fun even after getting soaked.

Ella swinging.
Katie and Mommy swinging!

Spring time southern belle, Katie.


Mommy and her girls.

Ella and Mommy swinging.

Into the bouncy house.

Sliding out of the bouncy house!