Lemonade Stand...

 While my sister was visiting us, one of the activities her daughter really wanted to do was have a lemonade stand.  It pretty much went haywire from there and all the kids joined in creating their "business."  They made posters, created menus, made 2 kinds of cookies, made regular and mint lemonade, and were exuberantly advertising their business:  "Lemonade and cookies!!" shouted at the top of their lungs!

My parents neighbor so kindly invited us to use their shade across the street which probably prevented heat stroke on our part!!  So nice!

Business did pretty well in the beginning, with some fun stoppers by.

 Here's the kids doing the wave the sign bit....

Then right when we were closing down shop, a doctor swung up in his car and requested we bring lemonade up to his office for about 20 people.  We actually were out at that point, but my sister and her girls went to work using the lemons we used as decorations to transform them into some amazing lemonade.

We delivered the lemonade with the kids, I think they all felt pretty awesome that their lemonade was in such high demand.  :)  It turned out to be a pretty fun day selling lemonade!!

Happy Birthday Lily!!

 We have another birthday around these parts just a week after Claire's.  Little miss Lily turned THREE!!

 This girl couldn't have been more excited about her birthday, and her "elmo pupcakes" that were on the menu for months!

 We had grandparents over to celebrate once again, I think we learned and next year we will combine these birthdays!!

 Lily displaying her "That's it!  I'm going to grandmas" shirt she got from Grandma Donna.

 Opening presents on her birthday...

 She has been helping me garden this year with her new tools.

 And that backpack practically jumped into my cart when I saw it about a month or so prior to her birthday.  It is adorable.  She loves everything about backpacks and toting random items. ;)

The much anticipated Elmo cupcakes.  

She helped through the whole process, little sweetie.

Things I love about Lily:

1-  She has got a lot of fire, that girl.  Lots of spunk.  Just don't cross her, or she is liable to pinch or bite.  Yep, still struggling with that....

2-  She can stand up on her own two feet.  

3-  She is generally very happy.

4- She is also very outgoing.  I subbed in nursery and I saw her try to include a timid visitor to the nursery.  It was very sweet.

5- She is courageous.  She did her first round of swimming lessons this year and absolutely loved it.  On the last day they give them the option of going down the big water slide.  She totally took them up on it without a second thought.

6-  She has a vivid imagination.  I love to just observe her in her make believe play, so cute!

7-  She has got some lungs.  Her voice carries!  It is just like her dad's.  She sits in the back of the car and her made up songs carry very well to the front of the car.  Too cute.  Songs like:  a frog, and once there was a little grandma, etc.  

 

I love that Lily!!

Happy Birthday Claire!!

 The birthday of our baby came and went so quickly this year!  I cannot believe this little girl is one, redundant...yes, I just cannot believe how fast time flies. 

 She woke up with birthday gifts on the couch as we do for all of the kids.

 The toys were fun, but I think what she really cared for the most was the balloon!!

 Madelyn gave her a headband of hers, very sweet.  :)

 Grandparents helped us celebrate her birthday.

 It's traditional for us on the first birthday to lay out several items, like a baby, money, scriptures, a rig, carrots, etc., really anything we have handy that could represent something the baby might be interested in when they grow up.  We set it all up while the baby is out of the room, then bring them in and see what they crawl/walk to.  Claire crawled right for the baby doll.  So sweet!

 Cupcakes!!

I made coconut cupcakes for Claire because we sometimes call her Coco, and then when she is being silly we call her coconut...and it has kind of stuck with me.

Anyway, they were pretty tasty!

 With her daddy, singing "happy birthday."

 That;s a lovely picture.  We let her have her own cupcake.  Sometimes you hear of the baby's that don't touch their cake that is designed for them to tear into.....  I've never had that problem with any of my 5 children.

 See??

 And the cupcakes were delicious, I had a couple too many... :)

Oh my sweet little Claire!!  Things I love about you are:

1-You have a cute smile, you used to smile with a closed mouth and it was my favorite because it squished those chubby cheeks out to each side....  So cute.  But now you have a big toothy grin and a cute little dimple to the right, just like your mom.  ;)

2-You are a major snuggler.  I LOVE it.  

3-If I am not with you, you go through the house until you find me.  It is cute, sometimes hard, but mostly cute!

4-You are an adventurous little girl.  I love that about you, but it is also scary!!  Like climbing to the top of your sisters bunkbed at 11 months?!  And now you are on the table any chance you get.  

See?  You are thrilled to the core about your accomplishment, pretty darn cute.  Especially when you are safe in my arms again.  ;)

5-I love your laugh.  It is charming.

6-You are a smarty pants.  You can already obey simple commands such as, "bring me the baby."  You just surprise me all the time with the things you can do.

7-You had the speediest crawl I've ever seen!!  I'm sure going to miss that super speedy crawl of yours!

8-You can't sit through sacrament meeting, or any meeting for that matter, anymore now that you can walk.  In fact I was asked to say the opening prayer in church and you had crawled up onto the podium without my knowing.  Daddy was conducting the meeting and I noticed a little distraction up on the podium once I had walked off and Dad and Brother Madsen were trying to get ahold of you.  I was a little embarrassed, and then daddy said something about it into the microphone as I carried you to our seats.... :)

Just this summer you have:

1-started drinking milk from a sippy.

2-been weened off a pacifier.

3-started sleeping through the night (hallelujah!)

4-Started walking/practically running!

 

Love you little Coconut!!