We don't hit... we hug!

The Girl has been learning about "no hitting" lately. A few days ago while we were discussing hitting, The Girl said, "I be nice. I hit Daddy nice." I knew the conversation wasn't over.

Well, today she hit a little dog while I was visiting a friend and she got into some trouble for it. On the drive home we had a long talk about how hitting hurts others and it isn't nice. She decided that she wouldn't hit, she would just give hugs. I said "yes, hugs are nice. Everyone likes hugs."

Well, she must have really thought about that because when we got home I got her down from her car seat, opened the door to our house and she immediately gave the door a hug and said "I love you door." I was standing behind her just admiring how sweet for her to hug the door. She walked straight to the next door and gave it a hug and said "I love you door." Then her bedroom door, the hall closet door (which was shut but got a hug anyways), then the couch, then the picture on the fridge got a hug, and mommy got a hug. It was very funny and very sweet.

The picture is a posed picture taken later that day, but I wanted to give you an image of what I got to see. :D

The Elephant Song

This is The Girl's favorite song/video. Check it out. She watches it over and over and over. Just see if you can watch it until the end. :D Or show your kids... I'm sure they will love it!

"It's Lost Forever!"

So, strange thing happened today at dinner. T said, "Where's Vladi?" -- referring to our blackish blue fish named Vladi, after the Angel's Baseball slugger Vladimir Guerrero. We looked at our fish tank for about 2 minutes just trying to find him. Guess what? He's not there! We are missing one of our fish! Strange... maybe this has something to do with yesterday's mishap? The Girl sweetly replied, "It's lost forever."

Fish are Friends

So today I had to spend some time cleaning up the bathrooms, which left The Girl a little bit of free reign on the house. The Girl was playing with her toys nicely and coming to "check on me" every few minutes. Well, it had been a bit longer since she had checked in with me so I thought I'd better go see what she was up to. I went out to the kitchen and found that The Girl had found the green fish net, pushed a chair up to the fish tank, and was trying to catch a fish with it! She was saying in a soft, sweet voice: "Come here fishy, fishy" (just like I say when I have to take them out to clean the tank). She hasn't seen me clean the tank in a few months, so I think it's pretty impressive that she remembered how I got the fish out!
She has also demonstrated a good memory in other ways recently:

As we walked out of church in California last week, The Girl led the way straight to her grandma's car, even though it wasn't in plain sight.

Another day she wanted her grandpa to open something so she told him she needed to "snip" it (her new favorite activity--cutting with scissors). She looked at her grandma and said "I need the pink snippers" which her grandma had been using in the kitchen earlier. Then she turned to Katie and said "I need the green snippers" which Katie had played with her the day before.

Katie says The Girl must have a "photogenic memory" just like T (of course, she meant to say photographic).

Lake Powell Photos

Here are some great photos from Lake Powell.

T jumping off a sweet cliff. (I did it too but we didn't get a picture.):

Rainbow Bridge:

M and her friend Shannon getting a fun tube ride (and not falling off!):

Our fun group at the end of our trip (except David and Alicia who had to leave early):

T's Top 6 Powell Pictures

1) Gotta love that cut.
2) Cute picture of my girls.


3) Micah getting some nasty air... and landing it.
4) Nice picture of Mom & Dad.


5) The Girl dragging her foot in the water.
6) Wake surfing WITHOUT the rope for 20-30 seconds was a blast.

The Girl had a blast at Lake Powell!

The Girl's Top 5 Favorites at Lake Powell:

5. Sandy beaches for digging and playing with my friend Emma!

4. Swimming by our houseboat in a super awesome, private cove!

3. Boating with Grandpa and Grandma and watching Mommy and Daddy ski.

2. Wake boarding with Katie and riding on the tube

1. Being with my family!

Happy Birthday America!

Yes, The Girl heard people saying "Happy 4th of July" so she thinks it is someone's birthday. So I got to sing "Happy Birthday America" at least three times this morning (along with Happy Birthday Daddy and other versions that she requests). We have been counting down to today ever since The Girl saw fireworks at the baseball game. She is so excited to see fireworks!

But before the fireworks, we had a lot of fun at the city festival. The Girl had her first snow cone, cracked her first confetti egg, got her first face-painting, saw her first tall man (on stilts) and balloon clown (who made The Girl a green dog), and rode on her first Farris Wheel! She loved jumping in the bounce house and running through the bounce/obstacle course with me. She also got to meet her first policeman (besides her Uncle) and got a police badge sticker!

Strike a Pose!

"Smile!" The Girl says as she strikes a pose. Katie taught The Girl how to do some cute poses. She loves to wear new things, and we love to get her dressed up. The Girl also loves to make cookies. The apron she is wearing while she is making cookies with her grandma was her daddy's apron when he was little! So precious!

Laguna Beach Week

We had such a blast at Laguna Beach! It was sunny the whole week and clear skies for the most part. The Girl had a great time playing in the sand, rolling all over it, and even kissed it a few times. Her grandpa and her dad's cousins dug her a hole and she loved sliding into the hole and climbing out again. She also loved it when others would build sand castles so she could smash them.

The Girl also loved swimming in the pool as well as the "nice and warm" pool (a.k.a hot tub). Even though it was 95 deg. outside and the hot tub was 102 deg. - that's where The Girl wanted to be.