We got a WHAT???? a DOG!

 Yep, we got a dog!  I can't believe it either=)  We weren't really looking hard for one but Eden had been wanting and asking for a dog for a while.  She has always loved them and Harper LOVES dogs too so I started browsing.  Lindsay happened to visit for a weekend at the first of August and brought her dog Harley, which didn't help;)  Harley is seriously the best dog EVER!  We should have just taken him when we had the chance, ha.  We knew we would probably want a goldendoodle like Harley because of their temperament and how little they shed.  I started looking and we went to see one on Sunday morning after church in Conway that was 16 weeks old and he snapped at us and we walked away.  Later that day I found someone that had two 10 wk old male black ones so Lindsay, Eden, and I drove to Brinkley to look at them.  They were so cute and we ended up picking the one that we liked the best and looked a little healthier.   We had the HARDEST time deciding on a name, but we all finally ended up liking DUKE, so it stuck!

Meet DUKE!

Driving home with him!

 How he rode most of the way home!

 Harper enjoying his new crate=)

 Harley and his little mini-me.  They look so similar and I can only hope and pray that Duke becomes a great dog like Harley.

Duke letting Eden lay on him.

 Duke wanting to sit in the girls pottery barn chairs, we have had to move them.  

Who's dog lays down to eat?  We have the craziest dog!

Duke is definitely a puppy and wants to get into everything!  He is slowly learning what he can and can't chew and learning his commands.  He is pretty good for the majority of the day but he has his moments.  The girls love him already and we might too;)

Craft Day

 One day over the summer the girls and I had a craft day and we painted.  I had been needing to paint some big frames I had bought and so I let the girls go at it too.  I spread out a tarp for them to paint on and bought them each a canvas to paint.  I used painters tape to put their names on them and they could paint all over the canvas with whatever they wanted.  They loved IT!!!

They are painting away!

 Their finished products are going to hang in the playroom.

The frames I painted using Annie Sloan chalk paint.  I loved how they turned out.

Here they are on the wall and I have added other pictures and our "Rainbolt" sign to it as well.  I need to take a picture of the finished wall;)

Baby Birds

 Earlier this summer I happened to be looking out a window that overlooks our back deck.  I noticed that a bird kept going in and out the bottom of an old grill that we have that is just sitting on the deck.  I kept watching and I could tell it was either building a nest or taking food in because it always had stuff in its mouth.  I went out there when the bird wasn't around and opened the grill and their was a nest with four baby birds in it.  It was so sweet.  Over the next two weeks we kept stealing glances of them and then one night at dinner we noticed how loud they were being and we went to look and the babies were dropping out of the bottom and started practicing flying.  It was incredible to watch.  We watched them for an hour or so practice and jump and flutter here and there.  One even hit the window.  They eventually got the hang of it and left.  It is definitely quieter since they left.

The grill that their next was in.

 The nest!

 One of the parents watching a baby.

 The birds would go in and out of the tray catcher thing.  It was really cool watching them come and go.  I have no idea how they decided to build a nest in a grill.

 Baby birds waiting to jump/fly off the deck.

New Pictures

 Michael and I are slowly redecorating our living room and master bedroom.  I took some pictures of the girls the other day and I am getting the first two pictures below blown up big and I have ordered some frames that I will paint and decorate to go on the walls.  I can't wait until the pictures and the frames come in.  I want to see them on the walls so bad!!!!

I LOVE these other pictures too so they may end up somewhere in the house, just not sure where yet.  I love taking pictures!  It helps that they don't mind;)

Picture/Video Day at Gymnastics

 Tuesday was picture/video day at gymnastics so all the parents that wanted to could go around with their child and take pictures or get video of them doing all their tricks.  I loved it since I'm usually man handling Harper and have to stay behind glass.  I owe Jamie Keim a huge thanks for watching Harper for me so I could go and take pictures and video.  It was wonderful to get to see her doing her stuff and all the teachers praising her for doing so good.  Eden loved it too;)

Eden doing her bridge up.

 Practicing her hand stands.  She is getting pretty good at them.

 Doing her back walk over.

 She was able to do it by herself several times and was so happy.

 Eden's favorite thing at gymnastics are the bars.  She loves flipping and kicking over them over and over.  Her arms were really tired after a while because she kept being asked over and over again to do certain things that she knows how to do unassisted.  

 She also likes the high beam=)

Eden did so good that day and was able to do a pullover on the bar unassisted and a backbend unassisted that they promoted her to Level 2.  I hope she enjoys it just as much being challenged a little more.  I know she will do great but she is a little worried about not knowing how to do anything, ha.  Everything comes so naturally to her, she will do wonderful.

IPhone Catch Up

 Eden learning tricks in the pool.

 Harper wanting to be like Eden and wear goggles=)

 Eden playing dress up and getting all accessorized.  

 We had the Bittle's over one night for dinner and Molly and Harper played so well together.  It was amazing!!!  Here they are playing doctor and Molly is giving Harper a shot.

 Eden had bring a friend day at gymnastics so she invited Hannah to go with her.  Hannah said she enjoyed it.  I know Eden had fun taking her.

 Eden and I being silly together.

 Harper stole my smoothie and wouldn't give it back.  Little Stinker=)

 One morning we went and checked out the new splash pad in Benton and it was crazy busy but Harper LOVED it.  Eden was a little bored with it but Harper was in HEAVEN and running all over it.  PURE JOY!!!!

 One afternoon I watched Jack and Lucy so Carrie could get some stuff done and Lucy wanted to help me make a treat and she even helped me with laundry.  She is the sweetest thing!!!

 And this is what Jack and Eden were doing, ha!

 Then we had movie and popcorn time!

 Eden last swim team practice.

 Coach Casey helping her with her dive.

 My little swimmer!

 Daddy finally got the car to work again, YAY!!

 Running errands in Target.  This arrangement turned out to be a disaster so we will be going back to the regular cart.

 We had a friends birthday party the other day and everyone had a blast swimming and eating dessert.

 Cinderella even showed up for Virginia's party.  Like the hair????;)

 Playing outside one morning before it got too hot.

 Have I mentioned lately that Harper is OBSESSED with sunglasses?  She would wear them all the time if I would let her.  

I finally got a picture of Harper and her best bud Hannah.  Harper adores Hannah and she is so sweet to give Harper so much attention.