A common sight

Here is a common sight at our house- when you have three girls that like to dress up and always have friends over. These are Daisy and Casey's feet.

Anna

Lunch on the Porch

I love to watch my girls interact when they don't think I'm looking. Here is a rare 5 minutes when they aren't telling on each other or fighting.

Orchids

Even though having a green thumb is in my genes, I've never really been successful at it mainly because I lose interest quickly. Now that we have our beautiful backyard, I have been much better at tending to it and find it quite rewarding. We will see about this orchid- it was a gift and is beautiful but they are kind of difficult to keep alive! I'm trying!

Last Day of 2nd Grade!

On Emily's first day of 2nd grade, I cried when I dropped her off because she was so brave walking into a brand new school with no hair and no friends after having skipped an entire grade. She never cried or looked back at us. That is COURAGE. This morning I cried tears of happiness not only because she is here to finish 2nd grade, but when she got out of the car three friends yelled her name, then ran up to her and gave her a big hug.

"Driving" in the car

The girls were pretending they were driving in the car- note the use of cell phones. (sheepish grin)

Another jumping-into-the-pool picture!

Take one.

Ok this will be my last one for a while. We have been at the pool every day since last Thursday, and the kids are loving it! I chose this picture today to illustrate how, on many days, I must take several pictures before I am satisfied with "the one." On this particular day, the girls were having difficulty coordinating jumping into the pool AT THE SAME TIME. We had many takes, and I still wasn't completely satisfied with the final one, but getting a couple of three year olds to jump at the exact same time as the 8-9 year olds proved to be difficult.

Take two.

Take three.

Is this the one???

The money shot.

Not afraid!

Last week she was afraid of the water- going under, etc. She was swimming by the end of last summer, but unlike South Florida, we stop swimming in the winter and she forgot everything she knew. It's coming back quickly, though!

Pool and Friends!

The fun thing about the last week of school is that there is no homework or after school activities! Therefore there is time to go to the pool with friends!

Summer Weekend!

A yummy dinner on the porch after a weekend full of sun, water, family, and friends.

First Pizza!!

Finally!

End of year party

Emily had her end of the year party on Friday. We will be so sad to say goodbye to 2nd grade and her wonderful teacher. I am always amazed to see how her class interacts- her teacher has said from the beginning of the year that they are like a family, and it really is true. Also, I think that her school should change it's motto to "Work Hard, Play Hard" because they sure know how to have a good time!

Preschool Graduate

Today Anna graduated from preschool and is headed to the "big school" in the fall. (sniff) I don't have any pictures of the graduation itself even though I am a photographer, I took the camera, extra lens, and extra battery but left the MEMORY CARD at home. (!) I take it out every night to do this project, and I walked right past it out the door this morning with it still in my card-reader attached to my computer. I think this is a beautiful one instead.

Time at the Park

Since our scheduled extra-curricular activities are finally over, we spent some time at the park this afternoon.

8 or 18?

Since Emily is "too old" to watch the Goodnight Show with her sisters, she spends her downtime before bed drawing and listening to her ipod.

First Fire!

Finally got the pizza oven installed (still need some work on the facade) and the first "curing fire" lit today! We need to build 5 days of increasing temp fires before we can light a big one and actually cook a pizza. Can't wait!!

???

I don't know... sometimes it's really hard to get a meaningful picture EVERY DAY.

Finished!

Here is Emily after her recital holding her 5 year trophy. Way to go, Emily!

Recital Weekend

There's my girl- right in the center performing her dress rehearsal for her 5th recital. Meanwhile, Anna was at her last soccer game scoring 2 goals! Busy, busy week for the Knerr girls!

Watching Big Sis

I always have to drag Anna and Casey along with me to Emily's ballet class. This day, they both wanted to wear leotards to "dance" also. Here they are watching Emily's class in their final preparations for recital!

Me!!

The blog site has been down for a few days, but now it's back up. Here is a pic that Emily took herself of yours truly! I am RARELY in front of the camera, mainly because I am a control freak and don't trust anyone else with it!

In the tub

These two are getting to the age where they really enjoy playing together (when they're not fighting). Both of them have great imaginations! Casey is "quacking" here.

Like mother like daughter.

Found Anna looking through the thousands of pictures I have of the girls.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there- I had a wonderful day and was able to do exactly what I've been longing to do... sit on my back patio with my feet up and RELAX after a wonderful meal cooked by Ryan while the girls helped him clean up and he got them ready for bed.

Crawfish Boil 2011

I wish I had pictures of the huge crowds, piles of crawfish; kids dancing on the stage, having their faces painted, bouncing in bounce-houses; Dr Pressey, his wife, and the director of oncology at Children's, Dr Watts eating crawfish; and all of the rest of the fun... but I didn't take my camera. I had too much fun socializing with old and new friends, eating tons of crawfish, helping at the entrance and exit, all while raising money for a cause so dear to my heart.. the Developmental Therapeutics Program at Children's Hospital and a fellow patient, Taylor Hendrix. I was afraid to leave my expensive camera sitting at a table while I mingled, so I took the night off. Here is Emily cooling off while we were setting up before the festivities began. Thank you, thank you, to everyone who came. It meant SO MUCH to me.

Mommy and Me Day at Preschool

Anna and her preschool class sang some fun songs then we headed outside for a picnic!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Yummy fajitas and margaritas for dinner....

On the run

The first picture was my view out of my screened back porch this morning just before I got the girls up to get ready for school.. the sun coming over the mountain, through the fog, then through the trees. The sun really looked like this- it wasn't a camera effect. The second was taken of Casey in carpool line- where we spend most of our day, it seems.

Helping

Emily helped put away all of the laundry today without complaining! Had to document it.

At the carwash, baby...

Passing the time while Emily is in ballet with some cheap entertainment for Anna and Casey.

First Communion

Emily received her First Communion today! We were so proud of her and she looked SO BEAUTIFUL in the dress that Carol made for her. She did great and wasn't nervous at all!

Thanks Mom!

My mom has made me the same birthday cake for as long as I can remember- chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and covered in M&M's. She came in town this weekend to make it!