One of Annalie’s playgroup friends turned 5 today, so we stuck a candle in a cupcake that happened to be lying around and made this video for her. Happy birthday, Kara!

Happy First Day of Summer, a day late! Brenda and Bug (who house-sat for us while we were gone) stayed the night since they didn’t pick us up at the airport till 8pm on Saturday, and Bug and Annalie were so excited to play with each other again that they both woke up at 5:15. I “slept in” till 6:15. Around 8, the girls started asking if they could go swimming. We caved to their pleading around 9 and filled the wading pool, expecting the water would be too cold for them to do more than stick their hands and maybe their feet in. But they jumped right in and started splashing away. Crazy kids. I guess they got the memo about the first day of summer!

Also, happy Father’s Day, a day late! I neglected to actually get a photo of Annalie and Troy yesterday, but I did get these shots of her helping cook spaghetti con burro e pomodori for our Father’s Day dinner. She melted the butter and dumped the pasta in the boiling water and stirred the sauce and added the chopped basil. She was quite proud of herself. I told her at one point that I was really glad she liked cooking because it’s more fun when she’s cooking with me, and she said, “Well, I’m glad you like to cook so many delicious things, Mama!”

You like this fierce outfit Annalie put together? I wouldn’t have tucked the shirt in, and I wouldn’t have put this particular shirt with that skort, but…somehow it kinda works. The color combination grew on me and by the end of the day I quite liked it.

Lemon cupcakes, one of which I’ll be eating for dessert (after my Subway sandwich) while I watch Chuck vs. the Wookie tonight for Chuck Me Monday. (Yeah, I’m a dork, we know this already. But I’m a dork who loves company. Watch Chuck!)

I have lots more photos to upload and a few more stories to tell, but for now I thought you might like to know that we’re home safe. G’night!