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Hiking with my ladies. Good times. Next time we leave a little earlier so we are not racing the light.

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Love me a baby and a pony wash.

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We're going on a bear hunt, we're gonna catch a big one...

Maddie hiked the entire twin falls hike today and was a total trooper. Allie actually hiked a decent amount too. And they both passed out on the way home. A late night parade followed up with a few mile hike is apparently a perfect recipe for good sleep. Duly noted young girls. Duly. Noted.

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Kip and the gang went to the torchlight parade last night. Maddie is sitting here telling me about it. Her favorite part was the dancing horses and the princesses. Allie, amazingly enough is still asleep. Hallelujah.

The Birthday Girl

My Little Pal, You have become quite the character. You look so sweet and so innocent and you have such a streak of pure malevolence. You tried to chop off Rudder's ear, you locked him in the bathroom and waited until after your poor mom wandered around the neighborhood looking for him to announce it, you routinely tell us you are pooping in inappropriate places etc.

And you do it all with a mischievous smile and a wicked glint in your eye.

And I couldn't love you more for it.

You may be my little trouble maker, but you're so darn clever. Your little observations on daily life, your ability to find inventive ways to harass your sister, your ability to be the sweetest little thing on the planet are just some of the reasons you shine so bright.

Three years old already and I am wondering how it has gone by so fast. You have grown into quite the young lady and I am so excited to watch you grow more. Everyday I am excited to see you at the door waiting for me to come home. Everyday you find a way to overflow my heart with love. Everyday I am thankful that you are mine.

I love you so so much

Dad

Blueberry Picking

Even though the girls never really stopped fighting I decided to be a fun mama and take the them to the Mercer Slough to go and pick berries. Allie picked out her new hiking shoes (pink sequined ballet shoes with a poofy flower on the toe box) to wear along with a ruffly dress.  Maddie was a little more practical...finally wearing shorts for the first time this summer.  Maddie is at the perfect age to berry pick. She could have stayed there all day.  Allie quickly announced to me, "Mom, you can pick a lot of berries and I will eat them."

And that was our day.  An hour of bliss for Maddie, an hour of way too much physical exertion for Allie, and an hour of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes by me.

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Watch out little kitties...this one looks sweet but she might shank you if you piss her off.

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Happy birthday Baby Pal

More to come.

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Always thinking of her ladies. Always.

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If the girls can figure out how to get along for more than 30 seconds I told them we could go berry picking. So far no dice. But I do appreciate allie's outfit of choice.

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Watching her sleep never gets old.

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Happy 3rd birthday (party) Allie! You are a perfect little girly girl. We love you SO much.

 The theme of the night: She's so cute she probably will get away with the murder she seems on track to commit.

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Ugh. Second place. I thought we had it. We probably won first place in amount of food consumed post race.

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This little one loves to put on princess dresses and then beg me to say "on your marks, get set, GO!" so that she can run laps. Such a conundrum.

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These two are lucky pups. Wednesday with zaide and Thursday with Nonna. Swimming with the dogs, Madison park for the bakery and the park, and a trip back to our house to get clothes and shoes that their mama failed to pack. At least after a combined total of eight years of being their mama I've figured out how to pack a "diaper bag". Right...