Grandpa and his girl

We drove up to Ohio this weekend for the Wallace Family Reunion (mother's side of the family). Unfortunately we had not charged our camera batteries since our trip out to Sacramento the previous weekend, so we only captured the above two moments between my father and Amalia. Any family members reading this are urged to send me pictures to post for all to enjoy. Thanks!

Visiting family and making friends

Last weekend we flew out to Sacramento with the girls to attend the funeral services for Andy's brother's wife, Stephanie. Her death came much too early and the loss is tragic and heartbreaking. Although it's times like these that make us desperately wish we lived closer, we were grateful that we were able to be together with family to help celebrate her life. The girls especially had a wonderful time with their aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and even some new friends.

Amalia napping with Grandpa Colin.

Lily's new friend, Ian.

Hanging out with the Rosnack cousins.

First time in a pool!

Aunt Stacey.

Silliness with new friend, Greta (Stephanie's niece).

Eating sno-cones at Joey's playoff baseball game.

The Pierce siblings.

Ah, the smell of chlorine

Week 2 of swim lessons and we're in the groove. The swim teacher now calls Lily by her correct name (last week she was "Nellie"), and I now know where the door to the pool is. (I think I tried to go through the janitor's closet last week.)

Sorry the pictures are so far away -- parents are relegated to an upstairs viewing area so the kids can't hear our competitive cursing.

Waiting for our turn. Lily's the one in the pink "surfer girl" outfit.

Getting their feet wet. The girl in the middle -- in the blue suit -- got skittish and left the lesson before getting in the water. Who knows what goes on at poolside -- maybe Lily pinched her.

I think that's how my grandma used to swim so she didn't get her hair wet.

Amalia in the parental viewing area, mischievous as ever.

Glover Park Day

We walked over to Glover Park (the name of our neighborhood in D.C.) Day this morning. Naturally, the girls ignored all the live music, local food, and tchotchke-offering vendor tables and headed straight to the playground. After enjoying a heavy dose of swings, they set up shop in the sandbox.