July 4th

This 4th of July we did not walk in any parades...and for that we are truely thankful.  We did meet up with our usual political friends for a big cook out.  Here are the kids, many wet from water fights:

Here is a picture of just the girls.  They were cooperating for the picture a little bit better.  The oldest girl babysits for the girls sometimes when the grandparents are not available. She is homeschooled as well, so sometimes she helps me out if I need a sitter during the day.  She is great and the girls love her.

Patriotic PKs:

Waiting for the fireworks:

When you have ten year old boys, you have smoke bombs:

 And the rockets red glare:

Signing the Budget

The first of July was a huge deadline at work for PD and his team. They have been working tirelessly on a two year budget.  It was finally done and passed both houses. Here they are the day of the signing.  They all have their suit coats off for a joke...something about "rolling up your sleeves and getting to work." I think it ruins the picture, but whatever.

Here is the whole team.  PD's mancretary is the one on the far left.

PD texted me this picture earlier that day.  The legal team had to go over the whole budget before it could be signed.  That is a lot of papers! That is insane!

I met PD at the statehouse to watch the signing, but I missed it because I had to get the babysitter and they kept changing the time. I was running through the corridors with my high heals in my hands.  I did take this picture of PD in the Cabinet Room.

And here is a picture from a newspaper of the signing:

And here is when the governor called PD up to help sign:

After the signing someone hosted a Rockin Fiscal New Year party...everyone was congratulating PD.  Funny story from the party... I never know what to wear to these parties.  Some people had gone home to change, some had on work clothes.  I wore a dress because I thought I was going to the signing at the statehouse.  This state senator thought I looked over-dressed and asked me if I had just come from work.  Not wanting to over-explain the wardrobe conundrums of a home school mom, I just said, "um... yes."
PD ushered me away from him quickly before my web of lies got any more complicated. But I HAD just come from work!

Here is a video of the signing. PD appears at minute 2:15:

My Cousin Got Married in South Bend

What a fun weekend we had in South Bend, Indiana to see my cousin get married. He is probably my closest cousin, sandwiched right between me and Chicago Sister in age. Chicago Sister and I did a funny little toast for him.  We love his new wife...she is nice, down to earth and really fun!

















We arrived at the hotel where the girls were given a hot cookie by a bellhop that looked and acted exactly like Pee Wee Herman.

My dad's entire side of the family was there and it was a great family reunion.  My girls played and swam with their cousins a lot between the festivities.

Grandad's specialty: throwing the kids around in the pool.

Sitting in their own booth and eating their weight in pancakes:

BIG comfy bed:

All dressed up:

Our family:

The sisters:

Us with the groom:

Grandad's other specialty:

 They will be the next bride and groom!

PD and PK1:

Unbelievable, look who caught the bouquet!

The Triumvirate is complete, the tribe has spoken.  We covered all the bases.
One Big Politics, One Big Finance and One Big Computers.
All nice guys we don't really deserve.

Late night visit from Grandad:

First Day at the Pool

I like to take this picture every year:

2010:

2009:

2008:

How long before they won't let me buy them the same swim suit every year?

Theater in the Park

After church one Sunday, we went out to lunch and then downtown to see The Scarlet Pimpernel.  PK1 had read it this year and really enjoyed it. She really liked the play too.  It was such a beautiful day.

I realize now, that I wore this shirt to everything this summer.  I must really like it!

I leave you with PD, eating Reeses Pieces and checking his Blackberry:

Father's Day

We had a lovely little grill-out at our place for Father's Day.  The girls made this for Papa:

And we enjoyed some time with our favorite guys:

We went to the zoo with Gram...back in June

When it is a nice cool day and you catch mom and Gram in just the right mood at the beginning of the summer, you get to ride the boat AND the train all in the same day.  I had a fist full of zoo dollars and they were burning a hole in my pocket!

I also desperately needed a hair cut.

These pictures from the Lorikeet exhibit are taken through a chain link fence because I am sure I could not handle a bird landing on me.  Now I feel a little bad for not going in with them because these pictures could have been so much better.  Look at PK2!

 and Gram!

Petting zoo:

And a train ride: