Record for heat

I'm softening a bit on my hypothesis that the Northwest is temperate.
Our backyard themometer records an all-time low of 13.3F from the winter storm, and now the high of 110.3F
It has never been over 100F in Seattle, I guess. Ever. Until now. Unlike most of our neighbors, we had whole house A/C installed when we moved in. Note that we had just arrived from Texas and were scandalized that even new homes do not have A/C. People here say it's not worth it. Maybe they are right, but I'm 99% sure I would have lost the money in the stock market anyway, so I'm cool with it.

More Fun and Games

Erika lined up all of her stuffed animals on the stairs for an imaginary ride on a merry-go-round.


We also got a new couch delivered. Here Erika impatiently waits for the boxes to be unloaded so she can start playing in them.


Catie in the green, and Miranda in the white show their approval of the new couch by crawling and dancing to some of Mommy's 80s hits. In this case, "We've got the Beat"

Artistic expressions

Miranda shows off her Jackson Pollack phase



Catie shares a laugh with her favorite muse, DragonBoy.


And Erika dances in her ballet recital costume.

It's hot

While the rest of the country is having colder and wetter weather, we have been having a hot summer. How hot is it? It's been so hot that the pre-teens next door are offering to babysit to be in the AC. (Ahh AC, what a great thing to add to the house) Today it reached over 100 degrees. So here are some pictures of us trying to keep cool.


A big thanks to Aunt Kmi for the sprinkler ball. All three girls enjoy it.


Catie likes to catch the water in the air with her mouth.


Miranda just loves to shimmy and shake in the water.


And big sister Erika loves to dance around and collect the water in a bucket. The bucket is then dumped on various plants or her sisters.

Please send our rain back to us. We are just not used to this.

Miranda finds the sugar

Erika's new "doll"

Erika has long been fascinated with toys which show internal organs.
Finally, she talked us into this guy who has squishy stuff inside. You have to assemble him with toy forcepts if you want.
It's too advanced for her because it's hard to get stuff to fit, so we have to help.

I like the fact that she is interested in something that is not princess-based, but I find it rather much to demand an autopsy be performed before breakfast. Here she is holding up the lungs.

Tea Party and grandma Gladdy's visit.

Erika and Jackie attended a proper tea party. The girls learned etiquette, and crowns/tiaras were allowed.


grandma Gladdy came to visit!