One of the girl's favorite things to do with Bop is definitely going on Harley rides! They love when they hear that familiar "roar" in the driveway that means Bop has arrived This always means a ride around the block! Life is good with the wind in your hair!
June 25 was the official big day! Kate requested cornflakes for breakfast! Ryenne woke up extra early to work on Kate's present. She gathered up a few of her things that she thought Kate would enjoy and wrapped them up for her in a blanket and ribbon so she could have something to open on her big day. Kate loved it.
That afternoon, we headed to swimming lessons with Aunt Kerri, and then up to Mantua Reservoir to hang out at the beach for the evening. The girls and I had a great time swimming, and even saw lots of little fish! (Emmy wasn't so sure about that!) Grandma and Grandpa Croney met us there later on and brought some yummy dinner and a pie to celebrate the special day. Thanks Grandma & Bop! 
The highlight of the day was Grandma & Bop's present for Kate (Bop took special care picking out this gift!) Kate was ecstatic to open her very own Harley Davison helmet to wear on her rides with Bop. Nothing could have made this Harley girl happier!
Kate planned quite a party for Friday night when Dad got home. She and Ryenne made invitations to send to all of the cousins for a fun water party in our backyard. It turned out to be perfect weather, and the kids had a great time! They had a ball with the kiddie pool, sprinklers, and of course, water guns and balloons! To top it all off, Kate wanted to roast s'mores instead of having a birthday cake! What a fun night! We love Kate and are so happy she's part of our family. We couldn't imagine life without our Katerbugs!
The girls did great! Our family philosophy is "as long as you have fun and do your best, you're a winner!" (Last year, Ryenne ran a race at school. I was there cheering her on, and noticed she was at the back of the pack with a few other girls. I had to laugh when she ran by with a gigantic smile on her face and hollered to me, "Hi Mom! I just told my friend, "It's okay. Last the best of all the game!") This race was fun because they got to run in Soldier Hollow, where the cross-country skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics was held. It was beautiful! Even better, they received a bag with a hat and shirt. At the finish, they were awarded a finishers medal and treats. They were thrilled!
Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early to go see Dad's race. The girls woke up at 5:00 am in order to get on the shuttle in time to see Dad start the swim. It was only about 40 degrees when we got to the swim transition, so they were quite the little troopers! The venue for the race was absolutely beautiful, and it is always fun to watch all of the athletes come in and out of the transitions. It 's pretty exciting! Courtney did awesome, and ended up placing 3rd in his division. It was a hard race, too! It was an Olympic distance, which means it is a 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, and 6 mile run. This was the longest lake swim he has done so far, so we were pretty proud of him! He doesn't get much time to train, so I admire him for pushing himself. He has a lot of fun competing, and we have a lot of fun cheering him on!
Courtney and his girls before the swim start. . .One last, "good luck, Dad!"
After the race, we went back to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon of swimming. The girls also loved riding the carousel that was at the hotel. That evening, we headed out for pizza. Emmy and Kate were so tired that they fell asleep before our pizza arrived! What a big day!
We were sad to go home when the weekend was over. (Kate was especially reluctant- when we were loading up, she held onto the door of the hotel and refused to come!) It's always good to get away together with our little family. We had a fantastic time!
Ryenne rubs her eyes after a long, busy weekend!
The other night we headed up to Mantua so Courtney could practice an open water swim for an upcoming triathlon. The girls and I had a great time playing on the beach while we waited. The water isn't too warm yet, but the sun was shining, making it a perfect summer night. The girls had fun splashing in the water and looking for rocks on the beach as the sun went down. And me? I loved sitting back and watching the girls just be kids for a little while. It was one of those times I wondered why we don't take the opportunity to create moments like these more often. . .
Last weekend we made our annual trek out to George Creek to go camping with Grandma & Grandpa Jones and the cousins. George Creek is way out west in the middle of nowhere! The girls love it there because they can explore and roam with their cousins to their hearts content!
Ryenne and Jacob, off exploring! I loved it when Ashlyn, Jacob, & Ryenne took dandelions and smeared "war paint" onto their faces with them! This is some serious adventuring!
Kate & Grandma try to stay warm!
S'more time! This is why we go camping, isn't it?
All in all, it was another great year at George Creek! These are the days to remember!