We went back to Newcastle for a few days while Daddy was on the Senior Trip. It has been SO hot outside, so G-Ma let the girls run around naked and play in the sand and water...why not?! Pa always calls them "jaybirds" when they don't have any clothes on. As you can tell by looking at these pictures, this was incredibly fun for them! Madison loved it, until G-Ma got the water hose after her to rinse the sand off. That was TERRIFYING! She is so funny about things like that...if it is out of the ordinary, or something she doesn't understand, she probably isn't going to like it! So, G-Ma carried her into the garage and put her in the sink...now that was pretty fun! (Obviously, I had to crop these pictures a little!)
Looking back, this was the last night we were at Pa & G-Ma's house while Pa was still here with us. I'm so thankful for all of the happy memories we have of summer nights spent like this, with Pa & G-Ma. And I'm also very sad for that chapter to come to an end. Bathtime just won't be the same, without Pa to say, "Ahhhh, Jaybird!!" as Mackenzie and Madison ran down the hall.
I'm not sure which picture is sweeter...from the front, or from the back!
The second project of the day was to let the girls make any kind of cookie they wanted, and decorate it themselves. Madison picked a giraffe & a little flower. Mackenzie picked Hello Kitty & a little bone. It was fun to see what they would pick! Then, I gave them my left-over icing bags and let them have at it! Maybe they will be cookie decoraters like their Momma one of these days! (Oh, and this was a "stay in your pj's" kind of day, so excuse the messy hair!)
Mack's hair is so long & pretty! I know we are going to have to cut it soon and that makes me a little sad. I don't want those pretty curls to go away!
Peek-a-Boo!
The finished product...don't you just want to take a bite?!
On Tuesday, we stayed home while Daddy went to White Water with the new 7th graders. He really wanted us to come, but due to the 111 degree forecast, we opted to stay home. I'm thinking he would have been sorry by the end of the day if we had come! I had several cookies orders to work on, so I got the girls set up with some painting at the kitchen table. Mackenzie asked why I put down wax paper under Madison's picture, and I told her to wait and see...if you look at the final project, you will get it...it was pretty much soaked completely through the paper! Mackenzie is a good little painter...she stayed in the lines and painted a beautiful picture! Madison is a little free spirit...mixing her colors & doing whatever she wanted. But, they were both beautiful & they had a blast! A few minutes into the painting project, I looked over and saw that Madison's lips were blue. Uh-oh! Then I asked her to open her mouth & her tongue was blue too! I guess she decided to taste the paint. She is her Daddy's child! I love having the girls in the kitchen with me when I work on cookies. 
I can't believe how well she stayed in the lines! As much as Madison is her Daddy's child, Mackenzie is her Momma's child!
I should really call this post "3 Happy Girls & 1 Happy Daddy!" We were all very glad to have Daddy back at home, and I know he was glad to be home. He said that he missed us more than ever before on this trip. It has been a little harder, especially on Mackenzie this summer, to be away from him so much. There have been several nights that she has cried and said she misses her daddy. I (half) jokingly put on Facebook, I think that is 50% "I really miss Daddy", and 50% "I don't want to go to bed." Thankfully, this was the last big trip of the summer. We picked Daddy up at the airport at 8:45 on Monday morning. As always, the girls were excited to see him, but also excited to play in the little play area. One of the sweetest things in the world is watching the girls squeal and run to their Daddy when he comes through those doors. It nearly makes me cry every single time. Look at their little faces in the picture above...they were SO happy to have their Daddy back! I tried to get Madison to let me carry her to the baggage claim area, but she would have nothing to do with it...she wanted her DADDY! He absolutely loved that, because that doesn't happen often. There was a little set-back when we figured out that Brian's luggage didn't make it on their plane. While we were waiting to talk to someone about it, he gave the girls their presents....pretty colored little rocks from Brazil. It was the BEST present ever! They were so excited, and have played with them literally for hours.....sorting them by colors, putting them in different containers, making "muffins" with them. Who knew little rocks could be so entertaining?! He also brought us all some "Guarana," a Brazilian drink that he loves. He found little bottles for the girls, which they thought were so cute. We spent the day at home together taking naps, playing, and just enjoying each other. Then, we went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse with the family for Bailey's birthday. It was a great day! We got to enjoy being with Daddy for one day, before he went to White Water with the 7th graders the next day. Then we got one more day with him before he left with the Seniors for Colorado for a few days. After that, he will be home to stay! This summer has been the craziest yet...I'll be so glad when school starts so we can get back to normal around here!
Patiently waiting to see Daddy...
Of course, Madison had her pony with her!
They were closing their eyes so Daddy could get their surprises out for them. 
So excited about their new rocks! By far the best present Daddy has ever brought back! (Not that the other ones weren't great also!)
Happy Girls!
Guarana!!!!
