One more volleyball player

Mallory and Taylor were playing volleyball in the
front yard when they were joined by Natalie.

Natalie tossed the ball to Mallory.

They taught her how to hit.

She already knew how to pass, so they practiced that with her.

She started to follow the ball when it didn't come right to her.

They taught her to set the ball too.

Joseph is Eleven

Joseph turned eleven yesterday.

Joseph blows out the candles.

Excited

Hungry

Best Friend

Joseph shows us that he is eleven

He got a new wallet

With $100Joseph also got a new video chair

Joseph chills out with all of his gifts

Fun in the Pool

We got a new pool liner, with fishes.

The kids are finally having fun in the pool this summer.

Lots of splashes.

Dives too.

Big splashes.

Marker Queen

Natalie found a green marker.

She must have thought it was lipstick.

Leg makeup too.

Good Food, Good Friends

Joe got a cooler full of frozen food from some of his friends from the ship he was stationed on when Mallory was born. He has been in touch with these friends online over the last few years.

Yum, Joe now has some easy to make lunches for the new few weeks.

Get Well Soon

Joe ended up having surgery to put his wrist back together in the right place.Joe got flowers and a teddy bear from one of his online friends.

This is Joe's post surgery sling.

Natalie and Joe's bear

Bailey and Natalie hamming it up for the camera

On another note, Rachel's got jumper's knee and has to take some time off from volleyball to allow it to heal. Jumper's knee is a stress injury to the tendon of the knee.

Too Much Excitement for One Day

Mallory and Joe got to ride in an ambulance today. Joe fell off a ladder while he was washing the side of the house and broke his wrist. Mallory rode in the front while Joe rode in the back. Mallory called me with updates from the hospital. She was very brave!

Mallory points out where Joe's butt hit the ground.

Joe is currently sporting a splint. Tomorrow I have to take him to see an orthopedist. Hopefully he will not need surgery.

Summer Haircuts

Taylor got her hair cut today.

I got my hair cut short for the summer a couple of weeks ago.

Fireworks

Taylor and Bailey had fun with Sparklers

Taylor got into the Pool

Bailey stayed on Solid Ground

Looks like Bailey got bored with the Fun

Track Regionals - Day One

Taylor, Bailey, Natalie and I headed to Upper Marlboro, MD this past weekend for the regional track meet that the girls qualified for back in the beginning of June. It was a four day meet, but we only had to be there the last two days. On day one, Taylor completed in the high jump, the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles, the long jump and the 200m hurdles. Her first three events overlapped within an hour and a half time period. She started with the high jump, checked out to run the 100m hurdles, checked back in to clear another height, checked out to take her long jumps and then checked back in to give three attempts at 5'0".

On approach, Taylor has to get her left knee up as high as she can.

She easily cleared the first five heights.

Starting at 3'6" and ending at 4'2"

Her final height, took two attempts, was 4'4"

After long jumping, Taylor came back to the high jump and gave three attempts at 5'0", a height of 8 inches higher then she had ever cleared before. She didn't make it, but her coach was impressed that she wasn't scared to give it a try.

Taylor came in 4th in her 100m hurdle heat.

She came in 7th overall to advance to the finals on Sunday.

Look at that form.

I only got one set of pictures of Taylor long jumping.

Taylor tied for 6th in the long jump.