Car singing

We got a new minivan days before leaving for Cape Cod.  And we splurged, took it to Best Buy and had a ceiling-mounted DVD player installed - one that could work with wireless headphones.  This was a gift to both the girls and Mom & Dad!

Well, of course, it was a huge hit.  And definitely made the drive to Cape Cod go so smoothly.  What we didn't anticipate was the absolute hilarity that we would experience from Cora's car singing.  The car would be peaceful, maybe Graham and I would be chatting, and every once in a while you might hear a chuckle from the back seat.  Until that is, a song comes on.  In this particular instance, the girls were watching Madagascar 3, one of their favorites, and the characters in the movie put on a laser light circus extravaganza set to Katy Perry's Firework.  If you don't know the song, we used it as the background to our 4th of July video - http://lifewiththelanzes.blogspot.com/2013/07/4th-of-july.html.  Well, peace was interrupted by this...to say she belts out the song is an understatement.

We have another bike rider!

4th of July

Big Release

The girls both love the small frog pond in Grandpa Johnny & Zee Zee's backyard.  Only we all started to notice that there were less and less frogs.  So we decided to work on this animal habitat.  After cleaning it out, the girls went on a hunt for water life from the nearby creek to add to the pond.

Just Cora being Cora

No words could describe this look.  This is all Cora.  

Cora on Skates

First time on actual skates.  Didn't go all that well, to be honest.  Mom and Dad had to take turns bending over to hold her up because standing was just not going to happen on its own.  Oh well.  Maybe next year.  Back to boot skating for now :)

There are just those moments...

Sometimes, there are those moments that are so amazing, wonderful and significant...but only because it's your kid.  Only because you know exactly what this moment means in the context of your child.  I just had one of those with Addy.  Addy has always been on the shy side.  And particularly when it comes to men.  And particularly when it means that, even though she may be good at something, if she knows it will make her the center of attention.  She's never the kid to volunteer for something in a group setting.  Until our Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at church.  

Flower the Clown was there.  And not only did he make amazing balloon creations, he put on a magic show.  And Addy LOVES magic shows.  In a way that took us by surprise, actually.  She captivated.  And laughs so loud at the corny jokes that people actually turn around to look to see who's making that racket.  Well, when Flower asked for a volunteer and Addy tentatively put her arm up, I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.  I was so proud.  I know just how much courage that took for Addy.  For most of the other kids who were there, who were tripping over each other to volunteers, this was any other night, any other magic show.  But not for Addy.  And then when Flower picked her.  And she walked up there.  I saw in that moment Addy growing up and taking on a challenge.  

Here she is, picking her card.

And then showing the rest of the group.

(I had to include a picture of the amazing balloon creations - Addy had a t-rex, Cora a cow.  Their choices!)