Hey Y'all (Picture heavy post)

It's been awhile....
I admit it.
I've become addicted to Facebook - the ease and quickness with which I can update everyone without having to do much work.
But, I decided to that I need to keep my blog going... at least for Mom :) who doesn't Facebook. So, here's some recent Patterson family fun:
For the 4th of July, we had a ton of fun celebrating America and Annde's birthday...
Here's Annde and I walking in the parade for Fairfax County with the girl scouts.

Then we did Annde's birthday, complete with presents (she loved the scooter and the noodle - see the pool pictures for that one) and cupcakes.
Meg especially enjoyed the frosting off Dad's cupcake. She was speed crawling for hours! Next, we did the fireworks at Fairfax. I've seen some great firework shows - Lake Orion, Washington DC (as a teenager), Chicago over the lake. I LOVED these ones because they were so close - you almost felt like you could touch them - and they went for SO long - almost 45 minutes - and they were set to Patriotic music I could sing along too. (It's not like anyone could hear over the boom of the fireworks!) Meg mostly slept but Annde loved them. What a great end to her birthday!

We've also had a lot of fun this summer with the pool. Meg loves to stand in the baby pool and make noise/splash or go in her float in the big pool with Sister. Annde has taken to the pool like a fish. She would be in it for hours and hours if you would let her. Her birthday party (with WO friends) was yesterday and she got a new 2-piece for it. Dad, of course, wanted her to put 'some more clothes on' but she loves it.... that and her noodle. (That silly foam stick that she's jumping in on)...
Annde was also excited to lose her first tooth this month. Meg added 4 to her mouth too. (Yes, that is Annde's ballet recital outfit. She didn't want to wear it for the recital (cause it's itchy!) but wears it to tap around the house in her tap shoes. At least she's getting some use out of it...

And for the scrap buddies out there, I had a great time scrapbooking with Tracy over the phone on Friday. Didn't get much accomplished but I did this page. I was originally working on a sketch for Sketchy Thursdays - a website I like - but didn't get it posted in time for their contest. O well! Here it is anyway - I love the bright colors. It's a page about Meg crawling for the first time in Michigan over Memorial day...

Off to work! Chat with you later!!