Saturday, June 30, 2012

Lily's Stands




Towards the end of every one of Lily's Dandelion days, she sets up a stand of some sort. Depending on the day and the weather, she offers pies, cakes, ice cream or cherry flavored water. Though she says that she is selling goods, they are often free. She takes a good fifteen minutes to gather the parts for her stand and then another fifteen to set the stand up. Lily is then incredibly patient. Some days she has customers (her friend, Emmet, is very sweet and sometimes takes pity on her), some days not.  In the end, she shows the true dedication of a store owner - a strong belief in the product you are selling and plenty of patience.

Miss Wide Eyes!

"So, it was my bithday last Wednesday. We went to Fentons. Mama and Dada let me order my own cone....wow."

Lily and Papa were feeling BRAVE!

Here you see Lily and Papa heading off to view the new Pixar film at the Grand Lake Theater. In the end, Lily wasn't quite as brave as she had hoped....she and Papa returned home forty minutes later ("did you know there was a witch and a bear???").

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Post Nap Garb

Even though it is not yet Lily's birthday, she prefers to take her naps in her special suit. Upon waking up, she likes to wear "Mama's cozy jacket" until she's ready to wear actual clothes again (so, about two hours). In case you haven't yet noticed, Lily's new photo look is with a tilted head and a hint of tongue.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

A Few Moments of Lily...





Projects!

School's out and we can actually clean! Garden! Shop! BAKE!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Toddlers and Their Cones

"I just cannot believe that there is no ice cream left. Perhaps some trickled down here..."

The Collins Family's First Weekend of Summer

was packed full of hammock lounging, backyard camping, gardening, grilling, surfing and ice cream licking.



When Lily Plays with Mama's Students...


She enjoys herself a little too much. Thank you for being such a trooper, Amara!

Boobies!

Lily's First Splinter

At first, there was infection, tweezers and tears. In the end, there was healing and smiles. Oh, and a bang trim. 

The Smallest Student at King Middle School...

We have decided that it would be a fun tradition to bring Lily to King with me every year, on the last day of school. This past Friday was the day. Lily packed her backpack weeks in advance. As you can imagine, she woke up before the sun rose and was ready to go. Here you see Brian brushing her teeth. She had already done her treatment, ate her breakfast, and had her hair done....all with her backpack on.

Lily's Little Garden




Lily and I planted a little garden on the deck, just outside of our kitchen. Lily excitedly tends to her blueberries, herbs, strawberries and Fava beans on a daily basis. Once she weeds and feeds, she likes to sit amongst the plants and simply enjoy their company.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Flower and Vine Wreaths...


are so very Lily.

Even when it is 90 degrees outside....


Dropping ice down your dress is still a shocking experience.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Thoughtful Lily


Lily is such a pensive, sensitive, sweet soul.

Young Middle School Kids with Big Hearts...

When I got to school one morning a few weeks ago, my student, Nile, was waiting for me at my front door. She handed me a wad of money. She and Julie had apparently hosted a "Team Lily" bakesale. They raised over $100 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

We took them out for a "thank you" dinner last weekend. Lily went to bed with wrinkles by her mouth- she was grining ear to ear the entire evening.

More Rocks!




Following her ascend, we love how she sat with the rock for a few moments, as if to say "thank you."

Lily Junior



Lily takes Lily everywhere. And wherever they go, Lily's diaper bag is stocked full of spare diapers, toys, snacks and teething rings for Lily. They are quite a pair.

When Dads Play...




It can get a little "rough and tumble"-y..... and it is awesome.

Here you see Brian and Patrick at Matthew's birthday party at the YMCA. I am not sure who was having more fun!