WARNING - slightly scary looking photos!

The other day Molly told me her tooth was loose. "Loose" was an understatement. That thing was about to fall out! I love pulling teeth. Check out the joy on my face in this post. Unfortunately Molly remembered my tooth-pulling skills and would not let me near her mouth. Smart girl.

Molly with a mouth full of teeth and one mean bug bite.

The next night for dinner we were having rice. Molly was worried that her tooth might fall out and get lost in the rice. Smart girl. There was a very good possibility of that happening. For the next hour or so she told me she'd have me pull her tooth before diner.

Just before dinner Molly wanted me to pull the tooth (!!!) and so I did. I was more excited about the possibility of a Tooth Fairy visit than a clean face in the photo. Molly had been eating some cherries pre-pulling. Apparently they exploded all over her face.

So when you admire the new hole in her mouth, please remember that cherries are in season and that no one needed a transfusion after losing her tooth.

The happiest kids on Earth

Remember this? Well, Molly starts Kindergarten in the fall and last week was her turn for the great cousin adventure!

It started really, really well - or really, really poorly if you're anti eating ginormous shakes in the car and watching ipods for seven hours straight. Molly wanted "a big strawberry shake" so that's what I ordered her. When I was a kid large shakes were just enough to make you feel sick. I didn't realize McD had upgraded their sizes and the large was enough to feed the plus 8. Molly was thrilled!

Soon enough we met up with Colin, who in his one more month of life than Molly has absorbed everything you'll ever need to know about Bakugan. It was a great match, since Molly happens to be a Club Penguin master.

My mom was so excited to finally get to see her not-so-secret-anymore admirer in the flesh. Check out the name on his neck! (We tried so hard to get this photo. It took us several times around the Dumbo line to have him in front of us and take a not-too-obvious photo.)

Molly was tall enough for Space Mountain (YEAH - she loved it) but too small for California Screaming (YEAH - she was a little freaked out by the up-sidownness of the ride). Luckily I got to go. Can you guess how I feel about that ride?

Cousins love sharing.

(sometimes)

We finished off the trip with one of my favorite activities - jumping on the bed! It was lots of fun and a great success since M&C used up all their energy during the summer and will be able to sit quietly in class. (Right?)

We're the DANCERS

It's summer, which means it's finally time for the dance recitals!

Get ready for cute.

Since the recitals are two weeks after school gets out, some of the kids opt out of dancing in them. Emily had only one other girl in her class in the recital and they did a DUET in front of everyone! I was so impressed and they both did a fantastic job. Emily loves dancing and is really talented. She may not like to go outside in the sun (vampire?) but she doesn't mind dancing under the hot lights.

Molly's class danced to Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head. It was a weird song with kind of (OK, not just kind of) weird choreography. Luckily Molly was cute and she points her toes really well.

Speaking of cute, look at Heidi in her old-fashioned swimming suit! She is doing "happy hands" in this photo. She practiced "happy hands" and lots of posing in preparation for the recital. We also know all the words to her song by heart. I think it paid off. Heidi was a superstar!

And one more for good measure. Emily's ballet class was cute but kind of small - and by small I mean tiny - and by tiny I mean everyone but Emily. By a fluke of scheduling Emily was the only blonde and was a head taller than everyone else. This turned out to be a good thing because she was really easy to find and she was so good that she stood out even more. Look for her on SYTYCD Season 18.

Stranded no more!

Remember last year when we were stranded at the drive-in?

Heidi is showing of the Nutcracker face again.

It pays to have skills if you're stranded somewhere.

Apparently we have very persuasive friends, because we tried again. This time we were in line on a Thursday night ONE HOUR before the show was scheduled to start and hallelujah, we made it in!

Our very persuasive friends were happy to have made it inside also.

I would be willing to give a few suggestions to the owners to make the experience more enjoyable and, well, less scary and even a bit more hygienic. I don't think the owners care though, and really, isn't fear of diseases part of the experience of a drive-in theater anyway?

It was more exciting to be watching a movie in your car while wearing jammies than the actual movie was, but oh well. We can now cross that off the to-do list, and just in time! There's a sign on the screen facing the freeway that says, "STILL OPEN!" Last chance, everyone, before you have to wear real clothes to the movies.

The talented sisters of the ville

I'm not sure how she figured out how to do it on her own, but Molly can do cartwheels. Emily can't - yet, but really wants to now that the younger sister can do it. Heidi doesn't care about cartwheels but instead enjoys doing "nutcracker face" (see photo below).

Yesterday the girls were doing cartwheels in the living room.

Emily was upset.

Emily: Mom! Molly is only five and I am seven and I can't do cartwheels and Molly can!! Also, Molly said that Heidi's cartwheel was the worst one ever.

Me: Oh Molly, did you say that?

Molly: Yep.

Me: Why did you say that? That will hurt your sister's feelings.

Molly sighed, shrugged her shoulders and said: Hey Mom, everyone's got different talents.

I tried to keep a straight face.

At least they are all cute, even if they do have different talents.

Here Comes a Brownie

When I was a Brownie I had a very cool shirt. On the front it said HERE COMES A BROWNIE and on the back it said THERE GOES A BROWNIE

I liked to wear it rollerskating.

Sadly, they don't make this particular shirt anymore, but if they did, I would give it to Emily

because today she became a Brownie!

Look out, here she comes!

Swim Lessons '10

Who's excited for swim lessons?

Oh, not you Heidi?

Let's see if we can change your mind . . .

after the lollipops are passed out.