Lovely Days with Little Girls

A smattering of photos from the last couple of weeks...

Jokes with Dad


Mom got stuck doing the pumpkin...Kylie thought it was "disgusting"!


Boo at the Zoo



The zebra passed out at the grocery store...


But revived for dinner : )



Mastering Air Hockey


Gardening


The ever-studious Sophia

Enjoying Autumn

Thus far October has brought a flurry of friends and family through the Dorr casa! Tulsa, Israel, Georgia and Houston have sent us visitors over the last couple of weeks. Tasty food and drink, cool(er) evenings, and lovely conversation - it has been a wonderful way to welcome fall!

My sister, Kathleen, spent some time with us before heading south of the border for a couple of months. She will be working with an NGO in Oaxaca, Mexico while Uncle Nick is in Ranger School with the army. She brought a super fun art project that we all enjoyed and it's hanging in the girl's room now!




Philip started construction on the garden shed/playhouse. It's coming along nicely, but I'll post some pictures of the finished product in a week or so.



For Halloween Kylie will be a monkey and Avery a zebra. We're planning on going to "Boo at the Zoo" towards the end of the month but the costumes just couldn't wait : )


My DIY autumn wreath! Just a little unabashed bragging : )

Green Thumbs

We couldn't be happier with the new home, however the backyard is a barren wasteland. At best it is a blank canvas. So, as HGTV might say, we've started the "reno of the outdoor living space". Phase one: Raised garden beds and a beginning compost pile! I wanted this project at the top of the list in hopes of having some sort of fall garden. Philip has the green thumb in our family and so far has planted bell peppers, tomatoes, and lots of basil. For those who don't know, our weird little girls eat basil by the handfuls so we had to keep them well supplied : ) Maybe this week we'll get some mixed greens and spinach going!

Summer Zoo Days

August has been eventful for us. We've almost unpacked all our boxes and the kitchen is being re-done as I write. Kylie has conquered day-time potty training and Avery is cutting her eye-teeth. Plus, we have had our first emergency room visit. Kylie tried to catch a lamp as it was falling off an end table. The tips of her middle and ring fingers were nearly severed. It took nine stitches to re-attach them. Philip has since removed the stitches and it looks like she is going to heal just fine. Thanks be to God.





We've also become season pass holders at the local zoo! Honestly, I never thought that would be a source of enjoyment for me but Kylie and Avery love it so much that Philip and I can't help but have a great time! Here's a sampling of our latest trip.

Texas Bound

Moving to Texas is a bittersweet transition because this chapter really has been such a special time for us. When we first came back from Israel Kylie was only 3 months old. We settled into the Dorr family cabin for a year before we bought this little old house on Boone St. With a lot of elbow grease we fixed it up just in time for Avery to be born in the kitchen! Since then we have enjoyed countless family dinners and play dates with cousins, long summer evenings and a whole lot of love. There is a lot to look forward to, but there is also a lot to smile back upon. Our last three years in Kentucky have truly been a blessing. We are grateful.

We've spent this final week in Kentucky enjoying family, friends, and the uniqueness of Berea. Amidst all the packing the girls have been pretty restless. We've made forts out of packing boxes, gone for long walks, and visited most of the local eateries. To top it off, in her finest moment of mischief Kylie got a hold of some scissors and cut off all of Avery's beautiful baby curls. Yes, it's been a memorable week!


Our little house


The tremendous tree we called our own for a while


Harvesting our garden before we pass it on to a new family


Kylie and Luke. We always enjoy the Johnsons!


Helping us pack : )


Visiting Berea Coffee & Tea one last time


Papleno's Pizza


Hanging out with the babysitter


Avery's new do

Father's Day & Big Fish

For Father's Day weekend we ventured down to Atlanta for a long overdue visit with the "Hotlanta Dorrs" - James, Tracie, David and Caroline! Saturday we hit the world-class Georgia Aquarium and had a really wonderful time. Kylie's favorite part was the dolphin show (no pictures allowed), but other highlights of the day were:

Avery

Jellyfish


Naps with Dad

Pushing Avery


Amazon Bass (upper right corner)


Sliding out of a whale's belly

Caroline


Penguins


Watching the massive fish feed


A big thank you to James & Tracie for a great weekend filled with fun & family. We love you guys!!!

Mud Pies

It may be a little hillbilly, but there is no fun like the fun had playing in mud puddles! Kylie was too busy to look at the camera so Avery stole the show.





And the only way to end the party....