Heaven on earth - High Hopes Orchard in New Hampshire! We visited last October. Here Rosemary laughs watching Cousin Russ and his wife Tammy race Fernanda to the bottom of a very tall slide! http://www.highhopesorchard.com/ 

Here is Fernanda, our fearless bicyclist, setting off again on an adventure around the block. Last September (2005)! (I'm so sorry I'm so slow getting these posted. It takes no time at all to post them - but it takes forever to get to the project of posting!) 

So, the first day of school pictures from last fall didn't turn out so well, I had to take them again a few days later! Top to bottom Mercedes, Fernanda and Mercedes on Aug. 26, 2005. We examined last year's first day picture to make sure we had the pose correct! 

Here we are on August 11, 2005, the day our adoption of the girls was approved in court! We celebrated with a walk downtown around Monument Circle and lunch at Bertolini's.  

Here's the whole family in Cascades at the Opryland Hotel. Cathy, fresh out of meetings, is a little more formally dressed than the rest of us! The gazebo behind us is a revolving restaurant! 

Here they are, the dancers at Opryland! L to R, Fernanda, Mercedes and Rosemary. There were so many great places to dance there - all we really need is some good music and a little floor space! 

Our three girls loved to watch the dancing waters at Opryland Hotel when we went there in April 2005. They loved the lights and music! 

Mommy Cathy loves me. She is my best, best, best mom ever! She carries me like a baby. I was five. She loves me. She likes me. She takes me on rides like to school. And she takes me to Chente and Matias' house. I like my cousins. They are my friends even though I don't see them. (Mercedes)

The Easter Bunny came over to our cousins' house. He was not a real Easter bunny. He is a fake Easter Bunny. He give us candy and eggs. He is my uncle! (Fernanda) 

Mommy Cathy helps a fisher girl cast a line into our friends' pond. Everyone (except Mommy Sarah) caught a fish that day. I was too busy capturing memories. Bill and Marilyn were our neighbors at our first house on 41st Place. They've moved way out into the country and spend all their time fishing and mowing the lawn! That, and teaching our girls how to enjoy country living. 

Rosemary and Fernanda captured here last summer playing wedding with the new gazebo in our backyard. That backyard hosted a LOT of weddings last summer. The gazebo was a gift from Mommy Sarah's mother.

Mommy Cathy and the girls in front of "Touchdown Jesus" at Notre Dame. L to R Mercedes Rosemary and Fernanda. This picture will mean a lot more to them when they know what football is, and what Notre Dame football is. 

A rare shot of the whole family. We were at Notre Dame for a wedding and took time afterward to wander around. L to R Fernanda, Mercedes and Rosemary. 

Mommy Sarah takes a break from loading or unloading the dishwasher. Judging from the angle, the photograper was either Mercedes or Fernanda. Note the fully decorated refrigerator! 

Mommy Sarah stuck pretty close at the aquarium just to be sure no one practiced their new swimming skills with the fish. We all made it outside with dry clothes! 

Our three explorers enjoyed the aquarium in Gatlinburg. They could have spent hours standing here talking about the fish, especially the ones which looked like Nemo. 

The little mermaids learned to swim last June on our trip to South Carolina. L to R Fernanda, Mercedes and Rosemary. Fernanda says "I like to swim in Miss Jackie and Miss Peggy's pool. I love the pool." Their hot tub was just big enough for the girls to get some practice, and just small enough for them to feel safe. A nice metaphor, isn't it? 

Aunt Gretchen and her nieces at the bowling alley in Rock Hill. L to R Rosemary, Mercedes and Fernanda. Fernanda, who is sitting in my lap as I write this, says "I love you and I want to come back." 

Mercedes and Mommy Sarah take a break before tackling the next painting project. This red blanket chest became green and is now on the back porch. All the bikes in the background are now too small. We're saving the two littlest ones for the twin girls down the street! 

Last June, we went to the Indiana Festival at Conner Prairie where the girls got to practice some percussion with the dulcimer group.