Vacationing

Did I forget to mention we are on vacation?! 

The first half is at Noni & Captains house. 5 days filled with swimming and biking on their dead-end street.  I think the kids are in heaven. Ella has already made friends with every kid under 10 on the street (there are lots of them!). Where did she get that from?!! 

Then next week we are off to the beach. That's where I will be in heaven...

This Moment:: One of the Gang

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Great Idea from SouleMama

Family Reunion

 I forgot to add this to our summer list, but I can guarantee it will be on all of our future lists!

It was nothing fancy...a dusty park, BBQ, a bounce house and a big group Softball Game. 

But it was so special. 

Listening to stories from years gone by...memories that bind this group together. 

And watching the little cousins play together, making new memories and tightening those bonds. 

I think I finally have everyone's names, but Im still working on the connections! 

Ella's favorite part of the day, "I got to play with my big cousins all by myself - with no Mommy or Daddy watching!!" 

Just a Taste

 Just 2 times around on Hank or S'mores, no adjusting stirrups or holding onto the reins.

 But they get to feel the bounce of the stride, the smell of barn, and the chance to run their hands through the wiry mane. 

Just a taste of Heaven...if you ask me. 

Summer is Here!!!

Happy First Day of Summer!! This is perhaps the best day of the year and a great excuse to have a celebratory ice cream cone. Also a great day to make a list of "Summer Must Do's" so here is ours::

 Beach, Beach, Beach::Pool, Pool, Pool:: Farmers Markets:: Fairs:: Amusement Park:: Ice Cream Truck:: S'mores:: Bonfire:: Fireworks:: Circus:: Pony Rides:: Fresh Corn, Fresh Berries, Fresh Tomatoes:: Playing with the water hose:: Water Guns & Water Balloons:: Bike Rides:: Boat Rides:: Backyard Camp Out:: Hike:: Zoo:: Fishing::Catch Fireflies ::Rainy Day Movie:: Mini Golf:: Pick our Own Berries

Im excited! Im a little amazed at how many of our Summer List adventures we have already done, but Im open for repeats! 

I LOVE Summer!! 

Troubles Melt

It was one of those days. 

We needed an oil change and that was only the beginning of a list of errands that needed to be done. 

Not fun errands either. 

But the bonus (read:bribe) at the end of the list was a long bike ride at the park. 

The beginning of the ride was great, but the end looked like this. 

Oops. 

So to top off a boring, frustrating day we were rained out of our bike ride and left wet & soggy. 

I had prepared to grill that night. 

Aggh, it wasn't getting better. 

We drove through rainy traffic to Ikea. Surely a parking garage and some Swedish meatballs could cure this bad day! 

Strike three. 

Ikea was having some lame Summer celebration that required advance reservations. 

Seriously?! 

The baby was fussing, the traffic was building. I was retreating home with hungry, whiny kids. 

Suddenly Tyler spotted the rainbow. 

The conversation turned to the wonders of nature. 

And my troubles melted as I saw the world through their eyes and learned another lesson on perspective. 

Because to them the day was all about adventure, fun, and wonder...

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Great Idea from SouleMama

Beachin' It

 I'll be honest, I could do without the 1.5 hour drive down to the shore. And lugging all the stuff while cheerily repeating, "come on guys, almost there!" onto the beach is quite hellish. Don't even get me started on trekking back to the car with sandy, tired kids.

 But the middle part? The part where everyone is happy, the sun is shining, and the surf provides the perfect background music? 

Well, it is simply BLISS.

 They entertain themselves. They don't fight, in fact they enjoy each other. As a bonus, the baby took a killer nap, right there on the beach. 

 So, I had no other choice but to turn around and head straight back down the following day. 

 Besides once you have a taste of the beach (in Colby's case, he literally TASTES the beach), you just need more. 

Picture This

I didn't have my camera this weekend...it was actually a little nice. Instead of rushing and fumbling for the camera and missing 1/2 of "the moments," I enjoyed the moments. I lived the moments. It just makes sharing with YOU a little harder...here is what the captions would say...

*Ella looking up to her big cousin McKenzie in line at the Science Center. 

*Making & eating Smores....all 5 cousins - messy! 

*Justin Beiber dance party with glow sticks :) 

*All tucked in, a cousin sleepover

*The circus!! A camel ride, snow cones, cotton candy

* Mike's birthday dinner at a favorite Cheeseburger place 

*Colby taking a few unassisted steps!!! 

I loved all the moments from the weekend....but Ill be back to taking pictures this week! 

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Great Idea from SouleMama

Another Month

 10 Months always feels like the beginning of the end for me. The end of being a baby. They eat more regular foods and cut down on nursing. They start moving all over the house, causing commotion and destruction. 

Colby G is 10 months tomorrow. He loves to eat - and has already learned that when Mom goes into the pantry, food will be coming out. He is turning into a noisy guy and the kids love when they talk/yell at him and he mimics them back. He gives the cutest, biggest, wettest kisses complete with a "MMMMUUUWWAHHH!" 

And yes, he thinks he can walk...almost Colby, just give me another week or so of baby. 

Bike Brigade

First steps and first words are highlights of parenting...but as the kids get bigger, so do the parenting thrills. This one is all about 2 wheels baby!! 

 The determination, the focus, and the looks on their faces when they finally get it -awesome! 

So, now of course we are obsessed. They want to ride bikes the moment they climb from their beds in the morning, all day, and "just a quick ride before bed, please?" 

Tyler has inherited Drew's bike, complete with a brand new bell, and he couldn't be happier. 

Now all we need is Colby & I to be riding along, instead of trailing behind in their dust :)

Flashbacks

Its funny how as soon as I pull a shirt or a hat from the storage bucket for Colby to wear, I remember. I remember the day Drew wore it, the places we went, the picture I took. It is hard to believe he was ever that small, and at the same time I can't believe he is a big boy now.

It is also a little shocking that I don't remember Tyler in these clothes. I guess I was a little more fried than I thought I was! Pictures??!! I had too many little ones under foot to remember my camera :)

They certainly look like brothers, don't they?!

Farm Hands

 It has become somewhat of a seasonal ritual...in Spring and then again in the Fall we take a drive to this farm. Well, let's use the word "farm" loosely. It is a park turned into a farm with the simple addition of multiple pens filled with Mama animals and their babies.

 2 week old pig piles, 3 day old goats, kittens, ponies...really every farm animal you can think of just waiting for us to pet them, lay on them, even pick them up. 

 Last Fall Colby was a little bundle wrapped in a stroller, totally unaware of where we were or why. Not this Spring. He was straining to get out of the stroller, squealing, and grabbing every animal in site. 

It's official...it's in our blood...we all love animals! 

 I had to drag Ella out of every pen in order to keep up with our guide. She fell in love over and over, her nurturing spirit just oozing out all over those squawky chickens and nubby lambs. 

The tour ends with the always popular milking of the cow. I think the kids are pretty confused by this. You have to admit the placement of the udders and the udders in general lend the kids to think "pee" rather than milk.  And combine that with seeing me nurse Colby....I can only imagine what is in their little heads. 

That aside, a day with animals is about as good as it gets for us :)

All's Fair

 We like the Fair, it doesn't matter which one or where. 

 This year all 3 of the big kids (and our neighbor/idol) wanted to be on every ride. They bumped on boats, did wheelies on motorcycles, slid down the giant slide and we hugged on the ferris wheel. 

 My face hurt at the end of the day from the perma-grin I had watching my kids laugh, giggle and squeal their way around the fair. 

 It was worth the thousands of dollars we spent :) 

(Nana, that is a joke!!) 

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Great Idea from SouleMama

Hello Summer!

The calendar may say that Summer really begins at the end of this month...but there is plenty that is telling me it has already begun. 

 We kicked it off big time this weekend. There was swimming, BBQ, Popsicles, baseball and bikes...if that doesn't say summer, I don't know what does. 

We came together in the backyard for Dad's Birthday, but as usual we seemed to celebrate so much more.  

 Each other, the summer, this awesome life and the moments we spend together. 

So, hello again to our favorite season! And yes, a to do list is on the way :)