So Long Summer

2019 was a doozy of a Summer.  I have said it before and am going to say it again, we did ALL the things.  

And frankly, I'm still tired.  

But I am so grateful for the adventures and memories we made in the brief 11 weeks of Summer. 

After all of our trips came to a close we finished our summer awash in friendships, waterparks, and a visit from Grandma Jill.

I am eternally grateful for this woman here.  I spent a few days hauling my kids to her house only to have us throw all 5 of our offspring in the pool and enjoy ignoring them while chatting.  True friendship. (Don't worry, no one drowned). Being wives and mothers together is a blessing and she will always be a sundrop in my days.

When Grandma Jill came, we braved the Children's Museum for one last hoorah and found ourselves there on Foam week!  Basically a never ending pool of foam, water, sunshine, and giggles.  Grandma and I sat and watched as these two did the thing called kid living at its finest.  Summer is good.

Grandma and Bob got to see the Beatles movie, "Yesterday" (so good), and we enjoyed time spent with Jill.  She is special lady and the consensus is we laugh a whole lot more when she is here.

The cherry on top of our Summer was a trip to Sunsplash with the Allens.  This family is such dear friends of ours and we have attempted ALL summer to get our acts together to make this trip happen.  It did, and it was a BLAST!

It is so much fun to have older kids who can go all day and want to ride everything (even if stupid rules tell you your are too small).  We got there when the park opened and closed it down at night.  Friendship with these guys is special and I am looking forward to far more playtimes at the water park and maybe even Mexico again!

Summer came in like a windstorm and went out like a hurricane.  I'm still trying to recover from the ALL of it, but the truth be told we lived it up and have hordes of memories to boot!

Life's a Beach

This summer was such a whirlwind and I find myself in a place of not wanting to do anything.  Its lovely, and yet I still have this laundry list of things that I want done and one of them is this.  Its hard to find balance (which I think is an illusive ideology), and I simply refuse to feel guilty about my desire to do nothing......well that and my husband.......but more on that later.

I just can't let this Summer to by without memorializing Lily's final trip to the beach.  This girl.  She loves horses and mountains and she loves beach and sand and sun. Frankly, Lily Grace is an adventurer and is just up for anything.

Bob and I sent our girls in separate directions towards the end of the summer.  Evie spent a couple weeks with Memaw, and Lily headed out to Florida with Grandpa Bob.

Within short order of her arrival, they had experienced a fabulous resort on the Keys, and had the unique opportunity to see a Momma Manatee and her baby floating nearby.  A really cool sight for the 3 of them.

The big adventure that Grandpa Bob and Grandma Lynn had for Lily right off the bat was snorkeling.  The kid got a private snorkel tour out in the ocean.  She's fearless and they literally couldn't keep her out of the water.  Not only did she see loads of amazing fish, but she and Grandpa swam over sharks!  She loved it and was carrying on great conversations with her snorkel in her mouth.

Not one to miss out on every opportunity, Lily saw someone parasailing and decided that needed to be  her next trick.  Grandma held the camera and Grandpa and Lily went parasailing!

What an adventure!  

On their way back from the Keys they stopped at IFLY.  Indoor skydiving is something that Lily has waited and waited and asked for for a very long time and I have held out waiting for the perfect time.  This was really special and by golly, she was good at it!

I flew in a day later and got to spend a couple days on the beach with my firstborn.  I don't get to do this often enough because Evie is usually in tow, but spending time with Lily was a joy.  Shes a fun kid.

One of our favorite mornings was breakfast at "The Island Cow."  We were so fortunate to happen upon it when we did because the line for it is usually out the door.  It was such a fun and eclectic place full of plenty of pancakes, coffee, and funfetti cupcakes for appetizers (for breakfast.....not kidding).

In the time I was there we did more fun filled activities, paddleboards and jetskis and kite flying!

My and my girl had some fun. 

and even did some yoga.

Grandma Lynn and I even enjoyed an afternoon Margarita at one of the oceanside restaurants we stopped at. It was good, and refreshing, and such a joy.

There is no hiding it, jetskiing is seriously my favorite!  We were so fortunate because the day we jetskiied it rained buckets for nearly the entire day save our jet skiing hour!

Grandpa took Lily out first and then I got to  take her out.  The consensus?  Mom you go WAY too fast.  Man are my kids different.  With Evie I literally bruised my legs desperately holding her onto the seat while Daddy drove faster.....faster.......FASTER.  We were caught in windy surf and I was even timid and I still drove too fast.

No matter, we had a BLAST!  An absolute blast and I love that I got to spend some one on one time with this awesome kid! 

Back to School

We do not shy away from the truth, Bob and I were 150% ready for our children to go back to school.  But, here's the down and the low.......

Our kids were more excited than us.

Lets face it, we all love each other, but we are all a wee bit tired of each other after a packed summer of near 24/7 engagement.  When you have friends to play with, all the things to learn, teacher's to meet, and parents not to be around, you can't wait to get back to school.

In fact, on the first day of school I got up, went to the gym, and left in time to be home by 7 so that I could do the whole make breakfast, pick out clothes, do hair, and get them all excited.  I walked into my house to both of the girls, up, dressed, hair combed, beds made, breakfast consumed, teeth brushed, shoes on, and back packs loaded.

"Mom, we want to go to school, can we go now?"  To which I replied, "Oh man, I wish, but school isn't even open for another 50 minutes!"

You would have thought I told them they had to stay home and clean.  We literally had poor attitudes over the fact that they had to wait an additional 50 minutes to go to school.  So after pulling their attitudes up because, come on kids, you can suffer through pictures and waiting for 50 minutes, we finally began the walk to school.

Upon arrival, Evie took off without so much as a hug, while Lily flew upstairs and we didn't even know where she was.  I finally ran into Evie who begrudgingly took a selfie with me (that was too blurry to post) and after saying "Bee, do you want me to hang with you till the bell?" told me "No Mom, me and Aunna are going to play." Ummmmm okay, Ill go find Lily then.

We headed upstairs only to find Lily out in the field running around with 4 of her closest friends.  She didn't even acknowledge us across the field. So we talked to the teacher and told her how much we appreciated her, "Good Luck" on day 1, and high tailed it home.

So yes, THIS picture was apt for our back to school morning.

Number one parenting goal, raise our girls to be bold enough to not need us.  Mom and Dad get an A++!

Its the start of a brand new school year, the time is flying, but we are living and doing and raising our girls to soar.  

Dear Jesus, go with my girls.  Be with them and give them wisdom.  Help them to be kind, compassionate, and caring ladies.  I pray this year would be filled with new, and adventure, and learning.  I pray that they would step into the adventure that awaits them with courage, conviction, and a smile.  Mold them, love them, and be the still small voice that helps them do good and love others.  They are GREAT kids, be GREAT in them. 

Amen.

Lookin' like a Third Grader

She's in third grade guys, THIRD GRADE!  Lily Lu, my first born is growing up.  They didn't lie, it does FLY.  I would be sad but how can I be when I look at this half of my heart and see beauty, poise, confidence, hope, and excitement.  Lily is using her wings and by golly, the kid can fly!

This is a big year for her.  Already we have entered the orthodontics stage of life and Lily has a double set of expanders in her mouth.  They are aqua with sparkles and a butterfly engraved (I mean seriously this stuff is SO COOL.....with glitter.....).  Long gone are the days of the head gear and awkwardness, Lily couldn't wait to get her "retainers" and REALLY couldn't wait to show all of her friends.  3 weeks into them and we haven't lost them......WINNING!

But, for real, look at her.  Between that haircut and her expanders, and well.....her height, she looks so grown up.  OOOOF.  She currently fits in my shoes and comes easily to my chin.  I have been truly hit with the realization that Bee and I are going to be the bitties of the group.  Small in stature, big on bold.  Not Lily, no, she is fast taking after her tall, handsome, and athletic father.  Gosh the girl is going places.

Lily is in third grade this year which is on a whole new level of the school and with a fantastic teacher, Mrs. Tina Wylie.  I am so excited for her to embark on this tougher and more challenging year.  This is the first year that I will now have a child taking merit tests.  Its all real now.  Lily, of course, is most excited about her "desk buddies" where her BFF Amelia sits too and the class guinea pigs.  Its literally the 2nd day of school and I have already been asked if we can watch the class guinea pigs at home, you know, "if the teacher asks her."  Totally cool kid, but no we can't have any more permanent creatures living in our house.  I'm all tapped out keeping 2 kids, a dog, a cat, and a Bob alive!

Lily is on the Mesa Aquatics Club team this year for swimming too.  She is anxious to really dig in and get better in the pool so we are upping the game with club swimming.  She tried out and walked onto the Novice team.  They practice 3 days a week for an hour at a time.  After 2 days of swimming, and 2 days of school she asked me to go to bed tonight at 6:50.  If any of you know Lily you will understand why I nearly choked to death on my water.  Baby is working hard!  She has a set of fins, a kick board, and a drive to rival mine.  Go girly, what doesn't kill you will make you stronger......and REALLY tired!  I am excited to watch her thrive. She has so much potential........and that isn't just Mom talking.

Dear Lily, I am in awe of you.  You are incredible and such a fun young woman.  I love how are relationship is growing and changing.  I love the conversations we have about life, loving, kindness, grace, anger, and all the reasons we need Jesus.  You are learning and doing and figuring out this thing called living and I am so proud.  

Jesus has most certainly given you the gift of empathy and discernment, and I know that your heart wants to  love and care for others.  You are a leader and people want to follow you.  That is a gift, and one I want to help you cultivate.

Keep growing Lily and test those wings.  Be bold and daring, find adventure, do not live in fear, but march forward into the promises laid out for you.  I am always on your team.

Get on your way!

Mom

Our Fiery First Grader

OOOOF, we did it! We got both our kids from tiny helpless babies to gorgeous, accomplished, confident grade school aficionados.  Evie Bee is a first grader and the next chapter of our parenting journey is in motion.  Seeing your kids take flight, DAMN, it feels really, REALLY good.

This year the Bee has the amazing Miss Balanoff.  She is spectacular and I cannot wait to watch her flourish. What a great year this kid is going to have. Even though Evie was trepidatious about leaving Mrs. Rodeffer and her Kindergarten class, Evie is not afraid and she had nothing but a smile on her first day of school.

Evie is still our tiny giant.  The backpacks these days still wear her, but everything about her is big and capable and by golly I just think shes the cutest.  She let me do all of her back to school shopping and I won't lie, I had a blast.  The kid is far more concerned about friends and recess than school supplies! Evie is a love.

On top of starting school as a first grader, Evie is taking on karate this year!  Our local Precision Martial Arts studio has a "Ninja Bus" that picks kids up from school and takes them to their class.  We couldn't resist and the verdict is out, Evie LOVES karate.  First day she got her uniform and her boxing gloves.  Kid didn't want to take them off!  

Evie, you sweet girl are amazing, and the confidence that comes from you makes this Momma's heart very proud.  The love and joy you have for life is incredible and I cannot help but see the Mighty Jesus molding you into a world lover and changer.  This is another big year for you!  Its your time to shine as a first grader, and shine you will!

You are a beautiful little girl and just a bundle of fun.  I am going to miss you during the day but know without doubt that you are out there, making friends, loving like Jesus, and learning.  Big things are in store for you.....

Let your light shine Bee!

Mom