Carter will be back at the same school as last year.
Lydia will join him there as a full-day Kindergartener.
We all greet the year with excitement,
But I would be lying if I didn’t admit it’s also with a twinge of sadness.
Time does indeed march on.
My, my…look how they’ve changed.
“Young boys (and girls) should never be sent to bed… they always wake up a day older.
And then before you know it, they’re gone.”
–Finding Neverland, parenthesis mine
I thought I was ready for school to start.
I have been frustrated with the kids.
They have been frustrated with me.
We have spent way too much time inside.
(But it’s just so dang hot!)
But as I watched the “Back to School” pictures post on Facebook,
I found myself thinking, “I’m glad that’s not us today.”
I wasn’t expecting to wish for more summer.
The days are long and exhausting.
I am frequently tired and overwhelmed.
(Even more so than usual.)
But we’ve had so much fun,
Made so many great memories.
Snuggled this little cutie.
Visited the wildlife rescue center.
Celebrated Gaga’s life
Did a lot of swimmin’!
Washed the car (and each other).
Celebrated our country.
Rode the waves.
Had lots of bedtime giggles at the beach.
Hit the lanes.
Played scientist.
Gave big googly eyes while painting.
And so much more…
So…so long, summer.
You were more than I imagined you would be.
(Also? I am not excited about having to set an alarm clock for the first time in months. Ugh.)
Today we tackled the chaos and the clutter. I’d say we’re a pretty good tag team.
Well, three outta four ain’t bad! I’ll get the table tomorrow!
You, my love, are five years old today.
Five – I can hardly wrap my mind around that.
I feel like we somehow skipped year four.
Has it really been a year since you rode horses with Jess?
A whole year of preschool behind you, Kindergarten now looms ahead.
I worry about you. (Needlessly, but still…I worry.)
Assertive and talkative at home, you hold back when you are out.
You know what you want and you are certain to go after it.
But you do it quietly, discreetly.
When you think no one is looking, you chat with your friends…
Using your vivid imagination, you lead your peers into a Utopian play world.
One glance from an adult, however, leaves you quiet and reserved.
You appear unsure, but you aren’t.
You are taking it all in.
Absorbing everything around you
And analyzing it over and over and over again.
(I know because I have a habit of doing the same thing.)
But you can also be tough and stubborn and unstoppable.
(I know this, too. I see it every.single.day.)
You dive right in and keep the boys in line.
You don’t hesitate to tell me when I’m wrong (or when you think I’m wrong).
You are kind and loving and caring, always wanting to help the littles.
You feel every thing so deeply, love so fiercely.
You are unapologetically you.
And I love that about you.
(And maybe even envy you a bit.)
Keep it up, my big girl.
Keep on being you.
Because you?
You are amazing.
And I love you.
Happy birthday, love.
I won’t lie; this week has been tough.
My days have been long and my fuse has been short.
Anna Alden is working hard on cutting some teeth.
Overall, she’s still a very pleasant baby…
But she’s cried more in the past week than in the past two months.
Summer is wearing on me.
I love the lazy days of summer,
But sometimes they are hard to fill.
Especially when it’s so dang hot!
But…through it all, I am constantly still amazed at all the small things that make me smile:
This week has been full and colorful and wonderful.
I have friends who are twins. Between them they have 4 kids.
I (obviously) have 4 of my own.
I was in charge of all of them (plus a friend here and a cousin there) this week.
We had so, so much fun!
We colored and tie-dyed and painted.
And made lip gloss and paper butterflies.
We made chalk (that was supposed to glow-in-the-dark).
We watched movies and swam and splashed in the pool for hours at a time.
This week there were a lot of small things, but we made big memories.
I may have stolen this idea from Heather, but she loves me so it’s all good.
My lovely friend Heather started doing a little thing on Saturdays called Grace in Small Things.
And you guys know I get all mushy thinking about the little things that make up our lives.
And you also know I post approximately 4,039 pictures a week.
But I’m going to start trying to not post every picture and save some for this weekly ditty.
(But instant gratification is sooo great. I may not be able to ignore that siren’s song.)
Silly Girls
Bedtime at the Beach
Sunrise at the beach
(Sun obstructed by the smoke)
Jellies on the beach
TOES!
Mater and the Ghostlight Story Time
First Time Bowling
You mean I was supposed to be taking a nap?
You mean you want me to eat that stuff?
A moment alone. Ahhh…
Anna Alden will occasionally make a face or do something just like one of her siblings.
But for the most part, she doesn’t look as much like the others
They all look a lot a like (I think), but Little Miss A is her own woman!
Below are similar pictures I have of all four of my kidlets at 5 months old.
What do you think? Does she look like the others when they were her age?
p.s. It seems like that first picture was 2 years ago, not 6. You know, waaaay back in the pre-digital photo days.
Step One:
Turn on the water hose and aim it up your brother’s nose.
Continue spraying everyone until they are all completely soaked and crying.
Step Two:
Take one of those rags by the soap bucket and dunk it in the soapy water.
Whatever you do – don’t wring it out.
It is imperative that you make it as heavy as possible!!
This way when you sling it over your head it will have maximum slap-a-bility when it pops across your mother’s face.
Step Three:
Make sure you draw plenty of pictures in the dirt first. Get it goooood and streaky.
Then do not actually wash any of it off when you swoosh the rag in random shapes all over the van.
Also make sure your mom is smack dab in the middle of washing a window before you spray the water onto said window.
(It’s the perfect way to catch her off guard and leave her choking and gagging on soapy car wash water.)
Step Four:
Convince your sister that she needs a helmet while washing “for safety purposes”.
Step Five:
Watch mom rinse of the van while you pee in the woods.
Giggle and loudly yell, “You’re watering the car just like I’m watering the bushes!”
Step Six:
Sit on the steps with your soaking wet, pantless brother and your helment-on-her-head-for-safety-purposes sister
And enjoy a classic summer favorite: Push Pops
Marshall whisked me off to to New York City for our anniversary.
Go ahead…be jealous. It was fabulous!
We didn’t get out of Atlanta until later in the evening and we landed in NYC around 10pm.
But we were only going to be there for 2 days, and we were in the city that never sleeps…
So as soon as we dropped our luggage at the hotel, we headed back out.
Nothing like a midnight comedy show at UCB!
And nearly getting run over by a parade of cop cars.
My photography goal(I know I sound like a total geek) was to take as many pictures as possible at kid-level
So that I could show the kidlets what it would have looked like if they had been with us.
(Yes, that is actually a picture.)
We ate at Empanada Mama, where we waited forever(but it was totally worth the wait)!
And seriously? The caramel and cheese empanada is oddly amazing.
We saw my favorite show!
And wandered aimlessly for hours just talking.
It was a whirlwind trip, but it was wonderful.
Want to see more pictures? Go here.
