Christmas in the Summer

Did I tell you we did many Christmas-y things this summer? Oh yes. All on the kid's own accord.

We dressed up in our Christmas dress when it was 100 outside.

We played with the Santa snowglobe until the batteries gave out.

And we made snow angels on the carpet.

I think the kids are a little excited for Christmas!

Abby also got a Christmas-y type gift from her Aunt Christi ... Minnie Crocs. I can't thank her enough for replacing the ratty, old dark blue crocs she was living in with these cuties.

And in un-Christmas-y but very summery news (now that it's fall...)

We had a friend spend the night (with her parents!) and the girls had popsicles for breakfast (don't tell them it's fruit and yogurt!).

And we had an amazing visit with Grandma and Papa, Jamba Juice included :

722. anticipation
723. being on the same hardware page
724. almond flour to the rescue
725. sticking to a commitment
726. back in God's word

2 Years and 4 Pounds

We had Fordy's check up a bit ago and at this point, 2 years and 4 pounds separate these two. Four pounds. Seriously. And Abby actually seems to be putting on a little weight. Which explains how he's in the 5% for weight. FIFTH! I swear I feed my children. I really do. Almond butter, avocados and some junk. Honestly. What gives?

He's had a busy, busy summer.

Eating gelato...

Working very heard at my computer with very sharp objects...

Managing my bills...

Drawing his first picture...

And eating breakfast faster than you can say, "Do you need more eggs?"

And giving mommy some hands-free time (please note one of the few moments of happiness when they are actually having fun together)...

And with all my heart I love this crazy, climbing, screaming, testosterone filled boy.

718. using his words
719. a great napper
720.  no nap routine - but almost always able to nap
721. sleeping till 7am

Summer Bucket List- Zoo!

It's hard to believe that summer is basically over. By our chinny-chin-chins we fulfilled our bucket list just before August ended (good thing, too, because there were only two things on our list!) as we headed to the local zoo (where we'd NEVER been!) with Abby's good pal, Pema.

It was a relatively cooler day that day (low 90's instead of 100's as it had been) but the girls still loved jumping crazily in front of the mister fans. We could've stayed there all day. Especially since Abby stayed in the stoller for the first few animals. "Mom! I don't wanna see the Meercats! No!!!!" (Weird.)

Notice tutu has become summer staple...

So, finally she was feeling good once we got to the zebras (see him back behind her?)...

And Fordy was fascinated by the giraffes...pointing, squirming, "mama! mama!"...

Pema was being pushed around in a one man stroller and we had a two man stroller and one of the most fun things for the kids (and most frustrating for us) was to switch around who was riding with whom. It was especially fun when one of the three didn't want to move or switch. 90 degrees and we can't get past the monkeys. Come on, people.  Ford would pop up and watch the big girls, riding in the double like this... (probably thinking "what are they doing over there?!")

And, what is the zoo without a junky lunch and bees swarming around? The one animal we weren't excited to see... bees! Bees everywhere. So, of course, we just had to have ice cream after lunch to see if they'd still stick around (they did). Heaven with ice cream...

Oh yeah....

And the day was topped off with a carousel ride.  Abby decided she wanted to sit instead of going up and down which worked out great. I'm not sure how I would've held them both on, going up and down at different times. There must be an app to tell me how. Am i right?

714. free passes (thanks, wendy!)
715. a tired, sweaty, cranky mom - and the kids gave me grace
716. friends you can be yourself with
717. the reason behind it all making sense

PreSchool Days

There is only one first day of school, right? I guess preschool might not count as real "school" but I just kept thinking about how monumental yesterday was. And laughing at myself because I thought it was so very silly when parents cried when they took their kids to kindergarten let alone preschool. I mean, come on. Right? Wrong. What a dummy. I didn't cry yesterday -- but I was giddy. Giddy and on the verge of tears. You know that feeling? Like on your wedding day? So happy you almost have to cry? That's how I felt, turned down like 900 notches.

For the last half of last year, Abby would cry all the way to Bible Study on Wednesday mornings. She'd really cry when we got there and then, after I left her, they'd come and find me and tell me she was fine. That she was good. Phew. And when I'd pick her up, she'd be happy and jumping around and telling me all about it. But this happened for weeks. And last Wednesday, on the first day of Bible Study, she did it again. Same thing. Crying on the way there, crying when I left her, happy when I picked her up. And so, once she realized we weren't "staying" at preschool, I expected the same response. But after some initial tears at home, she stuffed her Dora back pack full of junk.... and she headed out the door (check out the undies showing)...

And with some help from Fordy, we finally managed to all get in the car (dad included!)...

A few more sad moments and then, after this photo, she held my hand and walked into school.

We washed her hands, made sure she was talking to the one person she had met in her class and I said, "Okay, Abs! I'll be back soon to get you! Just like Bible Study!" (I thought it might help things that PreSchool and Bible Study were at the same church.)

And just like that, we had one child to care for for 3 hours. Ford and I hit the store, ran some errands and ... and... it was pretty nice. Really nice. Especially nice until I realized that "bunny!" was in my purse. YIKES! So, I rushed bunny back to her backpack hanging on the hook in class and crept out without being seen.

When we picked her up, she said she loved it. She talked about some things, kept other things to herself and I thought, "here we go... life out of my control begins" (as if I ever had control). And the big, huge news of the day was that I gave her an insane amount of sugar. More sugar than any 25 pound 3 year old should have. A clown cone. Pretty gross. And she loved it.

She adored it.

She demolished it.

Praise the Lord for good first things. I am so thankful.

710. preschool 6 minutes door to door
711. a wonderful teacher
712. forgetting everything but making it work
713. a good, good day
713. time with Fordy alone

The Tale of the Little, Happy Fish

Today was our final swim lesson. There was anxiety (waking up with "Mom! Please! I don't want to go!") and some fun ("Yes! Mom! Let's practice in the little pool first!") followed by crying as our teacher approached us ("No! Mommy! No!"). After I walked away and she got going... she did really, really great. In fact, she did the best she's ever done. I think making it an extra long lesson without her pal there really helped things. After awhile, I heard her being her bossy-old self. "I know, Miss. Victoria! Let's go to the side now!" "How about if we do kicks now!?" Anything to not "go under" again...

Here are the girls after it was over...(even bunny made an appearance!) with their teacher.

And just so she would remember what she had just told me, I got some video (she told me "Mom! I love swim lessons! I want to keep doing them!") because I knew she'd change her tune on this later (which she did).

705. crazy Ford in the tub
706. knowing God is giving just enough
707. kindle love
708. new music
709. new recipes

The Tale of the Little, Sad Fish

This week Ford put on his shoes by himself for the first time. And tonight, (drumroll please....) after obsessing about wanting to sit on Abby's little potty, got naked, sat down and promptly peed. I'm not thinking this is going to stick...but we were all jumping up and down.




Abby started swim lessons a few weeks ago and it ended up being scheduled during Ford's morning nap. I had these great visions of me sitting on the side, with Fordy, watching Abby learn to do the breaststroke. Had I forgotten that my child will now no longer sit still... ever? And around water? Forget it! He would be crying, dying to be in the pool too. I'm so glad the schedule turned out the way it did.

Here are the girls on their first day... ready to go and (notice!) happy.

Abby started off strong but as soon as the first lesson was under way and she realized she needed to float on her back, things went downhill. From then on, while her buddy had a good time and went under and actually started to show signs of actually doing something that looks like swimming, Abby cried -- more and more each lesson. I don't think it helped that at night in the tub, Ford would blow bubbles (which she refuses to do) and would put his face in.

We figured some things out along the way and now, as we have one lesson left... she's actually starting to get into it. I think. Perhaps she's into the "treasure chest" that she gets to pick a toy from if she doesn't scream. Scream. Yes. She screams. We have lots of talks about doing hard things, about perseverance, about prayer, about doing things we don't want to do....and there is the occasional ice cream bribe (Ford loves his 25 cent cone!)...

It's been a tough thing for her. I know it's common. But with how excited she was to do it, I must say, I was surprised. And now, goggles are used mostly for morning reading. And for now, I'm great with that.

700. operation snake find
701. the baby pool being new all over again
702. the sprinkler during September
703. the bathroom extras
704. our bedroom drapes & their price

Summer Concert Memory

Two years ago, Abby and I started going to a concert series here in town with her BFF Pema. Abby couldn't yet walk and Pema was cruising (Abby was about Ford's age, remember, and he can run almost anywhere now although he can't speak as well as she could -- so fascinating to me!). We eat, we laugh and we have an all around good time.

Here they were...snacking pre-show.

And now, two years later... at the same concert... look at these two. For a second there, I could see their high school faces. Weird! They danced and jumped and giggled and fake-laughed their way through the concert.

I believe we have ourselves a summer tradition.

And Fordy? He was just there to eat. As usual.

695. my good eater
696. watching the singing and dancing with no heart worries
697. "don't let the bedbugs bite!" "i won't!"
698. family walks
699. the mountain view from the swingset at sunset