Come and Gone

Is the summer really almost over?!!!  I mean I know it doesn't officially end until late September, but I mean when all the kids go back to school...and (GULP) my kids start school....  They won't start kindergarten, but they will start a new program called Transitional Kindergarten - 5 days a week for 3 hours (so it might as well be kindergarten).  I know they are excited and ready to go have some fun, and I know I complain about feeling overwhelmed and trapped at home with kids that drive me crazy some days, but I'm not sure if I'm really ready for them to go to school every day of the week either :/  Knowing that this time has come so fast, and will be gone before I know it, makes me want to stop time....I want to take it all in, steal all the hugs and kisses I can, and appreciate everything about where we are.  And when I say where we are, I don't necessarily mean geographically...I mean WHERE we are in terms life/stages/etc (thanks for sharing that article, Ami ;)  Although this day, I was lucky enough to be enjoying both...

We love the beach!!! 

(Especially when we  can escape 110 degree weather and go enjoy 80 degrees by the water :)

Trying to ignore some of the whining...

And enjoy more of these smiles :)  

 We might love the beach, but Timmy didn't love the salt water! 

 

...and Now

No matter what year it is, or how modern life gets...to me, 4th of July will always feel old fashion.  It's family and friends; it's a parade in the morning, barbecues and country music (even if Tim insisted on listening to the Hit List this year) throughout the day, and fireworks at night; it's relaxed and simple; and it's one of my favorite holidays!  This year....we had the best day EVER!

Then...

I kind of can't wait for tomorrow! 

BRAVE

While Daddy and Timmy headed off to NASCAR last Sunday, the "greatest grandma" and I took the girls to see Brave.  And there is sooo much I could say about it, but don't want to ruin it for any of you that haven't seen it yet.  Without saying too much, let's just say that it's more a movie about mothers and daughters and it hit home with me...as a daughter, and now as a mother to girls.  I just want my girls (and Timmy) to know that I love them fiercely...with every ounce of my being!  I would do anything for them, literally!  And there is nothing I want more for them than the strength to be brave enough to follow their hearts and blaze their own trail!!!

I bought the girls Brave Tee shirts for the movie, but they couldn't be talked out of these princess jammies...and high heeled fluffy slippers!  

And yes, I let them wear them....

I'm already learning to choose my battles wisely ;) 

 This is horrible quality, but it's the only pic I got of the girls with the Brave display...

and triple trouble, of course ;)

  

Two Years Down, Forever to Go!

Yeah, I know...not very original.  I think I used that same title (insert a "One" instead of a "Two") last year, which given my recent blog activity, is probably just a few posts back!  But in all honestly, get used to it.....I hope to be using it for a looooong time!  Anywho, staying on track....when Tim and I went to the Bahamas in April, we said it was for our Anniversary...and our birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day....and any other up and coming holiday, big or small, in the foreseeable future!  I never got a chance to blog about it, but it was pretty amazing...definitely all I needed for a great Anniversary!  

     

But thankfully, we were lucky enough to spend some time together on Sunday, too!!! 

My favorite cupcakes (yep, we started with dessert; that's how I roll ;) 

packaged in my favorite boxes...

(Ok, this isn't my FAVORITE box, but they were out of that one, so this one did the job!)

Then onto my favorite winery....

Mmmmm.....

And ending it all at my favorite restaurant for my favorite dinner....

and one of my favorite drinks...

with my favorite guy!!!

(I'm sorry about the weird shadow on your head making it look like you have male pattern baldness...I love you anyway...and that's good to know for future reference ;)

Love you, Babe!  Thanks for a great two years....and a perfect day to top it all off!!!

  

Confused

I don't know why I can't seem to get back into the blogging swing of things.  Is it because we're really not doing much these days but hanging out and I don't have much blog about?  Or is it the opposite...that we're busy ALL the time???  I'm not sure how it's possible, but both feel true!  Ever since we moved, I feel like there is always something to do around here, running errands, trying to get something checked off the "TO DO" list, just the everyday life stuff.  But at the same time, we haven't been venturing out as much as we used to for family outings.  We're more content here....we have more space and we can breath!  The kids are more than happy running around outside, riding bikes and scooters, or playing in the pool.  And I am happy watching them....while I try to keep up with cleaning and laundry (some things never change...no matter where you move).  I think about blogging a lot...I miss it!  But at the same time, I'm just enjoying hanging out with the kids and not feeling so attached to the computer.  This is what life looks like around here lately.  What about you???       

UH-MAZING!!!

Not even sure that word does it justice.  Tim and I took a trip to Bahamas (honestly, I think I'm still there mentally) and we visited some of the MOST UH-MAZING places I have EVER seen!  I'll blog more later; I'm still adjusting to being back...and I need to figure out this new blog layout thing (I hate change)!!!

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me HAPPY

when skies are gray

You'll never know dear

how much I LOVE you

Please don't take my sunshine away

Emma is not my ONLY sunshine (or "shunshine" as she would call it), but this pic I snapped of her yesterday reminded me of this song...which is HUGE at our house right now!  The kids love it...and sound SO DANG CUTE singing it ;)  I HAVE to record it!  I hope you all are enjoying a little sunshine today...I know we are :)

Kallie

Last, but certainly not least....my baby C.  Kallie is fierce....she knows what she wants and is strong-willed.  Ehem, correction....STUBBORN!!!  She might be our "baby," but she doesn't act like it.  As I've mentioned before, her name around here is Lil' Mamma!  And even when she was a baby, she used to give me a look that said, "Really???  YOU'RE my mom?!"

Despite having the will/determination of a hundred horses and being able to throw a temper tantrum that is just short of looking like she is either possessed or having a grand mal seizure, she has THE BIGGEST HEART EVER!!!  She LOVES with her whole being and when she feels so obliged, she will share her most beloved possessions with you - her Lambchop, her money, and her chocolate (and if you're ever lucky enough to get the latter, you better feel pretty darn special).    

  

She's quite shy around strangers and it takes her a while to warm up.  One of our new neighbors has already learned to tell the girls apart by remembering that Emma will always say "hi" to her first.  

She hates the camera and will rarely look right at it and smile.  And most of the time, when she does, you can tell she feels awkward.  That's why I LOVE when I catch her real smile.  I love seeing her happy and comfortable and confident....and the smile that comes from that, makes my heart want to burst!

She used to be a HUGE Daddy's girl.  Even in the NICU, she would do extremely well when Tim was holding her - all of her stats would improve.  If I came around, her stats would immediately start to fall and her machines would start beeping.  I was convinced that she hated me.  But now.....100% Mamma's girl! :)

She's not particularly athletic, but she has recently stated that she is a "really good soccer kicker" and thinks she can "beat Torrie" (a friend who actually plays on a soccer team).  She loves being outside and is the girl always picking flowers and chasing butterflies!  She also LOVES to color, draw, paint, or do anything artistic! I'm pretty sure "the greatest grandma" (Tim's mom) has a small forrest worth of papers that Kallie has colored for her. 

She loves boys and I'm fairly certain she has a crush on her cousin, Dylan.  She talks about him when he's not around and when he is, she's constantly asking him "Are you my best friend?  Do you like me?" And she is crushed every time he says no.  She is extremely sentimental and tends to pick one thing from whoever's house we're at and wants to bring it home.  And this post wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention Kallie's love of comfort.  She has a pair of leggings that look like skinny jeans (I call them her pajama jeans, or jeggings, if you will ;) and she would wear them EVERY DAY if she could!  She has also been wearing the same Tinker Bell pajama gown to bed for 2 1/2 years now (it's becoming more of a tunic with three quarter sleeves).  And you can pretty much tell the time, right before it gets dark and the street lights come on, when Kallie will disappear and then come back downstairs, wearing pajamas, slippers and her hair undone of all piggy-tails.       

  

She's my big sweetie, my little old soul, and every night when I tuck her in, I tell her I love her "tons and tons, bunches and bunches."  I hope she knows what that means.  I hope she knows that I love her more than she loves Lambchop, money, chocolate, her favorite pajama jeans, and her trusty old Tinker Bell gown....combined!