The Before and After

Mr. Mullet man cut off his blonde locks just in time to take his class some juicy doughnuts for his birthday. He told me he could feel the wind at 38 MPH blowing through his hair. Hmmmm, good to know.

The Secret Garden

Mammy and Papa's garden is where TONS of magic happens. The boys spend hours in there exploring, having adventures, and eating the harvest.

This day just so happened to be all about carrots. They dug out hundreds of baby ones and washed them to perfection so that everybody could taste their sweetness.

Then it was time to construct a trap and try to catch a rabbit since rabbits love carrots. They quietly worked on their project and when we went to the front yard we found their plan in action:


Uncle Todd took a wild Boar skull and put it in place of the carrots. When Kendall peeked under the bucket the next day, he flew back and said, "What the HECK is that?!!"

We all died laughing!

Change of Plans

We had been preparing to do a little camping for the weekend but after checking and rechecking the weather, we knew it was no longer an option. Rain in the forecast. Longing for a camping adventure before the summer is over, we did the next best thing.

We loaded up our camping chairs and blankets, went over to our favorite park and lit up the hibachi.

I had a great talk with my mom about being in the moment when you are doing things. Anything.

It was so fun to hear her describe what was happening. The evening was coming to a close and getting dark. Everyone tightened their sweatshirt and pulled up their hoods. Rain was starting to threaten our coals ember yellow and orange colors. It was borderline cold. Soccer practice was going on in the distance and swings squeaked off to our left.

The boys were happy playing with a coach's Husky named, Rocky. In between games of peek-a-boo and fluttering glow sticks that Justin pulled out as a surprise, we roasted marshmallows. We handed out the roasters Justin got from Father's Day and jammed two puffy ones on each roaster. The boys had a contest to see who's were the best and then which ones stayed on fire the longest. I was just happy to be the judge.

We sat under a huge pine tree and tried to lick off the chocolate before it dripped down our sweatshirts. Our s'mores had an added feature. Reece's peanut butter cups. I could write all day how good they tasted but then it just might be the fact I haven't had much sugar lately. The rain started sprinkling and we hoovered around the coals, trying to keep warm. The the glowing coals, of course put us in a trance or maybe it was watching Justin help the boys. I took pictures of Mammy spell out words and then it was time to go.

I hope with everything I do, I will be present in the moment. I'm going to try real hard, even if I have brain fog.

Keep Going

My friend had this quote on her blog and I really love thinking about it. It provides me with much comfort:

"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain. "

-Richard G. Scott

If we can just endure, trust, eat Martha's coconut cake, watch a little firework show in September, and try our best to enjoy the ride.... I think we just might make it.

Enjoying

What an experience it has been to have so much one on one time with Kendall ever since Nathan started school. We have hours and hours together and I have learned so much from this little guy, like:

"Did you know penguins swim in rivers and sharks swim in ponds?"

"When you are totally starving...it just means you need to eat."

"You make cookies with powder and sugar."

"When I grow up, I want to be....a dog!"

We have talks about dangerous stuff according to Kendall, like how you don't climb on fridges. Another favorite is having samples at Costco and re-telling Mammies stories to get a gut busting laugh.

My current favorite is when he brings out some books and blankets and we hang out on the couch and in between yawns decide that we will have a shot ten minute rest and it turns into an hour and a half sleep with him snuggled in my arms.

It's fun to take him on a bike ride and listen to all his questions he asks as he timidly pedals. We have spent lots of time at the library picking out the perfect book and a Friday night movie.

I feel like time is my enemy, robbing me of this little person, speeding up the growing up process because just yesterday he was a baby and I was wondering what he would be like when he was four.

Cake Pops....

Todd and Martha are expecting a baby. They live way to far away at the moment. But we got to feel a tinge of their excitement today, as they found out they are having a BOY!!!

Martha had these cute little cake pops made so that when we all gathered together at the Garlic Knot and bit into them, they would revel the gender of the baby! They were in Idaho on speaker phone and we happily enjoyed the yummy news here.

Wait, Wait!

Even though I love fall and can smell it around the corner, I'm not ready for it to take over long, warm, sunny evenings.

The boys had a massive water balloon fight and then Papa bumped it up a notch and showed them the beauty of spinning a large, cold, white, egg through the air and if you don't skillfully catch it...

You've got a mess.

Almost Roses

Kendall has been dying to go to school for a long time. He has had his backpack ready for weeks. He ate his favorite cereal for breakfast, got on his favorite outfit, sang and skiped around all morning. On his way to school he called GG and talked with tons of excitement, ran into Miss Melody's house and gave her a big hug.....

Then he hung onto my leg for dear life, squeezed out tons of tears and told me he had changed his mind, he wasn't stayin' for school.

Miss Melody peeled him off my leg and I left with a lump in my throat.

When I came to pick him up, he ran out of her house and talking 100 MPH told me all about his day. He LOVED it!

"We play with play dough. I got it on my shoe. My teacher and the Papa (Mr. Tom) at my class used a tiny knife and he got the play dough off my shoe!

We readed Mr. Froggy book who flied. We read two frog books. And played a frog game where the frog jumped in the water!

We got to go to the playground like Nathan has at his school. There is a gate that you go and I got to play on the tire swing and I pumped and pumped on the regular swing!

I had muffins and cupcakes for snack. and milk. They were white and green. And then that is all. Then you came and picked me up!

Oh, and I get to paint next time. Oh, and my favorite song was, motor boat, motor boat go so fast! Motor boat, motor boat, step on the gas! And we went round and round on the tire swing, so fast!"

Whew! Glad it went well.

Labor Day

I love weekends when it is slow paced and you window shop because tons of people are on holiday enjoying their families. We peeked inside the lollipop shop and took a gander at the little spice store. We made a promise that at a future date the girls would return and have tea and Miss B's house.

The boys hid behind foliage and tried to scare all who were in our company. We were bit by the fall bug as we scanned cute Halloween decorations and elaborate autumn ones. We worked up quite an appetite which ended us up at a hamburger stand. Sweet potato fries, a nap and a movie ended most of our day...but then we got a bee in our bonnet to go look at baby stuff for my new nephew on the way.

Dragons Don't Dissapoint!

The weather finally took a turn and decided to let a few cool bursts cool off the usual never ending summer heatwave that we love and look forward to all year. Todd and Martha had a glorious plan to spend the day at the Zoo and who could refuse our favorite attraction, the Kimono Dragons?

Armed with a picnic to be had by the peacocks, juicy watermelon and Joann's cherries, we stayed until we were weary and our brains were about to pop from all the interesting animal facts we could handle.