And summer is here...

Memorial Day weekend.

Three glorious days off of work.

Time to spend with family.

Temperatures supposed to be in the high 80's.

Plans to purchase a jet ski this morning.

Continuous plans to be out in the pool and flipping burgers on the grill.

Bare feet required.

Maybe a sprinkler run or two.

We all have new bathing suits.

And the excitement that comes with knowing summer is here.

Can you tell kids live here?

OPEN HOUSE

Not our house, Loudoun's Kindergarten class.

We're so proud!

I'm still waiting for my PARENTING paycheck to arrive

Parenting around here lately has been stressful.

Making me feel way more grown-up than I'm used to.

Kindergarten science experiments (read: additional timely deadline).

Cavities.

*after affects of novacaine

Signing up for summer camp. Including field trips. EVERY DAY.

What a big leap to let my 6 year old travel all over LA, under someone else's care. Yikes!

Parenting has also been filled with finding legos in the bathroom.

Dental flossers in the hallway.

Apple Jacks under the entertainment center.

Naked dolls sitting on kid chairs in the kitchen.

Pool floatie toys all over the yard.

Parenting has consisted of listening to nonstop chatter.

From 2 kids.

Which is great for the 2 year old who took her time starting to talk.

But now she doesn't stop.

Mama. MAMA. MAMA!!!

And somedays you can't even hear yourself think.

Or hear your husband ask a question.

Somedays after sitting in traffic on your way to pick up your kids, all you want is a big hug and a big smile.

But you end up getting whines and cries because another kid won't share a hula hoop and

there aren't the right number of cheezits in their snack bag.

Seriously.

Other days you get the giggles and the laughs and the smiles you are looking for.

And those days are awesome.

And make up for the stressful, difficult parenting days.

I read recently that parenting is filled with long days and short years.

And to treasure all of them before they are over and you wonder where they went.

I do.

All of the days are meaning so much and leaving such special memories.

And I make sure to step over the legos on the way into the bathroom.

YOU CAPTURE: YELLOW

13 year old coffee mug, a gift from my mom when I moved away from home

The table the kids insist on eating at for every meal.

Rose blooms I didn't even know were yellow until last month.

The pool may not be warm enough yet, but it's already summer around here. If you're outside, you're fair game for squirting!

Float on over to Beth's site for more you capture: yellow posts.

Growing Pains

I have been on vacation all week, and my absolute favorite part has been getting the kids ready in the morning. Rick normally gets them ready, and has a certain level (LOTS) of stress everyday. Of course, we're not talking Loudoun. He basically floats out of the house on a puffy cloud. The stress is all Avalon, and what saucy, almost 3 year old attitude, she feels like pulling out of her pocket that day. She definitely likes to push Rick's buttons, so bless Rick for not throwing in the towel after all these years. I think I would drive off and leave them (her) every morning.

I miss out on all of the morning rituals, stressful or not, so this week has been a treat for me...snuggling 20 extra minutes in our bed, getting them dressed, feeding them breakfast, packing lunches, and buckling carseats. Avalon has been on her best behavior with me (change of pace is the difference), and although Rick is a bit envious that she is being so easy this week, he is gladly welcoming it, as he gets out the door stress free.

Of course I have been thoroughly enjoying my alone time during each day, but today I was especially missing Loudoun, and all of a sudden my cell phone rang....it was the nurse at his school...."Loudoun's teeth are sore and bothering him...Can you come..." Within 5 seconds I was parked out in front of his school, walking into the main office to scoop him up.

After a quick trip to Jamba Juice and our bathroom medicine cabinet for tylenol, Loudoun and I are snuggling on the couch enjoying the rest of the afternoon. Ahhhh, vacation. Best. Ever.

Crying Over You

I am an emotional person. Yes.
Although crying usually occurs during extremely sad times or PMS. Not much else.
Until I found God.
Now I find myself tearing up All.The.Time.
Out of joy.
Thinking about the beauty of this world makes me emotional.
Birds, colorful flowers, crashing waves. All so extraordinary and perfect.
Crying over answered prayers.
About blessings in my life.
About the kindness in people.
The mercy He shows me when I mess up.
I can cry out of fear.
Fear of His power.
Fear of my husband not finding Salvation. Fear of my friends not finding eternity with Him.
Fear they will run out of time.
Just talking to Him and the intensity I feel from the conversation can make my eyes fill up.
Thinking of the love He has for me. For my family. For my friends. Whether they know it or not.
Any day of the month. I can now cry.
And it feels good.

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Saturday morning sugar rush

Nothing like a little sugar to get the morning going, especially on a weekend!

Good, Now I can put these kids to work in the yard.
Mkaybai!