Summer's top ten

Okay, I know summer is not officially OVER, but I go back to work full time tomorrow, so for me, it's coming to an end of it's own.  So here are my top ten of 2012's summer adventures:

10.  Swim Lessons

Ella has had four weeks of swim lessons and she's done an awesome job.  When she's not pretending she's a mermaid and completely ignoring her instructor, she's learned the basics of swimming including floating, kicking her legs, and using her arms.  She has been our little fish.  Her swim instructor, Josh, was very patient with our adventurous Elle.  She kept telling him she was going to be a cowgirl so I think she was trying to be a cowgirl in the water, not so relevant to the lesson.  We are glad he was patient!

Ella enjoying a snack after swimming

9. Lake

We were able to go to the lake twice this summer.  We really enjoyed time with nana and papa, and a surprise visit from our cousins while we were there.  We are hoping to make it back one more time before the season ends.

8. Cousins and more cousins

As noted in earlier posts, we have loved seeing our cousins!  Mine and the girls.  It's been a lovely summer of reunions.

7. Being Healthy

I've been enjoying time at the gym, trying to find healthy recipes, and trying to keep myself in check.  I didn't lose any weight this summer as I'd hoped, but I didn't gain either.  So I guess that's a good thing.  Regardless of what the scale says, I feel healthy.  My skin has enjoyed it's nice share of Vitamin D with all that time at the pool and on the hammock, and drinking plenty of water has felt good too.  Now to carry on, and maybe even continue to lose like I was doing earlier in the year!


6. Pinterest= New Happy Place

I can't mention my summer favorites without a shout out to Pinterest, my new favorite "HAPPY PLACE."  I absolutely LOVE getting lost in a world of photos and ideas from anything to design inspiration, tips and tricks for organizing, or recipes for the family.  It's useful but also a lovely place to "get away" and dream a bit about where I want to travel, how I want to dress, and ultimately, reflect on the kind of person I'd like to be.  It's super fun, and lacks the drama of Facebook (thank goodness).


5. VA Beach girls trip

Our girls trip was a blast!  I will treasure the memories and look forward to years to come.

4.  Reuniting with kindred spirits

I also got to have a mini reunion with Becca, Kristin, and Katie.  These three girls are like sisters to me. Now that life has taken us in all different directions, I'm so glad we got to reunite for one short day.  I have to say, since being married it's been so hard to find closeness in girlfriends like I had with these lovely ladies.  No matter how much time passes, it really doesn't impact how close I feel to them.  In fact, I may feel even closer as I realize how rare it is to find a friendship like theirs.  We enjoyed visiting and watching our kids play, going to a yummy cupcake place, and getting dinner at a local italian restaurant.  Our walking tour of Haymarket as we called it turned out to be an impromptu day of fun (minus the exhaustion of six kids under the age of four, but that's to be expected).

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these women!

My girls getting cupcakes.  Ella my Diva, and Amelia pushing little Ben for a ride.

This was the cutest little place.  We stumbled upon it really and it was so perfect for our day.  There's a day spa next door and I'm thinking next girls reunion we leave the kids with the men and head there too!

 

Becca with her twin boys (ADORABLE), Little A, Ben, and Kristin!

3.  Working only one day a week

For the past six weeks, I've only worked one day/week (if that), and a girl could really get used to this schedule.  It's been AMAZINGLY wonderful.  I have loved being home with my girls.  Other than some of the above named events, our life has been very hum drum.  Occasional trips to the store, swim lessons, and visits with friends, but most days we just hung out.  We would play outside on the hammock, play games inside, or just cuddle up and watch a movie when it was unbearably hot.  I have LOVED being home!

2.  Shaun's promotion at work

Shaun got a promotion after just a few months at his job.  We feel really hopeful that even more good things are on their way in regards to his career.  He is feeling better about where things are headed, and I think for the first time in a long time, we both feel very hopeful for our future financially.  Our hope is to save and move within the next year!


1. Family Time Together

I touched on this already, but it's worth mentioning twice.  Being with my husband and girls is the best part of my life!  I adore my girls.  Sometimes I just stare at them and think, "I can't believe I'm their mom."  They are beautiful, smart, full of life and personality.  Sure, they can be very difficult, and cleaning my home with them is like brushing my teeth with oreos, but they are getting older and really doing a lot independently.

Ella has been a dream this summer.  She's been much happier with me home.  I don't know if that's why or if it's just her maturing, but she is really becoming quite the sweet four year old (MOST of the time).  I love how curious she is about life and how her little mind is always thinking.  It's so funny to hear her playing with her dolls.  She can entertain herself for an hour or more most of the time, and she loves to watch movies with me while her sister sleeps.

Little A is talking all of the time and I'm understanding more and more of what she has to say.  Her favorite phrase is, "I DID IT!"  She gets so excited and animated about life and living.  She wants to do everything her big sister does, including going potty.  She's been going pee pee all by herself and we are so proud of her!  She's proud of herself!  She is loving and cuddly, but she also has spirit and strength just like her big sis (just a little softer version).  She is an absolute delight!

Our family has enjoyed being together in all the little ways- from being at the pool together to just playing in our room in the mornings.  Such sweet tender moments have been the best part of my summer!


So there you have it, my summer's top 10!  While I'm not looking forward to returning to work, I am grateful to have a good job, and I'm very grateful for the wonderful summer we've been able to have together!  My motto this year, "I will be grateful for this day."  Enjoying these moments has made the summer that much more special!

Dancin' in the moonlight

This title is not a metaphor, it's the real deal!  A few ladies from church embarked on the second annual VA Beach Trip minus the kids and the husbands.  In total, 11 brave ladies took the challenge of coming and sharing in this nothing but fun weekend.

We spent our last evening "dancin' in the moonlight," doing a little silly chant to bring us luck for the coming year.  I'm sure we are bound to have endless luck after that chant:)  Even though the photo below is blurry, I love it because you can see how beautiful the moon was.  We nicknamed Kim the Betty White of the group, not because she's the oldest and wisest (though that's probably true), but because she was the one who had us out there chanting to mother earth just like in "The Proposal."  Too funny!

 Great memories had by all I have to say, and secrets not even allowed for the blogosphere.

 NERDS

 Where we stayed.  Sheraton on the beach.  Super nice!

 The view from our room/balcony.  Not bad, not bad.

 And since the other ladies didn't want me photographing them in their swim suits, not that I blame them, here's the "self-portrait."

This trip was insightful to say the least.  In good and not so good ways, I learned more about these lovely ladies.  All of us are just doing our  best to be wives, mothers, workers, and spirit daughters of Heavenly Father.  We just have a little (lot of) fun while we're at it!

Parenthood

In hopes to be the best mom possible to Ella, I picked up a copy of "Parenting the Strong Willed Child," because, let's face it, she's strong willed.  Although I've noticed her mellow more since I've been home over the summer, she's still a child who knows her mind but doesn't necessarily know how to mind.  In the long run, I think I'd rather have it that way.  In the day to day, it can be an extreme challenge (hence my recent purchase).  Even before chapter one, I found this truly inspiring quote from the Carnegie Corporation:

"The challenges of parenthood are daunting, but its rewards go to the core of what it means to be human- intimacy, growth, learning, and love."

So absolutely true.  Amelia woke up early this morning not feeling well.  I brought her into bed with me and she layed across my chest.  As I laid there and listened to her sweet rhythmic breathing, I was touched by just how precious these moments with our children can be.  It makes all the hard stuff (and there's plenty of hard stuff) completely worth it.  I love my children more than ANYTHING in the world.  I know they say love your spouse more, but he takes second fiddle to these two little darlings or at least only ties for first (depending on the moment).  Having time home with them has been a precious gift this summer, though who knows what behaviors will emerge from all of us once it's back to the grind of work and daycare.  All I know is I have to embrace the moments, whether laying on the hammock with my sweet Elle, or laying in bed listening to my little Amelia breathe on my chest, it is these moments that define life and living!