Our Summer Bucket List.....

So, I saw my first firefly tonight....a true sign that summer has begun! Can it really be only 100 days ago that we were dressed like this?!?!?!?

Now we are spending our days like this....

And this.....

We made a list of all the things we wanted to do this summer.

Summer Reading Program

Go to the National Zoo

Go Blueberry Picking

Pick Peaches

Go to Frying Pan Park Farm

Visit the Welters

Natural History Museum

Ben Franklin Institute in Philadelphia

Swimming at the pool

Practice Math and writing

Go to Utah for a family reunion

Go to California to visit Great Grandma Brown

We've started the summer reading program and spent some time at one of our favorite places, The National Zoo! My cousin, his wife and three cute kids came up for the weekend and wanted to go, so we packed up and went! The humidity has hit and we are in a heat wave. Despite all that, we had a great time!

This little guy belongs to my cousin...I fell in love with him! So cute!

Because of the high humidity in the east coast, when the kids walked through the sprinklers, the water just beaded up on their heads....Eleanor thought it was like sparkling jewels in her hair! As you can see by the crown she wore that day, she was delighted!

Garrett is such a good big brother. He is sweet and kind and always willing to help. He insisted in pushing the stroller the entire time we were in the zoo. He made sure Savannah didn't slip in the sprinklers.

One of the mommy gorillas was out with her baby. Eleanor wanted a picture in front of her....

Then this little girl, who had been watching Eleanor, jumped in and asked if she could be in the picture....of course! Her dad apologized and we told him not to worry about it! She was very cute!

Hands down, the elephants were the favorite animals. One was carrying a tire around and they were throwing dirt on themselves. We stopped to rest there and the kids just stood and watched them for the longest time.

Savannah wanted to know how to get inside to see them!

Just resting....it was really hot and humid that day!

Frying Pan Park Farm

Another favorite place for my children...another hot and humid summer day!

Savannah was going nuts over all the animals!

She loved the calves!

There were a lot of questions about the pigs.... they couldn't believe how big they are!

Of course, the pig didn't care. She was too hot to move!

We took a break in the shade of a huge oak tree.

Then, this morning, we were told it was going to be the hottest day of the year so far.

I decided we would leave early and go blueberry picking! Oh! It was heavenly!

Garrett had a butterfly land on his arm. It wouldn't leave him! He stood very still and it crawled on his arm.

Eleven pounds of blueberries! We had fresh picked blueberries for breakfast, fresh picked blueberries for lunch, fresh picked blueberries for a snack and fresh picked blueberry cobbler for dessert tonight. I felt like I was going to turn into Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!

One of my favorite memories of summer was the trampoline...Xander had the hose on and was jumping tonight.....He asked me to take some pictures and here they are....

We are having a great summer so far and are enjoying the time with our dad. He starts teaching at a music camp on Monday. Xander and Garrett will be going with him. They get to attend for free, since he is a teacher there. Eleanor will start swimming lessons Monday morning. I'm pretty sure that if she doesn't have something to do, she will punish me. So swim lessons it is!!! I hope everyone is having a great summer like we are! We still have a lot of fun things to look forward to still!

The Final Moments.....

Ladies and Gentleman....may I have your attention, please!

This is actual footage of the final moments of "The Toddler in a Cast."

When asked how she felt about having the cast on for four weeks, unable to walk and play and being restrained by everyone and unable to wear her dress up shoes, her reply was...."Bleh!"

When told she was leaving in just a few minutes to get it off, she was amazed.....

She quickly recovered and finished the photo shoot interview with grace and poise......

and a heavy dose of cuteness.....

Then waved a final farewell to the crowd as she left with her dad to get the cast off, leaving the audience in tears. (of relief!)

After getting the cast off, she is walking timidly, but it didn't take long to go straight to the slide and put on every pair of shoes she could find and walk around....I think she's going to be JUST FINE!!!

A study of Music.....

Several weeks ago, for a Father's Day present, we took some pictures for our Dad. His studio downstairs has a lot of blank walls and I thought it would be fun to fill it up with pictures of his children with their instruments. Looking at these pictures, I cannot believe how old my children are getting.

Look how grown-up Xander has gotten!

One of my absolute favorites of Garrett....

And who can resist this smile?!?!?

I think Dad is going to like his present!

Today we had three recitals. Four of the six of us were involved in the recitals! Jason and Eleanor's was first, then we drove 45 minutes to get to Xander and Garrett's recital.

The church we used to attend sits on the Potomac River. It is the most beautiful church! It overlooks the water and it is on the historic Mount Vernon property.

Xander's concert was in the chapel. I love this room. I have so many memories of blessing my children, funerals, concerts, etc. I love coming back and seeing it's beauty.

Because it is on historic property, there are beautiful columns in the front of the building. I took the children out to take some pictures. I think we may add to Dad's present!!!

Here's Eleanor at her recital. She looks so old! She did such a great job!

Her and her friend, Jasmine, played beautifully together!

And here is her little photo shoot.....

Garrett is so charming! His smile wins me over every time! He also did a fabulous job on his recital today! He is always so good about pictures...

When my cousin, Jen Lucas, was here, she showed me some fun ideas. She is a professional photographer and has amazing talent. She was so helpful to me! I tried one with Garrett with the short time we had. I am bringing the kids back here to do some more pictures!

Here he is in the recital. I can't help but notice how clean cut and handsome he looks. The kid next to him had on a black t-shirt and sneakers.

And, of course, a few just cutie patootie shots!

Do you love the scrape on the nose!??! That's why we have the bink in there! Poor little girl!

So, I can't wait for Father's Day to see his face when he opens the pictures!

Loving my kids in summertime!

I woke up this morning after our first week of summer break and was so grateful to be a mom! My children are a lot of work, but they are great kids. Well-behaved, helpful and fun to be around. They are getting too big too fast, but I am enjoying every minute of it. I love summertime, because they all play together and I get to see them more and love them more and enjoy them more.
This may be our last tub shot of all of them. Modesty being the first issue, but Xander is so tall he can barely fit in the tub! It was impromptu and I couldn't help but capture the moment! The boys were helping the girls bathe and they got wet and ended up in the tub together. They were having such a great time I had to come and check what was going on. There was water EVERYWHERE, but it was one of those moments I will remember FOREVER!
And looking back on how much they have grown in just a year. Wow! They are so amazing to me! Their little minds how they work and how much they love me, despite my weaknesses.
There have been a couple of things that have happened this week which have made me reflect on all of these things....

My sister-in-law said to me the other night how her kids would be going to camps all summer so they would stay out of her hair. I didn't reply, because I could only think of how much I would miss my children. And my sister had a scary experience where she couldn't fine her three year old for over 40 minutes. My heart is still beating fast from reading it. She ended with saying how precious our little children are. I couldn't agree more! These are my reason for getting up every day!

And, another friend, posted that she can't believe someone calls her "Mom" and when did that happen?!?!? Sometimes I feel the same way. Sometimes when we are all going somewhere, I have too pinch myself to see if they are all really mine! But those baby kisses and big boy hugs and little girl snuggles remind me that they are and the immense joy I get from calling them my own is immeasurable!
There is no greater joy I feel than little sticky kisses and silly songs and homemade cards and big tall boys who still need their momma! I love it. I love it! I love it! I am so blessed to be a mom and wife and have the opportunities and blessings I have!

I am looking forward to a great summer!!!!

Family Matters....

Jason was just telling me about his trip to California to see his cousin, Kyle, get married. In the process, he broke down and told me about what his family said to him about me.

The places they chose to say them and the way they attacked him were very disappointing.

And, it was everyone.

Every member of his family chose to say something unkind about me at some point in the trip.

I have tried to not include unkind things about any family member on this blog, but I am really saddened to hear they still hate me.

16 years of trying to figure out why they won't accept me or even try and like me.

I feel bad for Jason, because he needs to tell someone.

I'm glad he told me.

At least I know where I still stand.