summer...

Because I grew up in Southwest Michigan ~ this is what summer is supposed to be like: beach days, BBQs & beautiful flowers arranged on my kitchen table.  Flowers are quickly becoming a new hobby of mine.  I want to plant them, grow them, cut them and arrange them.

I digress...  Last week we went to the beach, we usually go in the evening with the kiddos.  We love it because there's less sun (better for the kids), easier parking and less of a crowd ~ less distractions.

my guys testing the water 

my girl and her sweet baby blues 

our lake michigan

I'm soaking up my kids: their love for each other and their love for us - it's priceless.  When Teague lights up inevitably so does Finn.

And introducing my sand eater.  Yep, she loves it.  Nope, I can't keep her from eating it no matter how hard I try.  I could hold her the whole time, but seriously, what fun would that be?

By the way my sand eater is crawling like a madwoman and pulling up like it's her new job - she loves her new found independence.  However, she's quickly learning with independence there's responsibility.  That responsibility is balance (sorry sweetie this is a life long lesson - balance your body weight & balance your life).

I love, love, love peonys!  They smell amazing and they're so beautiful!  These are from my neighbor Jenn's yard and the hydrangeas are from mine.



catch up

Life is so interesting to me because every time I seem to settle into a new pattern, it all changes again. It's a reminder that I'm not in control and I don't have everything figured out. As summer blows in from across the lake, changes are blowing right along with it. Very few of you know that I was recently approached about a potential teaching job. I thought it was going to be maybe a year or two before I would start and I wasn't even sure I would get the job. Well, turns out on August 27th I'll begin co-teaching upper elementary at Brookview Montessori. Crazy right! I'm really excited and really nervous. I want to make my family proud ~ especially Drew.

Teague had surgery on June 3rd to repair an inguinal hernia.  Everything went well other than the hiccup on Sunday.  There was A LOT of puss that needed to be drained from his incision site.  I felt really bad for Teague because it was hurting him so badly until it was drained.  Now he's back to normal...

 We tried to make light of the whole thing to make sure Teague wasn't scared...

 ...and it worked.  He was having a great time before surgery.

I guessed his weight over the phone and would you believe I was right - my boy weighs 30 pounds!

 By 7am he was getting pretty loopy and was laughing like a really happy drunk.

When he woke up he was pretty ticked off because he hated the IV and the heartbeat monitor on his toe. He wouldn't drink anything until the nurse cooperated with him.

We went to our friends Bailey and Andy's house last Saturday and there was a toad hopping around their fireplace - totally random! 

My boy at daddy's softball game ~ good times!

outfits

So like all mothers I was so excited to be having another baby last year - a girl.  I shopped A LOT for this girl because I wasn't sure how much stuff I'd get for her since we had 3 showers when we were expecting Teague.  The Target clearance section became a favorite and if I remember correctly I'd make all kinds of excuses to go to Target just to check out the clothes (I may or may not still make excuses to go to Target - don't tell Drew).  This was one of the outfits I fell in love with and may have paid full price for it because I loved it so much.  BUT after my girl was born and started growing I got nervous, REALLY nervous that some of her adorable outfits wouldn't fit her.  But guess what 2 weeks ago our girl got to wear one of the outfits and I was so excited I squealed with delight! (Which by the way I barely ever do - squeal that is.)

Now I need to get ready because we're off to the beach this morning with Auntie Jennie, "Bicah", Aunt Lissa, and Alli.