Stop & Smell the Roses: August 2018

Makin' Whoopie G-rated Style

Summertime is coming to an end and I'm a little sad. There was so much potential and possibility in the beginning and now I feel it winding down. Its crunch time..trying to squeeze every last drop of sunshiney freedom from this season before we head into the school year. I have to say making a summer bucket list made a huge difference. It forced us to be more intentional and definitely gave us so many things to look forward too. I think we are going to do this seasonally. I already have so many fun ideas for fall. The best part of making the list was letting Landon in on the fun. Seeing what he was looking most forward to was really special. Our list was pretty ambitious and we didn't get to everything but I know this..Our Summer was full of laughter, adventure, and a whole lot of living life to the fullest. And honestly, it was in the little moments where our best memories were made.

Here's to you Summer, until next time!

Such potential in this little list

The Rodeo

This was one of our bucket list items I was looking forward to the most! And let me say, the rodeo did not disappoint. It was everything I imagined! Boots and cowboy hats, beautiful girls in sequined and bedazzled denim jackets riding horses like they were born to do it, the National Anthem sung loud and proud, the smell of excitement in the air (that might have been the livestock), and the best part..the bull riders. I'm a sucker for that kind of adrenaline rush! And, there was even a girl which I thought was AWESOME!
We ate our fill of salty hot popcorn and fresh spun cotton candy or clown hair as I like to call it.
Oh, and the fresh squeezed lemonade was perfect on a hot summer's night!

Here are some of my favorite memories from that night!

these boots were made for walkin'

Yippiekiyay

My cowboys

Kissed by a real life cowboy

Father's Day

I love father's day because I LOVE to celebrate the kind of father Austin is. He is seriously the best.
There are so many uncertain things in this life and sometimes it seems like the world is crumbling around us and I worry about the future for our kids...But there is one thing I take such refuge in, and its knowing our boys will know they have a father who loves and adores them.

He makes time for them, he makes them a priority in his life. He chooses them.

There are so many young men who don't know what a father's love feels like or what it might even look like and it matters. All you have to do is look around or read an article in a newspaper.
Our young men are hurting and broken.
I guess I'm just really thankful for the man and father Austin is.

He is lionhearted through and through.

Austin, you are so loved

#1 dad doesn't begin to describe you

My boys

Connect 4

Adventures with Mimi

This Summer we had some pretty special visitors. Austin went on a missions trip with his dad so his mom aka MIMI came to spend some special time with me and the boys. Now, I love it when mimi and paw-paw come together but it was really neat to see another dynamic when mimi gets all the love all to herself! I loved seeing my boys getting special time to bond with her. Watching mimi hold her own during sword fights are maybe my favorite memories from her visit. She is willing to get on their level to do what they want to do even if sword fighting or being shot multiple times with nerf guns aren't her thing!
Mimi is fun...more fun than I think she realizes.
It's funny how we can sometimes sell ourselves short or think of ourselves in narrow ways.
Mimi is always complimenting me for knowing how to have fun with my kids and I just want to say...

Mimi, you are fun and adventurous. You are always down for whatever we throw your way and I love that about you! Thanks for taking time away from home to have adventures with us!

Zoo Day

Stopping to smell the roses

Drinking the flowers

Is he going to blow the dandy or eat it :)

Goat Logi

Curious Landy

These are their scared faces...trolls live in the shed behind them

Bubble Slayers

Watermelon Smiles

Concert in the park..this picture makes me melt

Delaware Museum of Natural History

We've gone a couple times and we LOVE it. I think my boys love taking pictures with the animal sculptures the best!

I'm obsessed with this picture

Turtle Conqueror

Bros

Obviously my kids think "dung" beetles are hilarious

Haha that is a pocket knife in his mouth..like that would stand up to a dinosaur

Logan's face!

Fun with Grammy

We got extra lucky this summer and got an impromptu visit with my mom AKA Grammy or Graham Cracker as Landy has taken to calling her and of course Logan copies everything Landy does..
I guess we'll see if graham cracker sticks :)

My dad couldn't make it so it was another grandma only bonding session and again, it was so cool to see the one on one interaction. We don't get to see my parents very often so anytime I get to see just how much my kids love them I am reminded of my own childhood and I remember how much I LOVED seeing my grandparents and I am reassured to know that it isn't about the quantity of the visits but its the quality! And let me say, we crammed as much as we could into grammy's visit.
At least as much as the weather would allow us! And grammy and I got to sneak off for a girl's day and I cherish that time so much!
Mom, I love that you know how to be goofy and not take yourself too seriously!
You were always such a fun mom so I guess I get it from you! Thank you for having fun with my boys, especially Landy! Just be careful, you might set the bar too high and you know about Landy and his expectations! Now if you can just crochet him a doll that looks like you that would be great and not creepy at all! :)
Oh, and I love that you got your face painted with him at the zoo!
Like I said..you know how to have fun. I love you!

Two of may favorite people

Love this one

Monkey Landy

Logan wasn't sure about the face paint

Singin' in the rain

Jabba the Hutt

Goofballs

Girls just wanna have fun

Rehoboth Beach

This was our second annual family beach weekend getaway! Last year we did Ocean City MD and it was and will always be one of my favorite vacations as a family. It was so good we decided it would be the start of a new family tradition. Needless to say I think we were all really hyped for this bucket list item.

I love taking time as a family to stop and slow down..even if its only for a couple of days because quality trumps quantity every time!