Summer Bucket List!

We are checking things off our summer bucket list left and right! It is a good thing too - this summer seems to be flying by - it is almost July! Since Noah is now in school, this summer has had a whole new feel to it. It feels more like we have a deadline to do things, where before the summer was no different than any other time since daycare was year-round. We have lots on our summer bucket list - swim lessons, paint classes, traveling, camping, sports and ballet to name a few things!

One thing we marked off the list was for the kids to get to take painting classes again. We did this last summer and they loved it and mention it almost every time we pass by the painting place. I am so grateful to have The Painted Canvas here in town, making it easy to participate in classes. For our first class Noah chose to do Iron Man and Ryan chose a flower and a caterpillar. Once Noah saw all the Avenger pictures there he asked if he could do them all to hang on his wall. So, we made plans with the Mrs. Conley to squeeze in extra paint time over a few weeks and get them all done. Ryan also went one more time to pain a horse - she loves horses right now. Noah did all of his himself! Ryan needed a little help from momma but she will be able to pain all on her own next summer I am sure!

Another summer must for us is swim lessons! Unfortunately we were not able to get Ryan in a class this summer due to scheduling conflicts - but hers was a Mommy and Me class, so I can help her in the pool some and we will be sure to get her back in lessons next summer. Noah did so good at his lessons this year. He can go under for a long time without holding his nose, swim about 15 feet to the instructor and do cannonballs like a champ :) I am hoping he will show interest in the swim team, but we will have to see how he feels later. 

Ryan is taking summer ballet classes also. I had a proud momma moment when the teacher asked me if I was comfortable with moving her up to the next level of classes early :) She was doing great and she felt she was ready to move up. She really loved dancing and Miss Kimmie too! They are having themed classes each week and Ryan is loving it!

All those kids tapping can get a little loud :)

Noah's t-ball season is officially over! I saw a lot of improvement in him this year. SO much less complaining  - even when it was really hot, he never said a word. He hit it a lot better, finally understood how he is supposed to stand and hold his hand and he ran great! He beat the ball to the base several times to not get out! His biggest downfall is staying focused on defense, bless his heart. He played in the outfield a lot, where there is lots of grass and dirt and he just couldn't help himself. Plus, not a lot of balls go in the outfield in t-ball so it is easy to get bored, especially when you are 6. The last game he played second base for a little bit and watched the batter a lot better! After the last game Noah said "you don't have to sign me up again next year, I know how to play now" :) We let Noah pick where to eat to celebrate his season and his reply was "Pizza Hut of course, they have pizza and TV - what more could you want?!" So, Pizza Hut it was!

T-ball season is also over for Ryan. She has been so much better this year at allowing me to watch the games. Asking a 3 year old to sit quietly at a hot ballgame can be a lot. She loved getting suckers and gatorades and was finally old enough to go to the concession stand all by herself (while I watched the entire time from a safe distance of course). She could get covered in dirt quicker than anyone I know - resulting in lots of diaper wipe baths in the car before we could go eat lunch :) Next year, she will be playing t-ball too - I can't wait to see how she does. 

Saturday we went to a friends house for a waterslide party! Ryan talked a big game before we got there, but went down once (on accident) and she was done with that! She just swam in the bottom part the rest of the time :) Noah was so brave and loved every minute of it!

After that we headed up the mountain to my dad's college reunion. When my dad was in college, there was a group of (wild ;) ) friends that called themselves the Hole in the Wall Gang (the movie had just come out at this time). So, every 2 years they all come back together to visit here in Clarksville, since that is where the college is (University of the Ozarks - which was College of the Ozarks when they attended). They always go on a tour of the campus and have a big cookout at a cabin. I grew up around many of these people and it is always nice to catch up with them. Also, this year so many of them were thanking me for  keeping them updated on my dad's health through Facebook - social media for the win! 

Rex, one of my Dad's closest friends brought smoke bombs and my kids were big fans :)

After church and lunch, Daddy had to work so the kids and I decided to go back and watch Finding Dory again, this time in 3D! Then we went home and played outside. The perfect ending to this summer weekend. Now, it is about time to go on a little summer vacation...

"Staycation" :)

The last week has pretty much been a "Staycation" for me. (Staycation = pretty much being on vacation without actually packing a bag and leaving town). Last Wednesday the office took me out for my birthday. For birthday we always plan a day to close and go shopping and out to eat - it is always so much fun. My sister that lives in California just happened to be here too, so she got to join us. We had a great time eating at Olive Garden and shopping for Father's Day gifts and a few things for ourselves :)

While we were out shopping on Wednesday my mom asked if I would be interested in skipping work the next day and going to the trampoline park with her and my nieces and nephews - well let me think about it...YES! So, I surprised the kids Thursday morning with a trip to the trampoline park! They were very excited - even though they really didn't know what I was talking about ;) Their favorite was the foam pit - that is literally all Ryan did for the whole hour we jumped. She would jump in yelling "cammon ball" and climb out and jump right back in! We will be going back soon when Daddy can come with us!

After we got back, we went to dinner with Daddy and to see the early showing of Finding Dory! We have been waiting for it to come out for so long and it did not disappoint. We may just be planning to go see it again this weekend :)

Friday Nathan and I went on a date for my birthday, since it was Sunday and  that was also Father's Day - that way we didn't have to share ;) So, we went to T.G.I. Fridays (my favorite), shopping (my favorite) and to the movies (my favorite) where we saw Central Intelligence - very funny movie! That is pretty much my definition of a perfect date. Yes, it is cliche and yes it is simple - but once you have kids you don't always get to go eat, watch a movie or shop kidless so I appreciate these things even more now.

Saturday Noah had a t-ball game and played his best game yet! He got a triple -due to defensive error, but he was running fast enough to get to 3rd so that is huge for him!  He was so excited to tell me how he got to run and not stop until he got to 3rd base :) After that, Daddy went to Centerville so the kids and I went shopping and to eat. Nathan told me to go shopping for myself some birthday presents - well, if you insist dear :) So, I got a new waterhose and hose reel box (this has been on my wish list for years, yes I am officially old) and some cute decorations at Hobby Lobby and Cracker Barrel - where we also ate supper.

Sunday was the big day - my birthday and Father's Day! We gave Nathan his gifts before church. We got him some golf clothes and new swim shorts. I always insist we make a craft and do the kid questionnaires too - those are so fun!

After church we drove up to Byrd's Riverfront Restaurant for lunch with my family. There was 20 of us there together celebrating me, my brother Jeremy's birthday and my dad and stepdad. It was so awesome to have everyone there together to celebrate - and extra special since my sister was in town for it this year too.

I got the best gifts this year too! Nathan got me new Chacos - I love the ones I had so I was excited to get to add a new color option :) My mom got me lots of cute things to hang on my walls and a turtle stool.  My mother-in-law made me a picture of the best days of my life :)

After we ate we went down to swim in the river. My kids were way more brave than I thought they would be! They were all about swimming in the river and catching fish - which all comes from their daddy :) But, when they asked me to get in, I did. I will do it for their memories, even if it weirds me out!

The kids didn't get enough water at the river so we let them fill up the pool in the yard while Nathan attempted to fry us fish for our celebratory supper. Well, we ended up getting fast food - the fish was a fail! But, we can always try again :)

Monday I had a work conference and Tuesday I had to take my dad to the hospital for a stress test, so I didn't officially work a full day until after I had been off a whole week! But, that week was full of so much laughter, smiles, sun, water, love and memories! So happy my life has room in it for "Staycations" :)

A Wedding and Our Weekend

Last week was wedding week for my dear friend Laikken! I met Laikken about 15 years ago when I worked with her mom. Her mom is 10 years older than me and Laikken is 10 years younger than me. Once Laikken was older we ended up having mutual friends through the race track. Then, we were needing help where I worked so I got Laikken an interview and we became good friends after that. We always have the best time together - so much laughing and joking around. Plus, her and Nathan got along good and had fun giving eachother a hard time, which is always fun to watch. Laikken and I had a lot of serious life talks over the past 8 years or so and helped eachother through some good times and some not so good times. Laikken worked with me all the way through college and then went on to be a teacher at Noah's school - which is even better for me! I mean, if I can't work with her, at least she gets to be with Noah and love on him extra at school :) Sometimes when you work with people and they move on to another job, even on good terms, it can make it hard to stay close. I was SO happy when Laikken asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. I was proud to stand next to her as one of her best friends :)

We met up Wednesday for manicures and pedicures. I have not had a manicure since prom 16 years ago and I haven't had a pedicure since I was pregnant with Ryan 4 years ago! It was nice to sit and talk and get a little pampering :)

Thursday night was rehearsal night. We met up at the wedding location - The Barn at Sleepy Hollow and decorated, rehearsed a few times and had pizza. There were so many awesome people helping it all went quickly and smoothly. 

Friday was wedding stuff all day! The ladies all met up at the grooms sisters house to all get ready together. There was mimosas, make-up and lots of hairspray going on there! Laikken gave us all our wedding gifts - she gave us the cutest bags she painted our names on full of wedding day essentials and the softest robes to wear while getting ready. 

Then it was off to the wedding location to take pictures and start the ceremony. The wedding was beautiful and quick. It is always so great to see so many people come together to celebrate love. After the wedding it was time to undecorate and head home for some much needed rest!

Photo by Erin Wilson Photography

It was back to the normal routine on Saturday - t-ball game, playing in the yard, Stoby's dinner and shopping for 4th of Jul decorations :)

Sunday was family day! We went to church and then lunch at Sumo. Then it was time to take turns helping Daddy mow while I caught up on laundry and cleaned the porch. It was a good end to the busy last few days. Next week will be someone specials birthday ;) and Father's Day celebration with some t-ball and Finding Dory thrown in!

Traditional Sumo fighting picture :)

Patiently waiting for their turns to help Daddy mow