The view from out here

Most of our summer days are super packed... So much stuff to do and so few hours in which to do it. Our days are always divided between am and pm with the dividing line being naptime for A (usually going down between 1-2pm for an hour or two) overlapping with mommy-little d time and then quiet time. Just about every morning starts off with the gym, and today we ventured into downtown to try something new (yummy and quirky but overpriced)

Some in-car preschool... (I love that he can almost spell my name!)

Late Afternoon/early evening was spent with the glens to the park and dinner time.

Keely also met her husband the same year I met Drew, and we all four knew each other while dating and engaged (although I think they were engaged twice as long as we were!), then hanging out as newlyweds... I feel so blessed that at least two of our kids are the same age (firstborns are 6 weeks apart, secondborns are 3 months), and I am excited to hear all about what goes down when they add in #3 in November!

After putting the kids to bed, my amazing neighbor sat at my house while I perused an empty mall, window shopping before settling into a few chapters of TFIOS at b&n.

After reading this amazing book drew had to read for work, called the Happiness Advantage, I've been making it my goal to document positive things in my daily life to review at the end of the day. I won't always take pictures and post them here but it's a start for me and so many principles I learned in that book I have really taken to heart. Go read it if you have never have.

Lift me up

Travel weeks are hard but days like today where we get to spend time with dear sweet friends sure to help to make me feel like I can do anything. On the way to the gym, a Donatello drawing:

My bookworm:

Saying good bye to our beloved barkers. 7 months was not long enough for us to be satisfied but it was more than enough time to completely fall in love with them. Baby train!

Miss E.

Super T

Who didn't want a hug with little d because he didn't want to say goodbye :(

70 degrees in July!? Yes please. All day every day. Especially when it involves our biker gang.

Dinner tacos!

I made Peach choc chip Ice cream!

Remember when she wore bows?!

And wow do I miss running on a track. I may have to wake up early now to get some speed work in, this track is 1/4 mile from my house!!

Little D-isms

This morning before breakfast he offered to say a prayer, the body of which went a little something like this: "bless my cute mom, bless my breakfast, also bless my cute Annabelle, bless my loveliest mommy, and bless my mom to be pretty and know how much I love her."

This afternoon he let me do a puzzle with him, citing that he would allow me to do a few pieces only because he loved me.

This evening he announced that since he was four he was going to be a whole lot nicer because when he was three he was not always so nice to people. He went on to get some stickers and start putting them on the cat, me and his sister, citing his love for each of us with each sticker he placed on our hands or paws. He put so many stickers on my hands he finally had to announce "I don't have enough stickers to show you but I love you this much!" And proceeded to open his arms as wide as he could until they touched behind his back.

Here I was for the last year, thinking it could only be his sister that could convince me to want more than two kids,and I will freely admit I was wrong. Little d at four years old seems to have aged ten years (although of course he always acts most mature when daddy's away, trying to be man of the house and all I suppose) and I am falling in love all over again with the same child who hit his terrible twos and threes with such a vengeance I still have whiplash from it.

I don't know how long this gushing, unabashedly in love four year old little d will last, but I sure am loving it. Not every minute is he like this to be sure (today also coincided with a day I reeeeeally needed a nap to rid a headache and he was just not having quiet time) but when I look back on the best moments of the day those are all I care to remember.

That and seeing that brave boy with his hand in mine, get his shots, cry a little, leave the room so he didn't have to witness his sisters pain and then rush in as soon as she was done to comfort her. If that's not enough to tug at some heart strings I don't know what is. I am incredibly blessed with two sweet, loving, healthy babes.

(The next day at dinner while eating top ramen laden with msg obviously, with eggs): "mom! I can't stop eating this! It's just so good!"

Haha sorry buddy! I split the packet between the kids and it was not enough... They wanted more!!!! Guess I need to do a better job planning meals that are a bit more filling!

Little d turns four (and celebrates in a way only a teenage mutant ninja can!)

Pregame prep work... A little bit of DIY 

Front door

Night before we had a bday dinner in his honor and he chose the newly renovated Wendy's. Super classy.

Everything ready for the big party! Presents from his family to open when he woke up.also that epic cake.

Ready for the party!

D traced the "welcome" and I did the rest.

Foote clan ready to be attacked in the backyard.... Kevin is the shredder didn't you know?

But he still got into the party spirit.

For the party, first activity was using water shooters to attack the foot clan.... I was hopin it would last a half an hour and they killed those things in 10 minutes. Um.

At least they had fun?

Played baseball once all the balloons had flown away or popped.

And presents time obviously.

Total. Chaos.

Love these boys. Some neighbors, friends from church and college roommates kids.

Neighbor T. I wish I could have taken pics like this with him and each of his friends but it was like total chaos for two hours so....

Winding down post party with dad and grandpa.

Auntie bananas came to visit, always awesome because she is so busy and has back problems but she is such a trooper! We are always blessed to have her visit.

A got some dresses from grandma Astrid (not the first time my mom has gifted my kids presents on their siblings bday if you recall D getting a Leonardo ninja turtle on A's bday)

Speaking of her she was not ready to see Chepi go. Or Anna.

Love her even if I can't make a good selfie to save our lives. And of course she gave me a bunch of extra photos from the party.... Thank you!!!

Favorite pic:

Action shots!

There goes one of four balloons of the dozen we had

Pizza break!

And of course brownie cake and ice cream

She is so obsessed with those gloves

You clap them and they make exclamations "turtle power! High three! Do you want to go on a mission?"

Church

A super good weekend! Set up could not have been possible without assistance from drew, friends and family were awesome to assist in so many ways during the party and cleanup was so fast thanks to my momma! Successful party indeed. And the last big party he gets till he's 16. ;) only one or two friends next year!