The Start of Summer | Part One

I have a hard time without routine and structure in our daily schedule so I will admit, I was nervous about how the summer would go without school. This summer though, I can't even tell you how magical it has been and how fast it is going ... makes me hang on to every last second! We've had the best time together and with friends that I don't want it to end! I don't even remember what it was like to have school built into our schedule during the week but I do remember how amazing it was to only have one child to take to the grocery store! haha Or the park for that matter ... so much less likely to have any injuries when my attention isn't split in two different directions ... so in the spring I soaked up my last couple weeks of just me and Lyla and took her to the park one day where she spent an entire hour in the swing.

I love that she is so infatuated with collecting rocks along our way just like her brother was!

There is something magical about the weather in May too ... warm enough to start spending more of our time outside but not quite ready to ditch the long sleeves. Liam had a particularly hard time ditching them this year. I think it was from one too many skinned elbows and knees but he refused to wear short or short sleeves well into the month of June so I finally had to tuck the shirts up high in his closet and had a short cutting party from his long pants. He was crushed and still talks about the day he can get new long pants. haha Kids are so funny and so smart sometimes!

We've visited the Children's Museum and they opened their outdoor exhibits. The dinosaur fossil hunt one is so fun!

Did not surprise me one bit that Lyla stocked up on the Trader Joe's entire supply of mac n' cheese and chips! Two of her favorite things. haha

Oh and pizza too. ;) She looks so little to me in this picture compared to now and I have feeling it will be one of those that tugs on my heart strings when I look back at it someday. 

They also added ride on tractors, horses, and a canoe/fishing set outside too!

Liam's first fish he has ever caught. ;)

Visting Sita's house for Sunday night dinner and they love it because she has straws for their water (it's the little things). Someone figured out how to blow bubbles in their cup and taught the other of course ... dinner AND a show!

I love trying to squeeze in picture of the two of them together after church on Sundays ... I usually have to go with the flow/compromise a bit hence Liam's Ninja turtle toy being held in the air. Wouldn't want to miss it! My fingers are crossed that dress still fits Lyla in the fall because it is one of my favorites on her!

Lyla and I went with Liam on his last preschool field trip for the year to a place called Babby Farms. It is essentially a petting zoo with exotic animals. I'll give you a brief synopsis to explain why no pictures were captured ... it was dumping down rain, I was pushing a stroller through mud and rocks that no child wanted to actually sit in, trying to keep up with both of them as they went different directions and were shoving their fingers into cages, and 10 minutes into the field trip Liam got his finger bit by a horse! haha So many tears followed from everyone and I won't be going back again without Nic. ;)

The summer has been filled with many bandaid covered skinned knees and I love hearing Lyla say "ouchie" as she points to her bandaid!

This is how I hope they'll remember me from their childhood ... disheveled hair from long days playing with them outside in the wind or heat and ending them snuggling on the couch sharing our favorite popcorn. <3 p="">

The start of summer days playing with cousins! This happened to be during Grams and Pa's garage sale!

We did a temple swap night with some friends and Lyla and Liam had the best time playing with their kids! Roey and Lyla in the bath ...

Liam and Bear living the summer dream with otter pops ...

One of the first times I felt like a fun adventuring mom in a new city ... we had planned to meet some friends for lunch and they to cancel that morning because they were all sick with the flu. I already had our lunch packed so I went anyway across town. We walked the green belt together, searched for wildlife and bugs, played at the park, and had a picnic! It was so fun and we've done it many times since!

Both our kids are getting so brave and independent at playgrounds!

I hope they are always the best of friends!

This little wild child, always trying to run from me and attempting anything that's dangerous!

Cutie pie on the slide!

One of those moments for me where the day before she needed me to go down the slide with her or hold her hand and wait at the bottom ... then I woke up the next day and she was doing it all by herself.

So many fun memories to the start of an amazing summer. So much more to come! XO