Pretty Much Killing It: Summer Edition

We are in full on summer mode around here. Sleeping in (until 6am for me and Dez, 9 for Ev). Visits to the pool (how I am pulling that off solo with the kids is beyond me, but I am! Woot!). Picnics. Playing outside. Book club-ing (Kiah & I are reading the Harry Potter series together). Watching lots of movies. Eating numerous popsicles a day (the kids, not me... I am sugar free until my birthday. 7 more days!) 

Summer in KY is different for us. There are no beaches to visit all day long or oceans to practically live in to stay cool. But we are finding lots of other ways to keep busy... and most of them are free (which is awesome).

Here's a couple of layouts with photos from last summer...

I have to admit, this season is going better then I anticipated. We've done a great job of taking it easy. Balancing play with house work, and tv time with outside or non tv activities. Maybe it's because it's my second summer as a stay at home mom, or maybe it's the fact that I am not huge and pregnant. I'm up for going new places and trying out new things and breaking up the day with simple little activities... so that it goes by without one big yellfest or me shouting, "go outside & DO something," over and over.... (admittedly this has happened.. just not as often as I thought it would. ha.)

..... all bets are off on Sunday when we bring home our puppy though. I'm nervous about what this new edition will mean for our family. (and also, even though I have read 3 puppy training books, I'm still convinced that we have NO idea what we are doing.) and we probably won't be going anywhere or be doing much of anything besides spending time with him.... but hey, there will always be stuff to "do" ("WALK THE DOG!")("CLEAN UP THE POOP!!") can't wait.

Daddy's Day

Happy Father's day! It's just another day around here. We're not doing much in the way of celebration. Hottie works 5am-3pm and then we might hit up an incredibly crowded restaurant or sit in the surround sound he loves so much and watch a new movie together. One thing about this Hallmark holiday is that it is a reminder of how much we appreciate Daddy..... and how we don't always tell him that.

Maybe most other days of the year we don't think about saying it....
but we are so lucky to have him....
he works his tail off to provide the best life for this family.....
he is trustworthy and level headed and fun....
he is not afraid to discipline and also won't hesitate to cut the kids some slack.....
he is loving....
he "watches" them three nights a week while I go off galavanting on roller-skates (my words, not his)...
he is patient and forgiving....
he is kind...
he is silly...... sometimes.....
he can be counted on any and every time the kids need something....
he is smart and steadfast....
he hugs them and tickles them and kisses them goodnight.....
he cooks dinners and wipes butts and boogers like a boss (not at the same time, cuz that would be gross).....
he even gives lipgloss lessons....

One day my kids will grow up and realize what an amazingly wonderful Dad they have. (I'm not sure at this point they have the capacity to fully comprehend his epic Dad-ness.) They will become parents of their own and one thing I really hope for them is that they are just like him with their kids. Seriously, so lucky. We love you, Daddy. (and you are hot. which has nothing to do with fathers day... but, still. just sayin.)

We Are Family

I've been really struggling with missing family lately. Honestly, it's been the worst part of moving here. The thing I hate the most. Our closest family is 7 hours away. Of course I knew we would miss everyone when we made the decision to leave. I knew it would be hard. But this is ridiculous. It's difficult for me to connect with family in such different time zones, and to nurture relationships that are so important to me.... there are just more challenges than I anticipated. It makes me really sad. 

You know that I don't like to be a grumpy Gus on the blog. I like to keep it somewhat positive for the people who stop by, so I don't bum you guys out. But this has been weighing heavy on me. My kids ask about their cousins and grandparents all. the. time..... like, daily. Which I guess is a really great thing... but it makes me sad we can't be nearer to everyone so that the kids could continue to get to know them and feel close to them... to grow up with them. 

Here are some photos from when Hotties parents came to visit recently.

(We are so lucky that they are retired, and have built traveling into their budget.)

All that being said, there really isn't much we can do. Our family is literally spread from coast to coast now, so even if we wanted to move near "them" we couldn't. We have members in California, Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, Virginia, New York? Connecticut?. All we can do is plan trips when possible, keep our home open to any and all who want to visit, make the most of our time together when it does happen, and teach our kids that they are surrounded by so much love... even if it is from afar...... and share pictures... lots, and lots of pictures.

Puppy Love

We are getting a puppy. Did I mention this? (and also, I must be crazy. but... maybe you already noticed that.)

He is a boy. He is a weimaraner. We bring him home on or around June 22nd. We are planning, and prepping, and reading every puppy training manual we can get our hands on (and by we, I mean me, here.)

I'm really excited. We have waited years to have a pet and have always pined away for a dog. Maybe it's not the most convenient time... having four kids, one of which is an 8 months old... starting a roller derby carrer (that takes up a shocking amount of my time)... but for some reason it feels right and we are going for it. Can't wait for him to become part of the family, I'm in love with him already!

What A Treat

Not much to say today so I thought I'd share a layout I made after my recent Cali visit. Dezmond was salivating and chomping at the bit for his first fry. Can't say I blame him since we were at In-n-Out. I don't know if it was the smell or just the look of glee on me & my sisters faces that prompted him to be so interested in the food. Someday, Dez, someday you'll experience this California Treat.

To The Stars and Back

Just popping in quickly today to share a recent layout with ya'll. This page is a bit of a departure for me, since I love working with color. When I stumbled upon a slew of b&w&grey products I was inspired to create a monochromatic layout.

*********Images removed for publication**********

It's kind of fun to do things outside of your box from time to time. I find it's especially helpful if in a slump as a way to get those juices flowing again. Then again, in order to be in a slump I'd actually have to be given time to create things... maybe I will make more time soon.

My inlaws are in town so the next couple of days will be filled with sight seeing and Mammoth caving, (and tying not to bust my ass while they watch me at practice) and all sorts of fun things. So I'll have a lot to report back about. I love when we have visitors, it's the perfect motivation to go out and do something!

Summer Plans

So I made this layout about the things I wanted to do with the fam this summer....

There's some pretty basic stuff. I guess I didn't want a pressure of a big summer bucket list this year so that in August I wouldn't feel like a big loser for not checking things off. Then I thought, why not just make a list (something I may not have shared.. I am a list fanatic... I typically have 3 going at a time.... and also, it's probably making me lose my mind). 

So here is my list of summer activities (that we probably will never get to because between roller derby, a new Mom's group I joined, Ev's summer camp, vacation, and a new puppy (did I tell you we're getting a puppy?) it is going to be busy already.)

Road Trip

Zoo

Hike

Splash Pad

Mammoth Caves

Puzzles

Homemade Play Dough

Fireworks

S'mores

Make Popsicles

Backyard Camping

Lemonade Stand

Cardboard Box Projects

Collect & Paint Rocks

Family Movie Nights

Taco Tuesdays

Car Wash

Train Dog

Carnival/Fair

Forts

Sonic Happy Hour

Blow Bubbles

Kids Museum

Mini Golf

Arboretum

Catch Fire Flies

PJ Day

Swimming 

Amusement Park Fun

Library 

Fly a Kite

Bowling

Dollar Theater

Vacation

Summer Camp

Make Jello Cake for 4th of July

Parade

Cloud Watching

Obstacle Course

Cover the Driveway in Sidewalk Chalk

Ice Cream Party

Homemade Pizzas

Make Puppets

Puppet Show

Windy Street Cafe

Root Beer Floats

Harry Potter Book Club

Eat Mud Pudding w/Worms

Handprint Canvases

Decorate Dishes

Slurpees

Water Sponge Fight

Someone had the idea to write down all of these things on slips of paper, letting the kids draw one out every time they claim they are bored, and then doing that thing.......cute, but that doesn't really work for us....... I figure I will do these things as I see fit. If my kids tell me they are bored I will refer them to this list posted on the fridge (shocking, another list.)

No matter how often I clean these things always need to get done again. You know whats amazing? I haven't heard the word "bored" yet!(insert evil Mom laugh here.) What are you doing this summer?