Happy Birthday David!

53 has never looked so good!! Happy birthday to my David. He's the most kind and loving person I know. Good to his core. I'm so happy he's ours!

Halloween Night

 Summer the Greek Goddess

Forrest the Jawa (from Star Wars)

Sandy and Danny from Grease

Halloween

For family night we decorated our house for Halloween. This is my favorite spot. Every year I only buy one thing each holiday to add to our collection. The pumpkin lanterns were a bargain at the Target $1 bin several years ago. The striped candles are pretty fun, too. "Ava candles" on Amazon.

First Day of School!

Summer ~ 6th

Forrest ~ 4th

Summer of 2016

Work and family have consumed most of my time but life is happy and busy. I taught summer classes twice a week, which meant I had the kids to myself the other three days unless they're in camp. If they aren't in camp we're always at the pool or the beach.

Here is a recap of our summer:

1. These two. They're like an old married couple. Joined at the hip, inseparable. They find each other first thing every morning and stick together like glue until bedtime. They are the best of friends. Today at the pool they played together all day long and I got not one complaint. Except for when it was time to go home.

2. Father's Day. These kids have been blessed with the most loving, fun, adventurous and devoted dad. He puts his family first and I'm grateful that his example is what they will always associate with what a husband and a father should be.

3. We just dropped off Forrest and Summer at Camp Mark 7 in Old Forge, NY where they call home for the next two weeks.

4. Just one more, because I already miss them.

5. Yesterday we got our first mail from the kids. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read their little sweet notes. In their precious handwriting Summer wrote, "I miss you a little bit, but am loving it!" Forrest said, "the food sometimes is super gross. Can you come here" (he lives to eat!) Our days have been busy filled with work and spontaneous dates but our hearts feel incomplete. David and I can't wait to see them next week. 

6. One benefit to being parked (literally) on the I-95 northbound is finding this gem on my phone. Can't wait for a family hug at the camp's parent night.

7. I don't get to Instagram as much as I would like to these days. As the kids get older my spare moments are fewer and fewer. I am on break from teaching for a week and half, so our mornings have been lazy lately. I love it. Earlier this summer we decided to get our floors refinished. It was a lot of work to get everything off the floor, remove all the doors and to coordinate the kids' camps AND to figure out where to sleep. Many things to dear friends for helping our little family, we were able to pull through this project. I have things still upstairs that I want to move down here but waiting for the floors to cure a little more. My goal is to get back to my "real camera" and be better about documenting my kids so that they have pictures to put with their memories as they grow older.

8. Grasping on to every last bit of summer!

9. On August 23rd I turned 39. And guess what, I'm genuinely so happy about it. The older I get, the more clearly I'm able to see what is that truly brings me the most joy - and each year I realize more and more clearly that it's not 'things' at all, it's people and relationships. And relationships take time. All day today I've been overcome with how grateful I am for the amazing people that have been placed in my life. I am one lucky girl. Thank you for filling my life with so much goodness. I love each of you with my whole heart.

Sibling Love

I am constantly telling my kids how lucky they are to have each other. I tell them that no matter what... they need to love and look out for each other. And that throughout their lives no one will understand them or "get them" as well as they do. I know this from firsthand experience. I often say, "friends come and go but siblings are... (and they repeat with me) FOREVER.

Forrest is 9!

On May 5th Forrest turned NINE. No one can make me laugh as hard as my Forrest. He's HILARIOUS. The 'double fist pump' accompanied by a, "YES!" means he's super excited! {he's been wanting this Lego set for months!}

In keeping with the tradition, the kids eat a special breakfast in bed on their birthdays, so this year Forrest requested toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. It was a perfect day and I can't believe my baby is 9. Happy 9th Birthday my sweet Forrest!

'Happy Birthday' Plate

They just headed out the door for the traditional birthday-eve daddy date. Forrest is holding our family special 'happy birthday' plate - David always asks the server to plate the kids' dinner on it at the restaurant (most likely that plate will soon be covered in pad thai). 

My little baby is growing up ♡

Easter

🐰We had the happiest of Easters 🐰

Ski Bunnies

We took the kids skiing for the first time. By the end of the day they were mini-experts. They loved it! I was a bit sad the week before when I realized how fast time is passing with my kids. We decided at the last minute to pack the night before when we saw the ski weather report and quickly loaded up the car the next morning. We headed straight for the mountains as soon as David got home from work. The truth is, it's WAY more fun skiing on the bunny slopes with them. Maybe them growing up isn't so bad after all.