Time Has Wings

Well, I blinked my eyes, and Summer has come to an end.

How does that happen??

How is it that one minute, it's the beginning of June and we have 12 glorious weeks of summer break ahead of us...

and the next minute, it's the end of August and the kids are walking back into their classrooms.

I know that most parents can relate

to that bittersweet blend of joy in growth and sadness at time passing.

I love that my kids are growing.  Growing bigger and smarter and stronger and...I could go on and on.
But,
Oh.My.Goodness.

Time!
it has wings and it sure does fly

While summer was busy flying by, we didn't forget to enjoy every bit of it -

We looked forward to watching sunsets almost every night,

ran around the yard catching lightning bugs, 

watched summer storms roll in...

We Took long walks, 

rode our bikes,

and took drives in the country - with our windows down, breathing in the country air.

The kids played with their cousins,

We spent time at grandma and grandpa's lake house in the Ozarks,

We went to the fair and rode rides, enjoyed lemonade shake ups and cheese on a stick, watched the harness races...

We spent an afternoon in Hannibal,

spent lots of time making art - experimenting, coloring, making crafts - 

and spent countless hours of swimming and being in the water, 

The kids were able to participate in our neighborhood 4th of July parade - a 1st for us - and just one more reason we're thankful for our new home.

We picked fresh strawberries...except for Mia.  She spent her time in the patch eating the strawberries.  She ate and ate and ate.  If they were red, green, or white.  She ate them.

We got to spend time at the campground - riding bikes, swimming, sitting around the campfire.

What's a summer without a sprinkler and eating watermelon?
Funny the joy I received from watching the kids run in and out and through the sprinkler!

We took a vacation to Texas to visit Aunt Nina...

The kids developed a love for fishing this summer.  Mason has gotten really good at casting and taking the fish off the hook. 

We park hopped, 

played at spash pads, 

and went out for ice cream.  a lot.

We took a little trip to downtown Chicago...

...and splashed around in Lake Michigan.

The kids spent many days playing house, school, restaurant...just the good ol' imaginary play...
This particular picture is when they were playing tattoo parlor.  
(a tattoo on Mia's thigh of a pear)

Makayla's favorite thing about the summer was going swimming.
Mason's favorite thing about the summer was going to the Ozarks.
Mia's favorite thing about the summer was when Santa came to visit.
(santa delivered a new kitty to our home, Zeke, after we lost Chief in an accident)

Summer was filled with chaos 

and goodness

and awesome people.

And while the summer season went entirely too fast, I have my arms open wide, ready to fall into autumn.

3 Christmas Questions

 Well, another Christmas has come and gone!

 

And all I can say is - 

We are blessed

and

I'm so thankful for everything we have in this life.

During all of the hustle and bustle of the season, I didn't forget to stop and give thanks - 

thanks for all that made up our Christmas and the days leading up and following it -

our health,

time spent with our family and friends,

our church,

baking cookies and playing games,

singing christmas songs and squinting at twinkling lights,

the smells of christmas,

fun with Chippy, our elf,

listening to the kids' prayers as they thanked god for "santa, chippy, jesus, and god",

reading christmas stories,

wearing santa claus hats,

giving and receiving,

repeating "merry christmas" over and over again,

believing in the magic...

I could go on and on - 

but, as we wrap up this season, I asked my kids these 3 questions today:

1.  What was your most favorite part about Christmas this year?
2. What was your favorite present?
3. Why do we celebrate Christmas?

 

Makayla:

1.  Decorating the Christmas tree.  And opening presents.

2.  Go Go My Walking Pup

3.  Jesus.  And so we can love each other.

Mason:

1.  Sitting on Santa's lap.

2.  Nerf Guns

(shocked that he didn't answer his Osaka Pee Guy - the one and only thing he asked for)

 

3.  To celebrate Jesus.

Mia:

(i know she's too young to fully answer the questions, but heaven forbid we leave her out!)

1.  Shrugs her shoulders 

(as she tilts her head and widens her eyes)

2.  Baby.

3.  I don't know.

(as she shrugs her shoulders, again, and smirks)

Photography is the beauty of life, captured.

 – Tara Chisholm

This picture brings me so much joy!

Halloween 2014

Happy Halloween!!

2014

 

 

Mia - Pumpkin

Mason - Pirate (Jake and the Neverland Pirates)
Makayla - Something pretty (Barbie Mariposa)

The Fourth

How did we celebrate the 4th of July this year?
With...

our traditional tie-dying of shirts,

water fight with a fire truck,

lots of cousin time for the kids,

watermelon and sugar cookies,

sparklers and smoke bombs,

fireworks, 

and beautiful weather.

Our Fourth through pictures:

Mia really getting into dying her shirt!

Water fight with the fire truck.
Still, this year, this kids just prefer the mist from the water...

 Fun with family and friends.

We're so thankful to have had the boys from the south join us this year!
The kids really enjoyed spending time with their cousins, Tyler and Brennan, and they added a sweet touch to our memories this year!

We tried and tried to get a picture of all the cousins together - 

Where's Kole?

 Where's Mia?

 Here's one with all of them.  Just think...next time, there will be one more to join the group - Reagyn!

The night was full of food, family, friends, fun, and fireworks!

The next day we woke up to a traditional breakfast of mush at Grandma and Grandpa Curry's while the kids set off more smoke bombs.

We all ate lunch together at the bowling alley - Curry Party of 15 -

and then Kevin and I ended the day at Grady's Family Fun Park with the kids.

We've had a great weekend celebrating the Fourth and spending time with family we don't get to see near often enough.

"I thank god for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly, let it ring.
Salute the ones who died
The ones that give their lives
So we don't have to sacrifice
All the things we love"

-Zac Brown Band