Garrett Graduates and a Pool Party!

It was hot when we arrived in California. Like 104* gross hot. Luckily, that only lasted for 2 days and now it's back to the typical perfect 72*. But during the hot days, we spent a lot of time in my brother Mark's (or "Uncle Marker" as Soren calls him) paradise of a backyard. Quincy is swimming independently and confidently (hallelujah!) and Corbin is getting close! We put him in a life jacket so he could get to the grotto/cave, cliff jump, and go down the water slide safely (read: without me dying.) Soren played in the pool for a bit, then joined grandpa in the luke warm hot tub) and Sloane took a dip with mama and loved it!

In the evening, we celebrated my awesome nephew, Garrett, who had graduated from high school that morning. 

We love you, Garrett! Garrett is funny and is known for his great "laugh out loud at the movies" contagious laugh. He works hard, plays hard, gets things done, is very loyal to his family, and is a great example of obedience and selflessness to my boys. We love you Garrett! Congrats on graduating high school and seminary and on becoming an Eagle Scout! 

 It was a wonderful day spent celebrating outdoors with people we love and haven't seen in too long. 

California Calling!

Psst! Hey guess what? I'm going to grandpas and I'm gonna be spoiled. 

See? 

Shareholder Concert

Who are those tired looking people? 

A set of parents, out on a mid week date night! Someone send those poor baggy eyed people away to a retreat spa for some r&r! 

The concerts were good! American Authors were definitely our favorite, but it was fun to hear the Goo Goo Dolls and reminisce about high school. Every time I hear the goo goo dolls, I think of my childhood friend, Katie Renville. She's and her mother were killed in a tragic car accident just over 10 years ago. Katie loved the goo goo dolls and really would have loved this concert! 

I digress. 

The pre concert energy at shareholder concerts is amazing, especially the international sections. So much enthusiasm!  Everyone is a friend in that room. 

American Authors were our favorite act. They didn't sing one song we don't like, and we have several of their new stuff on on our summer playlist. Great show. The front man is just enough of a peacock to keep the audience entertained, and you could tell he really loves to perform. 

The goo goo dolls played a good show, too! We had silly laugh at the likeness of the second guitarist and his likeness to Jon Lovitz. In case you've forgotten what Jon Lovitz looks like...here's a little collage for ya. 

I don't know why we thought this was so funny we had bursts of hysteria throughout the show. We completely lost it and surrendered to laughter when he stepped up to vocals and performed Bringing on the Light, because the drummer looks like Jon Lovitz, too! This shot just slayed us. Hello?! Jon Lovitz and Jon Lovitz! Hahaha! They probably look nothing like him in real life, but blown up on that jumbo screen? It was like a scene from the Wedding Singer. 

As far as the rest of the show, fantastic. Johnny Rzeznik tore it up. Thanks Walmart for the fun date, and the opportunity to reminisce, laugh, dance, and sing along. All the right ingredients for a good concert. 

 

2016 Summer Playlist

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned "mixed tape"? I tried explaining the process of creating a mixed tape to the kids...you know, waiting for the song to come on the radio then frantically holding down play and record at the same time, on a cassette you had to put masking tape over the top of to take it off demo mode and make it recordable over what was already on it? I was met with blank stares and "what's a cassette? Why didn't you just use the computer?" I felt old.  

Alas, summer is here and these kids love their traditions, and a summer playlist is an important one. So, a "mixed tape" for the rising generation was made.

1) Can't Stop the Feeling-JT

2) I'm Born to Run-American Authors

3) Bringing on the Light- The Goo Goo Dolls 

4) Girls Chase Boys-Ingrid Michaelson

5) What We Live For-American Authors

6) Riptide-Vance Joy

7) Brother-Need to Breathe

8) Pride-American Authors 

9) Everything is Awesome-Lego Movie Soundtrack

10) Rebel Beat-The Goo Goo Dolls

11) American Girl-Tom Petty

12) Better When I'm Dancin'-Peanuts Movie Soundtrack

13) Cake By The Ocean-James Major

14) Fight Song-Rachel Platten

15) Go Big Or Go Home-American Authors

16) Come to Me-The Goo Goo Dolls

17) The Story of My Life-One Direction

Memorial Day Fires

Memorial Day began with the Allred boys coming over for a morning play date. These are great kids and they play hard and creatively with my kids. They started off with a bonfire and ceremonial burning of the school papers. Good riddance, literacy bingo! Until next year, social studies!  They roasted s'mores for "breakfast", rode scooters, played basketball, and had an exciting round of Clue out on the island. And then the sky grew dark very quickly, and we gathered our things and dashed indoors just in the nick of time before the clouds opened and poured buckets of rain! 

Indoor fun continued and the kids are already planning their next adventure. 

We had a lazy afternoon of naps and movie watching while the rain came down outside. There was a break in the weather and we knew friends were at the lake, but none of us had the motivation to make it happen and get over there. So we schlubbed around the house instead. It was really nice, actually. 

At 5, we went over to the Davis' home and joined the Chandlers, Blakes, Glovers, Sandersons, Klackrings, and Gulbransens for weenie roasting and a potluck picnic. I kept thinking, "man! I miss our metfield branch friends!" And then I got home and saw fun videos of friends jumping in the lake at Camp Petersen and regretted napping the afternoon away and thought, "man! I miss our Bella vista friends, too!" 

The double dose feelings of missing these great people birthed these goals: 

1) create stronger/deeper bonds of friendship within the sugar creek ward, so I'll have a reason to some day say, "Man! I miss those sugar creek friends!" 

2) call up my metfield and Bella Vista friends more often, instead of waiting for Memorial Day to roll around. I had some great conversations today, and the kids? There was a friend for everyone! It rained and rained and kids got drenched, and jumped on the trampoline and sat on the rope swing anyway. We adults somehow had decent protection from the rain under the thick tree branch covering overhead. I love how green Arkansas is. Where else can you keep a fire going in pouring rain, and still stay pretty dry? What a nice day. I thank and honor the many who have sacrificed all so I could have the freedom and luxury of a day with family and friends and need to make gatherings like this happen more often! 

Kickin' Off Summer

The first day of Summer was wonderful! I am SO happy to be done with school and just have my children mine mine mine. Friday came and we played hard! 

First stop: the Amazeum. There is a new exhibit on how things are made inspired by Fred Rogers. The children played with a huge die cut machine and folded paper boxes, pressed and stamped pennies with a hand cranked roller mill and lever, and built wooden trolleys on an assembly line. My favorite new thing at the Amazeum is this giant lite brite wall. 

After the Amazeum we hit up the Bentonville Library for new books. Corbin has already finished both a magic treehouse book and an I Survived book that were both about the Titanic. I told him I would find some video footage online of divers and machines exploring the real titanic at the bottom of the ocean. He's very interested to know what the found in it. 

One of my preschool parents gave me a super thoughtful end of the year gift: 16 homemade crepes, individually packaged and ready for the freezer. 

I pulled them out last night and we stuffed our faces with delicious crepes, filed with everything we could think of. What a fun dinner, and a fantastic teacher gift! It made for an exciting evening to have a new treat to try at dinner time. Long live summer break. 

These neighborhood kids could play from sunup to sundown. Here they are  all camped out on Laura's driveway searching the sky for Venus and the space station. 

I taught the children how to play Clue after church, today. I played 3 games, and they kept the fun going with game after game until 7:30 tonight! I used to play Clue for hours with my friends when I was Reese's age, so I'm thrilled my children enjoy it, too. 

I'm sitting here, soaked from head to toe after a friendly visit on the porch with our neighbors after I tucked my kids into bed.  What started with a splashed water bottle between a couple of the neighbor kids escalated into a full blown unforgettable water fight with hoses between the adults with in the driveways. It was unexpected and indescribably funny. I called it quits and headed in shortly after getting sprayed, but I think I hear Ryan carting one of his kids over the pool and threatening to dunk em.  Laughs never stop on this little corner of heaven. I was reminded tonight of the time my dad kept getting my mom with the hose, so she put a kink in it, dragged the hose with her and followed him right into the house and hosed him back, carpet, furniture, and all. 

Tomorrow we will hang our flags out front, hit the lake, swim, BBQ with friends, and enjoy a day with daddy home. I know we are only a couple days in, but Summer 2016? So far, so good.  

My Summer Office

My front porch is such a place of happiness for me.  The other day it was pouring buckets outside, and the neighbor kids got out their Star Wars toys and lined the railing with action figures. They played under the awning for an hour and it brought me joy. 

I picked up this cute doormat as a total impulse purchase last week, while shopping for a wedding gift for a friend. I have no regrets. 

A cast iron dinner bell was my birthday purchase and it already brings me all kinds of happiness. I can't wait for the next sunny evening that I can rattle it and call everyone in. "Kiiiiids! Dinerrrrrrrr!!!!" 

On Sunday afternoon, we just sat and rocked and talked the evening away. I have been waiting all year for easy living summer days, and even though the "slow" days are sparse, Sunday evening was restful and rejuvenating. I told Aaron a dozen times, "I know I should get up and make dinner, but I can't move. It's too comfortable to just sit without the pressing need to be somewhere. We eventually grilled hot dogs and ate outside. 

Can you blame me for not getting up? Look at my view. Good company. 

You know you live in the south when you come home on a Thursday night to this happening out front in the neighbor's yard.  Sly Fox better check himself. 

Before anyone freaks out since this is the Internet, after all, (simma!) I feel like I should clarify that it's a pellet rifle and our children were indoors, in bed. 

Also on my porch, more underwear in the collection box! Woot! The kids are up to 285 pair and more arrive every day. 

An epic nerf gun battle took place the other day. I'm still finding foam darts in corners and under furniture. Reese's battle armed was clever...and really dirty when she came in. 

Oh honeysuckle. You smell so so good. Primrose lane is lined with this good stuff and the aroma has wafted up on our porch all month long. 

A happy sight of busy worker bees. 

Sloane loves her some Miss JJ. 

It's the first day of summer break. We made it, you guys. Time to release a deep sigh of relief and get outside. No bedtime looming, no homework to be done. Hooray!