School/Summer/Basement Transition

Old carpet gets kicked to the curb, and the girls hit the cul-de-sac with their wheels. 

Since I'm going to post a singing video of Lydia, I have to post this silly song and dance of Abigail:

 As you could hear, Ben spent most of Memorial Day weekend making final cuts for the basement. The girls were festive in their summer dresses by Gma Jan. We did enjoy the weather and grill out. The basement flooring was laid Tuesday and Wednesday.

Memorial Day Weekend

The school had a little Father's Day event like they did for Mother's Day. Lydia was excited to have Daddy go to school with her!

 As we make finishing touches on the basement, the girls play in Barbie Central.

Here's one view of the basement as we take a snack break.

 Lydia grew tons in counting and writing letters this year, had a fun classroom experience, and will miss her friends. The end of school program was exciting and cute. 

Daphne, Lydia, Rachel, Jessica, Abigail

"Peanut Butter & Jelly"

"I'm Going to be a Superstar!"

She got a graduation certificate from her substitute teacher, Mrs. Reidenbach.

Lydia loved having Mrs. DiVilio for her teacher until she went on maternity leave! We hope Abigail will get her in 2 years.

Well, just two more days of school, then it's really summer, but that hasn't prevented us from bringing out the sprinkler and rice box on these lovely days.

Happy Mother's Day

Celebrating my birthday and Mother's day!

My happy helpers in the kitchen on my birthday! 

 Grandma Jan and 8 of her 10 grandkids:
Lydia, Kinsey, Kailyn, Kayla, Abigail, Will, Nathan, Jacob

The funny one: Will grabbing Abigail's hair. Jan to the rescue. Abigail keeps smiling.

Fancy Nancy, the Musical with Grandma, Farmer's market with Kaitlyn & Will, holding my share of babies (we met Baby Sommers), on the boat (Grandpa let her steer!), birthday party, coffee and muffin in bed, bike ride, mom day brunch, hugs and kisses. After we got back home from this fun weekend, Lydia pulled her tooth out!

Trying to twist the tooth was the big push it needed to come out. She already has the permanent tooth coming in behind. Lydia was super excited and made up a little ditty and and dance mashup about a "one of a kind tooth fairy."

In the morning, she found a $1 coin from the tooth fairy!!

The school kids went on a field trip to an indoor play place on Friday, so they had a Mother's Day craft on Monday. We picked up our corsages on the way in. The scotch tape just didn't hold it. :P

So so blessed to have two little "thumbodies" to love me and to love!!

Love to you, too, Mom, Jan, Kathy, and ALL the mothers out there!

Springtime

 We've had some nice warm days so that we can do bubbles while waiting for Daddy to come home. (And meet Daddy for lunch at Grant Park Beach on one obscure 78 degree day!)

 And we've had some rainy days so we could still get caught up in some crafts.

 Making lightning bugs with plastic eggs.

"Gonna getcha!"

 Making play flip flops with cardboard, paint, chenille stems and beads.

 Lydia's say, "HI." We're starting to pay more attention to sounding out words.

They liked to make their flip flops together, skate around in their flip flops together. They are truly best of friends right now.

Today was a rainy Spring day. We had time to clean our rooms.

Play: (v) to make a big mess with toys. This is so true! The girls love to play, and not so much work. But...they did like making a chart and following it to get their room picked up! The room's not picture perfect as I would have it, but that's not the point. The point is that Lydia was proud of picking up her room after she followed the 8 steps!

Out of town husband

Ben was in Arizona for work this week, leaving me without relief at the end of the day. What got me through was some Grandma distraction, an aunt and uncle to babysit while I had a concert, an encouraging e-mail from a MOPS friend, a play date, a shopping outing, one Skype call, and leaning on God. God's still shaping me, but I AM an awesome mom. And you know what, we not only survived, we had little special moments. Unfortunately all I have to show for it in pictures are these two of Abigail opening her baptism birthday gift. 

 She got Aladdin themed Squinkies to add to her collection and a Sophia painting book. This, also, helped keep Abigail and Lydia both busy and happy.

I don't know how single moms or moms whose husbands travel a lot do it. I do know being a mom is not easy no matter your situation, and it feels SO good to rest and relax in my husband's arms.

Breaker Bay @ Blue Harbor

We (with Stacy, Aaliyah, Violet, Sarah, Matt, Gma Linda) spent a day in 78 humid degrees of delight at Breaker Bay. My camera lens did not adjust as quickly to this environment, so my family picture is all fog.

At any rate, the kids were right at home in the splash pad area.

Which was right next to the ship bucket dump.

Can you spot Ben and Lydia getting dumped on? Matt loves this attraction.

They replaced the kiddie slides with a riptide surf simulator. Sarah, Ben and I all had fun with it. But without the kiddie slides, Lydia had to build up the courage to go down the green and blue slides by herself. Sitting on a lap is not allowed.

 She went down the green slide, loved it, and got off so fast.

 Grandma Linda went down the blue side next to her. I can post a funny picture of her because it's her birthday.

After innumerable trips around the lazy river we went out to Pizza Ranch. 

Happy 63rd Birthday, Mom!

"He is Risen!" "My Tooth is Loose!"

"He is Risen!"  "My Tooth is Loose!"

The first phrase is part of the most important event in all of history. The second phrase is just part of a little milestone in Lydia's life. Both happened on Easter day. 

 Easter weekend started off with a special message at church that concluded with everyone standing and singing, "pray, praise, and shout hooray! Jesus is alive!" repeatedly and faster each time.

 Then the children divided into two groups: ages 0-3 and 4-12 and processed outside for an egg hunt. The older group thinks it's a race; and the young group knows it's a hunt for a few choice eggs. Lydia came in to the young area to help make it a clean sweep since she was crushed by her competition, and the youngsters were fine leaving behind countless eggs after they found the ones they liked. 

 At home on Sunday morning, the clever Easter bunny (Ben) left a fun way for the girls to find their hidden Easter baskets. We wrapped up the yarn behind them as they followed it around and around and around to finally the closet!

 We went to Easter church service and then over to the Fernandez' for a wonderful dinner. It was amazing how well the children sat at their own table or were off playing together and the adults could sit, eat, and talk. It's such a luxury. We've come a long way in that department in two years and I think we should enjoy it because it's going to get upset again when Baby Boy Fernandez comes in August!!

Aaliyah and Violet's other cousins, Zach and Julia, may be due major credit for our enjoyable dinner and egg hunt because they were awesome and super helpful with the girls for both.

 Once we took a picture and gave the green light, they scattered and conquered in their pretty puffy pastel dresses.

Oh what fun it is to find colorful Easter eggs all around. We were all glad that the forecast "stray showers" kept their distance and we could have fun outside. 

 In fact, egg hunts are so much fun that Sarah suggested we have an adult version next time. Why should the kids have all the fun? I agree!

 Well, we enjoyed watching the children from the deck, and we certainly enjoyed this Pinterest-win carrot cake! Awesome! But this is the cake. 

This is the cake with the orange white chocolate covered strawberries that Lydia bit into that set her right bottom incisor loose. Everyone we come across knows the story, and now you do too, of how Lydia got her first loose tooth. Now we wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. How much time do I have to figure this tooth fairy thing out? ;)