Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists...

So... I've been slacking on writing...but really we've just been busy with tee-ball, trips to the beach, riding on the boat, eating ice cream, going to bed too late, playing outside, and you know...all of the things we are supposed to do.  It's summer after all!  BUT - it's Tuesday - so my list has been on my mind...so here it is!!

Proof of our fun.

Love List...

• Myles and the pure joy he has in swimming out to and jumping on this trampoline in the water.  The first time he swam out there, I was waving at him.  He jumped a few times and climbed down and swam all the way back to shore to make sure we were watching him.  Cutie pie.
• Last night we went to dinner and a movie with the kids.  (Yes, Monster's University.)  Jillian wanted to bring her little puppy on wheels.  She calls him (creatively), Puppy.  I told her she could bring him in, but she might want to ask if he is allowed, because many times dogs are not allowed in restaurants.  She went up to the counter and hoisted him up in view to the girl working and said, "Can he please come in here?  He isn't a real dog, don't worry."  It was adorable and the girl working was awesome.  She checked him out and agreed that he could stay.  Happiest girl.
• This weekend we had time for tons of fun things and somehow we managed to do a bunch of work around the house too.  Fun and productive?  I wasn't sure that was possible!
• This week, Jillian opened a public bathroom door with her elbows.  She is my daughter, that is for sure.
• Myles has a new and intense excitement about golf.  Ben got him a little set of golf clubs and he was hitting around the yard all night tonight.
• I made an amazing Craigslist score.  I've been looking for an antique-ish metal bed frame for Jillian for quite a while, but I wasn't really feeling the $300 odd shaped (not twin or full) frames that I have found at antique stores.  My ultimate score?  A red painted frame for $25.  Sold.  A few cans of "Berry Pink" spray paint and I have a very happy little girl.  I knew I needed something special because she has been so attached to her little toddler bed, which cracks me up, since Myles was in a twin bed at two.  Anyway, her bedroom has been transformed and she is loving it.  I was lucky enough to keep the same number of animals and princesses in her new bed, despite the fact that she has a lot more room.
  
• Ice cream with Nerds on top.  Excellent.  Even better, I scooped a bowl with Nerds tonight to eat while I typed...and then I saw Ben's ice cream...with peanuts, brownie, and chocolate syrup.  He was nice enough to trade me.  Love him.

I'm Better Off Without List...

• It's summer...and I'm working five days a week.  Five.
• Insomnia.  Seriously.  I need to sleep...and more than an hour at a time, please.

Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists...

Love List...

• Today Myles is six and a half.  Seriously, it's crazy.  We celebrated with a boat ride to the ice cream store.  Myles's pick: Moosetracks with Oreos on top.  Jillian's: Moosetracks with...gummy bears.  
• Back a few months ago in this post I told you about Jillian drawing a ghost in a supposed haunted restaurant.  We went back to the restaurant this weekend.  Mind you, we have never once said anything to either of our children about the restaurant being haunted (even after her creepy drawings the last time).  As soon as we walked in the door she said, "Oh, so the ghosts are upstairs this time, Momma?"  Totally freaks me out, but awesome all at the same time.
• Tomorrow is Myles's last day of school!  We are pretty excited for a fun-filled summer.  I am taking the day off on Thursday to enjoy the first wonderful day of break with the kids.
• Last night, Ben went up to our room for a minute and noticed Myles was still awake.  He told him to close his eyes and go to sleep.  In turn, he checked on Jillian as well.  She had a great fake sleep going on.  It was almost perfect...until he asked her if she was sleeping.  She nodded.
• Yesterday, Myles came home with worksheets that his class received to keep up their good work over the summer.  He was barely in the door before he wanted to start working on it.  He did a good chuck already...and school isn't even out yet.
• Today a brown box appeared at my doorstep.  In my excitement, I started racking my brain for what wonderful thing that I had ordered would fit in this box.  I opened it...it's my books for my MSU classes that start July 1st.  Not exactly what I had pictured...
• Grilling season.  Seriously, dinner is a whole lot easier for this Mom.

I'm Better Off Without List...

• Around midnight on Thursday night...an avalanche occurred in my closet.  It was terrible.  A long section of my closet that held all of my dresses, suits, jackets, stacked sweaters, and even a basket of all of my purses...broke.  Clothes and purses came pouring out my closet door.  It was overwhelming and simply...a mess.  My mother-in-law saw it and said it was way worse than I could have ever described...  On the bright side, my closet is clean as a whistle now and I weeded out a lot of clothes to donate to Goodwill...something I've been planning to do, but just had not done.  Guess that was the nudge I needed.

Dancing and Daytripping

I love summer.  I love summer weekends, even more.  Summer weekends in Michigan...the best.  This weekend felt like the kick off to the summer season.  Myles is almost done with school and the end of the year activities are in full force.  The sunshine was out and things could not have been any better.

Jillian's dance recital was on Saturday.  She loved it.  She loves dance and I love seeing her joy in everything dance.  She was even dancing in the aisles at dinner after her recital.  Here are a few photos from the occasion...

Makeup time.  It took forever and it still wasn't perfect.  Putting makeup on someone else isn't all that easy...especially when that someone else is fluttering her eyes and wiggling around.  Seriously though, look at her eyelashes.  I'm jealous of my own daughter.  That was only a couple of quick swipes of mascara.

 My little "Devil in Disguise" ready to shake it on stage.  She loved her costume.

The start of her second dance.  She is the one with the ponytail down to her tutu.  ;)

Pure adorableness.

With 14 wonderful family members there to watch one little girl...she raked in the flowers.  They are now beautifying my house.  Oh - and she even had a little corsage on that wrist.  

 Family photo at dinner afterwards.

 And  she poses...

 What an awesome night.

And Sunday?  A trip to one of my favorite little Lake Michigan towns, Saugatuck.  A day of strolling around downtown, playing at the park in the middle of town, shopping, and walking the boardwalk of boats.  I snapped a few pics with my phone.

Here is Jillian with her new mermaid from the local drugstore.  I have a weakness for that store.  As a kid we would go there and admire the colorful kites, sand toys, and display of rocks with the little velvet bags to fill with your choice of colorful gems for a few dollars (my sister, Sarah was always a sucker for the rocks).  That store brings me back to ten years old every time I walk in.  Oh, and Myles...got the rocks.  I believe he calls them his magical gems.

 Myles in the garden next to my most favorite purple flowers.  I need to grow them myself...

Jillian chose her shoes for the day.  Cowboy boots from Myles's Woody Halloween costume a few years ago.  Why not?  I am thrilled I found a yellow jumper for her again this year.  Bonus - it was only $6 at The Gap in Chicago.  With tax.

 And...my favorite picture of the day that I happened to capture from the bench all the way across the playground.  Daddy and daughter in conversation.  Pure love.

 Hope your weekend was as snazzy as cowboy boots and rompers. 

Can't wait to see what next weekend holds.

Kindergarten Graduation

Today was a big day for my first-born baby.  I mean, big kid.  Kindergarten graduation.  I can't even believe that he is almost done with his first year of school.  Incredible how fast time goes.

Seems fitting that today I write about kiddie pride.  I was just talking the other day to a friend about this phenomenon.  It seems to be the ultimate in pride that you can feel...the pride for your child.  It doesn't matter how many scholarships, promotions, or awards I have...or ever will receive in my life...it never compares to the pride I feel when one of my kids does something special.  Sometimes it comes in small doses, like this morning when Myles asked me to please pick Jillian up from school before his graduation...because he wanted her there so badly.  Other time, it comes in larger doses, like today as Myles "graduated" from Kindergarten and received the "Leadership" character award.  Love.  It's amazing...and my favorite kind of pride.  Here are a few photos from his event...

His Kindergarten Diploma and Character Award: Leadership.

 Getting nervous about singing.

 Love this boy.

 Showing off his memory book to Ben and Jillian (me too - but someone has to take the photos).

Looking like a chef...but really just a proud grad.

                                                  

 Myles and his friend Jake.  These two cute graduates had so much fun together this year.  They get along so great and this pictures shows their adorable friendship.  Know how to tell if Myles is having a photo taken with a friend and actually wants it taken?  He looks...and smiles.

Myles receiving his graduation certificate and award.

Award presentation video.  By some crazy miracle, I was so busy taking video with my phone and taking photos simultaneously with my camera...I didn't cry as he received this award.  I have to admit though, I did when I watched it back...and in the car on the way home.  

 Wind blowing and an awkward rock pose, but I still love that I have this photo of the two of us to mark this special occasion.  I saw someone else take a photo on this rock and it looked cool.  Not sure how we successfully made it look so awkward.  She must have been taller....and the kid must have been shorter.

Jillian on her brother's special day.

And last...but certainly not least... Myles and his favorite teacher.  I am so thankful for her daily awesomeness.  We will all miss her next year.

Tomorrow Myles visits his first grade class and meets his teacher and new classmates.  

Hello, first grade. 

Hope you are as amazing as Kindergarten.

Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists...

Love List...

• I got home late tonight after dinner out for work.  Both kids tried to stay up, tucked in their beds waiting for me, but sadly my 8:30 arrival was just too late for them to last.  When I kissed sleeping Jillian, she woke up.  Sleepily she asked (taking quite a while to put the words together in a sleepy haze), "Hi Momma.  Are you.........home yet??"  Love her.
• Watching Myles interact with all of his friends from school.  I just love it.  He is outgoing and friendly and it just warms my heart.
• Our new deck is completely done!  AND - there is no trailer in my backyard anymore!  It looks awesome and I'm so proud of Ben and his dad for the amazing craftsmanship!  So glad he is so handy!
  
• Jillian has been working on a list of her little friends that she would like to give a flower to at her dance recital this weekend.  The tattered piece of paper is filled with love for many little dancer girls.  Oh, and let's not forget the addition Myles put on the list, for the little friend from school that dances at the same studio.
• The end of the school year is approaching and every night is filled with end of the year activities. We are so busy this week, but I wouldn't want it any other way.  Oh - and Thursday....Kindergarten graduation.  Can't believe his first year of school is almost over.
• Saturday morning was spent wandering local antique stores.  It's awesome that my kids enjoy looking around at all of the old furniture and unique knick knacks, sitting in tiny rocking chairs, admiring toys of yesterday, and giggling trying on old hats.  Forget Saturday morning cartoons...this was the perfect Saturday morning.
• The kids have been working through "mysteries".  The mystery that they are trying to solve always receives a name and is written in a notebook.  The most recent saga, "The Mystery of the Missing Bouncy Balls."  They look for clues and try to solve the mystery together.  It's adorable.
• Ben came home from the grocery store last night with a huge pail of ice cream and six different types of candy toppings.  Pure love.

I'm Better Off Without List...

• I've always been able to sleep in.  Of course, not often in the last six years since children who love to rise with the sun (or earlier).  Yet, when given the opportunity I can always sleep well into the morning.  Lately, I've been waking up in the 4 a.m. range and I've had a hard time going back to sleep.  Ben's response?  "Well, you are almost 33.  Maybe you are finally a morning person."  He was referring to old people that wake at 3a.m. to start their day (despite the fact that they are retired.) Nice.  That's the problem with having a younger husband (by a little over a month).
• Chasing a loose cannon at a field trip in a very crowded zoo.  I didn't lose him.  Three cheers for me!  And no, it was not my child.

An Interview With Jillian Kate

I finally got around to interviewing my favorite little girl today.  I love knowing that this will be so fun to look back at when she is a teenager.  If you want to visit last year's interview click here.

What is your favorite thing to do?
Be with my Mommy.  AND be at school.  I like school too, Momma. 

What do you love about school?
When we get playtime.

What is the hardest thing about school?
When [a kid's name] cries.  Because it really hurts my ears! 

What is a pencil skirt?
A pencil skirt?  Uh, something you wear.

What is a noodle necklace?
You wear it!  Is that the answer Momma?

What is your favorite song?
Ariel's song.  Baa Baa Black Sheep. (She sings it for me.)

Who is in charge of our house?
Momma and Daddy.

What is mom’s job?
At work or at home?  (I didn't answer before she must have decided.)  To take care of the kids.

What is your favorite color?
PINK!  And purple.  Did you say purple too?

What is your favorite food?
Macaroni and cheese. 

What are you the most proud of about yourself?
I'm proud of being good at something.  Like when I hug my mother.  (I think she means she is proud when she is a "good" girl and does nice things.)

Where is your favorite place to go?
The museum. 

What do you like about dance?
When we do our cookie stretches (most of their positions and stretches are named after food) and our big girl stretches.

How old are you?
Four.  This is actually fun.

How old do you want to be?
100.  Because that is the oldest.

What do you think you will do in Kindergarten (she still has another year of preschool)?
I think I'm going to go outside, ride on the bus, and ummm, I think I'm going to do some art.

What does the prettiest outfit look like?
Umm.  That Ariel gown I wore to school on my birthday.

What is an interview?
I dunno.  Ummm.  What I am doing right now.

What famous person would you like to meet?
Ariel and Sebastian.  Flounder.  Are you spelling Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder??  Okay, that's all then.

What is Facebook?
I don't know.  Something that Momma writes something to people? 

What is your favorite thing about your brother?
When me and Myles play Ring Around the Rosie. 

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A mermaid.  You don't have a tail?  I know I don't.  I have feet.  

Where are you going to live when you are older?
With Momma.  I'll just be a mermaid, though.  Actually, we already talked about that....I love you.

Where are you going to go to college?
With Jesus.  In Florida.

Are you going to get married someday?
Yes!

Tell me about the boy you are going to marry.
Uh, I'm going to marry my brother.  Myles: Nooooo!  

What kind of car will you drive when you are older?
Myles's.

Who is the smartest person you know?
My Momma.  No, it's my brother.  No, it's my Momma.

I love her...to pieces.