Summer Days

Someone once said that this period of life is characterized by long days and short years. As we sit here tonight on the eve of the first day of school for Oldham County, I’m forced to consider that this time next year, Lance I will be awaiting the first day of school for our kindergartner tomorrow morning. This time next year will be Kindergarten Eve for us, which seems impossible to even fathom. 

Where has the time gone? I know it’s cliche, but really, just yesterday I was bundled up in a warm old house in Cincinnati watching Lance trudge off to work while I held our baby in my arms. I just can’t believe it. 

We are 8 days away from our family beach vacation to Myrtle Beach, and Lyla cut her foot yesterday in a freak, random walk around the neighborhood on the sidewalk. Here, Lance is bandaging it for her. I felt so happy when this happened to have him here to take care of everything. It’s just such a source of security. 

Times are pretty crazy around here - today we dealt with a massive breakdown following a play date at Karalee’s when I refused to let Lyla carry home 8 of her rocks from her rock path. She completely lost it in a way I haven’t seen her lose it in months. I don’t know if it’s fatigue or end of summer burnout - I think it’s time to return to a schedule and routine, and let’s face it, these two need a break from each other. 

Cade E. Bugg is quite the mess these days. He thrives on tearing things apart, driving everyone crazy through hitting, kicking, aggravating…I often don’t know what we’re going to do with him. 

Yesterday, he announced to the ear doctor who was looking at his ear tubes (and incidentally, removed the one from the right ear) that Daddy has a sore on his bottom - a reference to a cyst on Daddy’s tail bone we’ve been dealing with the last few days. He also yelled this information across the street to a neighbor yesterday. 

Most of the time he’s endearing, hilarious and just plain entertaining, but sometimes…he tests every ounce of patience in my tired body. And I’m so tired these days. 

He’ll start 2 day 2’s after Labor Day. I think he’s ready. I think we’re all ready. 

I think.

I know that once we begin, it will be with bittersweetness….our babies are growing up. I sure do love these 2. 

Even through the fatigue and loss of patience, I know the house will be too quiet when they are gone to preschool, and I know I’ll be so grateful to bring them home where they belong. 

Summer Ice Cream Cones

Tonight, the kiddos enjoyed a little ice cream cone walk around the neighborhood after dinner. It is one of those evenings when the temperature is just summery - a little humid after today’s summer rain, but the anticipation of fall feels like it’s just on the horizon. I think it’s the neighborhood chatter about school starting, a few yellow leaves on the lawn and the way the petunias are starting to look fatigued. 

There’s just nothing quite like an ice cream cone on a night like tonight. 

Lyla loved her chocolate chip ice cream cone. 

Cade loved his too, although he sacrificed his to the ants ultimately saying his belly was just too full to finish it. 

Today was a slow day, a not-so-productive summer day with Daddy at home after working 4 nights straight. Daddy’s work schedule is grueling right now with our family vacation coming up at the end of the August. It was a really hectic weekend with 4 birthday parties - 3 of which we were able to attend - everyone was exhausted by number 4 - even Cade was declining cupcakes by the last party. 

A few highlights from the last few days: 

-Cade is super connected to all things Daddy. He loves the fire pit and worries when it is clogged by the rains, and he thinks he can cook on Daddy’s green egg by himself. Today, he had a massive breakdown because Daddy went running “in the road” and he was worried about him getting hurt. 

-Another classic Cade breakdown in recent days - when his “boo-boo” disappeared after taking a bath. HIs new scab was less visible after getting out of the bath tub and he sat on the floor crying because he thought it was gone. 

-Lyla announced at dinner tonight that she is still searching for the man she is going to marry. She is also voicing her concern that she can’t decide if she wants to be a princess when she grows up or a “saloner” (a hair stylist). I’m hoping for the latter. 

-Overheard today in the basement - Lance was gazing at Cade sitting in a chair and asked inquisitively: “Did your Aunt Baby sneak an egg into the batch or what?”…Cade looks so much like Tevan sometimes that it’s frightening. 

They say the funniest things these days - I wish I could write them all down. 

The end of summer is a little sad in some ways, but there’s just something kind of exciting about “what comes next” (some of Cade’s favorite words these days). 

Turning 8 and Floyd's Fork

Today we took another trip to Floyd’s Fork - this time to show Rand and celebrate his 8th Birthday. The minute we were introduced to this place, I could hardly wait to bring him here - I knew he would love it.

It is so hard to believe that this sweet little boy is now 8…we can hardly believe it. I know it’s cliche, but really, where has the time gone? Just yesterday it seems like he was asking Lyla to get out of her car seat and “walk around”.

The kids are all really growing up. Today they walked up and down the creek, visiting “Shell Island” and discovering new spots - “Rock Island”. Rand loved throwing the biggest rocks he could find - trying to break them into multiple pieces, of course. 

Here are Cade & Lyla walking through the creek, accompanied by Brie, Lyla’s constant companion these days. I’m so amused at how she favors this doll above all others, much the same way a mom prefers her child to any other. She says Brie’s clothes are the prettiest of any of her dolls, and she thinks she is better in every way imaginable. And, Cade is absolutely NOT allowed to play with her!

It is so sweet to watch Cade beginning to truly admire Rand as a real “Big Boy”. He watches everything he does with amazement and adoration: 

Rand is just beautiful, inside and out. I am so happy that we have the absolute privilege of being a part of his every day life - I love that we’re all just a fixture in his childhood. 

I can’t believe this beautiful boy is really 8!

Our kids all love their walking sticks - this was a huge acquisition today: finding just the right walking stick and using it for everything from walking to battling leaves. I love how much our kids love being together. It is one of the best things ever about our everlasting friendship with Ari and Crystal. We are so blessed to call them family, and the happiness of this photo says it all: 

Happy Birthday Emma & Parker

We had a fantastic time tonight celebrating Emma & Parker’s birthdays, just down the street. Lance & I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful neighborhood for Lyla & Cade. They have so much fun with all the kids here - and there are so many so close in age. 

This afternoon, Emma and Parker had a great birthday party with a huge water slide and water games. Lyla and Cade were thrilled to get to ride down the slide - Lyla by herself and Cade with Daddy. 

They enjoyed birthday cake and ice cream together: 

And, Cade was so happy to wish his friend Parker a happy 4th birthday: “He’s my friend, Mommy."

Here’s to many more! We had a great time!

Dinner with the Carpenter's

Lance & I were happy to have time with the Carpenter Family tonight - particularly Erin & Cara. We had a great time catching up from our fantastic Dominican trip - which seems like so long ago even though it was only 2 weeks ago…and the kids had a great time playing together.

It was so much fun to watch Cade really start to function as one of the kids. He was determined to keep up with the girls tonight. 

Here the girls seem to be briefing Cade on what they’ll be playing next. He’s all ears: 

After getting a red popsicle “just like Erin’s” Cade lead the kids in “Popsicle Cheers”: 

I love these sweet photos: 

Here, the girls decided to bring pillows and blankets into the tree house of the swing set - they all thought it was hilarious that Cade wanted to pick his nose for these photos: 

Lyla tried (to no avail) to make him stop doing it: 

It was the perfect night for s’mores and good friends. The perfect summer evening. 

Life Today

The weather was beautiful today - hard to believe it’s July in Kentucky. It feels more like the later days of September, fall-like. It feels a little unnatural for this time of year - seems more like we should be avoiding sweltering temps, eating popsicles and running through sprinklers.

But, we’ll take the simple pleasures of a day like today. Lyla went to summer fun day this morning at her school, and Cade and I went on a few errands of our own while she was there. Immediately after our grocery trip, he was ready to pick her to show her the new cupcake sprinkles he conned me into buying. 

After lunch and a semblance of quiet time (we don’t do naps around here anymore…there isn’t much break in the action from 7:30ish a.m. until 9 p.m.), we tried a very successful new egg-free cupcake recipe for Cade as we will need a plethora of egg free cupcakes to keep up with our August birthday party schedule. 

We spent some time outside playing - Lyla thumbing through a doll magazine she received in the mail today and Cade playing with moon sand and intentionally knocking over any ant hill he could find, saying they’re “dirty”. This is when we took this picture - it was one of those moments when all is right with the world - the clouds beautiful overhead, skies all blue. I love these two so much I can’t stand it. 

This photo is actually from earlier in the day - I jokingly sent it to Lance at work saying that this scenario lasted approximately 2 minutes. It was a great photo opportunity, though:

Lastly, and remarkably, - our sweet girl is getting more and more like me every day. She was watching a television show tonight while Lance and I were deep in discussion after dinner. We have become so accustomed to being interrupted that I’ve started working with the kids on saying, “Excuse me” prior to railing in on all of our conversations. This time, she stood there - “Mommy, did you see my tears?” I looked down at her as she looked up - and she had tears in her eyes. The moment I realized it, she broke into sobs and ran to me, arms outstretched. She had been touched by something that had happened in the program she was watching, and I think she was more shocked by her emotional reaction than anyone: “Mommy, it was just so sweet when he hugged his little brother - it was just so sweet! It made me think of Cade."

I love this little girl - I know she’s ours, but I think she tremendously special in so many ways. Beyond her years and child like, all at the same time. 

Another day of summertime magic. 

1st Annual Neighborhood Cookout

Today was the First Annual Ash Landing Neighborhood Cookout. It was a sweltering evening, but so much fun to be with everyone. The neighborhood gathered in our cul de sac this year, and almost everyone was in attendance. It was a great time to see everyone, meet new neighbors and watch all these kids have so much fun. 

Here are Cade & Jack having so much fun in a neighbor kid’s tractor. They spent so much time trying to figure out how to turn it on - Cade actually ran inside our house to get some plastic toy keys he was playing with earlier today, convinced it would turn the tractor on. Ultimately, the tractor’s owner agreed to take the boys on rides up and down the street. They were all thrilled. 

The mark of a good party in our neighborhood is the expanse of wagons that are inevitably all parked together: 

Lyla was so excited to be the kid who picked the lone yellow water balloon out of the Steedly Girls’ cooler. She was so excited to find out what her prize was - I think the girls weren’t exactly certain of the prize themselves, but after some thought, they ran into their house and presented Lyla with this little bag. She thought she’d hit the jackpot and carried it around all night. She was soooo excited!

The night culminated in a beautiful fire, complete with ghost stories around our firepit. It was so much fun to watch the kids together: 

It was an amazing night. We are so blessed by our little neighborhood. 

Gymnastics & Popsicles: Summer is Here!

Today started with Lyla's last gymnastics class at All About Kids with Ms. Jill. She's really enjoyed the last few months working on her jumping and tumbling. We've seen her go from being scared to swing on the trapeze to flying like a monkey and laughing as she lands in the foam below.

She was most excited about her green ribbon as you can see in this photo. When we got home, she insisted there must be some way for Mommy to put it in her hair.

And, then we had a playdate at home with some of our favorite neighbors. The kids played, screamed, swung, screamed some more and generally had a great afternoon until it was time for Cade's afternoon nap. 

Here, Cade is trying his very first popsicle. He originally held it by the popsicle instead of the stick, but he got the hang of it really quickly.

Of course, Lyla loves doing everything with Cade. One of her favorite games over the last few days is Big Girl Baby in which she pretends to be a baby herself. I try to humor this, however, it's not always easy to see our typically verbose girl turn into a "Baby Emily" who can utter one word sentences only. Regression may be normal, but it certainly isn't fun for Mommy & Daddy. In fact, it's not fun at all! GRRRRR!!!!

All the kids loved hanging out on the swingset. We absolutely love our neighborhood and feel so blessed that we have so many friends nearby to play with!

Cade is really starting to enjoy playing with the kids, and he loves being included in whatever the "Big Kids" are doing. He really enjoyed spending time with Brycee today. 

All in all, another fantastic summer day. 

I'm living a blessed life.