Goodbye summer

I love summer, and there is one major reason why! Because my girls are with me and not with some strangers that are designated by other strangers. Yea yea, I know education is important and beneficial. But I am selfish and want my girls all to myself. 

I had some fun things planned for this summer. Tour of parks, aka see all the city parks. Bowling. Movie theater. Zoo. Daily or even weekly family bike rides. Splash pads. Yah, none of that happened. Because...

The older two girls have lived in the alley behind our house this summer. I would say they average 5-6 hours a day out there. And that is the only place they want to be. Bike rides, picnics, scooters, hide and seek, sidewalk chalk cities, sharing snacks, etc. There are kids from six different families that come out off and on throughout the day. This has been the summer of all summers for them. 

Then last night it hit me. My heart broke into pieces. We will not be here next summer. Today was their last day of all day fun with this crew. Oh it hurts to think about that. Though the pending move is not until next spring, it hurts now. Gosh darn it Navy, you've done it once again! My heart hurts. This crew is such an amazing bunch of young kids. Ranging from  three to ten, they all get along. They all like to play the same games. They all enjoy the daily bike adventures. This all while roaming, adventuring, pretending, BEING INNOCENT CAREFREE KIDS. Kids doing kid things, unfiltered by adults. 

 

Sigh, at least it has been a good one. 

Now, I did manage to get to spend some time with them. Doing all sorts of random things...

Library party on base. 

Which we rode our bikes to

A trip to NC to see friends and families

Shows, oh the shows, lots of shows! But they are lovely, because these girls light up when they perform for their one or two person audience. 

I did housework with this cape wearing, high heel strutting princess!

Caught some fireflies 

Built towers

Kissed boo boos 

Took selfies

Visited dear friends in DC

chersihed the bond these two share

Cherished the strides this lite one is making in gross motor 

Oh how she wishes she was five or seven

But we are working on potty training so that is one step closer to being a big girl (this momma may never buy another case of diapers again)

I patiently sat through and even enjoyed about 1,752,937,378 covers of 'Let It Go'. 

Spent a week at the beach with this dynamic duo. 

Enjoy nature with my brother and kids

Elli snuggled up with her favorite bunny

And I even had some mother daughter bonding time while getting 'fancy nails' 

I love my life! Simply put.... Life is Good!

"Birthday party"

Over the last week, Elli has repeated endlessly

"Birthday party, k?"

"Birthday party, cake, k?"

Luckily about five minutes after I shot this video Karl showed up (during his lunch break) with a cheesecake for is all!










He bought the Godiva one which is gluten free for everyone and a single slice of the s'mores one special for me :)

What a sweet surprise, literally!

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Letting Go

I have been struggling lately with my daughter's choice in extra curricular activities. This is an inner struggle that I realize and acknowledge, but I think I have let some of my innerness seep out.

My daughter is very talented (for her age) in ballet. She also shows tremendous potential. She was one of a handful girls advanced to the lower pre-professional level for the fall. Except she wants nothing to do with ballet this fall. Nothing. At. All.

Let me remind you this is something three years ago I wanted her to have nothing to do with. Now I am having a hard time letting her step away. Crazy mama here. I wanted to watch her excel. I wanted to have the kid that is advanced. I wanted to watch her do the Nutcracker just like I did when I was little. I wanted to be the costume seamstress. Then I realized I was saying 'I' instead of 'She'. So I have come to peace with the closing of this door. Yesterday was her last class.

This class was the parent observation day. The whole family came. I stated at dinner to Elli, "We are going to Brady's ballet class." Elli simply replied, "No, Elli's class." She had already had me do a bun in her hair when I fixed up Brady's hair. Luckily I had a tiny pair of dance shoes in the car as well.

Elli walked right into that studio and straight to where all the 6-8 year olds were. She honestly believed it was her turn to dance.

 We politely scooted her over to the side but she didn't stop imitating what she saw.

 Then today, she got into the bun making supplies, asked for a bun and her ballet shoes.

"When one door closes, the two year goes and opens it back up"

DC in 1.5

We headed to the DC for the weekend to see our good friends that recently moved there. We had 1.5 days to fulfill a few requests: see our friends (Reese's request), go to the air and space museum at Dulles (Karl's request), see the Lincoln Memorial (Brady's request). My request of Ikea did not make it on the itinerary, boo!


First stop was the air and space museum. There was a observation tower for Dulles that played the air traffic controls radio. Karl tried showing them the mountains and the runways...

 but they were interested in finding our van!

 Another exciting part of the museum is seeing the Discovery Space Shuttle. The girls' fact they took away... the women were allowed small makeup bags!

 I was personally amazed by the heat proof exterior.

 For the afternoon we meet up with our friends at the local splash pad. You know that made these little ones happy.

 Then for the evening a dinner gone wrong (diet restrictions are not easy) and a sleepover that included milkshakes and the movie Frozen. Again, happy, but tired little ones.

The next morning time to ride the Metro into the city. Remember getting there is half the battle fun!

 Reese did also request to meet the president. Unfortunately, we had to cancel on him because we were too busy.

 Comparing feathers, now that is what we came to DC for. Really! It isn't what she is doing but who she is doing it with.

 I said after we hiked the length of the reflecting pool "Girls, turn around and look back at the Washington Monument". Not a one cared or even heard me... What was I thinking... There were baby ducks!

 Why look at that view behind us, when there is baby ducks in front of us?

 I will follow this wonderful lady anywhere she moves...no, really, I will. In less than a year, for the third time I will move into the same state as her. We have done Florida together, Virginia together and soon be in Maryland (maybe) together.

 Brady got to see her much requested statue. At the end of the trip home she proclaimed "My dream came true! I got to see the Lincoln Memorial!" That alone made the madness of the trip worth it. She actually appreciated the trip.

 DC trip isn't complete without a food truck stop!