Summer Lovin'

I have a lot of loves. I love big hair, earrings of all shapes and sizes, sandwiches (also of all shapes and sizes), eating outside (no kitchen mess), Wal-Mart pick up (life changing) and drinking wine with my husband. I love time with friends, freshly painted toe-nails, homemade cold brew and cute sandals (shoes always fit). I love reading and writing and sometimes running. I love my all-knowing and all-powerful God (and he loves me). I love Emery Kayt's new summer freckles, the shape of Auggie's head (sounds weird, but I love it) and of course B's big dimple. I love summer break. And I loved last week. 

We had a rather slow week compared to Birthday Week the week before. We spent most of our time at home with no set plans except for friends coming over for play dates. We did venture out to accomplish something on our summer bucket list and I totally got us up early on Friday just so we could go to Wal-mart in our pjs to tryout Wal-mart pick up. Ladies--if you haven't done it yet I don't know what you are waiting for. It was the happiest I have ever been leaving that store! The slow week fed right on into our first wedding weekend of the summer. I love weddings. 

We have had "Pick Strawberries" on our to-do list for awhile now, so when a friend let us know that the last day to pick was upon us, we put it on the calendar. Looking back, my kiddos really had no idea what "picking strawberries" meant. It took a little explaining and a lot of squished or eaten strawberries, but in the end we had fun! Em was the best strawberry picker and loved each one she carefully picked. 

After about the tenth squished strawberry, I got Aug to pick them at the stem...instead of just grabbing the fragile strawberry. He might have dumped his basket a few times but in the end he was pretty proud of his collection. 

Once Bennett figured out that he could eat what we were picking, there was noooo stopping him. We bought $4 worth and I am pretty sure B ate that much too. 

He had the stained little red hands to prove it. I love his chubby (and always sticky) fingers.

We enjoyed out little morning and loved eating the fruit of our labor!

Next year we will go before the last day. 

The rest of the week was really spent right here. We have a new swing set and sandbox and I absolutely love them. Emery could swing for hours and Auggie and Bennet have found a new home in the sandbox. This swing set isn't just any ol' swing set though. It was built by my parents when I was about 5 years old and my childhood memories are filled with jumping out of the swing contests and checking to see if the frog that lived at the top of the slide was still there (and a new frog has already taken his place). I would be lying if I said I didn't love, love, love that my children now will have a lifetime of fun together just like my brothers and I did. 

We replaced the old swings and the slide for Auggie's birthday (thank you Nana, Aunt Linda and D!),   gave her a good ol' power washing and everything is as good as new. Emery has already spent hours swinging, Auggie loves the sandbox and B can be found waiting for me to hold his hand so he can slide down. I love looking out my kitchen window and seeing a little piece of my childhood and I love seeing my babies make new memories. 

With a back yard made for fun, who needs to leave home!?! That was at least our thought for the rest of the week. We had a few of our favorite boys over to play and of course our neighbor girl. I just count her as one of mine by now. 

I love seeing them interact and play with buddies. I am allll about them have friends over because it really does make my life easier. I am also allll about being outside. Because it makes my house cleaner (or at least less of a disaster). Emery is actually my biggest outside lover. She goes out in the morning, eats lunch outside, begs to eat supper out there too, and then we have to drag her inside at bedtime, sweaty and dirty. Auggie goes in and out every five minutes either changing his clothes or asking for a snack but always leaving every door open and Bennett just needs to be wherever they are. He prefers to be barefoot, red cheeked and driven around in the Barbie jeep.

I love them so much. 

I got a little, okay really a lot, of time in with this cutie over the weekend. He was asked to be the "ring bear" in our niece Megan's wedding. Friday night was the rehearsal and he did exactly what he was suppose to do. Even fell a little in love with the flower girl.

All handsome and looking like a 4 year old...

We decided long before the wedding that I would be on Team Ring Bearer because Auggie and Douglas do not always see eye to eye. We hoped he would listen to his Momma, the love of his life.

I will tell you after this weekend, I am fairy positive that being the parent of the ring bearer or the flower girl makes you the most stressed person at the wedding. Jk. Kind of. 

Doug and the other two joined us for the rehearsal dinner. 

You know when all three of your kids are dressed up and looking adorable and its beautiful outside and you think "Oh it will be easy to get a quick picture of them all smiling...."

Think again. But I have learned to love these little action shots. 

Saturday was the day!!! Aug couldn't wait to put on his tux (thank goodness). He absolutely loved wearing it, it actually fit his little tiny self, and he didn't want to take it off at the end of the night. 

He looked so handsome. On the way there he told me he was nervous. I, figuring he had no idea what  that word meant, asked him to tell me what nervous felt like. "I feel a little excited and I feel a little scared." Welp.  I guess he did know. I reassured him that that was exactly what he was suppose to feel like. 

Ohhh August Samuel. He made it up the aisle just like he was suppose to do. He sat with Grandma and Grandpa and was good in church. He technically did his job. 

 He did not however take any pictures (well I think he took two the entire day) and he had a few award winning meltdowns. Looking back I think it really was nerves. Everyone wanted to be his buddy, everyone gave him sweet attention and told him how handsome he looked. But by the time he actually saw Megan (who looked absolutely gorgeous) he was DONE. 

After attempting to get him in pictures after the wedding and realizing that was going to be a big no-go, he and I headed for home for a much needed nap. He was asleep before we left Grove.

I am happy to say that the rest of the night went much smoother for the man and really for all of us. I forgot to mention that I actually only saw Ben and Megan kiss at the end of the ceremony....Bennett and I had a lovely time outside though(insert eye roll). I will admit, I like and prefer my babies to do exactly what they are suppose to do (like all parents) and in the moment it was frustrating and even a little embarrassing, but then I remembered something. I have been really nervous before. I have been emotionally done. I have totally wanted to have a meltdown or two. And if I am allowed to have those feelings....maybe I need to concentrate on the goodness of the day. Because it really was so so good!

I love this picture. Telling Grandma Angie all about his cuff links. He loved them.

After the reception and a few dances, Nana took the boys home. Wedding tip for parents with little children: Invite the other grandparent(s) to the wedding. Another set of hands is a life saver and they can take sleepy babies home early so you can stay and dance the night away! Thanks Nana!

Doug and I didn't see Emery Kayt the whole night. If cousins are around she doesn't need us. When it was clearly time for the boys to go home, we realized that leaving right when the fun was getting started would break Em's heart. Doug and I decided it was time for her to be a big girl and she got to stay the whole night! She danced the night away, collected 100 glow sticks and slept in the next morning. The three of us had a blast that night and now I am ready for alllll the weddings. I love everything about them.

And I can't forget this guy on my love list. He cleans up well doesn't he? 

I always love a Grove wedding because it brings back all the feels of July 16th almost eight years ago. I couldn't have imagined back then how happy I would be with this guy by my side. 

Sunday we celebrated Douglas. Celebrated as in we let him cook us yummy steaks. That was his only wish. He really is easy to please. The rest of the day was just a regular day. But we love regular days with Daddy home. I could write a whole post on how lucky we are to have him. 

But instead I think I will just take a quote from Emery: "We love him 100."

Clearly lots to love about last week and lots to love about this life God has blessed us with.

Sending some Summer Lovin' vibes to you and yours!