Week in a Recap

We had a full and fun week. 

After I wrote that simple sentence I kind of giggled because in the summer we seem to always have a full and fun week. But this one was especially full and fun because of the special things we did and the special people we got to see. 

I started to type that there was nothing special about Monday. I had cheer in the morning, kids played at the babysitters for a bit. Bennett rocked speech therapy in the afternoon. Doug played tennis that night so it was just me and my three for most of the day. Nothing special. But then I remembered Auggie catching his first lightning bug that evening and shouting for joy. I remembered finding a mason jar and tapping holes in the top while the big kids collected as many lightning bugs as they could (B just thought we were collecting leaves). I remembered Emery catching a tiny frog and telling her that that was how I spent my summer days as a little girl. I remembered the look on Bennett's face when he discovered the moon in the sky at dusk. 

And then I remembered that these are actaully the kind of moments they will remember. Or I hope they remember. So Monday really wasn't boring at all. 

Also this is how I found Bennett Lee at nap time on Monday. See...not boring at all hehe. 

On Tuesday, Nana treated the big kids and I to Peter Pan at The Little Theater on the Square. This is our third annual summer show and we have loved it every single time. I think my big kids look too big in this picture. We elected to not bring B this year. Maybe next time....

There isn't a bad seat in the house but I swear we had the best ones. Emery loves musicals and plays (got it from her Momma) and always leaves a show talking about the day that she gets to be in them. She loved Wendy and Tinkerbell and I don't blame her. Those young girls could sing! Auggie very randomly loved Smee, Captians Hook's sidekick. After the show we wanted to get autographs. Em talked to lots of the characters....Auggie only talked to Smee. We can't wait to see what next year's show is!

Wednesday we played with friends at the park and I attempted to clean house. And then I quit cleaning my house because I realized that cleaning house with four kiddos (mine plus the neighbor girl) running around was the silliest thing I could try to do. I was trying to clean house because my college roommates were coming to town on Thursday! I met Katie and Sarah my very first night of college 12 years ago and me have continued to be great long distance friends. They are from Chicago but even after 12 years we always make an effort to see each other once a year. It was their turn to come on down and I am so glad they did. Doug and I are guaranteed a good time when we are with them! 

I love their visits even more now because of the cutie pie sitting next to Emery (not Bennett, although he too is a cutie pie). Sarah and her husband Tom have a one year old boy named AJ. Give me alllll the squishy little boy babies! We loved having one more little running around. Sorry Katie, Sarah and Tom...we were the most excited to have AJ in the house! When they planned their trip I quickly realized that there is not that much to do in good ol' Effingham. Thursday evening we just ordered pizza and played. We stayed up late playing catch up. Friday Douglas worked half a day so the rest of us enjoyed a slow morning at Ballard Nature Center before meeting back up with Doug for lunch at Pinky's on the lake. That evening we took them out to Chuck's lake house for some pork burgers (they had never had one) and a ride on the boat. The party continued back at our house and we again stayed up way too late. They are the kind of guests that bring tons of food, yummy drinks, gifts for your kids--even when you tell them not to. We always pick up right where we left off and I can't wait to plan our trip up to them. 

Saturday morning our guests left and we had T-ball. After that Douglas and I had to get home and pack up for a little weekend away. For a long time now we had had plans to see Hootie and the Blowfish in St. Louis with Kendra and Travis. Must be our summer for concerts! I can't tell you the last time we saw Kendra and Travis so of course it was great to chat about life, eat yummy food and sing-a-long to a few songs together. It was a hot night but I really could listen to Darius Rucker sing forever. 

Doug and I stayed over and did a little golfing Sunday morning before heading home. I actually hit the ball! Thank you D and Nana for taking care of the kiddos. We originally weren't going to stay over but then we realized that our 8th anniversary was coming right up (Tuesday) and because Miss Em's birthday (Tuesday) kind of trumps our annivarsay we decided we should just treat ourselves to a little alone time. I am so glad we did. 

Ohhhh Douglas. There is no one that gets me like he does, that makes me laugh like he does, that builds me up like he does, that makes me feel beautiful like he does. He is my teammate, my best friend, one of my biggest blessings. And he is pretty cute too haha!

So Douglas in case I forget to tell you on Tuesday, here is to 8 years of marriage to you, to almost 14 years of loving on you and to many, many, many, more years of this sweet life we have together!

And I know I won't forget to tell this little lady Happy Birthday on Tuesday. 

My baby girl is going to be S I X. 

I well up with tears when I try to put into words how much she means to me, how much she has taught me, how much I need her. We have lots of exciting (secret) plans for her this week and I can't wait to celebrate her. She deserves it all!

Happy Monday. Happy Birthday week. Happy everything.