A Whole Week

Last week was the perfect "last" week of summer. We enjoyed sleeping in and stay up late. We took it slow and soaked in the cooler (dare I say fall like) air in the evenings. We saw good friends and went to our favorite place. Everyday was just right in its own way. 

By Monday we were really missing Daddy. He had had a busy week before and was gone all weekend. Normally he has tennis Monday nights but he must have been missing us too because he stayed home. After supper we decided to pack up our bikes and head to the "track" trail as Em calls it. A few days earlier Emery declared it was time to take off her training wheels, so off they went! I wasn't sure how this big girl bike riding was going to go....to my surprise she rocked it! We have gone out a few more times and she gets better every time. When she falls down she gets right back up and thats all we wanted her to do. Seeing Douglas run along beside her, cheering her on, for sure gave me alllll the feels. I had envisioned this for them years ago. 

While Doug gets his work out on running with Em, and Em peddles her little heart out, I entertain these goofs. Auggie brings his bike and I put Bennett in the stroller only to end up pushing the bike and an empty stroller. Seems about right. Before too long it will be Auggie without training wheels....and knowing B, he will not be far behind either. 

These trail nights have me ready for fall. Sunsets, leaves changing, sweaters on....

Tuesday was just a stay home day. We took a walk (I walked/they rode). Bennett waves to imaginary people and Auggie yells at Em to slow down. I yell at all of them to slow down. We spent the afternoon in the back yard making sand pies and dragging everything we own out. Normally I am a pick up the yard before we go in type of gal but for some reason I slacked in this department last week. You should see my backyard. Throw in all the remnants of the water balloon fight Doug and I had with the kids....it just looks like something exploded. Something really sandy and colorful. But guess what. I can't see the mess from my kitchen window or the front yard so I am pretending its not there. For now. 

The weather was gorgeous Wednesday morning so we piled in the car early, got some McDonald's burritos (cause my kitchen was clean) and hit up the park. Bennett Lee has figured out that if I get my phone out I probably want a picture...and hilarity now ensues. If you could hear this picture it would sound like "Heeeeese" in this weird throat sound he makes. Little Auggie always had the funniest smiles and now this is the B I get. But it is so B. 

And so is this. His personality gets bigger everyday especially since he has found his voice (and a few words). He brings us all the joy and all the gray hairs. When we arrived at the park we had the whole place to ourselves. Before long the place was packed and I knew every person there....did I mention I hadn't washed my hair since Saturday? Isn't that how it goes? If I had been looking good we wouldn't have seen a soul! 

If you asked me to describe my life in one phrase right now it would be: Monkey see. Monkey do.

Auggie follows Emery, Bennett follows Auggie. And there is no stopping him. At home he yells from the top bunk, at the park he climbs to the very top of everything. He watches their every move and while that mostly gets him into big trouble right now, I pray that as they grow the bigs will be great role models for him. I pray that I will be overjoyed to see him following in their footsteps and that the bond they have now will only grow and grow with time. 

I had been looking forward to Thursday all week. After a random "hey what are you guys doing" text, Sharon, Kendra, Kaci and I all realized we were all free! That never ever happens. We decided to meet in Springfield to check out the little zoo and eat Chick-Fil-A. But mostly just to catch up. Life gets busy but I am so glad we can still call on each other for a good laugh, a word of advice, a much needed prayer. And look at all those babies. A lot of memories, prayers and emotions flood in when I look at this sweet picture. 

 

Of course seeing and catching up with my girls was the highlight of the trip but second runner up has to go to just watching Bennett "in his natural habitat". This kid is animal crazy. I texted this picture of him climbing up a cage to Doug. We both agree that B is totally going to be the kid on the news that falls into the lion cage at the zoo.  Don't worry, this cage in the the picture only had turtles. 

Our wonderful week all led to Friday. Holiday World day!!!! Normally we go much earlier in the season. We love short lines and cooler weather, but this summer got away from us. While the park was much busier than we are used to, we still had the best day. This trip was Emery's 6th, Auggie's 4th and Bennett's 1st. And because they all three got to experience it, I would say it is my favorite trip yet!

Look at that DIMPLE. Gah...I could have just eaten him up this trip. Bennett Lee loved every single minute of Holiday World. He waved to every person he passed, surprisingly chilled with Nana when the big kids rode and drank his weight in free gatorade. He won't remember his first Holiday World trip but I sure will. 

I got in some Mommy Auggie time this trip. He wanted to do "extreme" rides and says the Holidog Rollercoaster was his favorite. I didn't ride any "adult" rides so really it was probably my favorite too.  This trip further reminded Doug and I that Auggie is officially four. He could hang the whole time and really minded so well. The next day when he was not minding so well he told us we just needed to take him back to Holiday World. He would be good there. 

Doug got to hang out with Em for a good chunk of the day. They picked to do the Log Ride this year. According to Em it was worth the long wait even though she almost cried at the very top. 

They did the Jungle Racers too and if the lines had been shorter would have done even more big kid stuff. It is fun having a big kid. 

We always do rides, picnic lunch, then the water park. By the afternoon we were very much ready for some shade and a snack. On the walk back to our car we spotted Santa coming out of a building. I swear we were the first kids he had seen all day! Em couldn't get to him fast enough. The boys just waved from afar. 

Lunch perked the big kids right up and they couldn't wait for the water park. 

Lunch did not however perk B up. We were almost to the waterpark when I noticed his head bobbing up and down. We quickly made the wagon into a makeshift bed and thankfully he took a big nap. I think every person we passed had to take a second look at him. Yes, that is a sleeping boy who is clearly too big for the wagon, with every color on, clutching a pink baby doll. Nothing to see here! 

And yes, baby doll came to Holiday World. I pick my battles. She is actually in four pictures this post. Go back and play a little game I like to call "spot the babydoll".

A short nap did Bennett good because this was the rest of our day. These pictures perfectly sum up how he was about everything that day. He did the water slides a million and one times. Em and Aug probably did them even more but they were too cool to always be hanging out with me. 

We were still going strong when they announced the parks were closed. Maybe when they are all bigger we will stay the night. Because one day clearly doesn't cut it. Holiday World 2019 is a trip we will never forget. Thank you Nana for the memories!

Saturday. There are no pictures because we NAPPED. And ate pizza. The end. 

After church on Sunday we sat around and did the "what do you want to do" dance. We knew we wanted to do something special on our last free Sunday of summer, we just didn't know what. The kids would only answer swim when we asked them so we decided we needed to make a trip to Newton to go to the best pool around. It was Doug's idea to text Julie and see if Katie could join us. Thank goodness she could! (When we told the kids that we were going to pick someone very special up on the way to the pool Auggie yelled "NANA!" This just made me laugh. He thinks the Newton pool is Nana's pool.) 

All four kiddos were fish. Emery did the diving board and the slide (even though she is too short. Opps), Katie won every single round of "find the sinking toys", and Aug just swam around in his own little world. Bennett Lee spent the first hour losing his mind because HE wanted to do the big slide like Emery. I guess after Holiday World the local pool's baby slide just doesn't cut it.  After he made a scene for quite awhile he finally enjoyed hanging out in the shallow with Daddy. 

We got a snack at the pool (only because Nana dropped off snack money) and treated ourselves a second time to ice cream after. Everybody was a little pink and a little tired that night. 

Today its back to Monkey see-Monkey do. Wal-mart pick up, house pick up (and maybe backyard), and speech. Tonight kicks off the "Back to School" events and tomorrow I will plan on at least making a school to-do list. School time is here and just like every year before, I am okay with it. I will miss it all but I am excited for it all. If that makes sense.

Happy Monday. Enjoy it!