Running amuck...

Ten descriptions of the past few days.

Whirlwind

Fun

Exciting

Fun

Tiring

FUN

Busy

FUN

Emotional

FUN

Yes. We have had fun. We have been going full speed. We have been enjoying life and living it to the extreme. Life is full... that's not even close to being the right description. 

As I blogged on Thursday, I had seven kids at our house for a sleepover. The kids did wonderfully. All seven of them were great (well, except a few times when Bailey ignored me and forgot to listen). They had so much fun. I think I enjoyed it as much as them. They were so cute. And, I was a little emotional... maybe because I knew that the babies weren't babies anymore. Or maybe because I knew that this was just the beginning of a lot of long nights of shrieking girls and wild boys. I think a lot of it was because I was reminded of my own childhood and I realized that so many things in life have come full circle. I'm now the mom who is giving the rules and letting them get broken for a sleepover. I'm not the little girl pushing the limits anymore, but am dealing with my little girl who is. :) Brad and I sat on the couch for a few minutes while they all played and talked about how nice it was that we knew they were making some of the best memories ever. The funny thing is, I'm not sure if they will remember it as fondly as I will. I hope and pray that we have many more nights like this in our future... that the kids will always love to hang out at our house. 

Some photo highlights for your viewing pleasure: 

On Friday, I braved the pool with all 7 kids. Sorry... no photos. :) I am sure you understand why. Haha. They were excellent and we had a great time. Actually... I do have one. :) 

That evening (yes, we are crazy for packing any more into that two-day period), we celebrated at the house with Dawn and Brandon, who recently sold their home and will be moving away. I say celebrated because I know that they are happy about this opportunity. However, I would be lying if I said that I felt anything like celebrating this move. I have mentioned it before that I moved around a lot as a kid. That means that I'm used to saying good-bye to people that I love and care about. It usually isn't that tough for me... not because I'm a cold-hearted bitch, but because I know that change is inevitable in life. Yet... I am not looking forward to them leaving. I mean, I totally support my friends in their move and I am so happy that it has worked out for them. BUT... I am so going to miss our evenings on the back deck, our impromptu get-togethers, and simply knowing that if I need someone to help me with anything, they are just down the road. Our friendship will not end, I know, but I know it will change some, too. And, that just makes me a little bit sad. Dawn, Brandon, and the boys are a big part of our lives... and we all consider them a part of our little Lexington family. It is so rare to meet a woman that you just love to death and then have her husband and your husband get along well... and the kids enjoy each other, too. We love you guys all so much... and hope that we all do what we say and visit each other a lot. :) 

On Saturday morning, we got up and the kids went to tennis lessons. Then, we straightened up the house, packed a couple of bags and headed to eastern Kentucky. We spent the evening with Brad's mom and her boyfriend. It was a nice relaxing evening. We were all exhausted when we left to go to my parents' house that night. 

On Sunday... we were all geared up and ready to go to the wonderful, incredible, amazing Camden Park. Now, if you don't know Camden Park, well... you just don't know what you are missing. :) It's a little bit rundown. It's a little bit old school. But it's the same old Camden Park that I remember when I was just a little girl. There's still the Hot Cat. There's still the log ride. There's still the Big Dipper. We all had a great time. The boys acted like big babies... getting sick over the spinning rides. I have to admit that age has done the same thing to me, but I could suck it up. Colt and Brad were just big wimps.... as these photos show. :) 

The kids had a blast. Bailey loved the Big Dipper. She will try anything at least once... although she assured me that the haunted house would not be visited a second time. Jake, on the other hand, is typical Jake... he had to warm up to the bigger rides and still refused to ride the Spider, despite his love for it in years past. Corndogs, funnel cakes, ice cream, and icees... oh, how I do love the carnival food. :) 

On Monday, we crashed. I mean, the kids and I did. We spent nearly the entire day inside. I didn't get up until almost 9. I did, however, clean up the house, did some laundry, and then actually made time to go for a run. Thank God... I finally got over the hump of never wanting to run again... and I ran 3 miles. The bug is back... I think. :) 


What does the rest of the week hold? Hmmm... it's too early to tell. But, I have to say... I love this summer. 

Loving it...

Sometimes I could sit here and write for hours... never able to get it all out before I forget some portions of it. Those are the days that I have multiple posts and start drafts of posts that I sometimes, almost always, never finish. Then there are days like today... 


There are only so many ways to say I love summer. There are only a few things to say that will express how much I love it and I can only go on so long about how wonderful a cold, inviting pool is when the sun is hot and you have nothing that HAS to be done. Yes, I am ignoring the half-painted wall in the garage, the yard that could once again be mowed, the office/sewing room that looks like a cyclone named Andrea came in and ripped through it, and the piles of laundry that never go away. :) I'm talking about work that requires a deadline... 


So, we spent the entire day at the pool, after getting up at 9:30. Yes... finally the kids sleep in. :) We came home for lunch and for a little break so that Jake could make it through the day. Otherwise, we were there all day. It was so nice. Sorry for rubbing it in to all of you working folks... I'm not trying to be rude. :) 

Summer is HERE!

Oh blog, oh blog, how I have missed you. :) And all of you wonderful readers, too, even though I think I've talked to most of you in the past week in separate e-mails. lol.


It has been a week! A full week since I've written (or round about anyway, I didn't actually look at my last post).


I feel like I dropped off the planet... but I guess these things happen when you are busy trying to do eleventy hundred things (like that new phrase? It comes from another blog I've been reading, among the 100 that I'm becoming addicted to... maybe that's why I haven't been writing as much.).


So, what have we been up to? Well, it was Memorial Day weekend, so one would think that I would have long posts about great parties, boating, poolside relaxation, family picnics, travel, etc. However, I think I can sum up our Memorial Day in just a few words: t-ball, fun day at t-ball, pool opens, t-ball, mow grass, and work in garden, oh and t-ball. And there was some grillin'.


T-ball was our big focus for the weekend, as if you couldn't tell. Because of some rained out games, we had a game on Friday, a regularly-scheduled game on Saturday, and another make up game from rain on Sunday. We also had Fun Day at T-ball, which is exactly what it sounds like... fun. There are inflatables, games, carnival foods, auction items (lots of them), and a fun skills competition for the kids who play ball. Basically, we had a game at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning and got home around 4 p.m. that afternoon, having spent relatively our entire day at the ball field for the game and our fun day activities.


I know many of you are thinking, "Man, that's a lot of t-ball... why would they want to do that." Well, OK. I can see how you think that. But, we have a really good time when we go. The kids love it... it's physical for them, which is healthy. We love the people on our team, parents and children, so we kind of have a little group of people that just hang out and have fun. I don't know. I guess you just have to do it to understand it. But, even when it's tiring, it's still fun.


Other than t-ball, our neighborhood pool opened. YAY for summer! It is finally here and I am so completely excited. This is what I've been waiting for. As soon as I started staying home with the kids, I have longed for the days that we can hang out at the pool all day, uninterrupted, and enjoy. It. Is. Here. :) We have already gone about three times in the past few days, spending only a couple of hours each time. It is not going to be as simple as it has been in the past. Bailey wants to be in the big pool. Jake wants to swim in the baby pool. Bailey wants to jump off the diving board. Jake wants me to swim with him the entire time. So, we're going to have to work all that out. But, I'm not complaining. We will enjoy the summer... in the water. Yes. YES!

Bailey's Last Day of Preschool

So, first things first... 


Today was my baby girl's last day of preschool.... ever. It does. not. seem. real. I cannot believe that she will be starting Kindergarten in the fall. It seems like only yesterday when we were looking for a home in Lexington and talking about how we didn't have to worry about schools or anything for a while because she was just an infant. My how it flies by. 

Bailey enjoying the Musikgarten portion of her last day

She had a great year in preschool this year... I have no regrets about moving her in August to the Christian school. She learned so much. She made great friends. She just grew up. So, it was definitely bittersweet at her little end of the year party today. We still aren't positive about which school Bailey will go to next year, but many of her friends are definitely not returning to the Christian school. I would say there's a good chance that Bailey won't either... which means that many of the little friendships she's formed will not go anywhere from here, except the occasional hello or hug when we run into them at the mall, at ball games, etc. For a child that is so social, that's a pretty big deal. Good thing she doesn't really seem to "get" that just yet. :) 

Bailey and her friend at school... 

I am really excited about Bailey starting school, after summer (of course). I think she will love it and will do well with it. She loves preschool and loves to learn. And, I honestly, love each age and stage that the kids go through. So, I try not to get to emotional about her growing up and moving on. Yet, I have to recognize that it is going by so fast... and I wish I had a pause button every now and then. Just for a little while. :) 


I also have to admit that I am so excited that summer is here. The pool opens on Saturday, we go on vacation in 22 days, and we are getting the boat on the water next weekend. These are the months I have been looking forward to the most since I started staying at home with my kids in February. I love the summer... spending all day in the sun, eating great grilled food, staying out on the back porch until late at night and not even needing a jacket to stay warm, spending days on the boat without a care in the world (a complete escape from any reality)... I just LOVE summer. And, with this being the beginning summer breaks for Bailey, I think I appreciate it that much more. No more getting lunches ready early in the morning. No more going through her folder to make sure I didn't forget to sign something. And, my favorite thing, no more getting up early on a consistent basis. :) 


Summer is here and I couldn't be happier.