Catch up

I just blinked and realized it was practically August. School is a mere three weeks away and I feel like we're just getting started. We haven't had any "Big Events" this summer, but a whole lot of "Little Events" kind of add up to big ones.
We slowed down a little as far as house projects in order to just keep up with the daily stuff. But we picked right up where we left off a couple of weeks ago when we finally decided to tackle our bedroom. It has been a feat to say the least, and it will get a post of it's own (along with the girl's room that I never posted). But I see the end in sight (maybe this weekend!).

After Quinn's birthday, we had another little celebration with Ryan's parents, grandparents and sister's family. Quinn loved having her birthday stretched throughout the week. And to think, on her actual birthday, after we were done opening presents that morning and she blew out some candles on her pancake, she thought that was her party. Maybe we should take notice and pay attention to the innocent appreciation of a three year old...

 The kids also gave Mimi, Ryan's grandmother, her birthday presents. Including chocolate cake leftover from Quinn's birthday party...that they insisted she would want.

 It's still strange to see her without those teeth. The way she speaks has changed and it is all just changing and it never seems to stop changing and changing is great and all, but it never stops being hard.

She wants to do everything just like Isabella. Down to the repetition of almost everything that comes out of Isabella's mouth. I have sisters, so I know sisters. But I still hope Isabella will continue to just roll her eyes (while smiling and proud on the inside) when Quinn wants to change clothes to match her, always wear flip-flops "cause Bella does," and pretends to read chapter books because she wants to be just like her big sis. I am kind of loving that right now. Isabella is beyond patient with her and hates seeing her upset, which works well with an irrational three year old. The bond is sweet.



We cooked out and the kids had fun playing outside. Quinn got to pick out another cake, ice cream this time, which is kind of a tradition for our family. We have home video of my mom trying to cut into a frozen solid ice cream cake (that she hadn't taken out of the freezer until the very last minute) at my (maybe) seventh birthday. She would make the homemade graham cracker crust, we'd pick the two flavors, a homemade chewy chocolate sauce center and then topped with whipped cream. These cakes still find a way into most birthdays in this family. We've had to adapt it a little concerning the chewy chocolate sauce (ahem...Ryan and his sensitive teeth...) but whatever you fill the center with, it just screams 'tradition.'

The following weekend, mom and I took the kids to Va Beach for a long weekend. We left on a Thursday afternoon and were home by Sunday afternoon, but the kids were so happy to see Gen, Zoey, Hass...and the cats... and we had a lot of fun. We painted pottery, which the kids have really been wanting to do. We went to the beach (in that small window when it wasn't raining) and most importantly, the kids spent hours hunting, digging for, and catching tiny crabs in the marshy area of their backyard. I'm almost positive that if that was the sole activity for three days, they would have been happy. If you ask them about the trip they will tell you two things: "Mia got knocked over by a wave and she fell and we laughed except Isabella because it scared her" and "We got to catch crabs! Lots and lots of tiny ones! And Hass caught a big huge one and we got to put it in the baby pool! Isn't that funny? A crab in a baby pool!!"

 Oh, you know, just some geese walking through the back yard.

 Quinn quickly became very proud when she realized she could pick up the tiny crabs without being pinched. She was all in from that point on.

 Oh, and she's happy as long as she has a dress on. Always, a dress.

 Curly cue cousins.

 I am almost positive this child couldn't have been happier. We went to the park one evening and he begged to stay home with Hass so they could 'check the crabs.' He was in pure heaven. Content. If he's outside, insects, bugs...crabs are around, he is in heaven. Nature lover.

They had a blast.

The kids stayed mostly in the sand at the beach. I tried to play it cool but I am not a fan of the ocean (with kids) and wouldn't have felt at all comfortable taking them in unless Ryan was there. We waded and they dug and built and rolled in the surf. Declan love, love, loved it. Quinn wasn't a fan of sand in the places no on is a fan of sand being, and Isabella was ready to leave. She didn't like Mia standing anywhere near the water and she was less than comfortable. She ended up getting pretty sick that night, so hopefully she was just not feeling well and those weren't permanent worries over the ocean waves.  Guess we'll find out next time.

 One year apart. It seems big now, but as the years go on, the gap will close. I can't wait for that. One day I'm sure it will be all "Hey, you wanna borrow my new dress? Sure, can I come get that new CD you just bought" (will CD's even be around??) Instead of "Hey! Don't steal my cracker!" "Woah! That's my cup. Get your own sippy!"

The day after we left, Zoey turned two. So naturally, we had to have a little birthday celebration to celebrate the big 2!

And just for memories sake...and for a dose of real life, that cake was nasty. It was a last minute decision and it looked like the easiest recipe I could find on pinterest two hours before we needed it. Thank goodness there was ice cream because that cake...Sorry Zo. I owe you one.

Then we came home, resumed some projects and Ryan's aunt, uncle and cousins came up from South Carolina. This was the first time we had all met Ryan's younger cousin Kyle's wife and new baby. The kids were smitten from the start (Declan, the forever ladies man). He staked claim on Andrea by day two and hasn't stopped talking about her since. In fact, there is a rather large gift bag that sits by our fireplace. In it are "things" that Declan has collected and is ready to give to her when she 'comes over.' He doesn't quite get the whole seven hour thing that lies between us, but there will be gifts when the time comes. Except all of my jewelry...luckily I found that.

 These two are also a year apart and were so, so sweet together.

 Probably running through Declan's head: "A boy, a boy! I can't believe there is a little boy! Someone to play trucks with! Yay! A boy!"

 He seriously could not be any cuter.

 Maybe that would have worked better if they were just a little taller.

And regardless, the other side of the picture is always the funniest. Sorry guys.

So we are gearing up for the whole school thing. We have a lot to do including some "therapy" sessions with a certain rising first grader. She decided that she wants to "do homeschool" this year and is less than thrilled with the idea of going back to school. She has her heart set on a certain teacher and next week when we actually find out her teacher, we may have to do some serious talking through some stuff. She did come around a little today. She told me she was excited about two things: the first grade playground with monkey bars and school supplies. She's a sucker for some school supplies (just like her mama).