{backyard campout}

It's nearly the end of summer and we still haven't gone camping. In all honesty the thought of my three kids sleeping in a tent together seems both terrifying & hilarious. And reeks of "little to no sleep for mommy" quite a bit. So we compromised recently and set up a "tent" (a.k.a. sunshade we bought for the beach), dragged out the water table, some bubbles, snacks, lawn chairs & the little pool. Then we got down to the business of relaxing.

After all that hard work and some dinner, it was time for the obligatory s'mores. They didn't enjoy them at all.

Maybe next year we'll move up a step & sleep in the backyard...

{week 35}

I cooked a lot this week. I mean, I cook a lot every week, but this week I photographed it. And by photographed, I mean grabbed my phone with a greasy hand to take a picture. It was pretty yummy stuff. Warm pasta salad with summer squash, eggs in hash brown nests for make ahead breakfasts and stir-fry (that one I totally made up, so there's no link to a recipe). In addition, I ate one of the best peaches I've ever had. Good gracious. It tasted like summer.

We also "camped" in the backyard on Sunday afternoon, complete with bathing suits, bubbles, lawn chairs and koozies. The rest of the week was a blur of school, chocolate smeared all over our faces, dance moves, camouflage hats with flash lights in them, upside-down playground madness, a Fancy Nancy dinner all dressed up by our two fabulous daughters, a Lumpkin family reunion and gearing up for the first Georgia game of the year - complete with a new rhinestone enhanced baseball cap for Mommy. Priorities, you know?

We're settled in to the school year schedule. Up early and to bed early, which suits me just fine. Cassidy is still l-o-v-i-n-g kindergarten, Kalea comes home with a handful of crazy three year old stories every day and Cade seems to enjoy the peace & quiet that comes when his big sisters are at school. I'm enjoying the time with just my little guy & scheming up projects, recipes, birthday parties and other crazy things to occupy my time while Michael is looking forward to football season &, well, football season. What a great way to end August.

{week 30}

Heading into week 30 we were glad to have everyone finally healthy. The kids attended Cooking Camp at the preschool which gave me a couple days to get things done at home & enjoy a little silence.

Cassidy continued practicing with Kilometer Kids for her upcoming 1 mile race. They had a practice 1 mile race this week & she did really well. And loved all the prizes after the race too! She also had her Kindergarten placement evaluation this week & did really well. She's a little nervous about a new school but we're all looking forward to school starting soon. I braved the "Back to School" crowds at Target one day with Cade while the girls were at camp. It's insane. Only 18 or so more years to go!!! 

The weather was really nice & the kids got to play in the backyard pool and water table a couple days. On Friday we went to the zoo with a bug group of MOPS moms & friends. I think there were something like 19 kids between all of us but group parenting worked out & we didn't lose anyone! It was our first visit since their splash pad opened. All three kids had a blast. It's much smaller than the one at Centennial Olympic Park where we went a few weeks ago which seemed better for Kalea & Cade, especially. 

The end of the week was really nice since Michael got off work early on Friday to start a little "staycation" going out to eat a new burger place in Kennesaw (Yes, burger place. The kids & I got quinoa burgers. They were super yummy. We're still vegetarian!) and going to a special event at The Southern Museum of of Civil War & Locomotive History. Cade was in heaven seeing all the choo-choos!!! A photog from the Marietta Journal captured a cute picture. We're couldn't find it published in any print papers, but you can see it online here.

{week 27}

Happy 4th of July!!!

We eased back into normalcy after being away most of the month with holiday celebrations & enjoyed having Michael home for a day mid-week. Although it's been raining cats & dogs here most of the week, we did get outside for a few minutes of sunshine one morning and got to do sparklers on Thursday evening. The girls & I made a red, white & blue milkshake & a red, white & blue pound cake (strawberries, vanilla ice-cream/yogurt & blueberries). We had a lazy Saturday where Cade, practiced monster kisses with Daddy and Cassidy practiced reading "Green Eggs and Ham" to Michael & Kalea. We ended with week with our first rousing family game of Twister. We're glad so glad to be home!

{week 26}

We headed back to Georgia accompanied by Grandma Betty. It was a long drive, but the kids did really well and Michael had lunch, a drink & blue iced cupcakes waiting when we arrived home around lunchtime. We spent the next couple days at the pool, crafting with Grandma, dressing for any weather that might arise (yep, it was the first day of summer. they were wearing mittens, scarves & hats) and getting in some good cereal stealing, snuggle time. After dropping Grandma off at the airport, the kids & I hit up the fountains at Centennial Olympic Park where the kids had a complete blast and then went home to pack & attend a Kilometer Kids practice. The week ended sadly, as our beloved Poppy took a turn for the worse in the hospital and passed on Wednesday. We were blessed to have made it to Macon in time to be with him and Gran during his last moments, as well as spending the rest of the week with family. He was celebrated in an amazing, standing room only service showing just how many lives he touched with his humility, humor, faith and love. There is no doubt will miss him. 

{week 25}

Father's Day was a little sad without our Daddy, but we got to spend the day with Grandpa Doug for the first time in years. The week that followed was straight out of the "how to have the best summer ever" book: playgrounds, pools, strawberry picking, cousins, sisters, farmers market, cupcakes, friends, wine & four leaf clovers. Win, all around!

{week 24}

Pennsylvania!!!!! After a long overnight drive the prior Thursday, we were happy to be in PA with lots of family. Michael stayed through Sunday, then headed back home while the kids & I invaded the luckiest place on earth I (see also the dozens of four leaf clovers found while we visited) for the next two weeks. Cade had his first John Deere ride, then I hijacked the lawnmover and mowed in peace while other people watched my hooligans. We picnicked with cousins & kids of cousins, ran into Great-Grandpa & Uncle David at the grocery store, visited Hershey's Chocolate World to make our own chocolate bars and swam & swam & swam. 

{week 23}

The first full week of June was pretty low key, as I packed & prepared for our upcoming trip to PA. The kids started getting into the swing of summer with a couple trips to the pool, Cassidy enjoyed her running club, Kilometer Kids where she's "training" for an end of the summer race with a group from the Atlanta Track Club at Swift Cantrell Park behind our neighborhood, we revisited our "almost naked popsicle eating" tradition for our messy kids & I got a much needed fondue & cocktails girls-night-out at the Melting Pot.

{week 22}

The week of Memorial Day kicked off with a weekend of Home Depot, gardening, projects & nice weather. We planted a few tomato plants & a squash plant (which we thought was a pumpkin plant & are going to have a lot of explaining to do come Halloween!!) as well as a stacked herb planter that I copied of of Pinterest. We got the water table, which had been sitting in the hallway unopened for a week, set up & the kids had a blast. Note to anyone reading: bathing suits are a better options than clothing! Later in the week we hit the pool for our neighborhood pool party as well as with some friends - coming across a good Samaritan herding a turtle across a busy road. We ended the week with a mommy-kiddos dinner date of leftover pizza. Fancy as usual!

{last day of summer art project}

{neighborhood scavenger hunt}

- Posted from my iPhone

{celery art}

This summer we're trying to keep busy. The girls are used to having something to do every day besides play with the sixty-ninety-hundred toys we have, so, besides setting up playdates & MOPS field trips, I've been pulling out teaching ideas & perusing Pinterest for things to keep their little hands busy.

The girls just love to do odjects, as Cassidy calls them, and crafts. She, especially, will sit & draw/paint/color for hours. The everyday art supplies are stamps, markers & crayons but a few times a week we'll pull out finger paint or watercolors & let loose.

The other day I remembered to save the end of our celery stalk & while Kalea napped, Cassidy got to create some vegetable art. While wearing a Tinkerbell costume, of course!

Her art is getting more & more mature. Gone are the day of scribbling. She is meticulous in creating each piece. Most are labeled telling who the picture is for & is always signed so we know who drew it. She's learning to rhyme, sound out words & spell the names of the people in our family. So far she's pretty accurate on Mom, Dad & can get most of the letters in Kalea & Cade. It's totally cute to have her "read" the words she writes to describe what's going on.

She's started a Summerbridge workbook with her Daddy as well & is super excited to do "homework" a couple times a week. Let's hope the trend continues through middle & high school!

{digging for worms}

playdate food is delicious...especially when you get to dig it up yourself!



- Posted from my iPhone

project 365 photo: 07.20.2011 {take me out to the ballgame}

Last summer Cassidy & Kale experienced their first baseball game in York with Grandma & Grandpa. Since then we've gone to see the Bees play in Salt Lake City a couple times & the girls have a blast each time. During this visit to PA, we headed to see the York Revolutions play once again. This time Aunt Jenny, Uncle Mark & the newest cousin, Audrey, went with us. Fun times!

project 365 photo: 07.19.2011 {sleep}

Cassidy dropped her nap, much to my chagrin, over the winter. But, being at Grandma & Grandpa's house, swimming & playing all day on top of the two hour time change finally got the best of her. She curled up on my lap in the recliner & fell asleep. It's honestly the first time since she was less than a year old that has happened! Cutie pie.


- Posted from my iPhone

project 365 photo: 07.16.2011 {pool party}

Kalea & Cassidy with Grandpa Doug

As is tradition at my parent's house in the summer, we were welcomed to PA with a family pool party & picnic. It was so fun to see the girls in the pool - for the first time that summer! I hadn't been brave enough to take them alone while we were back in Utah.

They had a blast! Cassidy didn't want to get out & Kalea was absolutely fearless & jumped off the side of the pool & the  diving board a couple dozen times. By herself! It was fun seeing cousins and second cousins, aunts, uncles, and everyone else who joined the fun.

project 365 photo: 07.03.2011 {sprinklers!}

As we slid into July, the weather got hot enough to  head out to the backyard a couple times to play in the sprinkler. Cassidy is a pro at running through, around & under the water, squealing all the while. Kalea, however, was a first timer & surprised every time the water seemed to chase her back & forth across the yard.

She ran back & forth from the water to the towels where I sat in the shade giggling & saying, "I did it!" & "Wet!" over & over again, following her big sister back into the water each time. She was thrilled

The day was cut to an unfortunate end, however, when Cassidy had her first run-in with a bee. The bright red & orange towels managed to attract the creature that Cassidy stepped on while munching on some goldfish. After a minor freak out, she did a great job calming down & applying a bag of frozen corn to her foot. Not a milestone we're happy to have reached, but she handled it like a champ!