So much fun.

If I had to describe this summer in three words or less it would be quite easy.  "So. Much. Fun." There ya go, that's it all summed up in a neat and tidy way.  We have truly had so much fun on summer break.  I admit to not liking transitions from one season of life to the next very well.  I'm always ok once I get into the new groove but the thought of jumping into new schedules always makes my skin crawl a bit.  But we ended preschool and jumped with both feet into the land of summerville and haven't looked back since.  

One of our biggest moments was Anna Ruth's fourth birthday! I must play the typical parenting card here and say that I just can't believe it.   Some days it feels like the day will never end.  Then you look back and think "Didn't I just bring her home?"

Parenting has changed everything about my world and you couldn't pay me all the riches in the world to take it back.  I love being mama to my girls! 

We celebrated with BIG balloons, presents, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, Chick-fil-A at lunch and pizza for dinner.  Oh my word, a bit over the top wouldn't you say?! But you are four only once after all.  

We ordered these giant balloons from Amazon and they are just so much fun.  Almost a month later they're still going strong! We didn't have them filled with helium this time, just air from our farm air compressor.  Still, they are real BIG fun. 

I am so much more about capturing my girls "as is" in every day life.  It's the storytelling style I crave and love and cherish.  Yet occasionally I've pulled the mom card and had the girls stand (ok, well Anna Ruth at least…Betsy is an independent two year old!) for a photo.  I remind them how much they love to look at their baby photos and that I'm the mom and these photos matter so much to me.  

Sometimes I'm real lucky and will sneak one of Betsy too….. 

Now that the girls are older I'm much more able to take them places by myself.  Of course, I always have though.  When it comes to staying home all the time versus outings I say to each their own.  But, my personality craves people so shutting myself in does bad things for my mental and emotional health! Ever since the girls were tiny, we've traveled at least to get groceries and to the library.  Now we're able to kick those outings up a notch and all the hard work of having them out in public is paying off! 

Even that sounds ridiculous because it sounds like I'm describing an animal or something, ha! I just mean we've figured out which places work great for us as far as the girls' activity level and a local cafe called The Little Bread Company and our Farmer's Market is just the perfect place to go! 

I woke the girls up and surprised them with a trip to both places one morning. 

They had so much fun! 

We paid for two hours of parking and barely made it back to the car in time.  

Definitely a favorite memory of the whole summer for me.

We also joined our neighbor's at the annual rodeo parade!

Betsy was the one that really surprised me….she just waved and waved at everyone. 

Same with the actual rodeo too! 

I have wanted to go to the rodeo ever since the girls were born but they've always been too little.  We have the most generous friends always offer tickets and this year we took them up on it.  I don't have photos from that night (except for a few on my phone) but it was the most fun.  

We laughed so hard at our little girls dancing, we clapped and cheered, watched bull riding and horses bucking and all that good stuff.  I seriously loved it.  I've even asked Brett to take me back for the bull riding in August! Haha….

There you have it. 

A few glimpses from our "so much fun" summer.

Of course, I must be my honest self and tell you there have been lots more moments of discipline with the girls (hitting, biting, etc) and Betsy Grace's "two's" have been so much different than Anna's.  

But the overall truth is we are learning as a family how to treat each other kindly and love Jesus and choose patience over anything else.  We fail miserably a lot of days….the girls and I both.  But the glorious thing about God is that He gave us mornings, my most favorite time of day.  A chance to start over every single day?  Yes, please! 

 So we rise and shine and start again.  And we're learning. 

Brett and I are leaning in closer together, laughing more often together, and excited about our future. 

The girls are getting along and imagining a lot more in their play in-between needing discipline. 

We're not perfect.  Life isn't always as exciting as you'd think. 

But between the dishes, laundry, cooking, and mowing, 

there has been so much fun. 

How about you? How has your summer been treating you?