Monday, June 30, 2014

June's Favorite Things

1. a perfect afternoon with family & friends celebrating Ian's 30th birthday

2. strawberry cheesecake pudding shots & drunk gummies to lure my friends over for a pampered chef party

3. my girl and her girls - and ariel! - at paige's 5th birthday party

4. a little between-soccer-tournament-games yoga
5. and a bit of sleep yoga

6. sinfully wonderful nights out

7. my boys and their favorite things

8. great nights with great friends

9. em's super awesome treasure map
10. hoping my assets will get me through a physical game of oregon trail

11.getting the hairs cut
12. old forgotten photographs <3

Friday, June 27, 2014

Swing Batter Batter!

 
Narls' baseball season just wrapped up. 

 
Since May, Clay and I have had a ball game and/or a soccer game for both kids almost every single night of the week. It's been crazy.  And what's especially crazy? I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

 
This is Narls' first year playing in the 8 & Under division and it's super cool to see everything these kids have learned in teeball and 6U start to make sense to them. They're making plays and tagging runners out and throwing to first and hitting hard. 
 
 
They're playing like real ball players.

 
They have had great coaches, including Clay who was on the field every game, who taught them a lot.

 
Narls played a good rotation of infield, outfield, and even catching, my old position.



 
I think my favorite part about his games though, is just being there. Sitting in the field with sunshine on my shoulders as Em plays on the slide and Lainey and I watch our boys on the field.  The simpleness and goodness of it all. Before things like standings and RBIs and divisions really start to matter. Seeing Narls get an amazing hit and smiling as the first thing he does after he runs home is come out to me with the biggest smile on his face and ask if I saw it. Watching Clay throw balls to the team with his worn old glove, as soft as butter, and with this almost magnetic draw that pulls all their wayward balls right to it.  Feeling Lainey's tail wag on my feet every time she hears Em's laugh or Narls' yell. Getting waffle cones of superman at our favorite ice cream place on the way home, win or lose.

 
Those are the reasons I love these baseballs games so much.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Beach Day

 
Friends, kiddos, drinks, munchies, laughs, sunshine.
This summer is off to an amazing start.


Saturday, June 21, 2014

Welcome, Summer

 
Happy Summer Solstice ♥

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

School's Out For Summer


I just dropped my boy off at school for his last day of first grade.



What a great year it's been. Clay and I are so proud of this kid! He's so bright and inquisitive (tested into third grade math!) and loves learning.



We had a great teacher who was thoughtful and worked well with Narls.  Clay and I volunteered when we could and we made it to every event and field trip.

I have high hopes that next year - with both of my babies in elementary school! - will be just as fun and successful.

Now onto summer vacation!

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Happy Father's Day


This guy.

I have no idea what we would do without him.

He keeps us positive when we're moody.
He keeps us moving when we're lazy.
He keeps us laughing when we're sad.


He keeps our world spinning.

Happy Father's Day, Church.
We love you.



Saturday, June 14, 2014

Life Lessons, Disguised as Soccer, the Conclusion (Actually, Just the Beginning)

 
Once upon a time I wrote about my boy's new soccer team. How we inadvertedly got put into a soccer division that wasn't our hometown's, how he was put on an established team, how the other boys seemed better than him and everyone seemed to know it.
 
In particular, I wrote this paragraph, "After practice, the coach came up to me and said Narls did great. That he's tough. That he has a solid soccer foundation and he'll fit right in and he'll see us tomorrow morning for their game."
 
He did see us that next game. And the next. And when the fall season ended, we were right back for spring. Narls is even signed up to play with these exact boys on this exact team in this exact division next fall, per his request. These boys have become a solid team of good friends and it was so great to watch. The skills this coach taught these boys, the teamwork and humility and encouragement they learned and received, well, Clay and I truly believe would not have been taught with the same caliber anywhere else.
 
You can see the difference from fall:

 
to spring:


 
 
Narls has tremendous confidence now, which was the biggest thing holding him back on the field. Because Coach Marc was right- Narls is tough, he does have a solid soccer foundation, that he is a right fit for the Sharks team. He knew it, Clay and I knew it, now Narls knows it.
 
They worked together this season and won the tournament.
Never lost a game the entire season, in fact.



 
This was so good for us.
 

Friday, June 13, 2014

Ballerina Girl




 
We are so, so, so proud of this little girl. She danced her tiny toes off.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Me and My Guy Dance

 
My son's elementary school held their first mother and son dance about a month ago.
 
And Narls was motified. He didn't want to go, he didn't want to dress up, he didn't want to dance.
He was against the whole entire thing.
 
 
Until we got there and he saw his friends and they were all dancing and wearing the same dress clothes. Then it was all good.
 
 
I even managed to get some smiles out him.
 
 
He may not have danced with me, but we both had a great time.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Stitch.

I sent my boy to school last week and by lunch I was meeting him and his father in the emergency room. He fell at recess and split his lip open. It required five stitches and lots of TLC.
 
 
As far as children emergency room visits go - and we don't have a lot to go by considering this was our first - it went pretty easy. It was a weekday afternoon so there was no wait. The nurse and surgeon were experienced and kind. Narls didn't hit any teeth or knock them out of alignment and he handled the stitches like a boss despite not being completely numb.
 
 
Four days later, the stitches came out and he was as good as new.

 
♥ ♥ ♥

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Fourteen Years...

 
One day this month will be fourteen years since this man and I had our first date.
 
FOURTEEN YEARS.
 
We don't have a real anniversary because we met so casually. Hung out without any expectations. Before we knew it were together everyday.
 
He makes my life so good and so easy and so happy.
I love you, Clay. More than you'll ever know.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Hometown Days REALLY Are The Best Days


 
 
 
Friday night, just us girls....

 
and Saturday afternoon with the family.



 

 


 
 


 
Such a perfect weekend.