{ List No. 5 - Sweet Summer Fun }

   Back in October I turned thirty and challenged my self to thirty lists of thirty things for my thirtieth year. You can see what a slacker I am, this list being a measly numero 5.  I have been incredibly blessed to be surrounded by some close friends who are amazing about being intentional in how they parent and do life. And it's an area I really want to grow in as a mother. With all the pinterest inspiration out there, none of these things are my original idea but even so I still wanted to take the time to sit down together and plan some fun into our summer. Summer for us means daddy is gone to work the most hours, hence we have the least amount of time together as a family, it's the nature of having a husband who works in road construction. And knowing me, it just won't happen unless it's easy to do on a weekend or week night, inexpensive, and relatively easy to pull off without too much prep work. So with all of these things in mind,  we sat around the table last night at dinnertime and each put in 6 votes for our top 6 fun things to do together this summer. Because, as the saying goes...   

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1. meet daddy after work for a picnic ( mommy )
2. blow big bubbles, and here's a how-to, so you can too( Annabelle )
3. lemonade stand( Annabelle )
4. backyard bbq with the neighbors
5. water fight ( daddy )
6. finger paint
7. frozen yogurt run ( Jack )
8. nature hike ( daddy )
9. sleep under the stars ( Annabelle )
10. splash park
11. badmitton ( daddy )
12. day at the lake  
13. outdoor movie night ( Annabelle )
14. fireworks
15. bike riding ( Jack )
16. Saturday morning yard-sale shopping ( Annabelle )
17. baseball in the backyard (fun variation,use water balloons)
18. slip and slide ( Jack )
19. pillow fight ( daddy )
20. aquatic park fun (daddy )
21. pick berries ( mommy )
22. water balloons + squirt gun war ( Jack )
23. concert in the park
24. Vacation Bible School ( Annabelle )
25. ice cream sundaes + Madagascar 3 (Annabelle didn't forget that you promised Poppy :)
26. build a campfire
27. jump rope
28. read, read, read and read some more ( mommy )
29. pick a big bouquet of wild flowers ( mommy )
30. make a living room race track ( Jack )

And a few extras because I couldn't keep it at an even thirty: 
  
a ding dong ditch ( mommy )
glow in the dark bowling ( we are going to put stick glow sticks in clear plastic water bottles and use our glow in the dark soccer ball to knock our pins down ) ( Jack )
cloud watching ( mommy )
make mud pies ( Annabelle )
pintrest craft/art project day
watch the sun set

make jello + fruit salad

bake cherry pie
hot date- patio seating ( daddy )

 

 

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But now I am ever so curious? Tell me, what are your favorite summer traditions? 

Now I better run before I miss out on the first pitch of tonight's back yard baseball game!

smiles all around

  There are a lot of sweet things to catch you up on over here at the dear little home sweet blog. Big things like, Lucy turning 1 and Jack turning 3 and baby # 4on the way in September, and Annabelle's first ballet recital and last day of kindergarten on Tuesday. A lot to smile about and be oh so thankful to Jesus for...Life is a big beautiful blur right now and I am trying to keep up, take it all in and cherish these crazy days of being a happy, growing, on the go little family. Even Especially the days, to borrow a phrase from the book I am reading right now where my house looks " like the bottom of a toaster," and the kids are sticky and grumpy and I feel like everything is so out of control. Praying daily that I'll look for ways to graciously navigate through normal, messy every day sort of days like that, to master them like an art and squeeze as much fun + sweet happy memories in that I can for my little ones. Now for some pictures to fill in the gaps of the last several months.

 Excited for all that September 2012  holds for our growing family, 

a picture I meant to post back at Easter time.

Our sweet + darling one year old Lucy Wren.

Happy 3, to our sweet Jack boy.

Mommy with her girls.

Daddy with his.

 And our sweet Jack boy.

So proud of our pretty little ballerina.

Flowers + kisses from Daddy after Annabelle's very first ballet recital.

Our ever so precious toddler.

 

This sweet daily reminder that we are about to become a family of 6!