Coffee

 Now, I'm not fancy coffee conosuir but pour me a cup of joe early in the morning or later afternoon and we'll be friends forever. 

My dad has been drinking coffee for as long as I can remember. I remember waking up early to smelling foldgers hard at work in the coffee drip. I remember helping measuring scoops, pouring water and watching the coffee maker work. My dad got fancy while we were in high school and we received boxes of coffee beans, coffee grinders and little bags of sample coffee. 

I've always enjoyed the smell of coffee. How it fill a house in the mornings, how it surrounds all the nooks and crannies in a coffee shop. (Like in college went I spent hours "studying" with friends at our favorite coffee shop and your clothes and hair smell like coffee until you take a shower!) 

Oh! Don't let me forget coffee ice cream! Even better than a hot cup! When I was in 3rd grade my favorite ice cream was Hagen Daz coffee!! Strange for a kid, but oh so delicious. 

As now a mom I love/need that cup of coffee. I sometimes prep the coffee the night before and excitedly press "delay brew" and wake up pretending a barista has made my coffee. Other days it's a mad dash to make just one cup and chug it down before we get out the door. Other days are slow and I actually ask the kids to help me make it, spilling coffee beans or grinds all over the counter, counting the spoonfuls, telling them not to eat the beans, and praying the don't fight over who presses the "on" button. 

A sweet friend gave me this print to me and it happily hangs in our kitchen: 

And most days I look at it and say "Yes! Yes! That is exactly what I need today!" 

Owen Summer Fun

Summer time!! For the past two years we have made a "summer fun list" at the beginning of summer. Whether or not we actually do those activties is one thing, BUT we try really hard to do them. I usually brainstorm a little and then ask the kids and Bryson what they would like to do. Parker doesn't have that many words yet, so he is along for the fun most of the time. Violet on the other hand is bursting with ideas.  I really like having a summer list because it gives us ideas and things to do during our days. Since Violet is out of school this summer, she loves a plan and to follow a routine, this was good for everyone. We didn't always make a plan depending on the activity, but it was a good reference to look at and then the BEST part is to check it off once it was done!

 In my perfect organized world I have a theme for every week of summer, with different activites that correspond with those themes and all is pleasant and happy. LIFE happens and it's not perfect or organized so we go with what we have.

So far we have had a great summer and have been able to cross off a lot:

Swim Lessons: CHECK 

Both kids took swim lessons for a WHOLE month, Monday-Thursday for 30 mins. A lot of people thought I/we were crazy for signing up for two swim sessions each day. Our lessons were very inexpensive compared to other places and about 10 mins away. But we had a great time AND the kids loved it! It gave us something to do each morning, the kids loved the water and the one-on-one interaction with the teachers and some days we would stay and swim all morning (which meant long naps! win-win!) By no means are the kids ready for the 100 Individual Medly race, they do feel more confident in the water, can blow bubbles, hold their breath and the BOTH were able to take a class at the SAME time! (which was so wonderful!)

Discovery Green: CHECK 

Bryson's parents came in the middle of June and we went over to Discovery Green on morning. The kids loved the park and the fountians! We ran around and enjoyed the morning together. It was a lot of fun do something different together and go downtown.

Memory Verses: CHECK
We all learned two memory verses this summer. (a new one is coming soon!) I was trying to think of a verse that applies to our lives and that would be benefical to everyone, including the kids. We have been working with Violet and Parker to be nice, to use nice words, be kind, help others etc. I use to babysit for a family while I was in college and they had two elementary girls. There was a bible verse posted in the bathroom that the mom wrote out with words and pictures. I loved that she drew pictures with it to help the girls memorize it...and it helped me remember it too.  (And it actually ended up being one that we used) Here are our two verses:

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones" Proverbs 16:24

 

"Be kind to one another and build each other up" 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Go to the Movies: CHECK 

There are so many cheap kid movies in Houston! A lot of theaters have summer series during the weekday that are usually under $5. This past week our friends invited us to go see Madagascar 3 (i didnt even know that there was a second one, let alone a third!) The movie was d-u-m-b but the kids liked it. Kyndall and Violet sat the whole time eating popcorn and giggling. Parker enjoyed half of it and the other half he enjoyed walking up and down the stairs.

Paint: CHECK 

This past was very wild in our household. Bry was home sick two days and I think it through the kids off. So Friday we stayed home all day and painted. I set up paper outside and different paint brushes and let the kids get good and messy. It was really funny to watch them! We then painted our boat Bucky and the kids loved that...and then it rained that afternoon! oops!

Houston 1:8 : CHECK 

Every summer our church does a misson week within Houston. Our sunday school class joined up with a refugee apartment complex to have VBS, food, and crafts all week. Our class works with this apartment complex monthly too, so it was neat to see the whole class come together for a whole week each night.  Our house is the closest to the site, so we provided childcare to the little kids in our sunday school class. We had anywhere between 7-10 kids and about 5 adults and about 5 of the kids were under 8 months! So we had a busy house, but it was fun to play with the kids and spend time with the other moms who volunteered.  Bryson was a trooper and the only guy who volunteered and was a great helper with the big kids and feeding the little babies too!

Go to The Bluebell Factory: CHECK 

My friend Liz mentioned she has never been before so we planned on a day to go together! Im SO thankful I had an extra pair of hands to help! For some reason, maybe because it was a Friday, but it was packed at the factory tour! We had a picnic lunch before the tour and loved our free ice cream sample afterwards. It was a fun trip!

Backyard swimming 


We have a month before Violet starts school again so here's to more Owen Summer FUN!

Four

I blinked and my little girl turned 4 this week! 

This little lady has had a countdown since Christmas for her birthday! So the morning she woke up she met me in the living too and yelled "it's my birthday today!" She went on to school and was "class leader" and shared birthday cookies with her class.

I can't believe she is 4! Violet is full of life! She loves to play pretend, read books, color and learn! She can be wild and silly at home and with close friends. But what we have learned is at school she is pretty serious, focused and very nice! 

We had a great afternoon of watching her new movie "Peter Pan" and had my patents over for personal pizzas. 

Violet brings us so much joy! She has always been a happy child. We love her observant, thought out questions. Her creativity is very impressive. She loves to color all day long!! Parker think she is the best big sister, he loves her toys as much as she does. 

Thank you to all the friends and family that wishes her a happy birthday. It was a very special day! And I may have cried a few times...we just love her SO much! 

Happy birthday to my favorite girl!