The day between and the day of.

I woke up to this, the day after the 4th. I simply followed the mess and found the above. I LOVE it.

Over the course of 4 days, we were invited to 3 dinners--which is awesome--So we moved the Mr's birthday BBQ to his birthday eve. I took the Mr. out shopping for his fireworks and (discounted-- if consumed that day, why not pay half price?) steaks and then surprised him by having our friends show up (surprise #1). Even though he was the birthday boy, he was in charge of cooking. I don't do the grill.

 After our backyard BBQ and fireworks, 

fireflies were chased, s'mores made, and camp set up. 

I love alot of things about camping. 

The outdoor cooking. 

The outdoor eating. 

S'mores. 

But I hate the sleeping. 

Or lack thereof.

People willingly chose to leave their beds, live with bugs, and have animals brush by their heads and invade their campsite at night, all while sleeping on rocks and waking up wet from the dew? 

Well, yes.... but I think we've decided it's too much work to drive somewhere and do it for one night.

Especially when it is already way booked and noisy for the 4th of July. 

Now, this was perfect.

Brycen loved it and did it for two nights. 

Best part? Cian slept in his bed and I, in mine. 

My kind of camping!

(notice, he is sleeping on a mattress, ahhh...)July 6th. The Mr turned the big 2-9! Surprise #2: breakfast in bed.

Surprise #3 and 4: The mailman came at 11 am delivering a very generous birthday gift that would later pay for our lunch date. Perfect timing. And a truly awesome friend (thank you!) showed up at 11:30am to watch the boys so we could go on our

lunch date.

We walked downtown. Ate really good food and rootbeer at LBC and found an adorable candy shop. The candies were a.m.a.z.i.n.g.l.y expensive and SO good. Cathy made them all in the shop's kitchen as we shopped. Chocolate covered caramels, gummy bears, peanut butter cups, Caramellows.....the list goes on and on.It was a version of Christi heaven.

Who remembers these awesome swings?

My childhood, right there.

At dinner that night, Brycen hit it off with our neighbor's little girl.

And Cian with her bike.

 We brought the ice cream cake. 

One reason I love the Mr's birthday: Aldi's discounted 4th of July ice cream cakes.

 Mmmm. So good. especially at half of. 

Last year, I made cookie dough chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (also so good) 

2012.

and had his co-worker take them to work to surprise him and then little bite-size fruit pizzas to surprise and share at couple's volleyball that night. It was awesome but a lot of cooking and stress--while he was at work--and overall, sweets overload (another co-worker had brought in cake for him).

Can you tell I like to surprise??

This year, since he was home, I took it easy. 

And just enjoyed being with him. 

 My two pyros.

Cian and I handled the "ooohhhh, ahhh".

My Birthday Man.

After the boys were in bed, 

we sat on the garage floor way past midnight; me watching, he changing the van's brakes.

It was the perfect change in routine.

____________________________________

Now it's Monday. 

Brycen is a firm believer in being an early riser and was up at 1am.

He is now doing this:

Three nights (out of 4), of going to bed at midnight. 

 

Cian woke up at 11:30am.

 

A mountain or two is calling my name.

This picture doesn't do justice but I have GOT to find the mosquito that had me itching all night long. 15 bites.

Happy Monday!

May just be my new favorite holiday...

Family and Friends.

Daddy home.

Lawn mowed.

Garden weeded.

Swimming in the back yard. 

Music playing.

Red, White, and Blue.

Patriotism for this wonderful country.

Thoughts of all the soldiers and people that fought for it to be so. 

I heart history.

Good food.

No presents. 

Loads of fun.

Fireworks. 

Our friends invited us over for a wonderful BBQ. Brycen was in heaven with some of his buddies from church. That boy sure loves to play. Could careless for the delicious food.We had a hotdog on a stick and made him take a bite every few trips around the trampoline.

Isn't his outfit just AWESOME? Thanks to the absolutely beautiful weather (it's July, right??), we could pull off the pants.

 

 

 

Back in the day, this outfit is revisited (minus the perfect pants we were given just weeks ago!)

  July 4th, 2010

I am so glad I kept all the clothes (10+ old handy-me downs). I have so much fun seeing Cian wear them all.

Big trees= Amazing swings.

So much fun. I grew up with the traditional firework shows in the sky, which are great--don't get me wrong. But in the street! I may just be sold on what Bryce has been trying to get me to buy all week....and making it a tradition.

SO captivated.

Polished the night off with the Sky ones.

Happy 4th!

Let's Talk about ME!

1. Move over Lucky Charms. A week ago, I found this beauty.

Let's all be honest, who ever ate Lucky Charms for the non-marshmallow, quick-to-soggy, tasteless counterparts? I vividly remember trying to force myself to eat all the non-marshmallows first so I could then enjoy a bowl of marshmallows. 

I find the above combination completely delish (as an on sale, occasional treat). No need to save the marshmallows for the end. AND the fruit loops are so fresh. I was never a particular fan of fruit loops, as they beat up the roof of my mouth like that of Captain Crunch. BUT not these. And my boys prefer Mini-Wheats, SO much more for me.

Kellogg's should pay me for my opinion or something.

Warning: 2 or 3 bowls on an empty stomach may give you a stomach ache. Try eating a banana first. Or eat a bowl for breakfast and then a bowl for a midnight snack. Mmmm...

Throw back (Tuesday?):

Remember this:

A particular Saturday two summers ago we found ourselves in a foreign German land and rushed to the store at 9pm for anything that might resemble something we know to be edible, especially for a 2 year old. Their 3 colored "Fruit Loops" were n.a.s.t.y... (by the way, our Froot loops have 6 colors. I should've known something was off just from that.) 

Aww!! Brycen was so little!! And cute cute curls!!

2. I hate emptying the dishwasher. Filling it up, it not as big as a problem because it makes the kitchen look dramatically cleaner and I get to daydream out the kitchen window while doing so. Emptying is not the case for either.

3. Half vingear, Half water. My new go-to cleaner for...everything (once I got passed the smell). Especially windows and mirrors!

4. I love reading. AND the reading program for kids at the library. Remember the ice cream family date last Saturday? Yup, it was inspired by a free coupon from the library (and a free coupon for the Mr.'s birthday coming up and hometeaching). Even though, the library's ice cream is still sitting in the freezer because Brycen insisted that he wanted "Cotton Candy" flavor. Blah...

Brycen also received a free admission to this: *he has asked to go everyday for a week*

Cian didn't know what was coming...

But he's a quick learner. RUN AWAY!

They sure loved it.
As for Brycen's outfit. Let's just think: Christmas in July.... And he (finally!) dressing himself these days...

The dressing himself (picking out and controlling what can stay on) goes for him as well. Oh, so young...

Foam pit happiness.

Throw-back (Tuesday) again:

My first time to the above gym was around 3 years ago. It's in alittle more country-like setting then I'm used to. A stop sign as the only train track protection?? Seriously...Never seen that before....
City girl. Yeah Yeah...

That day, a song I loved came on the radio. I--of course--had to turn it up. And then I noticed some train noises in the song that I have never noticed before. Luckily (insert heavenly moment here), I turned down the radio, saw the stop sign, slammed on my brakes and came to a stop, RIGHT as the train flew by, nearly missing my bumper.
It was...terrifying, too close to death's door for me and my baby boy.
 To this day, the radio in the van is almost always off.

And I hold up a line as I check and re-check, open my sliding door, etc. 
Just kidding. But I do proceed very cautiously.

Back to happy moments, Brycen also was given a book, a toy, another ice cream coupon, thing of bowling, and two kids meals (Subway and Applebee's) from the reading program. Next summer: Cian can sign up. Can't wait!

5. Let me just say first, so a certain brother of mine does not jump to conclusions. NO announcement here.

Picture to prove it. My fav t-shirt. $1.26 from Goodwill. And Brycen pat-my-head and swish-mouthwash performance.

 I have had some serious thoughts/dreams that we will get pregnant with twins next. So serious that I have looked up triplet stroller options (for the twins and Cian, mega $$$) and the Mr has asked specifics in which I reply, "identical twin girls". And then he faints....

j/k on the fainting.

But how Crazy(mega emphasis on the crazy) fun that could be...

4th of July Missionaries

Monday's FHE. 

We (and in we, I mean the Mr. and the munckins) attempted to weed our garden of weeds while I cooked dinner.

We ate, sang, and talked about being a missionary.

And did some sparklers to start off our 4th of July week. 

These two are a hoot.

Who often plot to not look at the camera.

They were both terrified but once Brycen was on board, of course, Cian never looked back.
P.S the above (below) is Cian's favorite outfit. He will take off Mommy's attempts to wear much else and succumbing this outfit to Mt Laundry is a dramatic tearful production.

The Mr, myself, and Brycen. White.
Cian born darker than us.
And remains so.