Let the summer begin...

So I love summer. I am not sure if it is the lack of mundane routines like; waking kids up and getting them ready for school, filling up their lunch boxes, chores, rushing to get things done before they all get home, and the urgency at night to put them to bed so they aren't grouchy with you in the morning as we start the routine all over again.

I love the warmth of the sun, the garden tending, the kiddie pool swimming, the park attending, the sibling playing, the fruit inhaling and the BBQ'ing. I love it all. In our week and half of summer fun we have filled it full of fun. We have swam til our hearts content, we have visited the famous "Smith Mountain Lake", made famous by "What About Bob?" Hmmm, think I'll watch that movie tonight! Madison has ran her heart out at soccer camp, and I have tended to this....




My precious garden. It is my first one and I must say I have enjoyed every minute of it. To start something from a seed and watch it grow to this amazing delectable treat that I healthfully ingest into my children is rewarding and empowering. Not only did Harvey and I tend to the plants but my awesome husband actually created the dirt we used to plant them into. Our compost was rich, dark and unbelievable. Once our little seedlings rooted into it, they began to thrive. I am amazed at how quickly things have grown and how delicious they taste.

This garden has also become my sanctuary. When the kids start to fight I literally run outside and release my anxiety by taking care of something that wont talk back, that wont show ingratitude and that wont squirm around while I tend to its needs. I love my garden.

Bad Blogger

So my days are filled. The only excuse I have is that I have 5 kids and those 5 kids consume my every minute, especially this time of year. We have been busy and blogging unfortunately has taken a back seat. If I were the totally awesome mom that I wish to be and could blog and be busy at the same time I would have blogged these below entries weeks ago, but I am still shooting towards that goal and I'll become that awesome eventually.

Let's start with Spring Soccer. I love soccer. I have never played and probably would fail miserably if I tried but I find so much satisfaction out of watching Madison play. She loves this sport. This spring her most favorite Coach was able to coach her; her daddy! Carson also joined our family fleet of soccer players and let's just say he didn't enjoy it as much as his sisters. We'll just have to keep on trying out those other sports! Which right now he is playing T-ball and totally rocking it! Where are the pictures you ask? I didn't take any...another lack in my mommy awesomeness.

She's the tiny one there in the grey and black!

This was pretty much Carson's soccer stance the whole time. Gotta love that he takes after his mom in his interest in being a famous soccer star!

This is how Emma feels about soccer

Madison with her favorite Coach, thanks Coach Harvey and all the time you put into making us rock stars on the soccer field!

By playing soccer we met a friend. One reason I love community sports is we get to meet some pretty great people. This wonderful person just so happened to have horses, and Savannah jumped with joy. After all these years she still sleeps, eats, and breathes horses. Here are a few pics from the funness of going riding.

This is as close as Emma came. Look at her fat little self. People always say when they start walking they will shed the baby fat. Um, don't think that is working in her case. Been walking now for 3 months and believe she's actually gained a few. Waiting for the "obesity" talk I get with all my babies when I go to the Doc this week.

Here comes the pro, seriously tried every second to make this horse cantor but my friend kept telling her slow down!

We also managed to beat daddy up a bit in our spare time, or did he beat them up? Not sure who won this battle:

Just love that Carson puts on his costumes when he is trying to be a tough guy. I really think he believes he becomes super strong when wearing it.

And here is proof of Harvey's super flexibility...I swear he was secretly a ballerina and has now shamefully hidden all evidence. Do you call men ballerinas? I don't know but one of these days I will get a shot of his perfect toe point. I have never seen anything so pretty!

Although playtime with dad was a plenty we also had some serious stuff going on too...

Savannah had a pretty tough surgery on her kidney stone. We blew it to smithereens! She had a tough recovery but was able to go back to school the following week and see the end of her life in elementary school (insert mommy's weeping). Savannah summed up her feelings quite well when at her 5th Grade Portfolio Night (no pics because we are the only parents that apparently forgot to bring their camera) I asked her how she feels about leaving elementary school and venturing into middle school, she replied, "I am sooo done with elementary school, bring on middle school!" Note this was said in a very teenage accent with a couple of exaggerated hand movements.

And we are now flying into summer with a bang. We were all so ready to leave school behind and couldn't wait for summer to start and as Rylie said it best, "Yay, schools over, now let's go to Utah!" She took the words right out of my mouth! Let's play!

With this being said, I am ending this rant knowing full well that I have left a million things out. But once I catch up, look out blogging world because I will have plenty to say!