the beginning of summer

i don't think our summer could be off to more wonderful of a start!  i realized very fast that we need to stay BUSY- a simple lull in the day can make it take a turn for the worst.  

so busy it will be, and i love to be busy! 

this week we:

we to a pool party,

celebrated nande's birthday at the zoo,

had a lemonade stand,

did swim team and gymnastics,

took an overnight trip to the beach,

visited beautiful gardens in wilmington, 

and today we top it off with

father's day!

happy father's day reza!

our children adore you more than you could ever know.

 ada's birthday celebration at school.

 playing at a spray yard.

 the zoo!

luke loves to be a part of the chaos we bring.

 hanna loved being so close to the animals.

 sometimes i can't believe that they are ALL mine.

i am so thankful.

 the kids raked in over $5 in just an hour selling lemonade!

i think most people just paid them to be quiet since they were screaming "lemonade" so loud.

 elias took a spill at the pool.

 at airlie gardens.

 a day at the beach.

my favorite place to be.

this week we are beginning our new addition on our house.  they will build the staircase to the attic this week, so we are heading to my parents since we can't be around!  

two to three months of building- wish me luck (and sanity!)

Hanna laughing

let summer vacation begin!

we did it!  we survived kindergarten and made it to summer.  i say "we" because mostly it was a group effort.  it was not all smooth sailing.  academically ada did great though, she is now a wonderful reader and writes the most magnificent stories!  i couldn't be more proud.  the last story she wrote for class was a nonfiction piece.  most students wrote a page or two, ada wrote ten.  all about butterflies.   and then read it perfectly for a video camera.

i now have a first-grader!

our first weekend of summer is off to a great start!  a friday at the carolina inn with bluegrass, a saturday which started at the pool and finished in the tiny town of saxapahaw.  a giant slip and slide, hiking along the haw river, tree swings, food trucks, a farmers' market, bubbles and live music.  you name it, we did it!  events like this are NOT easy.  just getting there is the biggest challenge.  but it was well worth the effort (and exhaustion.)

 we cut the boy's hair and sudden he became a man.  seriously, doesn't he look like a 10 year old?

he really does need his own post.  this kid keeps us on our toes.  he refers to reza as his "brotha from anotha motha."  i wish i was kidding.  and he is obsessed with being strong like a superhero.  

the other day i walked into the living room and he was doing push ups with his feet on the coffee table.

i can't even do that (or think to do it!)

 reza helped catch and remove a bat that was happily sleeping in a bowl in the garage.

we didn't realize how lethargic bats were during the day.

reza was terrified, it was pretty hilarious.

and the bat just kept on sleeping.

 a hike on the haw river.

 this one has crazy hair.

and is getting four molars, which is not very pleasant for either of us.

 ada likes these big bows in her hair.  i kind of cringe as i clip them in.  see, we are trying to fit into the more eclectic crowd, you know, the ones that don't wear bows.  i don't think it is working.

slip and sliding took on a grander meaning.

 if you look closely, you can see my ada in the lower left hand corner.  as soon as we go to a musical event, which is quite often, she runs front and center and dances the ENTIRE time.

interpretational dance at that.

awesomeness.

 hanna often looks like this by 6 pm.

she sleeps 10 hours at night and one during the day.

i don't think that is quite enough sleep for a 17 month old.

 sharing a snow cone.  i often make my kids share things that are really good, and super yummy.  i think it is the best way to learn to share.  that way it is easy to share the things you care about less.

it has worked for us at least!

 hanna and lias enjoying the final bites.

hanna running for the car.

night night!