say it isn't so.

is it really already august?
seriously.
i obviously haven't looked at a calendar lately.
on a good day i remember which day of the week it is.
i won't mention what could happen on a bad day (i really did try to put a diaper on ada the other day and was shocked when i saw cute little undies covering what-i-thought-was my baby's tush!)

so,
hellllllooooo august.
we are still busy.
and our house is unbelievable dusty, as the drywall has now been hung in our much overdue addition!
in a matter of a few weeks, i will no longer have an 18 month sleeping in my closet!
oh, and i will have a little girl in first  grade.

i am not sure if i have shared my feelings about school.
if so, stop reading.
i am not one of those mothers who is counting down the days.
the thought of a new school year= heart sinking.
maybe it makes me feel old.
maybe i hate the mundane schedule.
maybe the morning rush makes me drink less coffee.
or maybe i just miss my ada when she is at school for over 7 hours straight.

so, in the meantime we will enjoy or last weeks of summer.  we have a big beach week coming up, and lots of progress on our little attic project.  and we have to finish our bucket list- we are almost there!

enjoy the loads of random pictures!

 our little friend at the butterfly house.

 the new mist exhibit at the museum of life and science.

 new friends.

 naked babies= cute pictures.

 new skateboarding shoes. 

 my fisherman.

 our friends live in asheville and get to wake up to this view every morning.

how lucky are they?

 shave ice.

 we had to vacate our house for the night due to insulation installation.  our hotel shower had three shower heads.  nothing is more exciting!

 a visit with nande and poppi.

discovery place.

 smores.

me and my crazy girls.

mountain time

 dr. slechta and his winnie.

sisters.

 this kids has a pretty awesome "cheese".
i just wish she wouldn't make it every time i pointed the camera at her!

 siblings.

swinging.

 elias is a great role model if you ever want to borrow him.
swimming fully clothed.

 more nakedness.

rocks.

exhaustion.

summer bucket list

we have this list, you see.

it works out perfectly.

we never have "nothing" to do.

but sometimes it becomes a pain.

like, when you are in the middle of cleaning your disgustingly dirty house filled with construction workers on a 110 degree day 

and you kids say to you "mom, we need to build a volcano."

but mostly it is fun.

and it makes our days full of little memories.

here are some pictures of us checking off our bucket list.

we learned about volcanoes, particularly mount vesuvius.

then we made one our of clay (it is much neater than paper mache if you are having the kids do it alone!)

 we went to a fourth of july party in which elias disappeared and came back looking like this.

yuck.

his face was stained red the next day.

oh, and his body is still covered in patriotic tattoos.

 awaiting the eruption

 happiness.

the museum of life and science.

 this bear was seriously cute.

and i am not an animal lover.

i could have sat and watched him  for hours.

 playing with shaving cream got a little out of control.

she does have panties on.

and shoes.

 pullen patk.  could they be any cuter?

 birthday girl!

 birthday lunch.

 playing in the rain.

 end of season swim meet!

 friends!

 we went for our longest hike as a family.  two hours of walking with NO complaining.

it rocked and made for a great sunday that ended with ice cream at a southern season.

SIX

my ada.

i cannot, for the life of me, believe you are SIX.

seriously, 

how did five years pass so quickly?

you are incredible.

more than incredible, actually.

you are wise beyond your years

and don't have a single "mean" bone in your little body.

for your birthday you asked for no particular gifts,

just a chance to browse anthropologie with me.

really?

how are you so cool?

people flock to you,

but you don't notice.

you are just you.

you do not follow anyone, any trends.

you like dresses and mud.

they are your favorites.

i am so proud to call you my daughter.

i love you so much.

happy birthday.

xoxo,

mommy

one and a HALF!

this kid will move mountains, i tell you.

she is quiet and lethal.

so independent, but loves her mommy more than anything.

there isn't a thing i would ever change about her!

happy half birthday hanna tait!

a sixth birthday party!

outside the weather has been about 106 degrees on average.

inside my house full of sawdust the temps have lingered around 91.

BUT

that didn't keep us from having a blast at ada's sixth birthday party.

the real day is friday, so this is not her official birthday post.

but let me tell you,

she is one extraordinary kid-

if i do say so myself.

at her party the kids covered themselves with five cans of shaving cream

and ample amounts of cornstarch goo.

they slid down our typical handmade waterslide

and ate as much icing as their little hearts desired.

i can't believe my little girl is almost SIX!