Waiting & a Mini-Remodel

The picture doesn't do the pink cheeks justice.
We are waiting for it to cool off

and we will be waiting for a while.
While stores break out the sweaters and scarfs I want to have a panic-attack at the thought of even trying one on right now...
115 degrees this week. Really?
So, put away your fall clothes...I'll be in shorts for 8 more weeks. (at least)
**
Meanwhile...we decided it was time to close the arch that was between the girls rooms. It was so fun and we actually really liked it when we moved in...all 3 girls playing between the rooms was perfect.
Then it started affecting sleep. Not every night, but on the nights it did...not pretty.
So, we went for it.
And by "we" I mean Brady & a friend.
I took the girls to my parent's house and told B to call me when it was all clean.
And he did. And that made me like re-modeling a little bit.
Maybe other projects will turn out this way.
I'll have to post the finished rooms up when we finish the stripe in the girls room and when we have decor on walls, but here's what I have taken so far...
Now we are all sleeping much better...and Lyla can't get into the girl's room while they are at school!

I guess Lyla and I are going to have to stop watching Sesame Street & playing babies and get out of the house so I have something to blog about...but not til it cools off.

Birthday Week

You would think from the title that it was mine we were celebrating, but no. Brady has caught on and does a great job maximizing his day!

We had a fun birthday week ...starting and ending with family dinner celebrations.
In between we had a really fun date night (that I was so lame I forgot my camera, but we all looked cute and had fun, I promise) and presents and dinner & ice cream out with the girls (another thing I didn't document with pics).
*From a wife standpoint: fantastic! He had an early meeting on Sunday (the actual birthday) that happened to include breakfast and then dinner was at Standifird's with my MIL cooking Brady's favorite meal and my FIL making homemade ice cream...I didn't even have to cook all day-it was fantastic.Root beer floats for birthday dessert @ Beck's...he always chooses easy desserts, another reason I love him.

the girls made him close his eyes to lead him to his presents!

Lyla always has her eyes on Daddy.except for when she was watching (and eating) the cupcakes...


focused on blowing out candles...it's a big deal if you don't get them all at Standifird's ( I know, because I never do!)
here he goes...but he misses ONE!!! First time that's ever happened.a bit winded after ALL those candles! (kidding)

Happy Birthday Brady.
You get better every year.
I love you.
c
p.s. the girls love you too:)

Who's Crying Now?

I cracked up during their mini-photo session this morning...nerves were completely gone!

Regan lost a little bit of her "kindergarten luster" today.
She cried from 5:10-6:30pm.
She wanted a banana...I said no because I was making dinner.
She lost it. She cried in her room for a bit, which I just let go because...well, sometimes she just needs that.
Then she cried because I was making pumpkin pancakes and she wanted waffles. Sorry?
Then she begged me not to make her shower, which isn't an option because our mornings are crazy early as it is.
and because they have school germs...egh.
She sobbed her way through it and brushed her teeth and...
voila! - good as new!
We curled up and read books for an hour before bed.
Both girls came home so happy and with lots of stories to tell, but it's exhausting for their little minds and bodies.
Poor kids... they were totally out by 7:35!
***
Lyla and I had a lovely day! She spent the morning with my mom while my little brother and I went here.
So good to have him back. So good to spend the morning in such a peaceful atmosphere.

Tomorrow's the day. Target with Lyla (and her snacks).
I hope I find something I didn't know I desperately have to have for my house.
Something fun for my kitchen...yeah, I'll start in housewares...

Day 1 (near hysteria)

That would have been ME from 6:30-7:30am. Everyone else was fine.
I was trying hard not to cry at the thought of having 2 start school, especially a kindergartener!
But...I made it through with less tears than I planned and even managed:
breakfast with Brady and Taysoms (I feel a new tradition coming on...)
manipulating items around the house (aka- picking up every one's "things" and putting them away)
lunch and nap time for Lyla
cookie-baking and a movie with Brady...
I did ok and wasn't anxious until about 20 minutes before they got out of school.
***
Enough about me...
Emma and Regan woke up happy and ready to go!
Meet-the-teacher Night took care of most of the nerves. (that's the first pic of Regan...Emma said she's done it before, so no pictures!)
Outfits were chosen in record-time yesterday (41 minutes to decide on clothes, shoes, accessories, & hair-do's for both)
So we had a nice morning full of smiles and nervous giggles.
Having Brady home was a relief for all of us...the girls love having him make breakfast and I love it because it frees me up to be totally emotional!

I came home and looked at the pictures
and cried a little more because I know those smiles...the "I know I should be really excited, but I am getting kind of nervous" smiles OR, my favorite, "Pictures don't usually happen at 7am...please don't make us do anymore!" smiles.

Emma came home saying that her teacher "ROCKS!"
Regan said that she made 2 friends, but doesn't know their names!
They walk home with their cousins, Zack & Josh...how fun is that?! Regan and Josh are newbies together!

After school we had fun hearing all the juicy details over our green coyote cookies (school color & mascot).

Ah, now there's some more relaxed smiles! And pink cheeks...can't wait for cooler weather.
So proud of my girls today! They were confident & brave and its going to be an exciting year.
***
Lyla gave herself a little education in honor of the 1st day of school. She was so lonely without her sisters that she learned how to open drawers. If it's within reach it got emptied! Her favorite find? Some 3D glasses!

I'll Be Smiling By Friday

It happens every year.
I am sad for school to start.

Oh, I will cry
A little extra this year because I have a first-timer.
And Brady will take the morning off to make sure I get home alright after my teary goodbye!

But I know the drill...
I will read this on Friday and laugh.

It's What I Do

When we were first married (cliche ahead...) Brady never picked up his socks.
He would come home from work and put everything else in the laundry and even put his shoes away.
But never the socks.
I started to leave them there thinking maybe he would catch on, but he did not.
I remember waking in the night and nearly screaming at the sight of one in the perfect shape to be some sort of small creature.
Then I asked him to please just put his socks in the laundry.
And he did. But it took a few years.

And then we had a toddler.
And socks seemed like a distant dream compared to what I picked up and RE-picked up in a day.
And I was sorry I got a little bit hung up on his socks.
As I followed little ones around the house for the next few years I often wondered what it would be like to have kids big enough to always clean up after themselves.
...HA!...
I should have known better.

My kids are all tucked in and the house is "picked-up"
(notice that I didn't say "clean", because tomorrow I will spend the day "cleaning" and in turn...my house will not be "picked-up")
And now the kids are in bed and Brady is off playing watermelon football at someone's pool,
And it's just me...
And the wet bath mat on the floor of the girls' bathroom.

I'm not complaining.
Just stating the facts!