goodbye summer

Today school started in Erie.
Even though none of us are going back to school.  Fall is still in the air and we are finding ourselves saying goodbye to summer.  
It has rained all day long.  Which is beautiful and AMAZING.
We played in the rain.
Did some laundry.
Took naps.
Watched a movie.
Read books.
Played games on the computer.
Ate oreos for breakfast and grilled cheese for lunch.
Listened to the rain and totally embraced the fact that summer is fading away.
We had a good summer.
With our new scenery we tried to jump right in and do everything we could.
We made a summer fun to do list and checked things off as we went.
I think we did it all.

Not only were we busy but, we made really good memories just being together as a family.
Family is everything to me.  We dearly miss our "big" families back in Idaho.  Wish they could see us learning and growing.  We miss laughing with them often.  We miss relaxing Sunday dinners on Grandma Lola'sdeck and water skiing with the whole Olaveson crew.  We miss the cool nights and frying hot days of Rexburg.  Cliff jumping.  Splash park.  SNOW CONES.  Rigby Lake. Hiking table rock.  The cabin.  Star gazing on my parents tramp (the stars are much better there)  We miss the closeness of our families and the bonds that we have built.  They are our foundation.  Our best advice.  Our greatest supporters and number one fans.
As much as we dearly miss all of that greatness and let me tell you it is all great, we have enjoyed our time here with our "small" family.  We have laughed a lot.  Shed a few tears.  Learned tons of new things.  Grown up.  Explored and had a pretty memorable summer.  One that I am sad is coming to an end.  I think it will always feel that way and that is a good thing, then I wont take it for granted.
SO LONG SUMMER.....  HELLO FALL!  I can't wait to see what you have in store for us!

Weekendtrip/Waldameer

So we had such an amazing date night at Waldameer and we knew the boys would love it, so we decided to go back this past weekend.   There is just something magical and so fun about those dirty old rides.  I can't explain it. 
We let the boys go on all of the fun little kid rides and Lewis looked as if he was bored out of his mind the entire time.  Not scared.  Just bored.  When we would ask if he was having fun he would say "yep"  while shaking his head.  But, during the rides we couldn't get a smile out him.  Thomas loved them all.  He yahood the whole time.  Even when he went on a big boy rollercoaster.  He loved it! 
Afterwards we were all starving so we hit up Pizza Hut.  Man it was good and so fun to be there as a family.  The boys are getting so big and so silly.  Thomas and Daniel have the same sense of humor and feed off of each other.  Lew just likes to laugh and make silly sounds so everyone will laugh at him.  He says "Tommy" with a growl and it still cracks us up.  Man I love these boys!

ERIE SEAWOLVES

What is summer without a little baseball?
Spur of the moment we went to a game one night to support our local Erie Seawolves.
The boys loved it.
Lew watched the balls flying through the sky and of course climbed around while playing with his Mcqueen.
Thomas in the full spirit of baseball dressed up as "squints" his favorite Sandlot character.  The nerdy yet girl crazy one.  YIKES!  He thought it was pretty cool that the Seawolves kept "winning" and worked on being brave enough to pump his fist with the crowd every time they scored.  He took his mitt and waited somewhat patiently for a ball to come just to him so he could catch it. 
Daniel had a plan for us just in case one of the balls did come our way.  It never did. 
We made sure to have the real experience and we got cotton candy and hotdogs.
There was hardly anybody there and it randomly was bring your dog night.  So we laughed at all the dogs at the game dressed up to support the pirates.  Thomas still talks about a magic trick we watched during one of the innings.  Oh to be little again.
We made it to the 7th inning when it was clear that it was bedtime and we called it a successful outing and headed home before we had any meltdowns. 
It was perfect.  We are now proud supporters of Seawolves. 

Dear Thomas

You have learned to do a lot this summer.
You have been incredibly brave and confident with the move.
You are learning and growing up so much every day.
You tell jokes and quote movies in silly accents all day long.
You know how to push all of my buttons.
You tell me I am gorgeous daily.  Mostly because you thought it was a bad word for awhile and so you think you are so sneaky actually getting to say a "bad" word whenever you want.
You have made so many new friends even when it is hard.
You are quite the gymnast.  The Olympics have inspired you.
You love attention from the right people and demand it all day long from mom dad and lew.  Just not in front of the primary.  That terrifies you.
You love to swim.  You are swimming everywhere as long as your goggles are on.  They are your security.  You wake up every morning asking when we can go to the pool.
You wont do anything unless you want to.  Just like your dad.
You like to color.
You like to ride your bike.  In fact you just learned to ride it all by yourself with NO training wheels.  What an accomplishment.  What an awesome dude you are.  You learned so fast.  Only got a little discouraged but, daddy talked you through it.  You are a rockstar.  You can ride and ride but don't know how to start or stop.  You prefer to jump and abandon ship rather than use your brakes. We are so proud of you.  You are awesome.  You know it too and kept saying it over and over again after you learned to ride. 
You like to wrestle.
You like reading superman and skippy jon jones. 
You like to play in our downstairs.  yahoo for a toyroom/basement.
You are four.
You are signed up for T-ball.
You are my guy.  My silly smart active guy.  I love you for it. More everyday.
xox
mom 

Happy TWO

Dear Lewis Barnley,
Yesterday you had your birthday.
You turned two.  
We have been so so so excited for it.  Thomas was possibly the most excited. 
I think the anticipation got the best of us because unfortunately the actual day ended up a bit of a flop.
Nobody got enough sleep out of anticipation, and that resulted in a bad case of the grumps.
Through all of the screaming and tears we tried to take it easy and just enjoy you even in all of your glory.
We had waffles for breakfast.
Watched cars 2.
Played with your new kitchen set all morning.
Listened to your monkey card 1,000 times.  It still makes you laugh. 
Took a short nap.  You learned how to open up doors on your special day.  I don't feel so lucky. 
Had mac n cheese for lunch.
Went to the beach.  You cried the whole time.  We left and got ice cream instead.
Ran along the bike path.  You didn't have pants on and I love your legs.
Met daddy for dinner at Chick-fil-a.
Baths at home.
Cinnamon rolls.  Fake candles on the i-phone.  You still blew them out. 
Presents. 
Bedtime. 

Darling, even though this day wasn't ideal.  Memories were made with you.  You have blessed our lives from the minute you entered this world.  You shot out at record speed and have kept our lives an exciting whirlwind ever since.  You are possibly the funniest guy around and I have a lot of guys around.  You laugh at all the right times.  You sing.  You dance.  You move to your own drum.  You have patience.  You are tender.  You love to snuggle.  You love cars and anything to do with Lightening McQueen.  You Say momma, daddy, thank you, please, sorry, brubba (brother), B (mater), Quee (Mcqueen)  uh-uh, ka-chow, side (outside) bike, wahoooo, green drink, and are learning new words every day.  You line cars up.  You take at least 10 cars to bed with you at night.  You hate to be messy and have to have a napkin when you eat to clean your hands face and the table.  You love baths and are wild.  You have no fear and will climb anything and then jump once you get to the top.  You do silly poses.  You like to make your brother laugh.  You have most of your teeth but are working on a few more.  You love bananas.  Waffles.  Drink a lot.  Eggs.  Broccoli.  And of course ice cream and cookies. You have to be touching me if you sleep next to me.  You give the sweetest hugs and kisses.  I love the puckered lips.  You have the blondest hair that is straight.    Gray/green colored eyes. 
You are and will always be my hunk of love.  I feel so lucky to be your mom and love you more and more everyday. 

Feelings

Lately I have been feeling....

EXTREMELY JOYFUL 

OVERWHELMINGLY BLESSED

PASSIONATELY IN LOVE with three men 

EXCITED and ADVENTUROUS 

BRAVE and CONFIDENT

SERENELY QUIET 

YOUNG and CHILDLIKE 

HUMBLED and GRATEFUL 

SERIOUSLY SILLY 

RESTED and REJUVINATED

FAITHFUL 

AT PEACE 

IN CONTROL 

ALIVE

i like feeling this way.