It's been awhile...like over 4 months...but we have been busy...

At the beginning of the summer I had four goals.....

1. relaxing

2. fun

3. no obligations

4. lots of sleeping in

With Parker starting preschool this fall I knew it was my last chance to be without serious obligations and so I took FULL advantage of doing nothing....

so this is what we did all summer...

We drove the gator 74.5 miles/day.

worked in the garden.

got wet and muddy watering the garden.

ha.

took swimming lessons.

ate ice cream.

grew up too fast.

celebrated the 4th of July.

ate lots of messy food

(and apparently fell down and bruised his head)

went to "Wizard of Oz" camp at the Children's Museum.

(Parker is in the cowardly lion costume)

laughed.

buzzed our hair after a weekend of camping to make sure there were no ticks.

played basketball.

rode a new birthday bike.

swam in the backyard.

Owen finally started talking.

wrestled.

watched Mickey Mouse before bed

(or as Owen says, "Gicky")

worked together.

had a birthday party.

turned 4 and got REAL basketball shoes.

had picnics in the backyard.

We also went camping, fishing, boating, etc. but I don't have any pictures of that. I really slacked on taking pictures and blogging, because I was too busy doing nothing.

Parker started preschool last Monday and I have some super cute pictures I will share in my next post. Sean starts seed corn harvest on Sunday, which means summer is offically over for us, and fall is here. We are sad to see summer go, but are adjusting well to our new schedule. I will always remember this summer and the wonderful memories we made just doing nothing.

The days when they are young go much too fast.

preckles.

Parker has been outside a lot (everywakingminuteofeveryday).....and so he already has a "farmer's tan" which he is VERY proud of. However, I noticed something the other day that he is not so proud of....

He is getting freckles on his nose...or as he calls them preckles. And he DOES NOT like me to draw attention to them. He is pretty discouraged and worried that someday he will have preckles all over his whole body like I do.

And he has now discovered a preckle on his foot. It could be a long day :).

flash.back.

This picture was taken April 17, 2009.

Exactly 1 year ago.

What a difference a year makes!!!

spring.cleaning.

clean beds.

clean furniture.

clean rugs.

steamed carpet.

clean windows.

organized closets.

new paint.

organized toys.

now it's time for summer fun!

Really?!?!?

I was cleaning up supper last night.

Sean and the boys were downstairs playing.

I remembered I had let Parker color with markers downstairs at his table earlier in the day.

I yelled down the stairs, "Hey, pick up the markers so Owen doesn't get them."

Sean and Parker came upstairs to get something.

I asked if they had picked up the markers.

"Yep...they are all picked up," they BOTH said.

Owen came upstairs next....

Really!?!?

You picked up the markers!??!!?

hmmmm.....then I wonder why Owen has marker all over his face???!?!?

It was washable. Came right off in the bath.

It's just the principle of the issue I am hung up on.

all.day.long.

all he does is play basketball.

and the only thing he will wear is basketball shorts....even to bed.

and if he is going to wear a jersey, it has to have a number.

and his 4th birthday is in 49 days.

and yes, he is counting.

and his party is going to be a basketball party.

and he always asks me to "shoot some shoots" with him.

and I have say yes,

because a day is soon coming when he won't want me to.

and if I miss a "shoot" he intentionally misses a "shoot" too.

and I love his compassionate heart and his determination.

and he begged me to buy him brussels sprouts at the store today.

and so I bought him brussels sprouts

and he promised to grow big and strong.

and now I don't think I will let him eat them,

because he is getting too big and strong too fast.

and the wind is blowing 50 mph today.

and he doesn't even notice

because he is doing what he loves....just "shooting some shoots".

I was just wondering....

....if I could freeze time so that Owen would stay 14-months forever...

...so that was he could keep his sweet innocence...

...and just forget the stages of discipline and hard-work that come with growing up...

Really, is it too much to ask?!?!