summer photo wrap up

I did ok at the daily photo goal I set for myself at the first of the summer. Sometimes the kids would take the pictures, and as I look back those are the ones I like the best because they really capture the summer from their point of view. Also, most of the pictures were taken with my phone. I just could not get in the habit of carrying my camera around, and even when I did have it in my purse it was easier to snap a pic with my phone. Not as high quality, but still served the purpose. I'll share a few faves...(quite a few, actually) so I can move on to the next stage of the year.

We'll start with my favorite pizza topping of the summer. This little treat makes the best homemade pizza EVER. Just add mozzarella...and maybe some thinly sliced tomato.

This has definitely been our Annie summer. This was a parade on July 5th that the orphans (who don't really look like orphans) rode in.

What Odie does in his spare time. Plays with his "guys" by the bookshelf.

Buggy loves her some monkey bars. LOVES...

The bumper boats at boondocks. These were SO much fun. This picture makes me laugh because we were all able to park our boats and climb out and we turn around and there's Willie driving around in the middle of the pool still, looking for a parking place. hahahaha!

Odie enjoyed cotton candy on my birthday. Oh how he loves candy cotton...

Lucy's first cavity. Don't see this look on her face much. Luckily little Olivia the Pig brought a lot of comfort.

We absolutely adore Baby Zuri...seriously, we could stare at her allllll day...

Lucy and her super cute friend Scout at the Little Buckaroo Rodeo. Love that Rodeo! (And those girls)

And this would be Will on...hmmm....looks like Frontierville? But I'm not sure. Taken by Lucy or Owen. Notice the dirty sock right next to the computer. I'm an awesome housekeeper.

Looking like the grouch on his shirt...pretty sure he really liked the ride, and the day, just not me taking his picture?

A really bad and dark picture of some really cute (and super talented) orphans...it's been so fun to see this coming together. These are seriously some talented little girls. Every one of them.

Go Strikers. ..Need I say more? (taken by Lucy or Owen)

SO proud of my two berry pickers. Many a morning they got themselves (or each other) up and out to pick while I was still in bed.

Funny Lucy and Odie LOVE the mini carts at Good Earth. Odie couldn't even contain his excitement long enough to pose.

And that's a wrap! Now that I got all that off my chest, I'll be able to move on to back to school pictures... :)

Today

I shed a few tears today. It started with Odie, who told me he didn't want a goodnight kiss but then as soon as I walked away he changed his mind. That part was fine, he does it all the time--tries to get away with things and then changes his mind when he sees it doesn't work. But later, when I went to check on him after he was asleep and he was snug as a bug wrapped in his blankie in only his pull-up, it was too sweet for words. And I thought about him coming into my bed a couple mornings ago, with blanket lines on his face and his little morning breath, "I had a dream that reminded me of school shopping" he said. I laughed, because he's 3. What does he possibly know about school shopping? Then we snuggled.

I shed a tear for my Abby girl, who has been getting herself out of bed long before I'm awake to help Uncle Marvin in the garden all week long, and had such a cheerful wave for me as she sat between her grandpa and great uncle in the pick up truck on the way home from the farmer's market today. What 14 year old does that? She amazes me, that girl. Always has, and I think she always will.

I shed one for Willie, who had a birthday party to go to on this, the last day of summer. I walked down to pick him up and he grinned at me. He barely turned his head to tell his friend goodbye, he is SO shy. We walked away holding hands. He likes for our fingers to be intertwined when we hold hands.

I shed one for Phoebe, who in one week will become Annie, and perform on stage for hundreds of people. Phoebe, my girl who would cry and cry when it was time for preschool or dance or even playdates, she was so scared to leave my side. Now she is doing something I would never dare do. She is so brave, and so amazingly talented.

And I shed one for Lucy, because she starts kindergarten on monday and it's killing me. That little sassafrass has been by my side for YEARS...and I know it's just for a few hours each day, but it is killing me, 'cause I know just how much she is going to grow and change. Mostly I keep thinking of how we used to cuddle on my bed every wednesday afternoon last school year and have a "rest"...she has always loved to cuddle me, and on wednesdays after my dinner for dinner group was ready to go and I got Odie down for his nap, we would snuggle up and read a book or two and sleep the afternoon away. Okay, maybe I shed 2 tears for that...

I hate to see summer end. I really, really do. Tonight we grilled pizzas and sat outside until dark, all the kids chattering and singing and tumbling and dancing and climbing and swinging all at once until we were good and ready to put them to bed, and then we did, and now summer is over, just like that. And I'm already missing it...