Small Town

I've always been a big city girl.

Always known that I couldn't live in a small town.
Too quiet. Too secluded but yet, still too many people that will inevitably know all your business, because there's just not enough people to allow you to be ignored. And I'm not a nice person who wants you to be involved in my business. Too few of restaurant choices or stores that could provide me retail therapy. Just not a small town girl.

But there has been something about this small town we've lived in for the last 11 months. Something about seeing this same barber once a month for my boy. "He always gives me candy and does a nice job on my hair too." Something about the sense of community and nostalgia that comes from living in a small town. Something about the quiet and the people in it. 

I don't mind the quiet. I don't mind the people. I'm trying not to eat out as much and Amazon Prime is a girl's best friend.

I just might be a small town girl afterall.

The Power of a Teacher

There are teachers of all sorts.

Some good. Some bad.

And then there are teachers who love what they do, care for their kids with all their heart, and put everything into their lessons to make their students learn but, also feel something. 

My girl has a teacher like that right now in primary and it's going to be hard to leave her.

I just may cry when we say goodbye, because she is an amazing, thoughtful, and loving teacher.

All The Feels

Our friends are moving away this week and we wanted to do a little something for them for FHE. 😢 (Navy life is hard sometimes.)

Afton thought it was, "Something we could do for our summer of service." She was right. 😄

Last night, while trying to figure out what we could do, I remembered seeing these silly emoji cupcake liners at the dollar store a few months ago. And once I had that theme in mind, the wheels were spinning. 🤔 I couldn't sleep thinking of the fun things we could do for them. 😪 The cupcakes would be so easy and cute!

But I had to keep in mind that the dollar store may no longer have the emoji cupcake liners that I had seen a while back. 😮 Because, it had been months since I was there shopping for Jocelyn's party supplies. 👱‍♀️

So, with a prayer in my heart, we headed to the dollar store this morning. 😚 Walked down the party aisle, reminding Jocelyn with each step she took, "No, you're not having another birthday party today. Or next week. Or next Wednesday. We're shopping for our friends, remember."  😂  

But as we walked my worries grew. That entire emoji section was almost depleted. 😣 I searched carefully among the cupcake liners, looking behind all of Frozen ones, TMNT ones, rainbow ones, star ones, and balloon ones. 😯 Frustration was on the horizon.

Thankfully, 🤗 my prayer was answered. I was lucky to find one last package of emoji cupcake liners, or else I may have had a mild panic attack in the aisle. Phew! 😥

The dollar store also now had cute emoji backpacks to go along with the idea of a little care package of activities for their kids to do while the movers are packing and unpacking. 😍

They also had cute emoji Pez candy dispensers to go along with the idea of a treat for them to munch on during their drive. 😁 Good thing their daddy is a dentist with all the treats we were giving.

Tonight for FHE, we delivered our emoji treats and gave hugs. We will miss the Browns but are excited for their new adventures in San Diego. 😋😆😘

Summer Supervision

Today.

Friend over.

Run at park.

Dollar store.

Gymnastics at home.

Cupcakes with supervision.

Emoji decorations.

Summer school work.

Reading & writing.

More friends over.

Playing.

Summer.

Not Hot Enough

I worked out this morning outside in our driveway so the babes could play on their bikes, scooters, Heely's, and whatever else they wanted to pull out of our garage. Then of course, they get mad when they have to put it all back. Duh. Like it's a new thing.

And it was so hot already, at 8 in the morning that I thought we might sweat to death.

So, I told my babes to go gather some supplies for an outside activity, we could do in the shade. They hoped it had something to do with popsicles, but sadly it was just past 9 in the morning and, "I'm not a fun mom."

Sweat dripping. 

Rosey red cheeks.

However, it was not hot enough for the activity I thought to do to pass the time. The crayons didn't melt as quickly as they did in the silly Facebook-Fun-Mom-&-Kids-Activity video I saw a few days ago. It wasn't a complete fail though. 

 We still had fun either way.

Work Work Work Work Work Work

Afton and Jack always complain about how mean their mom is when it comes to summer break.

"She makes us read everyday. Write everyday. And practice math," Afton explained to the lady at the nail salon as to why she was reading a book in the summer.

Jack added, "It's the worst but I did kind of like being a smart kid in my class."

The lady commented afterwards, "I have never had such grown-up conversations with children before and how you (I) should be very proud."

I assured her that I was extremely proud of my babes.

Today, I reminded my babes that we needed to get started on our summer work because we had been at the beach and neglecting it far too long. It was time to, "Buckle down and do some learning."

Prepared of course of what was to come. I expected a fight. A tantrum. Tears. Rolling of the eyes. Trash talking under their breadth. I expected a lot of angry faces.

But, I was shocked.

Jack went and grabbed his pencil, opened his workbooks and got started. After he had finished 2 pages he asked, "How many do you want me to do?... 4. Okay. And then I'll do my 30 minutes of reading."

I found Afton writing in her journal as she was, "Just waiting for you to bring me my new workbooks mom. Will this journal writing count for my writing today?"

Oh, how I hope my babes keep this up.

Sidenote: I hope Fifth Harmony's song popped in your head as you read the title. If it didn't, we may need to discuss our friendship status.

TEAMWORK

Yesterday my thermometer in my car read 120°.

We all were drenched in sweat after being in the car for 40 minutes with the air on full blast.

I wished we could be somewhere cold, and I never wish that.

So tonight for FHE, I made us feel nice and cold, completely sweat-free, while tying in a spiritual message. 

Opening song: Families Can Be Together Forever

Message: A good strong family is just like a good strong team.  Discuss what a good team/family does to be successful.

Activity:  Watch The Mighty Ducks

Treat: Frozen Hot Chocolate 

The Perfect Present

My babes never ever sleep in. Never.

They do have an early bedtime because mommy loses patience real fast after 8 o'clock. Real fast.

However, for the last two nights they've been up late thanks to the girls' dance recitals on Friday and Saturday nights. Of course, on Saturday morning they were up as early as always, even though they didn't get to bed until 2.5 hours past their bedtimes.

Last night, as they were all being tucked in, just 2 hours past their bedtime this time, daddy asked them to sleep in for his father's day present.

I wasn't concerned because I knew it wouldn't happen. They never ever sleep in. Never.

But as I was making yummy cookies, fattening brownies, and a healthy omelet breakfast for my Sugar's special day, I was shocked to see that the clock said 8:00 am. The time was flying by this morning. Surprisingly, none of my kids were up yet. None.

They had actually listened and given dad the perfect present. Sleep. (All the while stressing me out because church starts at 9!)

(The theme was ties and somehow I forgot to buy him one. Oops.)

Happy father's day sugar. We love you so much and hope you have a perfect father's day.

Jack can't handle the bright sun.

Thanks for being my baby daddy.