Our Aweful Beautiful Life

For the second year in a row, we talked Dad into dragging the camper up to Grandma & Grandpa Hall's yard for a hillbilly campout! We had big plans for a nightswim, fireworks, Woclott festival, ranger rides, and so much more. While it wasn't quite the same this year, with July 4th falling on a Monday....we still made the most of our time.....and a few memories as well!! Oh, and did I mention that when we swam, it was a whopping 65 degrees and rainy? Thank you, Indiana & Mother Nature....for making this 4th of July interesting! Thankfully, it warmed up on Monday -- and we had a perfect day at Uncle Matt & Aunt Sarah's. Plenty of Golf Cart rides, walking the festival, food, friends, and fun!! And more fireworks, of course!  Great Grandma Hancock even joined us for the parade...and helped Keaton keep track of his candy! :) 

You kids are growing before our eyes, and while it seems like daily we are on your case about this or that, and that we are always mad at you...we are relishing in you too. Keaton - - Emmalyn, "I'm FREEZZIIINNNGGGG"..... Keaton: "I'm Mom, nice oo meet you" - You da best, Mom! - Snuggles & kisses are a favorite of yours -- you ask each morning for me to "rock you and snuggle".............sure is hard to tell you no, even when we are running behind! - Thank you, Mommy -- I'm not sure who taught you this phrase, but it's music to my ears! - Mimicing Colton is your favorite --though, I'm not sure it's mine.... - Fear da Beard  - showing off your new Cubs shirts for your Cubs Birthday party! - 3, 4, 5, 2, 3 - so we might need to work on counting before we get to prek years... Emmalyn - - sweet hugs every night before bed...not just a quick kiss, but a good, tight hug...every night like clockwork -- and I love i...

Six. You're officially on TWO hands now, Emmalyn. And while I am the WORST Mother because your birthday sneaks up on me NEARLY. EVERY. YEAR....I love that we plan and plan for your birthday for months in advance, and that when I'm trying to frantically pull it all together....it happens easy and smooth, because you are a girl who knows what she wants! So, what did you want? A Strawberry Shortcake party....but not this strawberry shortcake.. THIS Strawberry Shortcake...  What can I say... a girl after my own heart!! So, we called on Grandma & Grandpa Stockment for the homemade ice cream, and Aunt Sarah and I did pound cake. But before we could party, you had even bigger plans. For MONTHS you've been asking to get your ears pierced. And we've held you off, but finally said, perhaps that could be her 6th Birthday date. And so it was. Dad and I so love these nights with you kids. We love having just YOU to focus on and enjoy. We love the joy in your eyes...

So, occasionally throughout the month of June I'd think of you, dear blog. I'd snap pictures with you mind, my place to save memories and thoughts. And there were a LOT of thoughts in June. And even more memories. To be honest, I'm not even sure how we survived, or if my children got fed or bathed, but they are still all sitting here next to me, so we must have done something right. June was the beginning of summer break, Emmalyn turning 6, two rounds of VBS, a short summer school remediation session for Colton, Emmalyn's birthday date, we planted our first garden, our first ever Volleyball tournament, Father's day celebrations, Aunt Sarah, Aunt Jess, Uncle Trent, Meredith's birthday celebrations, and a girls night out. Oh, and baseball. And tball. Lots of both of those. If you read that and are tired, so am I. I'm still sitting here in shock that it's actually July, because holy CRAP June went by in the blink of an eye. Oh, ya, and we survived a night...