Sweet Summertime

We tried to have some fun this summer, before Audrey had to start kindergarten, but it wasn't easy with Arden fighting her 3 naps every day. But we were blessed with a mild (for us) summer which allowed us to be outside more than usual when we could get Barker home.

 fun on wheels

Barker does triathlons now since the soccer scene isn't as big here as it is in Dallas. The kids race him down the drive way.

Hudson has it made on our evening walks.

There are some summer time things that I sadly cannot do alone with the 3 kids, like pool time, but we did manage to survive the summer. Sprinklers and ice cream helped!

night time sprinklers

and again during the morning

yay for Gatorade

water gun fights 

When Barker could find some time we'd hit the pool.

Arden loves it as much as her siblings.

So happy to be able to bust out this itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini again!

splash pad play

random fun around town

ha! such a ham

trolley fun

And we had plenty of pajama parties.
 

This is what Audrey called a crazy train.

Agreed

She was tickling the baby. Hud decided Audrey deserved tickles too.

Oh and this....

I was getting ready for church one morning when Barker was at a tri. Arden was playing in her bouncer and became cranky. So I went to get her. When I returned Muffin met me in the hallway and said Ta-dah! 

I drug him back to my bathroom and discovered he had found and applied concealer to his eyes, with the proper brush I might add. He was so proud. 

I didn't want to hold him down and attempt to remove it with eye make up remover so I just blended it and rushed to church. ha! 

He looked way more rested than I did that morning, for sure. 

Audrey also did several camps.

Art camp was her favorite.

Love this

She also attended a safari camp, VBS at our church and VBS at 2 other churches.

I volunteered at VBS at our church so Arden hung out in the nursery.

One day I laid her down next to her friend Finn and he immediately grabbed her little hand. 

So sweet : )

 So that's what we've been up to, plus the occasional snow cone, school clothes shopping, lots of time outs for Hudson who's 2, countless trips to Target, and a few visits to the donut shop. Oh and I got to start a Barre class which has been super fun! 
It was a whirl wind but I hope the kids had a little fun before the start of school.

Did Your Daddy Do Your Hair?

As I was getting ready for church I asked Barker to help the girls with the light pink bows I'd set out. 

This is what he came back with. Ha

Daddy thinks he's funny.

I told him the bow should be at least close to the length of their foot, not bigger than their head, for future reference.

 much better = )

 Love my girls

6 Years Old

Our first love is 6 years old. 

She's still the nicest person I know and she's super excited to be starting kindergarten in a few days. I, however, am dreading ugly crying in public. I know it's gonna happen. Nothing I can do about it. I managed to squeeze an extra year out of her before having to hand her over to the state 5 long days a week. Ugh. But my broken heart knows she will have so much fun and will enjoy making new friends. 

As for me, I'm scared for myself. I'm not so sure I can make it with the two littles alone. They team up against me. But Audrey- she's my little momma. My big helper. Our sous chef. My biggest cheerleader. My third hand. The encourager. Entertainer. Our pride and joy. 

You can bet I'll be watching that clock every afternoon, eager to get this sweet girl home, safe and sound.

Daddy's Girl... No Surprise There

No shock to learn Arden is all about her daddy. Ladies love Barker. It doesn't matter if they're little ladies like Arden or 50 year old grandmas. They all just think he's the sweetest. 

For example, a few weeks ago he got a hair cut. He normally goes to a barber shop around the corner and has an elderly gentleman cut his mane. But this time he went elsewhere and a woman cut his hair. She didn't charge him. He said it was for his birthday. Uh-huh. A few days later he took Huddie for a trim to the girl that cuts my hair. He came home and said she didn't charge him, either. Funny, she charges me to cut Hud's hair. ha! Maybe we could save some money if I sent him to get groceries. Perhaps they'd be free, too. Or it's possible both Barker and Muffin looked so shaggy both women thought they couldn't afford hair cuts. 

Either way, we all love his sweet face. And this baby is no different. She lights up when he walks in.

That's a lot of love in a little snap shot.

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'... and Everything Else

Hudson LOVES his boots. For a while this summer I couldn't get them off of him except to sleep. And even then they were the first thing he'd put on upon awakening.

(I apologize for the awful pics, they're all from my cell phone.)

 This was just after his bath. 

Fresh pajamas. Cowboy boots.

This was first thing in the morning. 

Before I could pick out his clothes he had his footwear on.

 He wore them with shorts, being summer, even to Audrey's soccer class. I did put my foot down and make him wear proper athletic shoes to his soccer classes. But I can see how that would confuse him because we refer to soccer shoes as boots.

my ham

 I sometimes would allow him to wear his boots to church with trousers but if it was too hot for pants I'd make him wear his usual church clothes, all fratted out like his daddy. Boat shoes are best with his seersucker shorts. But I must admit, his boots are pretty cute with his bow ties.

My mom sent Audrey a new pair of boots last week and she's just as smitten. If she's going outside, she's putting her boots on. I had to make her change out of them tonight for a water gun fight. There might be a little Texas left in my kids after all. 

The Sweetest Face

I love this face...even if it does scream at me quite often ; )