sunshine on my shoulders.

I haven't been blogging as much as usual, and instead have been roadtripping with kids, camping, making pesto, trying to stay cool, visiting lakes and splash parks and Freddy's Playland, barbecuing, not cooking and mostly, wearing this guy wherever I go.
Soon he will run, but this summer he has spent cuddled on my back. Scratching me with his too-long fingernails, waving at strangers and making people smile.

adding to my resume

"You a good wiper, Mommy."

Also I have a degree in social work.

one oh seven.

This picture was not taken today, obviously. Because if it were taken today, the kids would be drenched in sweat wearing jackets and sweaters and jeans. Today was crazy hot. Too hot for hot pink cowboy hats even. Seriously hot.

I wish I had a picture for today. A picture of us sweaty and tired and driving around aimlessly. I was too hot to think inside my house. I wish I had a picture of us pulling onto their street, hot weather refugees, avoiding home. And then, four lil naked bodies running wild: two brown, two lily white.

This weather makes me surly and sweaty and insecure. Thanks for taking us in and letting us crash your toddler party. Thanks for letting me leave an 8 pound diaper in your backyard. Thanks for having AC in that bright orange house.

The weather reports are indicating that temperatures are going to be somewhere around 105 tomorrow, which is about 15 degrees more than I even want to think about.

In celebration, we plan to make ice cream in a ziploc. If you google this, you'll find tons of recipes, we make ours with agave instead of sugar. We also make it while we're still wearing our fireman jammies, because when it's supposed to be 105, why not?

benefits package.

"I love you, Mommy. You a good mommy."

links & love.

I may have mentioned some time ago that Hollie Miller got me pregnant. She has made up for it by taking hundreds of pictures of my family over the past few years, including the ones that now grace the top of my blog. I hear that before long there will be a new little person to practice her photography skills on.
We love you, Hol. Can't wait to meet your baby.

...and we're back!

Vacation bullet points:
Nate started incorporating the phrase likity split into his vocabulary. Awesome.

Everett clapping whenever he gets excited. Mister Baby spends his life in a state of euphoria, so there has plenty of clapping around here. My favorite? When he's crawling and realizes that he needs to clap. His internal struggle: clap? crawl? clap? crawl? Most times, he opts to wave for a bit and keep crawling.

Giving Claire her very first s'more. Verdict? I yike it, Mama. Of course you do, baby. Also, during family camp with our church: "I want to go for a walk with that cute lil man, Joshua." (he's almost 3) Wow. I thought we had a few more years before that would come out of her mouth.

sweet fancy moses.

Tonight instead of requesting to be rocked for her two night time songs, she shouted out song requests and danced around the room. She spun circles in her pink pajamas. I still sang and rocked with no child in my lap. She jumped. She channeled Elaine.
What it lacked in calming it made up for in entertainment value.

10 months.

Dear Everett,
I'm sorry she thinks you're a ride-on toy.
I'm sorry I don't have four breasts.

Also, on the 5th you hit 10 months. You've officially been on the outside of me longer than you were inside. It is going so fast.

I couldn't love you more.
Love,
Mama