Lazy Sunday Afternoons

Thank you Costco!

Umbrellas

 Last week it rained...a lot.

So the kids got out my umbrella,

my nice umbrella.

After observing how it was being used, I took it away to prevent further injury to it.

So we got new umbrellas...three of them.

 There is something so fun about an umbrella that I'd forgotten about.

My kids helped me remember that today by

jumping off our rock wall trying to fly,

opening and closing them quickly to try and "shoot" each other, 

spinning them off their shoulders,

and running around feeling the drag of air.

Pure joy in the simple things of life.

Pink: From Head to Toe

Anner Beenaner

 Little Anna,

Honestly, I don't know where you came from.  I've never met such a little person that packs such a punch.

You sing...all day long...even when you are using the facilities.  You sing

"I'm sitting on the potty, I'm sitting on the potty!"

 And to get around...you jump or run.  You never walk.  There is too much to be done, to many things left to be explored.  No dilly dallying for you...jumping and running is the only effective way of locomotion.

You are Super Anna, and I love you!

Adios Dear Friends

These are our dear friends "The Loppies".

Soon they will be known as

"Presidente y Hermana Lapierre".

They were the first ones to invite us over when we moved to the area.

They probably wouldn't want to consider us family,

but we consider them family.

We are going to miss them...A LOT.

We had them over for dinner last night for one final time before they head to Argentina.

We will prepare a feast for them in three years when they return.

It's Great to be a Kid

It's Working!

 The little plants are poking their heads up!

I can't believe it!

I honestly don't have much faith in my gardening skills, so to see little green heads popping out of the dirt amazes me! 

I have yet to see the cilantro, basil, and carrot heads, but everything else is up.

And right now, our garden is getting a refreshing quench.

My rock wall is blooming right now too.

Oh spring!  How I love you.

Signs of Summer

 crispy, sweet watermelon

 catnaps in the sun

 bike rides and wildflowers.

 foggy day at the beach

butterflies and bugs

I love summer.

My kids help me rediscover the beauty, majesty, and mystery of this world.

Runaway Brides

 We were the Runaway Brides.

We placed 353rd out of 355.

But that just means we had a lot more time to make memories.

What's the fun in finishing in 22 hours, when you can do it in 35?

 I actually had some great runs and for some odd reason I ran faster than I ever had.

I averaged 8min/mile (which for most of you is slow, but for me that is bookin it).

My night run was my favorite.

You could see so many stars, it was so quiet, you could smell the fresh mulch and the ocean.

Ahhhhh!

 This was the wedding mobile.

The inside looked like a bomb of bird seed, glitter, and pink socks had gone off.

 Plymouth Rock was the most historical thing we ran past.

 My one major mistake was we went to exchange 30 instead of 24.

It cost us 45 minutes

and

the respect of Van 2.

But then they forgave us

 and we had an impromptu dance party.

This is my favorite story.

 Amy turned the back of our van into a tattoo parlor.

This picture doesn't even do her handy work justice.

Her husband made her son scrub off his tattoo before church on Sunday.

Amy got home at midnight Saturday night and walked into church the next day

all tatted up.

 And here is Van 1...200 miles later...happily ever after.

Ragnar Cape Cod

Start in Hull, MA on Friday May 3rd at 6am.

Laugh...a lot

Run...a lot

Sleep...a little...not at all

Eat...a lot

Cheer...a lot

Laugh...a lot more

Make one major mistake

Finish in Provincetown, MA on Saturday May 4th at 5pm.

We weren't the fastest group out there, but that just means we had plenty of time to make more memories.  Between the 12 of us "Runaway Brides", we left 12 amazing men who took care of 39 adorable children so we could have a "moving slumber party"...but without the "slumber", so more of a moving party.

I love my life!