Home, Sweet Hubs

I transferred the kids straight from bed to the car to pick up Jamie. Exciting!!

Pre-church phone binge.

Pre-church phone binge induced meltdown.

Tortilla face.

Swoon.

I somehow managed to style Maeve's hair with twists and buns and I was dying over her cuteness.

Bunners.

Jamie's first few days home were awesome. We did little more than play and swim. We took the occasional break for Chinese food and church. Simply having him home is entertainment and nourishment combined. Having Jamie home makes me love my family even more--his presence relieves the pressure of parenting alone and as a result, I can enjoy more and give more. The mundane things are suddenly a luxury now that he's here. 

Welcome Home Party

The night before Jamie got home was a late one for us. I had planned on getting the kids to bed early so I could finalize all of my homecoming plans--sew garland, make a sign and finally, make a peach pie. Not long after 'bedtime' it was obvious that the boys were too excited to sleep. I invited them to come downstairs and hang out with me. We put 'Chopped' on the computer, popped popcorn and I honestly enjoyed their company. Eventually Maeve woke up and we threw her into the mix too. Asher spent his time designing houses for Soren and himself. Soren and Maeve eventually made it to the couch where they jumped in tandem and had a great time.

Earlier that day I had dusted off my die-cut to make a bunch of various sized squares for a garland. It was the first time I had sewn a garland and it was super fun and the results were super cool. Everything came together nicely and I felt truly ready for Jamie's arrival. The house was clean, the sign was hung and my first ever lattice topped peach pie was baked. 

We got to bed late, like midnight late, and my alarm was set for 5:55am because Jamie's flight was supposed to arrive at 6:30am. I hardly slept!

Summer Refreshment and Losing It, Really Losing It at Green Springs

Playing in water--sprinklers, pools, creeks, rivers, lakes and the ocean--is such a simple summer enjoyment. On a particularly hot and humid day we found refreshment in the little creek behind Green Spring Garden. Kids slipped, fell, waded and sat right in the water. They just let it rip and had a great time. We spotted all sorts of riparian creatures and shared a fun outing with friends.

A pleasant afternoon turned super ugly on the way home. I had brought a change of clothes for the kids knowing they would get soaked in the creek. We had planned on getting pizza for lunch afterwards so the dry clothes were not just necessary but practical. Well, turns out I forgot dry underwear for the boys. I didn't think they would mind going commando and Asher didn't but Soren was adamant about not taking off his wet underwear if he didn't have a dry replacement pair. We were tired, soggy and hungry. I tried and tried to get him to just go without undies for a half hour but he cried and his stubbornness turned me into a crazy lady. I practically yelled at him and if anyone had passed by our car they would have either hid for fear of my wrath or called the police. Even in the middle of my craziness I knew I was overreacting and being a terrible person and I still didn't stop. I finally gave up and we went home--Soren sitting in his wet underwear and Asher and Maeve crying for pizza. If I could have put myself in time out I would have. 

When we got home I apologized to Soren and said I was sorry for the way I acted. He told me to remember dry underwear next time. If only it were that simple! The rest of the day went really well and we were all super excited that daddy was coming home the next morning. I've noticed that the weeks and days before Jamie comes home are some of the most trying for me because the weight and stress of being a single mom and having a husband in a violent country nearly crush me. Sadly, that crushing feeling came out and the result was not pretty. Happily, Soren is over it and we've moved on and life is good again.

Titan Arum AKA Zombie Plant

I love Maeve in mid leap and the boys in hyper mode.

The National Botanic Garden possesses one of the largest flowers in the world, the Titan Arum, and they kept their doors open until 8pm a few nights to let visitors view it. Apparently it smells heinous, like a rotting corpse, when it blooms. I loved the idea of cruising into the city for a summer adventure. We had gone to the pool that night and I convinced the kids to leave early so we could hit the city for the zombie flower. I invited Aviva and Roman to come with us. Lucky for me, Dayna was interested so she, Roman and Avivia went with us. So stinking fun!

As predicted, we got to the mall in no time and found a stellar parking spot. We were in great shape to see the flower until we approached the building and were stopped by the Police who told us that someone had called in a threat so the building was closed and it wasn't certain if they would open again that night. We were annoyed but the statues and steps of the capital kept us entertained and made the trip worthwhile. The kids had fun playing, running, picking up gross things and being cute. The mall never gets old and on a summer night with the Washington monument lit up and fireflies twinkling around us--it was a night of awesome wonders. 

On our way home we even saw a fox in our neighborhood. It was a delightful night, zombie flower or not.

Yards Park Water

Sarah invited us to join them and the Littles for a Monday evening excursion to Yards Park. I was happy they included us. We left at 6:15pm and got into the city in no time and found a rad and FREE parking spot. The kids were ecstatic about the water and playing with their friends. It was such a happy, creative group. Always something happening and being imagined with those ones. Maeve and Oliver were happy on the sidelines sharing and fighting over toys. They were both the last ones out of the water because their capacity for play is extreme.

Yards Park is just a cool place. The views and design are remarkable and the water feature is a joy for kids.

Soggy Longwood

My annual pass to Longwood expires at the end of this month and I wanted to fit in one last trip. I asked Jocelyn to join me and Sarah, my annual pass buddy, was also going. It ended up being a VERY rainy day but nothing was going to stop this final adventure. The rain slowed us down, mostly due to traffic being worse than usual. Before we went to Longwood I took Jocelyn to Terrain because it's so lovely and its close proximity to Longwood makes it a necessary stop. We then had lunch at Costco and picked up track suits for the kids to keep them cozy for the trip home.

I didn't mind the rain--in fact, it only saturated the color and beauty of the garden. Plus, it's summer! Warm rain!

Soren was cold and kept his arms tucked in his shirt most of the time. It was actually a bit chilly, which I'll take. Chilly in July? YES please.

I love the field.

Of course Maeve slipped and landed in the mud and then proceeded to do a muddy booty shake.

Samoan gardenia! 

My soggy cutie cutes.

I wish I had a photo of all the kids in their track suits because they looked comfy and stinking adorable. Jocelyn and I were soaked and soggy but the kids were dry and cozy.

 This was a really fun day and I was happy to share my happy place with Jocelyn. She's a fun friend and great traveling partner. There is never a shortage of things to talk about and I always learn something from her. Plus, her kids are cute and my kids adore them.

I'm also happy we got to see Sarah and her kids at the garden. ElsAmelia (as Maeve calls them) always boost the energy and creativity of my kids.

I've now seen Longwood in every season and it is gorgeous any time of year.