Weekend In Review: Summer's Upon Us!

I'm completely stunned at how fast summer has arrived! My oh my, it seems we were just having cool weather and now, we're into summer full swing. I had to look back at last years post from this weekend and can't believe how much everyone has changed!

On Friday night we had some neighbors over for pizza so I needed to get some more cushions for all the benches on our deck, this is what we looked like in Garden Ridge. This is how you roll with 3 kids and 5 large cushions.


And here's Emerson (who didn't want to look at the camera) and Ava Jane is in the back trying to nap with a blanket over her seat...poor 4th child!


We were quite the sight I'm certain! I always get the inevitable, "you look like you've got your hands full" and that day I actually had a man say "you just need one more, haha"...to which I added, "I've already got one more, he's in Kindergarten!" Then the man replied, "so how old are all your kids?" I said, "6,4,2, and 8 months"...and he responded, "and aren't they all just little blessings?" Thankfully that particular day I could honestly say, "Yes, yes, they truly are little blessings" (without the sarcastic influx in my voice.) Not every day can I answer like that, but thankfully, this particular one, I could!

This Memorial Day weekend we got to enjoy time with family, it was nice to be low key and relaxed! Saturday we jumped right into summer by heading down to Lake Ouachita for a fun day in the sun! Rob, Whitney and the girls (Psalm and Pascha), Ms. Amy, Matt, Meredith, Brandy, Candy and Allison along with Mom and Dad and our whole crew were there...it was cozy between the ski boat and "party boat" as Lawson likes to call it, but it was really nice to be out on the water! It happened to be Ava Jane's first lake trip where we could actually get in, she was quite the trooper all day long and the boys had a BLAST!




Pascha sitting so pretty!


"Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters..." (We love White Christmas!)


The three P's loved the tube...


It was a gorgeous day on the lake...


Truly, its such a peaceful place to be...


This morning, Adam, the big boys, and Poppy went fishing, while me and the littles held down the fort. Since I had some focused time with Emerson we decided to pull out the big boy underwear. He did ok, he tee-teed on the potty once and he stayed dry most of the morning but by 11:45, in a matter of about 10 minutes he had gone through two pairs of underwear. I decided that he'd had enough (and so had I), so we diapered up for lunch and naps! Please notice that he has his crocs on with his undies...this boy has quite the shoe fetish, he can't be awake without some on his feet!


We headed to the pool for some more water fun. Here's Gigi and her boys!






He's gonna get you!!





Bombs away!


Me and my love! We had a fun evening relaxing at the pool.


Though we had fun and many memories were made, hot dogs were grilled and watermelons sliced, I'd be remiss to forget what this weekend is really all about. As I saw all these flags flying I got a lump in my throat thinking of friends of ours (from our Ft. Benning days) whose husbands are just weeks away from coming home from another year long deployment. It's days like today that I remember the people who have served and whose families have sacrificed time with that service member all so that I can have freedom. I don't take it lightly, nor will I ever forget what a year deployment feels like. I'm so thankful for our time in the military and look back on it with fond memories but I also am well aware of the great sacrifices and hardships that military families face. So today, this Memorial Day 2013, I'm yet again filled with American pride and a real sense of gratefulness, on what others have provided for me to ensure my freedoms! I have to say a big thank you to the men I know personally who sacrificed for me: my precious husband Adam, our friends Paul, Mike (who takes care of all the Wounded Warriors), Jeremy (who's coming home), JJ, Steve, Matt, Adam's grandfather who fought so long ago and the countless others who have all been so selfless, I can't thank you enough. I am humbled, I am grateful! Hope you all had a blessed holiday...happy summer time!