What's Been Happening...

It's two weeks into our official summer and what a whirlwind of fun it has been!

Highlights include:

*Our Lake Michigan day with good friends, ending with a wonderful dinner on a deck overlooking the sunset - tired, happy kids and happy grown ups.

*Our morning at the Zoo - just the three of us...and me being so dang grateful I have these two little kids who make everything so fun.

*Spontaneous ice cream, slushies, coffee visits, "silly band" purchasing and lots of saying "yes" to silly things for not reason other than: it's summertime!

*All the wonderful, sunny afternoons that have flown by at the pool. And the tired, sun-tanned kids in the back seat afterwards.

*NOT having to leave the house at 8 a.m. every day!!!! Yahoooieee! The freedom!!

*Listening to the Coldplay channel on our Pandora station with our new speakers in the back yard.

*Early morning runs outside and having it be LIGHT out at 6 a.m.!

And the excitement of leaving on Saturday for our annual one week on Lake Huron. We are off to SIDS and I can't wait for my kids to experience the place we vacationed every summer when I was little.

THIS is the best summer ever....for real! I mean it this time! Ha!

Day One, Summer 2010

I have a new blogger that I like to check in with about once a week or so. She very recently shared a thought that described my thoughts exactly...

That's what summer does. Inspires me. To relive childhood happinesses and somehow strive to create some magical land of happy days and colorful memories for my kids.

Today is Day #1 of our summer. It's the first day of the summer I get to have a four and six year old. I decided this deserved some sort of celebratory morning of fun, and so, we are headed to the Zoo and then to sign up for our library summer reading program. If it's not raining later, we will head to the pool and eat a picnic dinner.

This...is going to be a great summer.

The Power of Girlfriends...

I really treasure my friendships...and when I find a truly good friend, it seems I hold on a bit tighter than ever before.

The daily exchanges, moments, looks, and laughs at the moments that just make you feel "not alone" in this journey of life.

The agreement that we are doing the right thing...or not.

The friends that can say, "Stand up straight," "Don't give them the power," and "It just doesn't matter."

The hilariousness of talking about the past...when we weren't the 30-something moms of this very day.

The calling up in tears when our child is breaking us that day for whatever reason. The words to help build you back up or the words you give others that help.

A glass of wine after a long day and some friendly gossip to forget about our worries.

The friend that doesn't care or notice when you are unshowered, not cute, and your kid is being a ron.


Some might say you get this from a spouse. Sure, they fill this role, but in a different way. There is something about a good girlfriend that is worth holding on to, making the effort, making the call. The payback is well worth it. I am so lucky!

Happy Birthday, Little Girl!

Luce,

Today you turned six years old! It has been a whirlwind weekend of fun, excitement, surprises, presents, family and friends. You are a lucky, lucky girl to have so many people celebrate you and a family who spoils you!

What stands out to me this year and you at this age:

*You LOVED Kindergarten this year (it wraps up this week for the summer). You are very eager to learn and love everything about the school experience. Friends, learning to read new things, the routine, homework, recess, Mrs. Turner, the playground, silliness, sharing day, your backpack, monthly homework charts, being able to walk "to the office," etc. You love it ALL and have, shockingly, never missed one day of school this entire year. I was actually the same way and I am glad to see that eagerness in you! I truly believe that is what will propel you to great things in the future and I can't wait to see what you do!

*Your sweetness and maturity. You have grown leaps and bounds this past year in your "social world." You have mellowed quite a bit (ahem....you might have needed to). You cope with things better than ever. You love us all so much, especially Tommy. He is the one you write all your stories about at school. This past Friday, when we visited your class to deliver your birthday treat, it was fun to see you "showing off" Tommy to your friends. You even chose him to give you a "birthday wish" in the microphone! Your very kind to others and seem to naturally lead the pack...and for this, I am especially proud. To me, that equates to high self esteem and that is really all I want for you as a little person in the world. Keep being kind and walking to your own beat, Luce! This will get you anywhere you want in the world.

*Your imagination...your songs, your guitar and keyboard playing, your Barbies and dolls, and the constant art projects. You constantly "reorganize your room" into a way only you understand (and drives Dad and I crazy). You and I laugh at ridiculous things all the time and it makes me proud how sophisticated your sense of humor seems to be for your age! That's my girl! :)

It is so fun being your mom - you are such a sweet little girl, my Luce. With your newly loose tooth you walk around wiggling, the pierced ears (no tears!) and your longer and longer legs growing by the minute....it all seems to be flying by.

Six years ago today, you were looking around the world with huge brown eyes....trying to figure everything out. Things haven't changed! Happy Birthday!!

Love, Mom