Giggles

These two boys...Rollins and Braden truly amaze me! They just love each other and have so much fun together....what beautiful giggles erupt from the back seat when they are together! I am so glad my kids are learning about friendship!

Seeing the Texas Boys

Michael and Jordan are in from Texas for two weeks and staying with dad so we went to Indiana to spend the day with them. They have gotten so big..it was nice to see them with my kids....after all they are cousins...and yet strange because we know so little about them. The highlight of the day was that Jeff and Shannon have a new puppy named shadow and Lila Ray was so in love with this puppy...caried him around the whole day...it was precious!

UK basketball camp

The boys have died and gone to big blue heaven!! The first day they spent with Cousins, the second day they spent with Wall, and then day three was with Bledsoe and Patterson...all the while spending time with Coach Calipari, Tony Delk and many others! They played ball, toured wildcat lodge, got new UK gear on campus! They had a ball and I did too! It is such a good feeling to be able to do these amazing things for them...to watch their faces with pure joy! It was a really cool experience and a great way to end the summer!

Showers of Love

It was time for baths and before I knew it Riggs and Rollins had Lila Ray up the stairs and in the shower! Riggs washed her hair and they played in the water wth their baby sister...so helpful...so sweet...I love those boys!

Sick Sarah (kate)

kkate was sick today..throwing up. But she is such a good patient...she was happy to lay on the couch and watch tv and relax...poor baby!

U of L soccer Camp

This was the boys second year of soccer camp at U of L- what a great camp! They had so much fun and they learned so much too! They have both really improved their ball handling skills. That Rollins is a feisty little guy on the soccer field...we really think this may be his sport!

Riggs tries cross country

I have been searching for a niche for my Riggs...he is good at many sports but he seems to be a natural when it comes to running. I really wanted him to try cross country but none of his friends are running and he was reluctant to try. We decided to check it out together... we got the right running shoes...a new underarmour shirt....and he and I headed out to Creasy to meet the cross country team for the first practice tonight. He was nervous and excited and so was I! He shook his hands with nervousness as Coach Lee gathered the team together. I decided to run with him so I would be able to see how hard it was and how hot it was for him. I could not keep up with him in any event! He was awesome! He truly is a natural runner! He wanted to be first and got to the lead in any practice run they did...we wanted it....and he has the talent and ability to get it! It was amazing to see him shine..I am teary just typing this. We got in the truck after the practice and the door closed. I look at him and he said " I hate to say it but I was pretty good out there!" They were joyful words coming from this child who struggles with his confidence. He was amazing! He is amazing!

Schaffners

The Schaffners are just a great part of our lives. The kids play together and are always happy to be together! Riggs and Colin are our glue...best friends for sure but Lexi and Lila may give them a run for their money one day as they seem to share a closeness too! It is so nice that they live so close to us!

Lila Ray Rocks Shirts

When Lila was born the kids were given these "Lila Ray Rocks" shirts. They are precious!They wore them when she was born...to her first birthday party...and again as she turned two...next year they will be too small so this is the last session with the original set...I just want to remember it....

Lila's 2nd Birthday Party!

Today we celebrated Lila's birthday with a Birthday Breakfast where she got gifts from the family...including a new pink tricycle...which daddy later in the day ran over with the truck so we had to order a new one! Riggs, Rollins and SK were so excited and happy to be with Lila today!

Later we went to Cam's pool for an wonderful pool party! All the family came..Jason and Tonya even drove in with Syd for the day! And of course, Bad, Ninna, Juju and Bra Bra came as well! It was fun! Lila really enjoyed opening her presents this year and she were cute as a button!

Looking back two years ago...

It's Lila Ray's birthday today...my baby is two. I say that with joy and I say that with a deep saddness. I want time to pass....for the children to experience every joy life has to offer but I don't understand why it has to go so fast...in a blink they will be grown and sometimes I just wish I could keep my eyes shut to stop the blinks and make it last longer...but if my eyes were shut I would miss the magic and beauty all around me! So waiting for her to wake up this morning I put a pink tricycle together, sat out presents the childen had lovingly picked out for her...a princess camera from Riggs, a snow white shirt from Rollins and a lip lips set from Kay Kate...I got doughnuts set out for a birthday breakfast...made my self a cup of coffee and sat and remembered the day she was born.I remember laying there on the table with such happiness as I waited to see this baby girl..just longing to hold her and look at her! What joy she brought from the minute she came into this world..for all of us. We were all madly in love with her...and still are.

Then and now....

Look how you have gown, lee-lee!

I sticky moma....

Lila came up to me today and said "I sticky. Moma!"...I saw the brown on her face and licked my finger to wipe it off...chocolate I was sure..but no it was poop! She did not say sticky...she was saying stinky! So I start to clean her up and see Sk standing in the computer room...a brown smudge on her knee. I ask her what it was and she quickly realized it was poop! They had been sitting at the computer together. SK bursts into frantic tears...so it was off to the bath for the stinky sisters! It took SK a while to recover from the trauma! Sometimes it is hard to have a little sister.

Summertime Fair!

Tonight Riggs had his first Throughbreds soccer practie of the season and then we went to the fair! I just love a county fair...it bring back so many childhood memories...good, fond memories of simple summers! We went and rode the rides, got lemon shake ups and cotton candy! We went with the Timmerings so that was even more fun! Sarah Kate did not like the ferris wheeel but Lila loved it! What a great summer night for everyone!

an unexpected treat...

Tonight Bumpa came over unexpectedly which she rarely does...it was such a treat! And then Gran Gran came over! The boys were gone so it was just 'the girls"! We had pizza and then Bumpa watched Lady and the Tramp with Sarah Kate and Lila Ray...it is one of her favorites and it was sweet to see them watch it together...Lila kept saying "what...what" trying to figure out what was going on in the movie...so cute! Mom and I sat in the kitchen and played with our new iphones...it is so rare that I get to sit...so rare that I get to be with my mom...so rare that I got to spend 30 uninterupted minutes with her! It was such a great night at home!

Red Game

Going to a Reds game was on the list for this summer for the boys! Riggs is really into baseball since he played this spring...he even has a Reds backback for back to school this year. Jeremy and Daryl took the boys tonight they all had fun...minus the long line at the will call window. Rollins came home with a bat with autographs and Riggs came home with a Votto t shirt. The boys had so much fun and other than holiday world that is the last summer thing on their list!

Daisies

We have been so busy this summer...having so much fun..but when we are on the go having fun...the Hardy House pays for it...and that means I pay for it...but it is worth it...I think! ;) In and out for activities has turned the "shoe room" upside down, for example. It just makes me stressed to look at it and there are many other areas of the house in the same shape. It is so hard to get on top of it while keeping the kids happy. This morning I got up and cleaned the kitchen...made breakfast and recleaned the kitchen...kids had cheese and crackers for a snack and I recleaned the kitchen...made lunch and I recleaned the kitchen...the cyle is endless! So even when we are home it is hard to get on top of it all...the rest of the house waits while I clean the kitchen! All the while the shoe room is sternly staring at me...aaahhhhh!!! But I have daisies in the kitchen and everytime I go past them I smile...they take the edge off...better daisies than drinking right?!

Tutoring

Sarah Kate started her tutoring with Ann this week...we are all so excited for her. It is not really tutoring..it is more enrichment for her...she is so ahead of the game when it comes to words and letters. She is so bright! We knew she was but seeing her with Ann and hearing Ann talk about how advanced she is really makes me feel better about our decision to do this for her. It is so much money but we will figure it out...it is so important for her to be challenged...she loves to learn and I can think of no better gift to give her than to be able to read. She can already sound out words...but soon she wil be able to pick up a book and read it herself and that will be the best thing ever for her!! Today she learned all about short a...so in this photo she is doing the sign for it...precious!

Magical!

Tonight we had a summer thunderstorm.The house was dark as the rain came down in sheets and we were all inside. There is something so comforting about having everyone all together during a storm...it is just not the same if someone is not there. After the rain ended...the sky lit up and even though it was almost 9 at night it was like day time...and a beautiful rainbow came to visit! It was magical! Riggs was so sweet showing it to his sisters. Sarah Kate seemed the most taken with it and as she and Lila looked at it I wished a tiny wish that they would someday be ChiOs so that "a rainbow of joy might arch over their soul" too.

Midnight Watermelon!

This is just a memory I want to remember! We had Colin and Lauren over tonight to give Mandy a break before her surgery. We played flashlight tag until almost 11:30 and then they were hungry so around midnight I sliced open a watermelon and the five of them ate the whole thing!

End of the race

We passed Jeremy as he drove back to the finish line...he was walking which was not a good sign...he was down and frustrated and didn't look so good but he walked on...later when we saw him run across the finish line he were all so pround of him. In minutes, however, he was on the grass....dehydrated...numb...and not good at all. The EMS workers got him oxygen and fluids and we were all so worried. Before he went down lila seemed to sense something was wrong...hovering around him worried. Rollins wanted to hold the IV bag and was on stand by to hold it if we needed him to...such a sweet boy. It was scary but everything turned out ok...hoping daddy takes a break from all that for a while!