Back yard, burritos, and beer (root beer)!

Tonight I hid shaving cream and silly string in the yard!

 Then told 4 little boys where to find their stash and  to meet in the middle of the yard for a war!

 They took to it right away!

 Soon the yard was full of screams and laughter and the boys were covered in shaving cream and silly string!

 Riggs even made himself a Mohawk!

I sprayed them off with the hose and then put Braden and Rollins in my tub...so cute how they helped each other make sure all the shaving cream was off!

 I put Riggs and Colin in my shower and they did the same! Truly Best buddies!

 A war will really make you hungry so at 9 pm we were eating burritos from Fiesta Time and washing it down with cold root beer! I just love these boys....so sad summer and all our frequent, impromptu, sleepovers are coming to an end!  :(

Breakfast buddies

Ashley (Mrs. Howard) and Henry came over for breakfast this morning. The summer has gone by so fast and we have not seen enough of them! We had breakfast and then retired to the play room for a bit of play!

The littles really had fun and I really enjoyed catching up with Ashley.

We all just love Mrs. Howard so much. It is makes my heart sink when I think she will not be a part of our daily lives this year. She has had one of my children for the last three years in a row so we have come to trust in knowing she is there. It's just bitter sweet....in so many ways.  Tomorrow is the big day we find out who our teachers are! We will be at Goshen at 9 am sharp! The kids are dying to know...and so am I! We were on the way to the zoo  the other day and Riggs said he could not wait to see who he got. I told him we would send it out to the universe and maybe we would get a sign. As we pulled into the zoo parking we passed Mrs. Gaynor who is a 4th grade teacher...a sign? maybe? The next day at Hometown pizza we saw Mrs. Davis' mother in law...Mrs.Davis teaches second grade..a sign? maybe? We won't know anything until tomorrow for sure...wish us luck!

fresh from the garden

Our garden has been so much fun....but the yummy tomatoes have been by far the best part of the garden experience! They are delicious...truly there is nothing like a fresh from the garden, vine ripened tomato!

He's back!

This summer has been about Riggs a bit...Riggs is the one who took to swimming on the swim team and Riggs has been preparing for cross country this summer too. It was so nice to get Rollins back on the soccer field tonight! As we pulled into Floyds Fork Park we geared up for United Soccer club!

 I dropped him off and watched from afar as he worked and drilled with his new team....

 Being so far away, I was unsure how he was doing...but the minute his face came into focus as he ran to me I could see my sweet, soccer playing boy was happy!

 Soccer and this boy get along just fine!

He's back...with short hair...but he is back!

pencils paper crayons markers

Deep sigh...Back to school has officially entered our daily vocabulary. We are excited to find out teachers on Monday but none of us in the Hardy house are ready to let go of summer! The back to school shopping is so overwhelming with four kids...and all the back to school needs drives we do too. The pile above is round one at Target for my littles. We had to add to it later at Office Depot and on Monday we will get grade specific packaged school supplies at the Goshen book store for Riggs, Rollins and Sarah Kate...and then we move onto the teacher wish lists! I'm not gonna lie...I do love back to school shopping! I love a new crayon more than anything...and the possibilities a newly sharpened pencil holds...but it means giving up my littles all day and I'm just not ready for that yet.

Being brave now that we are three....

We all have fears...we just do. There are things we are all scared of...things that make us feel out of control. It's funny how your fears change and grow as you do. Looking back on the things that made my heart beat fast when I was little...like my dark room..now seem so silly when I think of the things I worry about now.. like something happening to my babies...or me and I wouldn't be here for them. These are the things that make my heart beat fast now...but for Lila it is the car wash. When you mention it she cries and gets hysterical...but now that she is 3 we thought we could try it again....face our fears...be brave.So today we pulled into Bow Tie car wash....she immediately unbuckled and got up in my lap...totally aware of where we were....

 We talked about what was going to happen...step by step....but still as the water started to spray and the mops started to flap against the car she clung to me....

 Look at how terrified she is...God love her.....

 we just kept talking and soon she looked around a little bit...and sat up a little bit....

 The bubbles came....

 and so did the smiles...our silly truck was getting a bath!

And now we are free of fear of the car wash....Yhea Lila! Who knew 3 would make you so brave?!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Lila Ray!

On Sunday, July 24th, 2011 Lila Ray woke up and was 3 years old officially! She came down to the kitchen to a table full of gifts waiting for her!

Everyone showered her with birthday love..but this morning she was Rollins' girl!

The presents were for later but there was one special one to open before church.....

It was a birthday girl shirt and skirt to wear today...along with the pink sparkly sandals she had fallen in love with at Target while shopping for school supplies!

This little girl is so loved by her older brothers and sister...they just want to help her and love on her in any way they can....and she knows it...this morning she wanted Rollins to brush her hair and without a sigh or a moment of hesitation he did it....

She was excited at church to be in her birthday girl outfit!

When I picked her up after the service she was all smiles.....

They didn't have a cake for her, but made one in class and all the kids sang to her...she thought that was really wonderful! I preciate it...(appreciate) .....she said!

We met up with daddy and went to Incredible Dave's for an afternoon of fun per the Birthday Girl's request....

We ate....

Bounced....

Bungeed....

and boogied!

Then we were off to 32 degrees for birthday cake frozen yogurt!

and my big girl put her toppings on all by herself....

 Back at home we got the cake ready and sang ....

 She made birthday wishes that I hope will home true!

 She opened up her presents...the favorites were a potty for her babies that makes a killer flushing sound!

a hair play set that she was happy to try out on Gran Grran...

 ......and the thing she wanted most....an outfit to run in...purple Nike running shorts and a Nike t shirt with purple and silver tennis shoes to match!

 After changing into her running attire she went to the mailbox where balloons from the Timmerings were there to surprise her!

 Happy Birthday, Lila Ray! May your fourth year be full of wonder and love!

 She is smart and beautiful....

 Spirited, sassy and bossy.......

 But the love I have for this little one is vast and endless...and although there are times when she wears me down so thin...she also fills my life with such enormous joy.  She also loves me like no one else and has always just wanted to be with me...near me and that just feels good. I am  happy....so....so...happy .....that she is mine.