summer snapshot - week 4

i can't believe how fast these weeks are flying by.

last week, andrew was in a drama camp at school in the mornings.
he absolutely loved it.
he's got this hidden talent - acting.

i was blown away when i saw a play he was in at the end of the school year.

(still need to post on it).

on the last day of this camp, the kids put on a play - they did a great job...

here's what the other kids were up to while andrew was at drama camp:

playing games...the kids have done such a great job playing different ones with john.

uno seems to be his all time favorite this summer, but he's played many others with them.

fort building - they were determined to get lady in it and keep her in it for a very long time.

christopher mowed the front lawns at both the current and new house this week.
he never complains about mowing, and does a great job (first born = perfectionist:)
john and ella got in a good coloring session at the new house while he mowed.

ella took all the pictures out of my old outdated frames that have been up in the closet.
we donated the frames, and kept the pictures.
she has been so great with helping me clean things out and pack things up.
christopher and ella playing stratego.

christopher and john scootering out front and getting haircuts.
he and his friend going to an afternoon movie together -
first time i let him go with out me,
i stood there and watched them buy the popcorn (from a distance) and talked to several workers about it, lingering as long as i could - they had a lot of fun.

ella getting creative while making her sandwich - she likes to do that with food.
having friends over to sleepover- siblings, the boys were at their brothers' birthday party.
they decided to play 2 on 2 pool basketball - boys against girls, it was pretty funny,
they got really into it and there was a lot of laughing and monkeying around going on.

more busy running around and appointments for me with the remodel.
i feel like i have a full time job with it,
but the timing is great and it seems to be falling into place.
plus, it's literally about 3 minutes away from our current house,
so running over there all the time is easy.

14 years

today is our anniversary. i woke up to chris making this lovely breakfast.

and gifting me this beautiful orchid i've been drooling over.

i am one lucky lady.

14 years sounds like such a long time, but it has gone by so fast...

time flies when you're having fun, right?

the years have taken us through so many special and sometimes trying events.
college graduation, law school, having two children in law school.

having two more through the years of a demanding career, the loss of a parent, 

a remodel, running a business, and now we are smack dab in the middle of a major event -

moving to a new house and neighborhood after being in ours for the last 10 years.

planning another remodel, and making all the decisions that go with it (started this week!).

we have gone through the roller coaster of emotions that come along with a major change,

and although leaving our current house and neighborhood will be difficult,
we are all so excited for this new chapter in our lives together.

it is 'bitter sweet' - ella and i have talked a lot about this over the last few days.

we'll miss our old neighborhood, it's been so good to us these first 10 years of child rearing.

but we are all so excited and feel so blessed for this new adventure awaiting us.

we have found a home that will fit the needs of our family wonderfully as the kids grow.

and the neighborhood is filled with friends and family, it's an ideal situation.
truly a gift from God, and we feel so meant to be for us -
just as we felt our current house was for us at that time in our lives.

we've taken our time over the last few years, patiently searching, waiting for the right one.

and God has blessed us for our patience (wasn't always easy) -

"good things come to those who wait", yes i believe it's true.

we have taken our time in our lives together really examining major decisions,

so that we can do what is right for our family.

saving, planning, praying, and waiting for the right time to do something...

this has really paid off for us..."timing is everything".

these major events in our lives have brought immense joy and also difficulty at times,
and i am so thankful to have a man like mine to go through it all with.
my partner has been there and loved me through it all and i feel truly blessed.
yes, i am a lucky lady.

this morning before chris left for work, we were hugging tight -
little john john ran over and wrapped his arms around both of us.
then ella walked by, and we grabbed her into the group hug too.
so, i had to include this picture with john's goofy face,
as it reminded me of the scene from this morning and the love that surrounds us.

i love my husband, and i love my family -
thank you chris, for the last 14 years.
it has been wonderful and i can't wait to see what the next 14 have in store for us.

summer snapshot - week 3

impromptu swim party at our neighbors, including cannon ball contest.
trip to the mall for father's day gifts, john got in some play time at the 'play area',
and we got to have some of our favorite mall pretzels.

trips to the library, and lots of reading.
the kids read every morning on the couch when they wake up -
i love it, it is very peaceful.

christopher and andrew mowing at the new house, ella sweeping at the new house.
yes, we are moving!!
most likely at the end of the summer - more details to come.

using our groupon on it's due date at one of our favorite mexican restaurants.
playing board games, christopher teaching the others how to play blokus.

fun pool tricks off the diving board.
ella creating a fun 'face on her plate' with her breakfast foods.
john john waking up early one morning and lounging with lady on the couch.

friday night summer league basketball game.

andrew caught a pass for what would have been a great shot, 

and the ball got stuck between the glass and the rim, so unexpected-then pretty funny.

going out to eat afterwards with our wonderful friends on the team.

shopping for granite for the new kitchen at the new house.
it has been busy keeping up with both houses - two yards, two pools,
planning a kitchen remodel at the same time as having all the kids home for the summer.

but, i feel so blessed to have this time to get it all done before school starts up again.
i would love to be blogging more but i have been so busy with all the appointments
and research that are involved with a kitchen remodel, plus having all the kids home.

i wish i had more time, so many end of the school year events i would like to post on.
but, i am at least committed to the summer snapshot series,
and hope to catch up on everything else...
"when i have time" (i.e. possibly never, but maybe in the fall:)

summer snapshot - week 2

andrew playing in the all-star baseball game - his team won!...it was a beautiful evening.

reading...lots of it, john trying to 'read' lying over the ottoman like his older bro.

christopher making homemade popcorn, taught to him by dad.

younger three were in a bible camp at ssj all week, christopher served the mass on friday.
they had a lot of fun, and john john got so excited for it each day.
christopher and i had a nice time together, and he was very helpful!
i need home him during the school year to help me w/the grocery shopping and unloading:)

the boys had their first basketball game of their summer league.
they are playing on a team with mostly kids from school -
great families, we all went out to eat together after the game.

chris & kids made dessert together for our family dinner on sunday.
banana pudding...it was delish!

can't believe we're half way through the third week of summer now-
june is really flying by!