Our Simple Life: Summer 2014

I write this at the end of Summer 2014. Dan goes back to work tomorrow. Molly will be entering the 1^st grade in three days, and Ashley will be entering Pre-School in three days as well.

It has been an incredible summer- A lovely, well-played summer. I always loved summer as a kid, and I feel like being a mom lets me go through it all over again, with just a little more work on my part this time around.

Dan taught summer school, so he was home a lot to help out. Molly had science club, story writing club, and we had Family Fun Fridays. In between we had two broken doors on my car, one broken door on Dan’s, a broken garage, and a few other projects along the way (mostly for Dan) while I stayed cool inside with the girls. He is officially a Jack of all trades thanks to Google and YouTube. I feel like there’s nothing he can’t fix these days as long as he gets the time to research it. I painted some tires and a bench and got fatter and fatter with my baby belly. Anyway, I will summarize our summer in pictures.

Now that school is just around the corner, I am getting the same giddiness I did when I was a kid about to return to school after a long, fun summer. I love the school clothes shopping, the searching for that perfect folder, the brand new, clean white paper, that perfect back pack and packing it up with all the new supplies. I loved the excitement as a kid and I am so pleasantly surprised to be met with the same exact feelings as a mom….maybe even more than my own kids. The only downfall is I am the one fitting the bill this time around, but I think this weird “Back to school high” I get over-shadows the money part. This school year is a lot different than last. I was in denial Molly was entering Kindergarten and refused to school shop until the very last minute. I was nervous about packing a school lunch every day, and I had no idea if Molly was ready to be on her own without me for so long each day. I guess it helped to see how much she loved school and how much she grew-socially, emotionally, and academically. So this time around, I am just completely excited for them.

MOMENTS

Ashley (3)

I was sharing some pie with Ashley. I told her one more bite, then done. Soon I see her sticking her finger in the pie and licking it. I say, "Ashley, I said don't eat anymore." Ashley says, "I'm not eating it. I'm licking it."

Ashley is on the potty, taking care of business. She calls me in and says, "What is that smell?!!!"

Molly (6)

I told Molly she could put a ball in the jar for helping Ashley with something. (When the jar is full, they get a special outing like Peter Piper Pizza or Skyzone Trampoline Park) Instead of running to the jar to put a ball in, Molly says, "It's okay. I like helping my family."

Molly's book titles she wrote this summer: Creepy Carrots, The Little Horse Joins the Circus, Pink Eggs and Ham and The Land of Fake Believe- Dragon World.

We bought a membership to the Science Center. It was a great idea.

Our trip to the Temple where we were sealed. 9 years.

My mom and sister came over to help make memories for cousins. Aunt Tina played a fantastic waitress @ our Wild West Honkey Tonk Restaurant.

I was asked to host a political Meet and Greet for Nancy Barto (for Senate), Mark Brnovich (for AG), Jeff DeWit (for Treasurer) and Debbie Lesko (for Senate)