Breakfast with Lucy

To say that everyone in our family finds Lucy completely charming and adorable, would be the understatement of the year.

There isn't anything she does that isn't absolutely darling.

Case in point: here is Lucy, on a typical summer morning, eating her breakfast.

Just ask anyone in our family: breakfast doesn't get any better than this.  And really, isn't she cute enough to eat?

Abby's Golden Birthday

We celebrated our darling Abby's birthday a few days ago but with the lounging around, doing-nothing, summertime we been having, it's taken me a few days to get up the gumption to write about this girl we simply adore.

First of all, it's unbelievable that she is TEN years old.  How is it possible that it's already been a decade since that sweet baby was placed in my arms and my heart was filled with a burning protective love that I had never felt before.  I remember our first night together in the hospital as I held her in my arms. I looked into her eyes and made a promise to her that I would always take care of her and love her and be good to her, and I asked her to promise me the same.

So far, she has lived up to her promise and hopefully I have too.  It's just hard to believe that that sweet baby is now ten and is loves fingernail polish and ipods and music and gymnastics and golf and reading and sushi and clothes and school and friends.

We spent the night before Abby's birthday at "the brown cabin" (Andrew's family cabin that is nestled at the mouth of Sundance in Provo Canyon.)  Abby woke to the sound of the river running outside and opened presents sitting on the deck right next to the river.  It would be a dreamy way to start any day, but it was a perfect way to start a birthday.  Unfortunately, neither Andrew or I had a camera with us - so no pics of that glorious morning.

The main thing Abby wanted for her birthday this year was an ipod nano.  Andrew and I resisted the idea, but when she said she would pay for half of it, we finally agreed.  On the morning of her birthday, Abby opened all her presents, but when they had all been opened, there was no nano.  She tried to be excited but she looked a little disappointed.

"Did you get everything you wanted?" I asked.

"Yeah.  I think so." Abby said unconvincingly.

Just then I pulled the tiny Nano box from my pocket and said, "Well then, you probably won't want this."

Abby squealed and jumped up and down and threw her arms around my neck.  Never has there been a girl who was more excited about a birthday present.  I was so glad that we had agreed to let her get it.

The night of her birthday, she invited some friends over for brownie sundaes and Andrew and I decided that as long as she was inviting some friends, we wanted to invite some friends too.  So we ended up with Abby friends and some neighbors at our house until 11:00 at night celebrating Abby and summer and good friends.

There are so many times when I am overwhelmed with the goodness in my life, and never more than when I think about my Abby.  I can't believe how lucky I am to be the mom of this girl.  She is everything I have ever dreamed of in a daughter.  Abby has an amazing sense of humor and is so witty.  She is always cheerful and game for anything.  She always has great ideas of thing our family can do.  She is an amazing sister. She is an awesome reader and a diligent student.  We all love this girl and I am so grateful for that day ten years ago, that she came into the world and made me a mom.

Bring on Summer!

School ended last Friday and as far as I can tell, no one around here was too sad to see it end.

Andrew and I walked over to school for the closing flag ceremony and took pictures of our kids as they said good-bye to their teachers.  All three of my kids had great school years but not one of them seemed too sad to be done.

Isaac and his friend struggle to hold back the tears as they leave school on Friday.

Abby and her darling teacher say one last good-bye.

Henry is excited to be a first grader next year.

As for me, I am thrilled to be done making sack lunches for awhile and have enjoyed slow mornings the past few days.  So far, I haven't missed nightly homework or the early morning routine.  I have loved a slower bed time, a later dinner time, and a more laid back schedule.

It's only been a few days but the kids have already acclimated to summer.  They have gone swimming, had a lemonade stand, tried their hand at golf,  ridden their bikes around the neighborhood, jumped on the trampoline,  stayed up late reading, slept-in in the morning, and milked every minute of this glorious time of year.

These are the good days and we are loving every minute of them.