Summer Goals and Pic A Day Friday June 8-13

It's officially Friday, the end of the first week of summer vacation!  I beg of you, someone anyone PLEASE explain exactly what summer vacation means to Chloe! Her idea of summer vacation thus far means rising with the chickens and taking pitifully short naps.  That being said, I do feel like I've been more productive than is my usual during the school year. I've been able to run to the bank at my leisure, get the car registration renewed that's been out since last September (shh!), and, the big one, my house is clean and the laundry isn't over flowing!  Honestly, I guess I just may owe Chloe a 'thank you.' I'm not sure that I would be so productive on my own clock. Seriously, let me put this into perspective. Today, Chloe woke me up at exactly 6:58am, and according to her daddy and the chair that was pushed up to the open refrigerator, she had already been up for a few minutes.  We didn't have to leave for her swim lessons until 9:40ish.  In that amount of time, which I surely would have slept away on my own clock, I was able to feed her a warm breakfast, clean up the kitchen, bathe Spanky, promptly stick his butt outside to dry, clean the bathrooms, vacuum all carpeted areas, and start a load of clothes.  Oh, and of course, get both of us dressed, teeth brushed, and hair combed.  I walked out the door feeling like I had a pretty successful start to our day. For that, I will swallow my pride and say that maybe there is a silver lining to my sleepless wonder of a child.  But still, it sure would be nice to sleep in every once in a while.

With summer, comes my annual "to do" list. I've been making them for years.  It's typically my version of spring cleaning, a list of everything I need to do around the house before I go back to school.  This week, I decided to have a "dead" week where I don't do much of anything aside from the normal, but I did make my list. My goal is always by the end of summer to have the whole list crossed out. I also made a new kind of list, a "to do with Chloe" list. Next week she will be three. THREE! Time is flying by, and I know I really need to savor every minute of it making memories as we go. Here are my two lists. We will start on both next week.

At the end of the summer, I'll come back to these lists and you can see how much we were able to accomplish on each list.

And now, on to Pic A Day Friday. Our week this week is starting on Sunday rather than Saturday. Apparently, I didn't take a single picture all day Saturday!

Sunday:

After a fun couple of hours at Urban Air, there's nothing like a mommy/Chloe selfie before she passes out for the drive home.

Monday:

It goes without saying that Chloe is missing Jakki. ALL week long she has colored pictures, placed them in envelopes sealed with just about a whole roll of tape, and put them in my purse or swim bag. Each time I ask her what is in the envelope, her response is, "Oh, it's just an email for my Jakki." #lovethisgirl

Tuesday:

Tuesday was a busy day.  Since it rained all day Monday, Tuesday was Chloe's first official day of summer swim lessons.  During the school year, we take a picture each morning to send to daddy. This summer, it will be a picture on the way to swim lessons. This was his first one of the summer.

After swim lessons, Chloe and I rushed home to get ready for the Northwest High School graduation. Here we are with miss Lindsey, one of my very special girls from the class of 2014.

This moved me.  Draped in the chair that Thomas would have sat in was his graduation robe.

 Wednesday:

Thursday started out rough. As you all know, last week, Chloe gave up her paci. All things considered, it went fairly smoothly, with only a few minor break downs.  Until Thursday....the day in which Chloe miraculously found her paci tucked away in a toy. That sneaky sleuth had hidden one in there long ago I guess. 

 Needless to say, it didn't end well.

I felt horrible. She wasn't having a tantrum. She was crying like I hurt her feelings worse than anyone ever had.  I could NOT  get her to stop crying. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and out came the Easter candy.

...followed by the pool. That paci was long forgotten. :)

Thursday:

It was 71 degrees, on and off rain, why not have a freezing cold swim lesson?

 Friday:

 

Just another morning picture for daddy!

This weekend is guaranteed to be filled with summer sun and fun! Then, on Wednesday, Chloe turns THREE! It will all be documented on next week's edition of Pic A Day Friday!

Till next time,

Lori

Pic A Day Friday

Yes, I know, it's Tuesday. Let's just say Friday was a looonnnngggg and trying day.  I'm a teacher, it's May, there's 8 days left of school. Enough said, right?

Without adieu, here it goes...

Saturday:

Daddy was out of town, so I planned a mommy and Chloe day. We had a great time, just us girls. :)

 

 

Sunday:

I woke up to this gem Sunday morning. Some might get excited about this. I mean, it's my baby girl's third birthday for pete's sake! It actually made me kinda sad and a bit bummed out.  I don't want her to grow up. I don't want her to get older, bigger, and more independent. I want my toddler to be a toddler for forever! And, don't even get me started on big girl school. #notevergonnahappenpeople

 

Monday:

Ah,  Monday. You were no sweeter to me. Monday was greeted with my next countdown message. You see, Chloe has a slight addiction to her paci.  And, by slight, I mean extreme, over the top, heroine addict like addiction to her paci.  We've been telling her all year that on her third birthday she has to say bye bye to her paci. But, in return, she gets to make her own big girl Build a Bear, and when we go on vacation she gets to swim with the dolphins.  She's pretty darn excited about swimming with the dolphins, but honestly, I'm not looking forward to "Operation, Bye Bye Paci."  Besides her high chair, it's really all that's left of her baby stuff, and I know it's going to be hard on her....and Rusty and I. I think I'll be asking God to grant me lots of patience those first few days.  I know she and I both will be shedding a few tears.

Oh, and, to top off all this big girl action, my baby girl perfectly diapered her first baby without mommy's help! #stopgrowingup!

 

Tuesday:

Tuesday, sweet Tuesday brought with it dance pictures. Just look how adorable she looks! I even curled her hair!! We've worked for three long years to get her hair long enough to use a curling iron on. I won't mention that by the time we got to the dance studio, the curls were practically gone...or that she wouldn't smile for the photographer. We will just focus on how beautiful she  looks.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, I mailed Chloe's third birthday invitations. Just look at these beauties!  Chloe is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse obsessed, and we will be having a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse extravaganza for her birthday....in a treehouse.  I must say, when it comes to her birthday, I tend to be a bit over the top. My two favorite parts of planning her birthday are the invites (no FB invites here, I like the real deal) and the birthday cake. Both must be over the top. With these invitations, her initial is on the mouse ears, and the invite actually slips into the red part Mickey Mouse head that has the buttons on it.  Both the mouse head and the invite are sewn, not glued, and the wording is as only Mickey himself would say it.  Love, love, LOVE these!  As for the cake, you'll just have to wait and see!!!

 

Thursday:

We ended our Thursday with a little playground fun. Rusty and Chloe had races to see who could climb the equipment and get to the bottom of the slide the quickest. It was comical to say the least.

 

Friday:

It's FRIDAY! Let's celebrate with a little picture for daddy before school.

 



There you have it, our week in review.

 



Till next time,

 

Lori

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Happy Friday everyone! Today starts my new Friday series, Pic A Day Friday! So, here we go, our week in review, iPhone picture style. :)

Monday- Daddy came to Chloe's swim lessons. She was pretty stoked to show off for him.

Tuesday- This is Chloe's favorite baby. She took a dish rag from the laundry I was folding and was trying to swaddle her baby while saying, "You told (cold), baby?"

Wednesday- I went to Technopalooza (#disappointment) and Chloe went to Jakki's. She and Jenna checked out Chloe's new nap time bed Jakki made her.

Thursday- Thursday we braved the ridiculous pre-rain humidity after dinner was over and took Chloe on a walk so she could ride her new scooter. Note, I said ride, as in we push, she stands there. #backache!

Friday- Today is one of those lazy, rainy, lounge around the house and do nothing days. Hence why my little booger, who never sits still, is sitting in my lap watching Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

That about does it for this first edition of Pic A Day Friday! Have a safe and fun weekend everyone!

Lori