Month Recap

It's already JULY. On June 1, Zoey turned four months. She's just at five months this week! My how she's changed.

I can hardly believe it.

I can hardly believe Zoey is already five months old.

that Jack is almost three.

that John and I have been married for five years.

that friends and family are finding out their pregnant or finding out if they're having a boy or girl. Oh, such delight!

I can hardly believe some of the hard things that this last month have brought. Big surprises and some not so big surprises, but mostly just life. The good and bad of it. Sometimes I forget just how unpredictable it is.

But all that aside, here we are. Monsoon season is upon us and for the for first time in my Arizona-lived life I am loving summer. Don't quote me on this, but I am really, really loving it. I love seeing Jack run outside and I love going lion hunting with him through the trees and around the playset. I love pushing him on the swing and letting him drag the hose around our dirt-filled back yard. I enjoy the morning sun, afternoon clouds and evening sunsets. It really has been a great summer. We're busier than any summer before, but I'm finding that that's exactly how to make it through the heat. Get busy.

Speaking of busy, we just returned from a family trip to Florida for a week. It was so lovely. The weather, the beach, the evening family meals, seeing cousins that I haven't seen in years and reconnecting with grandparents. (My grandpa turned 90!) It was really a joyous time. The traveling wasn't even too rough! It was a family adventure and I found myself turning into a little co-pilot with John as we journeyed through an airport, baggage claim, shuttle to the parking garage and into a rental car just the two of us. Man, I love those moments. I feel more like an adult than I do on an average day and I love the way we fit together. It's times like those that I'm reminded that we're a pretty good team. The kiddos did great (minus a nursing session mid-drive-hunched-over-the-carseat and listening to Jack's "songs"-Steve Green's Hide 'em in Your Heart-the entire journey)It was good. And it's good to be home. Hard to adjust back to real life and our time zone, but good.

We also saw Brave the last night we were there. And I have to say how disappointed I was. I'm not sure what I expected, but not that. It was basically a remake of Little Mermaid, a bit of Brother Bear and Braveheart all without a love story. I was inwardly cringing through most of it. It was cute, the graphics were good, but where were the moments? The first ten minutes of Up? The scene in Cars when Doc is at the stop light when Lightning is gone and the light is blinking yellow? The scene in Toy Story with Randy Newman singing "Sailing" and Buzz realizing he's a toy? Come on people! What is Pixar without John Lasseter? 

Brave. Apparently. Oh, and Cars 2.

Anyway, it was alright. Kind of how Shrek was alright.

But the short film before it? Wow, that was good.

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Now that summer is embraced (and not nearly as hot as my hometown in Ohio) and cherries, watermelon and peaches are enjoyed I have found time to blog once again. I'm sorry for my inconsistently, but having two keeps me kind of busy.

Jack is talking up a storm and I am loving it. I love his little heart, his questions, his ever listening ear and his dance moves. He is such a gem and every day I find myself finding a little friend in him. He loves to cuddle Zoey and she lights up whenever she sees him. I can't wait to see how their relationship develops and the friendship they may have. I hear him saying the exact things I say to her (with the pitch that I say them in) and I realize how deeply my words and attitude affect him. He repeats nearly everything I say (including when I lose my temper) and I'm reminded of how gracious Jesus is with us and how I want Jack to learn that grace more than I want him to learn my temper and frustration. Sure, there are moments when discipline is needed, but he responds well to gentle correction. I'm learning. He's a sensitive soul. He gets that from both sides. 

Here are a collection of pictures starting with Father's Day up to 4th of July...

Before I begin, this is Zoey's hair nearly every, single morning. I love it. It's one of my most favorite things about her.

Jack's father's day card to John. I kept asking him what he loves about daddy and this is what he said.

Note: John did get a motorcycle. A toy one that Jack picked out. Jack calls it "father's day motorcycle."

Naples with the family. The house my parent's rented was gorgeous and had this pool. The steam in the picture is definitely the humidity. I didn't photoshop it at all. Florida had just come off of the hurricane and was very humid. But a nice contrast from our desert life.

 

Check out the humidity in this picture!! Crazy. Jack was having the time of his life with papa.

 

Sister in law, Leilani with my nephew Aaron. So fun.

 

Mags with Zoeybird. 

 

Learning to blow bubbles. Jack has very little water experience. Hence, the raft bathing suit. ;)

 

Love Aaron's face in this picture. Priceless.

My brother Justin with Aaron and Jack with Papa. Jack hung onto that raft for dear life. He was not too keen on the water. And before I get teased for having the kid in all the gear, he has fair skin and I want to avoid sun burn at all cost. The hat was a little overkill, but he barely kept it on anyway. The little raft suit was too cute.

 

Grandpa's 90th Birthday party. Sort of bittersweet, but memorable to hear stories about Grandpa and celebrate his life.

 

Singing Happy Birthday.

 

 Grandpa scolding the one candle that he missed. Ha. Ha.

All the siblings together. 

 

Grandma and Zoey. Zoey's middle name is Evelyn which is my Grandma's first name. So thankful she was able to finally meet her Great Grandma!

My cousin Bethany's daughter, Adria. Sweetest little girl.

 

The beach. So lovely and relaxing.

 

My guys.

 

My nephew Andy and Zoey. Her hair. 

 

John and his pie making skills.

 

4th of July:

We had a beautiful monsoon that lasted all day on the 4th. Unlike the rest of the country, we were enjoying not normal low temperatures. It was delightful. We watched Sandlot, ate lots of watermelon and felt the breeze throughout the whole house. 

 

Aaron! 

Zoey taking a snooze.

 

 A yummy spread.

After playing in the mud and rain the boys got a bath. First cousin bath. Precious.

Last photo of the day. Zoey who took one nap the entire day crashed around 7:30.

The festivities were fun, but it's good to return to normal life.

Next week is John's 30th Birthday. Kind of daunting and oh-so-exciting. I'm trying to come up with some surprise, but I am just horrible at surprises.

July

Time has flown so quickly.

Where was I?

Ah, yes. Spending the summer full of hot days and cooled off nights. The monsoons arrived. They were welcomed with open arms and celebrated each afternoon as the clouds rolled in, Jack napped and I camped out to watch the dark, waving clouds of moisture move towards us only to pass over and head somewhere else. 

Some days we got light thunder. Other days we got random downpours. One night John and I cuddled up and watched a full storm sweep over us. It was strong and bold and so beautiful. The lightning was intense. It took away our internet, which was for the better. It allowed us to shut off the movie we were watching and give the storm our full attention. Storms have a tendency to kind of need that. Kind of like kids.

Fourth of July came and went, but boy, was it great. We went to the world's oldest Rodeo and celebrated with a feast of all American food. BBQ chicken, potato salad, watermelon and blackberry pie for dessert. My parents, my brother and his family came up for the day and the monsoons hit around 2pm. It rained most of the day, but that was okay. It really cooled things off and wasn't bad enough to cancel the rodeo. Time with family was a blessing. A nice nap was also enjoyed while the guys watched Prison Break. Most-stressful-show-ever.

This picture was taken while  I was trying to convince my patient man to take another picture. He obviously ran out of patience.

During our little retreat we also ordered a sub from walmart to help feed our house guests. My ever-practical and penny pincher hubby insisted on paying for a 6 foot sub because it was only 5 bucks more than a 4 foot. There are no words to share this picture, but just to say that is the 6 foot sub. All 7 and a half feet of it! John is 5'11. That sub was intense and gave my mom and I a good laugh when we picked it up at Wal-mart. Still, for 25 bucks, you can't beat all that food. Was it good? Why yes. Was it good after a couple of days? Well, no.

We also had surprise (because of my forgetful memory) guests from back East. Four travelers came our way on a cross-country road trip and one of them was my very dear pal, Kate. When I'm with her it's as if no time has passed. We reunite. We laugh, we joke, we use accents, we share funny stories, pour our hearts out until everything broken and bruised is wrapped with Love and grace and somehow life is much brighter after such a short visit with my dear friend. I wish she lived closer, I wish the Bronx wasn't so far and I wish that I had a magical capsule that could allow us to visit whenever we wanted. It was good to listen to good music with her, watch a few funny movies and share a trip to Costco in a downpour.

Oh and Jack? He's growing along. He loved the four guests and you would have thought he was in heaven. All this attention. All this love from ladies who work with kids every day. He was so lovin' it. But oh, did he have to remind them every 10 seconds that I was mama and dad was dada. Seriously, he said it about every five minutes.

Last week Jack and I spent a few days at Grandma and "Pa's" house for a little getaway. Why the getaway is to hot Phoenix, I do not know, but it was great. Jack had a blast. It was great to see my mom's parents for a little bit too. It's beautiful to watch age at the other end of life and to see how they look back on their lives full of joy and great memories.

Jack loved playing with his little cousins and the train set that grandma has there.

 He also loved swimming in the pool in his birthday suit and trying to figure out if this was a bath or what. He's really becoming his own little person and identifying things when he sees them. Pointing out the animals he loves, the tv shows he adores and when he wants water or his binky. I love watching him process what I'm saying and seeing how he reacts (or chooses not to.) He's a free spirit, that little guy.

I'm still feeling really sick, but praying that at the 14 week mark things will lighten up. As much as I'm thankful for each day that I feel sick, I do look forward to days of not dreading what to make for dinner and what to snack on that won't make me want to puke. But praise Jesus, we are at 12 weeks tomorrow. We're almost there.
 



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