Mommin' It Up!

June 4, 2010June 4, 2010

The Graduate

Last night my little tiny baby boy graduated from kindergarten.

I was a little nervous about the ceremony – not nervous about how Joshua would do, but nervous that it would be, you know, torture for all involved.

But, set your expectations low, and they will be exceeded. It was so good. All 60-odd kindergartners did great! They sang, they played handbells, they walked across the stage and got their diplomas – and every part was adorable. Nobody cried, peed, disrobed, or even picked their nose. It was like, perfect. I am sure the teachers breathed a big sigh of relief!

And I got a little weepy more than once. How could I not? I am this child’s mother:

Here he is walking toward his principal, Mrs. Hines, to get his diploma:

What’s super-special about this is that “Mrs. Hines” is better known as “Rita” to me, because she is my mom’s BFF and has known me since I was born. It is really cool for me that she is Joshua’s principal!

Joshua has changed so much this year – almost all for the better – and I am so proud of him! I couldn’t be any prouder. I’m so thankful to be his mommy and excited about what his next years of learning and growing at school will bring!

June 3, 2010

Things I love Thursday: Playing Outside

Here in Ohio the temperature’s been vacillating between cold-as-balls and hot-as-Hades (and now we’re throwing in some torrential downpours just for kicks). Memorial Day weekend it was on the hot side, and while I could have done without the humidity, it was great to get the kids outside and let them run. We discovered a new favorite outside toy, and that got me thinking about all the fun outdoor toys we’ve accumulated over the years. I thought I’d share a few of our favorites, and I hope you will do the same!

Here’s the one we discovered this weekend – the Banzai Wiggling Water Sprinkler.

I picked it up at Target on a whim Sunday because we were having friends over, and it was a hit! It’s basically a long foam plastic rope with little ropes jutting out of it, and as the name implies, it wiggles when you turn on the water (although it gets a bit crazy when you turn it on full-blast!). The kids thought it was great fun, and I especially liked it because they could all play in the water at the same time, rather than having to wait and take turns!

Along those same lines, last summer we bought the Ultimate Beach Ball Sprinkler.

I’ve actually never seen this one in action, but Andy (who is home all summer, not like lame-o mom who has to work!) and the kids think it’s great. And really, doesn’t it just look fun?

We bought the Little Tikes Jump n’ Double Slide a couple years ago, and kids of all ages have had a lot of fun with it.

It’s a bit pricey, but for birthday parties and picnics and days when the kids really need to get some energy out (or we need them to get some energy out), it’s been well worth the money. Little Tikes also has amazing customer service, which I posted about here a long time ago!

Kate got this sand and water table for her second birthday.

We’ve had it for four years, and it’s still good as new. I love, love, love that they can play in the sand (and the water) without sitting in it. Sammy’s really loving the table this year, and we haven’t even put water in it yet! I also love the cover and the umbrella.

Last but not least, the old stand-by, sidewalk chalk.

This is a summer must-have at our house. Kate loves to decorate the sidewalk. And the trees, for that matter. With the exception of bubbles, another must-have, I can’t think of anything as simple and inexpensive, yet creative and engaging as plain old chalk!

Those are some of our summer favorites, but we’re always on the lookout for more! I’d love to hear what your kids (and you!) enjoy doing outside on those long summer days.

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For more Things I Love Thursday fun, head over to the Diaper Diaries!

June 2, 2010June 2, 2010

Beloved

“My beloved is mine and I am hers.”

– Song of Solomon 2:16

As you may remember, Bobby and I recently celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. Months before this, I got the idea that I’d like to have our pictures taken to commemorate this event. After all, the last time Bobby and I had our pictures taken together was…at our wedding! Sure, we’d had a couple of so-so family pics taken once the kids came along, but nothing together. And I thought, we really needed to do it to take notice of our 10 years of love and work.

When I got the idea, I knew I wanted our friends Shannon and David Perlow of Locke Innovations Photography to take them. We are privileged to be in house church with them, and our kids are good buddies, too! I’d seen and admired their work, plus I love to support people I love! Especially when they have a small, local business.

As “luck” would have it, Shannon and David had just decided to start doing a new kind of photo session with married couples, called a “Beloved” session. (We got to be their first Beloveds!) Here’s what Shannon writes on their blog about a Beloved shoot:

“First off, it’s not a photo shoot. It’s an experience for a married couple to walk through together…you are given different ideas to think about, things to walk through together, memories to create and to remember.

All of the “experiences” are to help focus you, and invite you to those thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are ALREADY inside you….and bring them to the surface for you to experience. Some are fun and silly, some are lovey & romantic, some are serious and contemplative, and some are for healing.

Why photograph it? Next time, you have a horrible day at work, or the house is a wreck, or the kids are driving you crazy, and your ‘to do’ list is a mile long, or your in-laws are getting under your skin, and your spouse just says or does the wrong thing… wouldn’t it be great to have a canvas on your wall….that has a photograph or two of you and your spouse having a real authentic moment and experience…to REMIND you of what’s really inside of you? To Remind you of your love?”

The Beloved Session was a great experience for Bobby and me. I will confess that I think my hubby had a few reservations about it, but he ended up really enjoying it! We had a great time, and to be honest, even though David and Shannon asked us some questions and gave us things to think about – we hardly even noticed they were there! We had a great time just being together and focusing on each other – and now we have some AMAZING pictures to remind us of why we love and to celebrate that we do. Because what is our family, without our marriage? It needs to be celebrated, focused on, and venerated.

If you are in Dayton, Cincinnati, or Columbus and are looking for some beautiful portraits for family, wedding, maternity, newborn, or BELOVED I highly recommend Locke Innovations. Not because they are my friends, but because they are pros! (and you should totally “like” them on Facebook, by the way!) We just did a family shoot with them also and I can’t wait to share those pics with you as well.

Thanks Shannon and David for an awesome experience and the beautiful memories!

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Disclosure: Bobby and I paid for this photo session and these photos with our OWN money! True story. And it was totally worth every penny!