Wordless Wednesday

Swimming A LOT!!!!!

This summer is not different than any other. My family loves anything with water. We love the pool, we love the beach......however, there is one major thing that is different. This year I am responsible for two little children not drowning. Very Important!!!!!

Most of the time Bryan is not with me when we are swimming at my parents' pool. This makes the whole not drowning thing all the more difficult. BUT with these "Swim Ways" bathing suits, I really cannot go wrong. Wearing the suit has given Jillian so much confidence!!! She is literally jumping, sliding, getting her face wet on her own with no fear.

They make my kids look like Michelin men but they sure are useful!!!

Here J is sliding.

Even Rocco has become very comfortable with the pool. At first I tried to leave him inside and take Jillian by herself, but he will NOT allow that to happen anymore and will race us outside to see who can jump in first (and yes he has jumped in on several occasions and thankfully the green monkey suit works and brings him straight to the top ((with mommy there in two seconds to pull him up as well))

And seriously, look at his little rump-i-kis. Isn't it the cutest?? With those chubby little legs?? I just want to squeeze 'em.

Breaking News::::::: As of yesterday, Jillian has asked to lose the pink monkey suit and swim on her own. AND SHE DID IT!!!!!!! She is swimming all over the place. She can swim from one side of the pool and then back!!! She is amazing everybody!!! It looks like she may follow Daddy's footsteps and be on the swim team????? This is her reaching the side of the pool!!!!!

Finally, this is our first pic of our family at our new house!!!!! It was the end of a looooong day and the kids were not cooperating. We are doing some major work this week. We are updating the fixtures, pulling weeds, and the painters come on Friday. Hopefully, we can move in late next week or the next week???

Get Ready to Set Sail....

In the words of Fancy Nancy, we have been tres tres busy this week. We have been busying doing this.....

That's right! It is our week for Vacation Bible School.

I have been taking Rocco, Jillian, Roy and Gavin everyday to VBS. The kids' cousin, Katie, meets them there too so there are 5 P-members rocking the joint!! Did you know my car could hold three full-size car seats??? Here is the proof!!

Here are da boys!!!

Couldn't the sweetness just give you a cavity????

All of the kids have been LOVING it!!!! Well, except for Rocco. His teachers came and got me the first day of class and said "Ashley, you have got to come and see this!

His teacher told me that he was throwing a fit over a toy and literally fell asleep in the middle of the fit on the floor. They sweetly put a blanket on him so he would be comfortable. Can you say drama?? Where could he get that from???

Our church has gone to soooo much trouble this year! It has been awesome. From our pretend ship in the sanctuary to the arts and crafts and music, everything is above and beyond.

Then everyday after VBS, the kids take a nap and go swimming. They swim and swim and swim.

Katie and Roy

My Dad had a genius idea to move the kids' fort over next to the pool for some slide action. Jillian, Gavin and Rocco cannot get enough of it. They do it again and again, etc.

That's it!! Oh yea, besides closing on the old house tomorrow, closing on new house on Thursday, packing, cleaning, living out of our suitcases, our stuff is stored everywhere......nothing else really going on!!!

Memorial Weekend....A Little Late

We were lucky enough to score an invite to the "ribber" with the M family. Bryan had to work so I packed up the kids and we drove two hours over to Concan, TX.

The kids were perfect in the car.

Amy and I took the kids on a morning walk to explore. Jillian and Allison LOVED picking all of the wildflowers. However, taking Rocco and Aidan where both could climb off a steep embankment full of rocks was not our brightest decision. Don't worry - both survived with small bumps and bruises. (and yes, my children are still wearing their jammies. We were on vacation!!)

T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!!!

The girls were playing soooo well together. They were trying to stay quiet Saturday morning but it quickly turned in to "couch gymnastics"!!!!

Sometimes Amy and I scare ourselves with how similar our brains work. We ALWAYS have the same great taste in clothes. Check out the girls swim cover-ups! I swear we did not plan that and it happens all of the time!!!

We took another walk later in the day and found more flowers!

Aidan was taking a nap. Poor thing got a little too much sun! But he looked very cute in Allison's hat when he woke up.

Neither kid had a nap so neither was in a great mood once we got to the river. Of course, this is the Frio river so the cold water did not improve their moods but it is hard not to have fun at the river even if it was cold.






Then they got smart and figured out the best way to experience the "ribber" was to do it in a chair with your feet up!!!

The trip ended like it started.....peacefully asleep.

As always, it seems like our visits go so fast!!!! But thank you so much to the M family and to Omie and Papa Fred for having us to your "ribber" house!!! We'll see you again this summer!!!!

Don't worry....it's summer!!!

This is day 2 of our summer vacation. There is no rest and relaxation in this neck of the woods. We are going full throttle into overdrive!!

We are doing a little bit of this!!! Jillian is amazing us with her tenacity in the pool. I thought with 9 months away from the pool she would be a little timid but boy, was I wrong!! She is jumping by herself into the pool. She is going under the water. It is so awesome to see her "No Fear Attitude."

I love this pic. Can you see my Dad's face?? That's awesome!!

Besides swimming, we are doing a lot of this.......the only person who is enjoying this activity is Rocco. What little boy doesn't love the adventure of an empty box?? I just wish he could help Mommy in actually packing the box. hee hee

Here is my girl, ready to go for her first day of summer gymnastics. Doesn't everbody wear a cowgirl hat, purple crocs, pink leopard leotard and accessorize the outfit with a turtle purse??

Finally, we have had some crazy weather lately. Awfully hot one minute and the next minute it is raining. My mom, dad, and I were busy packing this morning when a thunderstorm rolled in. We all got wet and were laughing. No one was laughing harder than Jillian. She played in the rain for thirty minutes giggling and splashing.

During the next month of intense stress with the moving out of one house and into another, I am going to think of this picture in my mind. I am going to picture myself with my head thrown back, grinning at the sky, without a care in the world. We should all be this lucky to experience such joy with the little things!!!

Where are we going?

AHHHHHH!!!

HOORAY!!!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!!!!!

I CAN FEEL THE TENSION LEAVING MY BODY!!!!!

As most of you know, we have sold our house! We've got 9 days left in our old casa!!!

Where are we going you might ask??

Finding a house is very hard!!!!

It all started with this house. Hello?? Can you say castle?? We love everything about it. Perfect house, more space than we could every ask for, perfect neighborhood, close to mom and dad, close to the highway for work....blah, blah, blah, except that it is a foreclosure. And really do we need 3400 sq.ft. No we don't. So we decided not to pursue house #1.

I loved house #2 with all of my heart. Look how cute it is. Great house, great neighborhood, close to mom and dad. So we made an offer on Friday night and.......somebody else made an offer on Saturday morning and WE LOST!!! Can you say devastated????

Then we were thinking about house #3 but not everything was perfect about this house. So we decided to go see another house to compare it to.....

Hello gorgeous house #4!!!! Look at that big beautiful oak tree!!

So we opened the front door (not expecting to like it) and we fell in love!! We made an offer and it was accepted and we close on the 18th!!!!

The only thing bad about it is that the previous owners LOVED to paint and have lots of nerdy borders. BUT the good thing is that can easily be changed!!! So please ignore the hideous color on the walls......

this is our new living room!! Love the floors and the gorgeous fireplace (you know, not that we need a fireplace in blazing hot south tx but whatever!!!!)

Here is our beautiful new kitchen!!! Look at the windows and look how much room I will have to make a big mess!!

Trees in the backyard and a covered porch!!!! Can I get an Amen???? Also there is a greenbelt behind us so no back neighbors peering into our yard!!!!

Here is our new bedroom (please, please ignore this electric purple - it is the first thing to go!!!) Lots of space and a high ceiling!!!

Finally, my life has just gotten sooooooooo much better - a garden tub!!!! I can die and go to heaven!!!!! I wish I had a picture of the master closet!!!! You would have a heart attack. Literally, it is almost as big as Rocco's room!! Isn't that awesome!!!

So you know where I'll be in the next couple of weeks. I hope my back survives the packing!!!!!

HAPPY SUMMER TO YOU!!!!!!

Running on Empty....

Happy Memorial Day (a day late)!

My life in numbers.....

1 1/2 days left with the kids

1 kindergarten graduation to pull off

2 boxes packed full of teacher stuff

1 workday on Friday

13 days left in our old house

4 boxes packed at our house

I have a lot to post but I am lacking the time.

Hope everybody is doing great!!