Hello Summer.....

Long time, no see. We've missed you.

Can't wait to play with you for the next three months. Let's be BFF's, okay?

Zachary and Kylie on the LAST day of school. Can't you just see the excitement in their faces....oh wait.....that's just the sun. My bad.

Two Wheelin' it!

I had a dream.....a dream that one day, all my children, no matter what age, would learn to ride a bike...... No seriously, I did have this dream. Way back in the day before I actually birthed my children I had this preconceived notion about what it would be like to be a Mom. I would play with my kids and read them books all day long. I would have hot cookies waiting for them when they got home from school. I would take walks around the block with them every day and point out all the interesting things along the way. I would teach them to ride a bike. The proper way. By holding on to the back of their little seat and running along side them until they yelled "Let go Mom...." and I would let go and off they would fly.

This is NOT what happened. What happened is this: Savannah hopped on a bike (our neighbor's bike by the by) and just took off. No warning. No teaching. Just doing. (That independent little bugger.) She was riding like a pro.....with no help or warning whatsoever. And now her life has changed.....because riding a bike without training wheels is just SO MUCH cooler than riding a bike with training wheels....DUH! Doesn't everybody know this?






A few things I love about this video. First, see that cute little blond boy skipping beside her? That's her best friend/boyfriend/neighbor/whipping boy....Wyatt. His brother's bike is the one Savy is riding. She says she is going to marry him one day. I say watch out Wyatt.....she's kind of a bossy britches! Second, I love how Savy says to Lewis, "Dad....let go....."and then she turns back around and Lewis is no where to be found. Who needs parents to help anyway? Not my gal, Sav.

And not even two days later.....she was like a professional bike rider! I'm not kidding. Have you ever seen a four year old stand up when they're riding their bike? Such ease....such grace...for the moment anyway. Good thing the first fall has already happened.

**Disclaimer** I KNOW....she is not wearing a helmet in either of these videos. I know you're probably wondering what kind of Mom let's their daughter ride around in her nightgown and flip flops....Well just shush....I will MAKE her wear a helmet from now on. In fact, if I could wrap her in bubble wrap and duct tape her I would. (She definitely is my accident prone one.) Also, the second video was taken at 8:30 in the morning, so a nightgown would be an obvious choice of attire. And flip flops? Well, they're the summer footwear staple....of course! I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get her to wear tennis shoes any time soon.

26.2

It was grueling. It was hard. It was physically AND mentally exhausting. I was sick. I threw up....... A lot. I was NOT at the top of my game. I did not get the time I was {hoping} for. I am sore. I can barely walk. All I want to do is lay in my bed all day and eat all the food I deprived myself of for so long. I have already lost one toenail. I'm sure about three more are to follow. I NEVER want to do another one. (At least that's what I'm telling myself for now.) But when I look at this picture......




.....I know that all my hard work was worth it.( I hope my kids will remember that their dear old Mom ran a marathon or two back in the day. )




And to my dear friend Kaci. Thanks for all the training. The laughs. The wetting in the pants....literally. The big Macs after long runs and the diet cokes and donuts. Thanks for making me run the damn thing because I never, EVER will forget it. I love you tons....and let's not do another one anytime soon, okay?