in the summertime....

A month since my last post, and so much to write about! A HUGE birthday, 4th of July, Grampa and Popi's visit and our first time at camp...so many great photos and stories. Alas, they will have to wait as summer so far is hot and busy and tiring in the best possible way!

Instead, here's a list of my favorite things at the moment. Almost all simple, a few bittersweet:

1. relaxing, even in make-up and/or a tie.

2. outside stuff. working outside with Grampa and Popi, especially!

3. mini-golf

Ollie and Vi, July 4, 2011

does this look familiar? here's why:

Vi and Ollie, July 2008



the mini-city-hall thingy never gets old for me.

4. my new coffeemaker.

I don't want to love material things. But sometimes an appliance can make one's life so much easier one wants to kiss said appliance on it's chrome finish. I've had blatant love affairs with my dishwasher, Dyson, washing machine and now....

my Keurig. Love.

(as an aside: please note this is a STOCK photo- take every item in the photo other than the Keurig and imagine it's distinct opposite and you can envision my kitchen.)

5. friends

yep, here comes the bittersweet part.

These are some of our besties- Eli, Scott, Mollie and Ezra. We love them dearly, but even more than that, they have been a *huge* support for us throughout V's diagnosis, therapies and progress. It's seriously hard to put into words. Getting a diagnosis of autism can show you quickly who your real friends are; it takes a lot of patience to hang out with us, and to learn to communicate with Violet. As a parent, you hope for it with your family, but to have friends that feel like family in that way is a true blessing. I don't have too many places we can go where Violet can open the front door and run into the house...lie in the dog bed, jump in the kiddie pool fully clothed, dig in the garden, break the tile floor in the kitchen (eek!), take over Pop Pop's chair at dinner and meticulously spread out all 83 dvd's they own on the floor at every visit.

So, the bitter part is that the Boulwares moved to Texas last week. Heartbreaking for me, in a completely selfish way. But such a gift to know that people can love your child that much.

6.  this blog: http://plumlife.typepad.com/plum/

it kind of reminds me of the collages and things I used to collect in my more um, carefree years. I figured out she lives near me, so I will probably stalk her now...

7. Things my very-newly-four-year-old twins have said recently:

Ollie: "mommy, how old are you?" me: "39." Ollie: "WOW! That is really tall!". I like his thinking..

Violet (twirling in her new, pink dress):"who I look like?" me: "Um, Princess Pea? Alice (aka Cinderella, but the twins think she's Alice in wonderland, who is much more independent and interesting, so we're going with that)? Mommy?" Violet: "No! I like VIOLET!". Duh, mommy.

8. these shoes:

9. new friends- found in our backyard (and sitting on the hand of Thor)!

10. THE BEACH!!!

my little mermaid!

and my little beachcomber!

More soon...happy summer to you!