Sunday, July 27, 2014

Summer Beginnings


 So here I am reminiscing about the beginning days of summer as I live out the end ones.  It goes by so quickly, my friends!  We started this summer just like last--with a business trip to Indianapolis.  It so happens that my parents are on the way so we drove to Kentucky and then Ryan traveled on to his conference in Indiana while we stayed to play.
Between my last post of spring break pictures and this, I realize there's a whole lot of Jack/car seat action.  But he's just. so. cute.

We got to stop by my sister Kara's office on the way and have lunch with her and meet all her work peeps.  Wouldn't you know I didn't get a picture but it was nice to stop and chat and have really yummy fried chicken.  The other thing that was nice was getting to Grandma and Granddaddy's house with daylight hours still left! 

We're here!
There was no wasting time...we all went right to exploring!  New this year....STRAWBERRIES!

Really, really pretty ones:


This is the strawberry that I would expect to find illustrating the definition of strawberry.  Right?





Taking a spin with Granddaddy
The next day Molly got down to business making mud pies.  And boy howdy did she make some mud pies.  All. afternoon.  She is all about some mud.



Dad had a slab of marble he built a base for that makes the perfect potting bench and mud kitchen outside.  We gave Jack his own little table, too.



A little unsure of the feeling of it dried up on his hands!

One more just cause he's cute.

Told you she likes mud.

Apart from mud-pie-making there was also plenty of side-porch-sitting:

Water-hose-playing:


Lap-sitting:
Crowding the computer

Watching a movie with Grandma

Dinner with the summer missionaries at Sandy's house

Identifying letters with Granddaddy

Watching the squirrel in Granddaddy's trap

Butterfly-catching-net-wielding:


Treasure-hunting:
Molly's mud findings
Kitchen-helping:
Molly and Grandma's chedder ham cups
Flower-planting:

Again with the dirt and the loving it.
Jack joining in with Molly and Grandma

And, of course, library-visiting:
Listening to the lovely Georgetown children's librarian talk about weather.

Making a thunderstorm in a cup.

Jack enjoying all the book displays

Talking to the very hungry caterpillar.

One of my faves at the library

Another fave from the library of my wide-eyed beauty:)

We had quite the week full of fun but we were all so happy to see daddy again!

It was definitely a treat to see Grandma Dot on the way home.  She had taken out Aunt Sylvia's vintage fairy tale puzzle that Molly took a fancy to:

And though Jack was in a bit of a mood, he did come around eventually:)

 And I'll leave you with this.  A picture with so much joy it makes me laugh.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Spring Back to Spring Break

Over the river and through the woods to MiMi and Pop's we go!


I see you peeking at me!
 I'm missing quite a few pictures from our visit (maybe on my other computer?  I have to check.) but we got to visit PawPaw and MawMaw at their new place. Right before we left, Jack decided to put his finger directly on the pilot light of the gas logs.  I hate he burned himself..but this picture is just so adorable:

Sam and Baby Reed happened to be visiting too and I caught this gem:)!  These are Ryan's cousin Amy's boys and they're dolls!
Molly, Reed, Jack and Sam

Pop promised Molly he'd take her fishing and boy did he deliver!  First of all, a princess pole.  Need I say more?  After church Sunday we all went down to a Lucas family friend's pond and we all took a turn at casting.  Well, all of us except for Jack-his Sunday afternoon nap proved too strong to fight.

Molly's first catch!
MollyPop


She was all about the worms!


Talking strategy with Pop while he frees her catch

Getting some pointers from Daddy



Another catch with MiMi (I think this was number nine?)

A couple of country gals




Rocking the boat with Mommy
 We stayed for a long weekend which meant time for Monday fun.  We loaded up and headed to New Orleans, Louisiana for a quick day trip.

A potty break at the LA welcome center

First stop?  Lunch!





Posing under the "love it" sign (a saying of one of Molly's fave tv characters)

Can't think of a better way to see NOLA:)

A lesson from Pop in street performer tipping

Watching the horses

Taking in the sights and smells of Jackson Square with MiMi

Our growing girl


A rare family picture

The NOLA favorite:  Cafe Du Monde
A tired girl waits  to try her first world famous beignet

A tired boy misses the world famous beignets altogether

Taking a break

A gorgeous day for walking off beignets by the river

One of my favorite captures of the day


Family selfie.  Proof our little girl is impossibly grown-up looking!

 We had a jam-packed weekend chock full of memory making!

Playing with Pop before we go

A morning crossword with MiMi before we head back