summer bits (and bobs)

september 1st.

big kids went back to school (so far so good).

i just filled in the family wall calendar (welp... so full).

leaves are falling...at least they are here (we have a LOT of trees).

days are shorter (chickens are broody and molting).

i have coffee decisions to make (hot or cold).

there is no denying it.

we are in a new season.

it's gonna be a good one.

but oh summer how this little family will miss you.

so many summer bits (and bobs).

a little look (photo overload).

shared (cherished).

so much water...lakes, beaches and pools

water toddler play

water family war

garden chats with my mcc girls

healthy backyard bounty

junk food junky...surviving car trips

my summertime passenger "trunk"

gum smacking selfies

how many beach goers can you pack in a volvo

back of volvo sleepy time

nights of summer ball

that transitioned to football pre-season

trikes and twinkle lights

pups and picnic tables

movies in the park

wacky wednesday at camp

annual visit to camp putnam

where kisses are free

and hot dogs are saved for later

and best camper awards are given

and memories are saved in the quill of a red feather

library and summer reading

t-shirt egg baskets

picnics at tangerini's

vbs at mcc

vbs human pyramid challenges

vbs desert don and awesome al

vbs worship

and where chicks joined us for the egyptian

picnic baskets and boom sauce

beach and her new bob haircut

diarrhea castles (gross, but that's what we call them)

oysters on the beach (gross but oh so yummy)

sand castles with goldfish crackers in the moat

wiffle ball in style

baby chicks and happy garden baskets

sweet sisters

dog days of summer

sweatshirts and snuggles at the beach

brothers

10th birthday

painting

camping

farming

little explorer

arrival of george the bunny

and....blogger says i can't add anymore photos to this post (the nerve).

 so this will have to do (at least for now).

principal's office sentences

so in an earlier post, it may have appeared that

this t-shirt inspired "mama bird"

is all about sun, sand, tire swings

and utterly carefree summers.

true.
but definitely only partly true.

back at the beginning of summer vacation
i also proudly assumed the title of
"principal mom."

the one who with authority
addresses most summer behavior
violations with sentences.

because while yes, we love and NEED
the break from schedules, routine and homework,
it does not mean we treat our days or each other with
sass, disrespect and utter carelessness.

i loved this mama blog post.

so good.
right.

and that's absolutely what we have here...

sun, sand, tire swings and a whole lot of 

 milk left on the counter,

wet bathing suits left on the rug,

eye rolls and sibling disputes.

so on or around july 1st i established the summer principal's office.
founded on the premise that if the children
spoke to their teacher or a fellow student
in the way they sometimes do to me, their dad and each other
then they would most certainly be sent to the principal's office.

and in our principal's office they write sentences.
lots and lots of sentences.
25 for the small things.
another 25 if they complain about it.
50 for bigger things.
100 if they they roll their eyes.
200 if it happens again.
and an occasional 300 if it's just gone too far, or i'm at my wits end.

and let me tell you, it's working.
the magic 1-2-3 method that worked so well when they were babes,
and that i still need to use with jane
now has age appropriate and importantly mama consistent repercussions for the bigs.
oh and you can't beat the benefit of a little penmanship practice along the way.

they love it.
just ask them.
 (if they roll their eyes, tell me so i can give them some sentences to write).
just kidding.
they hate it.
but truly it is working.
all i need to say now is 50, 100, 300...
or the other day 500!!!!! before bennett wacked his sister...he didn't.
it's like magic.

inspired by wes' childhood and embraced
to the fullest this summer by yours truly,
"principal mom"...
make that with with a capital M.

due date reflections

august 5th

10 years ago this was my official due date

for baby arrival, parenthood, motherhood.

i've been thinking about this all week.

remembering fondly the anticipation, fears, tears, and whirlwind of emotions

as wes and i cherished our final days/evenings of it being just us.

i remember sitting on the same blue couch we still have

with my very swollen feet propped on his lap as we

prayed and dreamed about life with a baby, life as parents, life as a family.

10 years ago.

granted ella wasn't born until 10 days later, 

but oh how the due date brings me back to that time.

the time when it was just us.

the time when we weren't parents.

the time when i wasn't a mom.

and oh my goodness has this week brought me back.

this week's middle of the night fever, bedtime accident, bad dream.

this week's rearview mirror reflections in the car on the way to camp, football practice, 

playdates, barber, library, grocery store and pharmacy.

this week's teeth brushing, finger nail clipping and pony tail tying.

this week's laundry, dinner prep and  dishwashing.

this week's story time, tickle fights, couch cuddles and piggy back rides.

i wasn't doing any of this 10 years ago today.

and then 10 days later it all changed.

everything.

mama bird pep talk

hi there.
just me, mama bird, stopping in for a little august pep talk.

for some reason, we turned the calendar to august today

and many of us went a little cray.

the world seemed to shout,

"hey summer is almost over, you better get on it!"

ella asked to go school shopping at 7 am.

texts were flying about homeroom assignments.

time was spent figuring out school id's and middle school portals.

no less than 10 talks about how summer is flying.

summer reading lists were printed off.

oh...

and we spent our first of many august evenings 

here for football pre-season.

football is a fall sport...
but here we go.

so...

let's have a little pep talk.

are you ready?

stop it.

seriously.

there is still a whole lot of summer left to be had.

i love september, pumpkins and flannels too.

but there are still 4 FULL weeks of summer.

so stop it.

i mean it.

slow it down.

and bring on more moments like this...

pep talk recap.

stop it.

slow down summer.

oh and please.

mama bird signing off.

xo!