Micah Running Video

Micah running video

Don't Eat Pete!

What we did today: 

Inspired by this adorable game for kids of all ages:


My kids LOVE it.  Everyone wins + No fighting = Winning Game

Appreciate The Cow

Every year Chik-fil-a celebrates Cow Appreciate Day.  It's a blast--dress up like a cow, get free food.  Um, yes?!   We are huge Chik-fil-a fans.  Love their always pleasant, excellent customer service, delcious food (they've (never once messed up my order or given me food I didn't love), generosity, company policies, and family values.  As a teenager I read a biography on Cathy Truett + his company and I was extremely impressed with his business as well as his values.  This is one generous, kind hearted man.  Once his sons were looking all over him to get his advice about a business decision.  They couldn't find him in any of the offices.  Then it struck them, they knew exactly where to find him.  Sure enough, there he was playing with the foster kids at the children's home he opened.  They said that was a perfect description of what kind of man Truett is.  And it shows all the way down to the employee who serves my delicious lemonade or cookies 'n cream milkshake.  Since I love the company so much I *almost* felt guilty taking free food from them...but then they did offer and I must admit we are rather avid supporters year round.

While Jason wasn't too sure about the cow shirt, I think he appreciated it when he went to pay for our meals and his card was slid back across the counter to him.  4 free meals?  Yes, thank you.  Korban promptly wiped his cow nose off + Micah refused to allow his cow ears near him.  And my two oldest drew the line at cow hoofs on their hands.  But, they're still pretty darn cute. 

We plan to make this an annual tradition (two down--lots more to go!).  We really enjoyed the fun these past two years with our friends Sabian, Melissa, and Addie.   little cows -- check out our tails! Little cows loving the play place.  Love that moment between Ivory + Micah while Addie runs to climb in and join the fun.  So sweet.  We also enjoyed a spontaneous outing to Under the Oaks by the Bay after dinner.  The kids enjoyed a very spontaneous romp in the salt marsh (yuk!) where they had an absolutely completely messy blast.   

And for fun:

Thanks for the smiles Tim Hawkins.

Indiana :: Day 5

On our last full day in Indiana my boys woke bright and early.  So I piled them in my bed while I tried to quickly dress + begin the packing process.  When they wake me that early it's good they're so darn cute.  Micah + Ivory were always happy to play while mommy got ready...but Korban, well the picture of him crying on the floor pretty much sums up how he felt about that option.  Lynne is an incredible hostess.  She had a personalized sign set out to welcome us to our room.  They moved Timothy into their room so we could have two rooms (made for so much more sleep!), bought special snacks she knew the kids would like, and fixed breakfast for us in the mornings.  While I packed she entertained all three of my kiddos.  Ya, she's pretty much a rockstar mom/aunt.  Here she's teaching Ivory how to play Uno.  Ivory caught on quick and one the first game--she was so excited. We were all so worn out that we alternately napped + lounged by the pool + I spent some time packing.  Poor Tim was so worn out from his sickness + the hard week of play that he fell asleep on the floor of the living room in the midst of playing + squealing + chatter.  So pitiful.  Love that he fell asleep with his hand on his beloved Mack truck.
After spending most of the day relaxing + recovering we headed to the Ross home for one last dinner.

Tim was back to his busy self by evening.

So many fun memories with the Ross girls in hammocks.  We loved pretending like the hammock was our covered back wagon and we were the family from Little House on The Prairie.

Ben enjoying some Korban love.  He was happy...and then he saw Mom.

Father + Son man fun



Mrs. Ross always has beautiful flower gardens and they always have a lot of projects going.  Like building a new deck. 

The kids love the slide coming off the deck.  So fun.
y On our last day Ivory enjoyed her own little game of sliding down,

Then walking around to the steps singing away to herself.
I love it when she entertains herself like that and sings about whatever comes to her mind at the moment.

Where Ivory goes Micah must follow.
We were glad to have some time with Grandma Pflum, Gom Gom's mom.  Ivory + her best friend Audrey
We love Aunt PP!
Such a wonderful visit.  So fun.  I'm so grateful for this friendship of 25+ years.  They truly are like family to us.  These are my sisters.  Thanks Ross family for such an amazing visit.  We love ya'll and look forward to next summer!

Indiana :: Day 4

Our plans were to wake up on day 4 and head to Richmond for a stop at Kohls (20% off coupon + Kohls cash!) + lunch with Maggie + Shiloh.  Grandma + Pa would stay at the house with Ivory, Carter + Larissa and we'd bring Timothy, Micah + Korban along with us.  Sadly Timothy was up half the night with a nasty stomach bug.  As much as I hated to leave Lynne on her own I knew I wasn't doing her any favors staying with my three kiddos while they were trying to rest + recuperate.  Hate that Lynne + Tim couldn't join us.

We did go ahead and head to Richmond for our little trip.  We found some good deals and then enjoyed lunch at Chipotle.  It was my first Chipotle experience and I must say it was a great one!  The boys did great and we enjoyed a visit to Maggie + Marc's apartment.  So adorable + well organized.  I felt so priviliged to pick out a few pieces of Maggie's *amazing* artwork to hang in my home!  I'm SO SUPER excited to hang it and post the pictures.  I already have a drawing hanging in my room that she did for Jason + I when we married.  I cherish that picture.  I love how we have pieces of the Ross' artwork all throughout our home.  We are blessed with many beautiful handmade gifts.  Love it.

The Ross home from the backside.  So many good summer memories of this place.  We visited Indiana every summer from the time I was a little girl until late in my teen years.  I just love that my kids are able to have as much fun here as we did growing up.  Micah woke up kind of early so was a little fussy still.  I let him watch Cars on his way over and was letting him watch a little more when we got there.  Well, his cousins quickly joined him and I just loved watching their cute little selfs all huddled together laughing + enjoying Micah's favorite scene in the movie--the tractor tipping. 
If I'm in the other room when this scene comes on Micah will come and get me and lead me by the hand to the living room so I can laugh with him.  So funny.

Love how Micah tries to include Carter in the fun and Carter simply wants to watch the movie.
Micah and Larissa would have a blast together if we only lived closer.
Grandma + Korban

Later that afternoon Audrey took Ivory for a horseback ride. Micah watching and wishing...he's such a softie for stuffed animals, hugging, kissing, and carrying them around. Love this view. Korban watching sister intently.  Ivory *loved* her horseback ride and even managed to squeeze another one in the day before we left.  Pa + Carter did lots of puzzles together.  Carter is quite a whiz with those puzzles! 
Mr. Ross = Papaw
Slide fun!
Indoor cousin play--absolutely loved watching the cousins play together this trip! Korban + Mommy spent lots of quality time together this week.  Loving the hat from Lynne--thanks for sharing Tim! Lynne was wonderful about giving Korban loving and Mommy a break.

Lynne + beautiful Rissa
Hated having to say goodbye to that sweet girl and her family.  They had to leave the next morning to head back up to Canada.  Why does Canada have to be so far away?!

Night time wind-down.
My kids always fell alseep quickly each night and slept well after such hard days of play.

Indiana :: Day 3

Day three brought lots of fun in the sun at Tim's house!  Lynne + Ben have a pool + a huge yard with fun outdoor toys.  Not going to lie, my kids also think Tim's toys are pretty awesome--especially Micah.  Trains, trucks, and cars--ya, he's one happy boy.  And can I just say Timothy did an *amazing* job sharing his home + toys + room with us all week?!  So impressed, Tim.

Pizza + pool fun!  We were also joined by Lynne's good friend, Emily, and her two cuties, Teagan + Charlette.
So ladylike.

Timothy!

Ivory in the frigid water with Gom Gom.  It was warm outside...not so in the water.

Korban even allowed some other people to hold him...for a short time. Carter + Micah enjoying Tim's slide + castle.
One of the perks of Daddy not joining us on this trip (basically the only perk) is that Micah actually wanted to spend time with Mommy.  Hooray for Mommy + Micah time!  Especially since Ivory hardly even knew I existed that week. 
The surprising thing is with all those little ones you'd imagine there would be a lot more of this: 

But really the crying was kept to a minimum.  They were too busy to cry much.

Korban began to allow Pa to keep him a little more each day.  This was nice when Mom wanted to actually eat with two free hands!
Teagan, Emily's cutie, joined right in the fun.  I fell in love with his blonde curls + precious little face.  This picture doesn't capture even a fraction of his cuteness. So Belle's dress was in dire need of repair.  Aunt PP volunteered her mom's superior sewing skills.  But, Ivory was very concerned about Belle being nakey while her dress was in repair.  Well, Aunt PP solved that with a quick project runway "make it work" moment whipping up this dress with scissors + a small scrap of fabric in mere minutes.  Impressive, Aunt PP.  Here's Audrey showing off Aunt PP's handiwork.  That night Mommy + Micah enjoyed some good snuggle time while watching his all time favorite movie Cars.   Micah patting the seat next to him, "Mommy sit?  Mommy sit.  Snuggle!"  How can I resist?!
Silly pictures for daddy!  We sure missed daddy.