We had the best day with Poppa and Rara the Friday before school started at Hawaiian Falls!  Although Mike had to work, we were three adults to three kids, so it worked out great, and we had a lot of fun!  Anna Kate wanted me to tell you guys she was pretending to be a mermaid in this picture!  

 

Noelle was as happy as could be!  She knew this was her last day of summer, and she wasn’t going to miss a thing!

Waterfalls with Poppa and Rara!

Rose “swimming” with her little mermaid doll.  We got those silly little mermaids at the Dollar Tree (they were 2/$1), and we’ve enjoyed them all summer!  Last time I checked, they were still there in the toy section.  They are in a hanging package if you’re interested for next summer.  Buy ahead people; that’s how we keep these girls clothed! (and entertained, ha!)

 

We’re just the Pond girls (and Poppa), having a good time, having a good time, having a good time (no I didn’t).

Never in a million years dreamed our summer would end with Anna Kate swimming!!!  Granted, she isn’t taking breaths yet and going back in for more, but she’s holding her breath underwater, and moving without touching the bottom!  We are beyond proud of this girl!  This was a HUGE learning summer in the water for her.  Go Anna Kate!!!

Every time Noelle came down a slide, she would strike a pose.  Each time was different.  She’s so funny!

Rose loves the water too (as long as she can touch)!

 

I love these pictures!

Nothing happier in my world that this right here!

And this!  Although, Anna Kate had fun learning to swim this summer, she didn’t do anything else at Hawaiian Falls!  She was terrified of ALL of the slides; even the ones she had fun on last summer.  I’m not sure what’s up with that, but Rara kept her in the wave pool most of the time, and she was in heaven!

 

Noelle has a new 0 tolerance policy for “toddler tantrums!”  Rose knew she was playing with her, and they were screaming and having so much fun joking around about when Rose is really upset (pics to come at the end of this post of that number).

  

 

It’s so funny how Noelle was even copying the way Rose holds her hands when she screams!  Noelle really cracked Rose up, and Rose kept on pretend screaming.  It was too funny!

Rara has the best eyes in the water.  She said her mom, my Granny, did too!  Anytime I saw a kid going too far in the deep in, she was already on it.  Going with Mom and Dad was the only option; these girls are too special to take a chance, and I know my limits, but they love it so much, and it works out perfectly, because they love spending time with Poppa and Rara too!

 

More sassiness from our diva girl!

So about Rose, well, yay!  We’ve discovered this summer, she is quite the dare-devil!  She didn’t even know what the big slides were called (she called them big rainbows), but she wanted them!!!  She kept saying “I go!  I go big rainbow!”

  

After sliding down the little slides a million times, she was ready to move on!

And Noelle kept posing!

We ran into one of Noelle’s cheer friends, Kinsley!  Can’t wait for their first game!  We’re going to have lots of fun with Kinsley this fall!

 

These were the big rainbows Rose wanted to ride on, but they were just too big for this Momma, so Poppa tried to cure her curiosity with letting her be up in all the action.  It didn’t work.

 

 

Rara was so sweet to take a picture of me and the girls!  She begged.  This was a day I was not feeling so great, but I’ll do absolutely anything for a good time with my kids, so I put myself aside, and enjoyed this happy day in the sun I was privileged to share with these amazing loved ones!

 

And then this happened.  Rose.  Rose. Rose.  She finally talked me into it.  I was so scared.  She was not.  Poppa was cool with it, so down we went.  Rara snapped these shots!  She went down with Poppa next.  And wanted to go again and again.  We left the “big rainbows” in tears because all we wanted was more of all that action!

 

Cutie Kate knows how to turn on the charm, and Poppa and Rara came to play, play, play!  We were getting our money’s worth today (all $14, thank you very much)!

 

Noelle has attempted this obstacle course every summer and has fallen somewhere in the middle each year.  As I watched the bigger kids go before her, I knew there’d be no way.  I even told mom, she won’t be able to do it, but it will be good for her to try.   

 

And then step after step…

  

lo and behold…

She held on tight and made it all the way across!  I must have looked like a fool, because I was screaming, “You did it!”  with my camera in the air.  I was going nuts and didn’t care.  My baby did it!  Simply awesome!  After years of trying to do something, you know how good it must have felt for her to finally reach her goal, after all that time.  She motivates me for sure.   So proud of Noelle!

 

And then this happened, ugh!  Sorry Mom.

 

It’s all show.  She went from putting on this upset face (left pic), to being interested in getting into something else (water fountain), right pic.  She is such a ham and knows when to turn it on!  I don’t put up with screaming when we leave.  She always gets in trouble for that, no exceptions!

But we had fun joking around with her about this little bit that she does.  You can tell she’s done it before, because the big sissies knew exactly how to imitate her.  We make light of sweet Rose and her terrible 2’s.  I was too mortified to put any terrible pictures of the other two on the blog, so she’s getting the last laugh from all of them being 2.  I realized somewhere along the way, they will grow out of it, and humor is better than getting all bent out of shape over it!

Poppa just had a birthday, and we hope you had a good one!  Thank you Poppa and Rara for coming to spend the day with us at Hawaiian Falls.  It was so much fun, and the girls will never forget it!  Also, thank you for taking Rose home one last time so we could get through back to school obligations.  She loves every minute with you guys!

How fitting!  Let’s reflect on calmer days, shall we!?!  This bundle still melts my heart!  At dinner tonight, she asked me to cut up her meatball.  After I did, she said, “Thank you so much, Mommy!  I hug you!”  And then she leaned over a gave me the biggest hug she knew how to give.  Sweet sweet baby!

 

Really Rose?  Can ya help a Momma out?

This will probably go down as the most physically difficult summer, simply because the messes were not avoidable.  The big girls asked for crafts while Rose was around and that always led to trouble.  She is so fast!  As much as I tried to have everything separated, such as the house baby proofed, things that could cause this on top shelves, something always fell through the cracks that I didn’t think of. 

And this.

 

At least some of the orange made it on the paper!

I made Rose sit buckled in her high chair while the big girls and I swept up the rhinestones.  She wanted to help and would have been entertained to do so, so she wasn’t getting that kind of reward for her behavior.  She had to sit there and watch, bored to tears.  I know her pouty face is cute, but this happened over two weeks ago, and as I look at the pics, I still feel frustrated. 

 

These are the baby wipes I used to wipe all the orange off her body before I put her in the bathtub after everything was cleaned up off of the floor.  As I was cleaning her legs and talking to her, I decided in that moment that I was going to try to make something good come out of all of this.  I kept saying the word “orange” as I was talking to her.  “Why did you mark with orange?”  “This is too much orange?”  “Orange marker is all over you!!!”  Finally, I asked her what color was all over her body, and she happily yelled (like I know, I know), “PINK!”  Standard.  I did laugh about that.  At least she was trying.

Oh Rose, I love you so much!  If I followed you around 24/7 every day, it would be humanly impossible.  You are too fast and too sneaky.  Can you please give the rest of the family (particularly Mommy and Daddy) some of your unending energy!  Since you’re the third child, I’m probably not as consistent with you (you probably get away with more), we’re tired, and you’re so stinkin’ cute!  Mommy will keep trying to get through this phase, but can you help me out a little?  If you read this when you are older, know that I’m totally crazy madly in love with you, and that’s part of the problem.  Your love is blinding… but also, hear me, future Rose, you were a little toot when you were 2, so if you get a crazy 2 year old, just know that you paid it forward on that one, kid.  Love you to the moon and back forever and ever, Mommy

 

Autumn, Carson, and Noelle jumping into the pool at Carson’s birthday!

 

Emily, Noelle, and Jake

Jacob and Noelle dancing, Gangnam Style

Noelle, Carson, and Brianna

Last weekend, the 2nd grade kiddos had a blast celebrating Carson’s birthday, luau style in her beautiful back yard!  Carson is one of Noelle’s best friends, for sure!  I mean, look how much fun they have together!  So thankful for Carson in our lives!

Noelle painted this beautiful cross canvas this summer, and I finally photographed it to show you guys.  Of course, it’s hanging on the wall in her room, and she is very proud of her thoughtful creation!  I like all of the movement.  I think it tells a beautiful story, one so near to us.

 

Anna Kate’s Build-A-Bear, Betsy, had her first baby last week (Fiona doll, ha)!  Aunt Noelle couldn’t wait to get to the hospital to meet her!

 

Since Anna Kate is Betsy’s Mom, Fiona is Anna Kate’s grand daughter, so Anna Kate was playing the part up big, acting like an old lady.  She’s always loved this little bit, so today, cane and all, she was as happy as she could be.  I wish I lived in Anna Kate’s imagination.  I know it’s so fun in there! 

I’ve started writing for my blog that is based on my journey and struggle with fibromyalgia.  I’m not ready to share the address yet, because I am still trying to figure some things out, but in the meantime, I shared one of my posts with my dear friend and pastor, Phil Shepherd, as a guest post for his blog.  If you want a sneak peek into my world, check it out.  It’s written to you guys, my blog readers, so hopefully it will be meaningful to you and bless you where ever you are today with your “something.”

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/whiskeypreacher/2013/08/everyone-has-something-guest-post/

 

How is my biggest baby already in 2nd grade!?!  To say that I was sad today is an understatement.  This is another grade, another story, another chapter.  We’ve finished out summer strong (pics of the last of our summer fun to follow), and now it’s time for this girl to get back to all the awesome things she is learning after such a memorable summer break; one I know I will never forget!  She was my right-hand, my buddy, my company, my laughs, my snuggles… I will miss her every day, that’s for sure! 

Now it’s time to get back to making my last one-on-one memories with our baby girls, especially before Anna Kate is whisked off to school for the rest of her life next year!  These girls are growing up too fast!  I want to freeze time!  Ahh, already missing my girl!  Off to keep myself busy with lots of things that need to be done… while Anna Kate finishes up watching, The Grinch!

  

Noelle spent all morning one summer day in August dressing all the Pond girls up like nerds for our very own “Nerd Day!”  They had so much fun!  I didn’t have anything to do with anything about the way they look.  Every detail was created and implemented by the one in the blue/white striped shirt!  The littles loved all of the wardrobe changes, make-up, hair accessories and special attention!  After they were all dressed up, we had a dance party and photo shoot!  This day was one of my favorites this summer!  Everyone was smiley, happy, easy-going, we had no where to be; we were just enjoying life and being together.  We have sweet girls that make super cute nerds, and I’m so proud of them for being creative and making their own fun!

  

I’m tearing up just thinking about how much I’m going to miss my little diva when school starts on Monday!!!  We have had the best summer cuddling and spending almost every second together!  She’s my right hand and knows what my left hand is doing.  We both have super tender hearts and care so much for others.  We love hard and hurt hard… and that’s just who we are.  Our relationship is powerful because we just get each other.  She’s actually helped me learn how I tick and understand myself better.  You could say she’s a Mommy’s girl because she’s gotta have me, but she runs to the back door when Mike comes home every day, so thankful to see her Daddy.  She’s a grateful kid, for sure.  She’s mature beyond her years, loves listening to adults talk and understands people, their hurts, pains and situations like you wouldn’t believe.  Her empathy knows no bounds and her love language is gift giving.  She’s already got a Christmas present under her bed right now!  I get a note, picture or craft every single day.  She expresses herself through art.  She’s rather draw a picture than do almost anything.  When she gets super angry, she’ll write me a letter.  That’s her channel of communication.  That and lots and lots of hugs.  Noelle will never reject a hug or opportunity to cuddle.  She craves it, and I treasure it!  She’s always the first to want to help, and every time I call her name, she cheerfully bounces to me to see what I need.  We’ve arrived at the sweet spot with Noelle, and I’m loving every minute!  Now she’s not allowed to get any older!  It would be A okay with me if she stayed 7 forever!  Although I’m not sad like kindergarten sad that she is going back to school, I will miss her every single day all year long!

Noelle, you are awesome!  I’m so excited for you to be in 2nd grade, to keep growing and learning and doing your thing!  I don’t know what we are going to do with you.  Your talents are so vast and so unique and different.  I pray hard that we can find the right outlets to help you thrive at what you do best, which is fashion and all things super creative and fancy!  You were born a little fashionista, and I just sit back and take notes with you!  Thank you for all of your help with the littles this summer.  You have been an incredible big sister to Anna Kate and Rose, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without all of your smirks, giggles when they were screaming like, “Here we go again!  At least I have to listen to it too, Mom!  You’re not alone in this craziness!”, assistance in cleaning up Rose’s insane messes, hugs, kisses, and just being your happy bubbly little self.  You are so little and so big all at the same time!  You are such a sweet little bundle, and I’m so in love with you!  Never grow up!  ~Mommy