Someone...I won't say who...saw this picture and checked it off as one more year's worth of birth control. The story goes: This summer I started trying to keep everything ( or get everything) in order. I slowly started to go insane and get really crabby and my house started to slowly become more and more neglected. You see...you have to neglect something when you are given a choice because if you are saying yes to one thing...you are most likely saying no to another thing (thanks to Zach for the wise words and Julie S for reminding me!). I decided to say no to my house and yes to my kids for a bit...
Mind you, please do not think that this is a permanent state of my living room. I have since consolidated the toys, moved things around, stored other things, made Owen take his naps in his room, and been able to clean up a bit and play with my kids without going insane.
I've been asked about my summer quite a bit and I can now answer this way: my summer has been awesome! I did spend a lot of time as property manager, but I also planned lots of trips and playdates with my kids. I cooked good meals and realized how much I like to cook and wish I were better. I realized how much I want a garden next year and how naps are a gift from God. It took more than half of my summer to realize that Owen is happiest when I just get down and PLAY with him. I learned to shoot robots out of the closet, read really long books really fast because Owen can't tell when I am skipping parts (yet!), and how much fun a sprinkler really is. I learned that my TWO kids are great and God gave them just to me. He did not equip me to live anyone else's life and He did not equip anyone else to live my life. Contentment is also a gift from God...Owen has been having a hard time learning that, "I WANT something" is selfish because God has already given us so much. He is learning though. I go back to work on Monday to do some training of 8th grade mentors...then inservice next week...then we start school after labor day...my summer is officially over. Am I sad? I can't be. This is my life. I can't wish it to be any other way. So how was my summer being a stay at home mom? I wasn't a stay at home mom. I am a teacher who gets her summers off. The transition ( and the reality of it) is too much to place expectations that I can be something I am not. I have truly loved being home and have truly grown in my love for my children (whom I will dearly miss when I go back to work). One benefit of being a teacher: I have the hope of another year...HITTING THE REFRESH BUTTON EACH YEAR! What other profession or life situation do you get to do that? :-) And then the built in vacations, off at 3:30 each day, every weekend off, and then summer! Here we go!
Gabby and Owen doing their own thing at the park! both barefoot...gabby's first time eating sand! :-)
Since Gabby has been sittin' pretty for a bit now, we decided it was time to take her first bath, "all by herself" She did alright! it got a bit slippery, though, especially when she tried rolling onto her belly. She loved it! Splashin' and rollin'. What fun!
If anyone is wondering what Granny Nanny looks like with her eyes open, here she is! It is a rare sight to get a picture of Nanny with her eyes open...the hint? Take it outside in good light so the flash doesn't go off and the sun is not in her face! :-)
And...if anyone is wondering the right way and the best way to enjoy a s'more, just watch and learn from the best! After all, Gramma Mimi has had 80-some years of practice!
Owen is taking lessons from the best!
Just sayin' hi! 
I dressed Owen in pink for the first time...a guy can wear pink, hey? :-) I think it is a great color for a boy...and I think Owen is all boy! 
Gabby is in pink quite a bit...even her jammies are pink! Her eyes are catching up to Owen's as the bluest ever, but her skin is a bit paler with her lips a bit thinner. Other than that...they are definitely siblings!
Can you tell which one is Gabby and which one is Owen??? 
In motion...MOMMA, MOMMA, MOMMA!
The Milwaukee Zoo is always a favorite destination when we travel to Gramma's and Grampa's. Owen's "swimming" cousins came to see us there...and the bears put on a show!
We rode the little train around the zoo...one of Owen's favorites! When we were done, he was reluctant to leave because he wanted to go again!
It did sprinkle on us for a bit, and there were times that Owen was more interested in the construction site...too funny...
Grampa helped him peek through the fence...
Owen loved carrying his own umbrella!
The main reason for the trip was to see Auntie Emmy! She did as much squeezing, cuddling, hugging, and loving that one auntie could possibly do...we miss you Auntie Emmy!
The Stella's and some other friends joined us while our cousins found a spot down aways. Cami slept through most of the parade, but Owen got enough candy to share...maybe in a few years! :-)
Owen has not developed a fear of clowns...when does that happen anyways??? :-)
There's mommy's float! Well, not really, but that is the A-H school district float and that's meaningful!
Grampa and Gabby had their shades well-placed!
Whew! Sure was fun and just long enough...as it was ending, owen turned to me and said, "let's go home." fun stuff!
Grampa sure worked hard cutting down trees for us...I'm sure glad he could enjoy a moment or two with little pinky! She sure loves her grampa! 
Yes...strange that my son wanted to have a picnic in the bathroom! Good thing I clean almost every day! :-)
There is one of those nasty trees! Owen did his share of helping...using his new wagon he could haul branches to the pile!
Gabby just hanging out...
I helped Owen rip into some really nice gifts! A favorite? The teeball set was a hit...literally. He's been launching balls over our heads ever since! He got some cute clothes and adorable books too! I can't wait til he is big enough to use the golf clubs he got too!
Owen got sloppy with sloppy joes and his cousins.
and...to top it all off?! Roger found him a CARS cake! And...he got to keep the cars for his collection too!
Three years old! Wow! I will say there is such a difference between 2 and 3...I think he is going to grow up so fast! He has always been very intense and I am not seeing that changing any time soon. I do see another similarity between Owen and Rog...when Rog was little, he was so shy around new people (I've been told he would cry when people would come up and talk to him at church). Owen clings and hides behind me when he meets someone new. But...Roger has grown to be quite an extrovert and very outgoing...he'll talk to anybody! So, I'll let Owen hide for now as he learns to meet and greet, but I have no worries about his development into a nice, friendly, wonderful boy!June 23rd...my precious little girl is 6 months old! 
Gabby is giggling at everything so she has a tendancy to make people feel really good about themselves and wrap mommies and daddies and grammas and grampas around her little finger. She wants to reach out and grab things like the skin fold in your neck or stroke your cheek like she wants a kiss. Her sweet temperament will have many fall in love with her. Oh, she is a beauty! Her latest nickname (from Gramma momma) is "Pinky". Butterball and all those other ones never stuck like "Pinky." Okay, so we call her Gabs and Gabby and Babe (with an emphasis on the e as Owen does). When it was just Owen, I didn't know how I was going to spread my love to another. It is not tough...Gabby is truly a gift from God...blessing upon blessing she is! Sovereign God is always good and always knows what He is doing. It is hard to ask for suffering, but that is when we really have to have faith that He is weaving an intricate plan to show Himself to us. Thank God for bringing me on this journey!
and...Owen is trying to use tools! :-) He saw me crawling under this thing to figure out how the toy worked...10 minutes later I saw him crawling under it himself with a screwdriver in hand. Oh, how I hope he learns...
Here is OJ helping me do the laundry...a couple years ago...
Here is Gabby smiling about bath time...
