Mommy, how do you write...

As the summer heat wave continues to take its toll on us all my sweet Ethan continues to beg to play outside. This morning when he asked could we sit outside and watch the garbage truck go by I decided that at 8:00 in the morning it would be cool enough to do this. As we sat there waiting Ethan asked if he could draw with side walk chalk. Since it was still somewhat cool we got out the chalk and Ethan began to write and draw. First he started with his name. Then he said, "I am going to write Ella's name now." As I watched his chubby little hand make the giant letters Ella on the side walk I was so proud of him. After he wrote Ella's name he decided he wanted to write his last name. He said, "Mommy, you spell Tomko, T-o-m-k-o, but how do you write it?" So I walked him through the letters. Then he decided he wanted to write everyone's name he could think of. "Mommy, how do you write mommy, daddy, Noonie, Granny C, Grandpa, Frank, Micah, Tracie, and on and on and on he went down the sidewalk. Our sidewalk is the prettiest sidewalk I have ever seen. It is covered in the cutest and largest letters that only a three year old boy could create. It is colored in shades of blue, purple, and pink letters of the names of all the people Ethan loves. The teacher in me smiled and the mommy in me teared up a little as my sweet boy became a writer today.

Fast Friends

One of my favorite people in the whole world is my dear friend Shawnee. She and her husband Rich (Og) live in Pittsburgh with their two darling children Drew and Ryland. We rarely get to see one another, but when we call each other on the phone to chat we pick up right where we left off. So, I couldn't have been happier when she called to say they would be heading through Cornelius on their way home from Charleston. They stopped at our house to spend the day (and night) with us. What fun we had! Drew and Ethan immediately became fast friends. They played as if they have always known one another. To their delight they also got to have their first sleep over! We pulled out Ethan's trundle and Drew and Ethan both slept together in the same room. They both thought they were really big stuff and were so excited to have a sleep over. Ella thought it was fantastic to finally have a girl to play with! She followed Ryland around watching and copying her every move! We spent the day at the pool (not quite the same as when Shawnee and I would raft at the pool at the Oaks but close enough!) Our house felt empty when they left and a little piece of me went back to Pittsburgh with them. It was so wonderful to spend time with them and so sad to say goodbye. I often wish I had a pair of Dorothy's ruby red slippers so that Shawnee and I could always hang out because when we are together my heart always feels like it is home!

Beach Days

Memories of the week that went by too fast...

Laughing, smiling, sleepless nights, early rising, waves crashing, little feet in sinking sand.

Turtle eggs not quite ready to hatch, tide pools all warm and cozy just right for little hands.

Glistening water, family dinners, breath taking sunsets, bike rides on the island, holes we dug in the sand.

Warm sunshine, tan little bodies, putt putt for the fun of it!

Precious time spent with family, our 7th anniversary dinner, cake and ice cream for Uncle Noonie's 23rd, crab nuggets at Dockside.

Baths in the outside shower, dinner at Kiva Grill, playing cars and lots of Uno, our days at Figure 8 we will never forget!