A Day Off

Brian had a local work conference this week. Typically this would garner lots of groans and whiny questions like, "How long will you be gone?" and "It's how many days?"

But this time, he planned ahead and asked his parents to come stay with the kids for a night so I could go have one whole day all to myself at a beautiful waterfront resort!

As I've said here many, many times, I adore my kids. I love being a stay-at-home mom. I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing during their formative years. But on the same note, sometimes doing the same things day in and day out can feel a bit like running on a hamster wheel.

What I'm saying is, I love being with my kids every day. But it's really, really important for me to also have a little "me time" every once in a while.

The way I planned for this 24-hour "mini-vacation" one would have thought I was headed out for a week!

I went shopping and got a new magazine, my favorite snacks, a nice bottle of wine, and a great book that I've been wanting to read. I was all set!

When Brian's parents arrived, I quickly went over some kid instructions and then once Parker was happily distracted with Grandpa throwing stuffed animals at him... I was gone in a flash!

When I arrived at the resort, the woman at the front desk handed me a bag and said, "Your husband is so sweet. He dropped this off for you." I was surprised to find out that he had delivered a bag full of my favorite chocolates and other goodies that he knows I rarely indulge in. What a great guy I married!

Then, it was off to check out my room!

This is the view that greeted me when I walked into my room at Beso Del Sol:

The room was beautifully decorated with a tropical feel to it.

Great kitchen (even had a wine opener - love that)

Comfy king-sized bed

Very nice bathroom, although no tub. Boo.

Bath & Body Works travel essentials. It's the small things that get me! :)

After I checked in, I immediately threw on my bathing suit and headed to the pool for some lunch and reading by the water.

The view went on forever!

After some time in the sun, I headed back up to the room and took a nap. I never get to nap! This was such a luxury for me.

Then I took my sweet time getting showered and ready for the evening. I even had the chance to sit down and call my grandmother and have a 40 minute phone call with her. It was so nice to actually talk to her without being interrupted by little people, or feeling like I was under a time crunch.

Then Brian called and said he was coming to meet me at the resort's poolside bar for a drink before we headed to their company dinner that night. We had such a nice time enjoying the view and catching up.

Another guest saw us trying to take a self-portrait with our camera and graciously came over and said, "I'm a photographer, why don't you let me do that for you?"

We had a very nice dinner that evening with Brian's business partners and then headed back to the hotel. There was a huge storm that rolled in and we sat on the balcony and watched the lightning and rain off in the distance. It was quite a show!

The next morning, Brian left to go back to his conference long before I even got out of bed. I enjoyed lingering under the covers while the sun did its best to peek through the thick velvet-backed curtains. Of course, my mommy-trained body couldn't sleep past 7:30, so I got up and made some coffee and enjoyed the beautiful calm waters outside on our balcony.

Upon checking out, I almost felt sad closing the door behind me. Wishing I had another day of calm relaxation. I am hoping next time, we can get away for at least two nights. Although I was so very grateful for the 24 hours of pure "me time" that this mini vacation afforded me.

So, to all of you moms out there. I highly recommend scheduling a little quiet time for yourselves this summer. With all of the hustle and bustle that comes along with having the kids out of school, it's so important to recharge our own batteries. Even if it's just for a couple hours to go sit in a dark movie theater, or enjoying a massage at a local spa. I promise, you'll be happy you did!

4th of July T-shirt Idea

Popping in quickly today to share a fun, inexpensive 4th of July t-shirt idea.

Have you ever used these Avery dark fabric transfer papers? 

 

They are so great! You simply create an image on your computer, then print it right on to these transfer papers using your computer printer. Then cut out your image and iron it on to virtually anything!

I used these papers back in October to make the boys Halloween t-shirts. I loved them so much, I went back to my favorite Etsy shop and ordered up these cute 4th of July designs (of course the ones I ordered say "Payton" and "Parker"):

This adorable Etsy shop is called "tnmomof2" and she makes images for just about every occasion you can imagine. Simply tell her the name and font you want her to use and she will email you the jpg image within days. All for just $2.50!

Of course if you are crafty or artsy, you could probably create your own design for free!

How cute are these shirts??

I can't wait to see these on the boys on the 4th of July!

Lately...

As you may have noticed, my blog posts have slowed down a bit.
I believe this is how it will roll for the rest of the summer. If I get two, maybe three posts in a week, I'll consider it a "good week" for the blog.
When school is in session, I typically blog while Parker is napping. But now that Payton is home, I like to spend Parker's nap time with him; playing games or reading next to each other on the couch. So blogging has taken a backseat. Which I'm totally okay with.

One thing that I am still trying to keep up with, is taking lots of pictures. They're almost always taken with my phone, but they capture fun memories from this summer and sweet moments that are always gone in a flash.

Here are some pictures from this week...

Parker found Payton's old rain boots in the garage and decided to wear them around all day. And no...it wasn't raining. :)

Payton got the Wii game, "Just Dance 4" this week. He's been playing it for a while at his friend, Avery's house, but has been begging to have his own game.

I figure it's physical activity, so why not?

(Plus... I really love playing it too!)

Payton & Avery bustin' a move while playing "Just Dance" on the Wii.

The boys have a new favorite activity: couch jumping.

They remove all the couch cushions and then jump from couch to couch.

I wonder how long until someone breaks a spring??

 

 Mocha had her first play date this week.

Payton's long-time friend Lilly has a guinea pig named Melody. Ever since we got Mocha we've been talking about getting them together. So, this week we finally did.

And they had a ball!

Parker got a funny t-shirt this week that says, "I do all my own stunts" and has a cape attached to the back of it. It's just so appropriate for him! When he wears it he runs around screaming "Super Bunny!!!!"

Payton attended Vacation Bible School this week.

He had an absolute ball! He met new friends, he learned great lessons and songs, and created cute artwork.

The last day, the kids all go up front in the sanctuary and perform the songs they learned all week.

Of course, Payton was right up front showing off his dance moves! :)

Parker has been obsessed with his wooden Melissa & Doug pretend food toys lately.

He has a birthday cake set and a cookie set. He has birthday parties for his stuffed animals and then hands out cake and cookies to us. It's so. darn. cute.

Last night, we went to a going away party for some good friends of ours. They are moving to DC and we are really going to miss them. Fortunately, they've given us an open invitation to come visit anytime. I think I see a trip to DC in our future!

My friend Bethany (far left) will be moving to DC in a week. Boo...hoo...

That's all for now. But stay tuned, because I have a cute 4th of July t-shirt idea for the kiddos that I'm going to share next.

Have a great weekend!

Dear Summertime: How I Love/Hate Thee...

Dear Summertime,
I love so many aspects of your season.
You provide leisurely mornings where I do not feel rushed to do a single thing.
You allow for a more relaxed evening schedule as well, which entices us to go out for ice cream, stay at friend's houses later than normal, and play well past bedtimes.
The endless days we get to spend at the pool are priceless and filled with laughter. (And the kids are so worn out by the evenings, I rarely have to convince anyone it's bedtime.)

But, oh Summer... how you have tricked me this year.

Those leisurely mornings have caused me to skip out on the gym more than a couple times.
Those late nights with friends leave me feeling tired the next day struggling to keep up with two kids.
And the pool... well, I still love the pool, but every day? Come on Summer... can't we have just one day filled with thunderstorms that force us to curl up on the couch and watch movies? Just one day, that's all I'm asking.

And oh, one other thing Summer...what the heck happened to my house since you arrived??
It seems like nothing ever gets finished.

I start rinsing off the fresh fruit and then it sits in the sink all afternoon never to be put away.

(and yes, the other side of the sink has dirty dishes in it)

I make my bed in the morning, only to find it completely un-done and filled with stuffed animals two hours later.

I wash the pillow cover to Payton's chair (because the gosh darn bunny peed on it) and instead of putting it back on, it sadly sits on the playroom floor...just waiting for someone to put it back together.

 

I also washed the curtains in the bathroom (because the freaking bunny and my 2-year old peed on them) and yet they sit, sprawled out across multiple chairs in the kitchen waiting to be re-hung.

Oh Summer. How I love so much of what you have to offer, and yet found myself dreaming about the fall yesterday. School for both boys. Cooler weather. TWO planned vacations. Holidays. Pumpkin Spice Lattes...

Okay, Stacy. SNAP OUT OF IT!
I think I better just suck it up and choose to look on the bright side of you Summer (pun intended).

I will choose to relish the spontaneous beach trips.

I will choose to savor the warm evenings spent outside among friends with a glass of wine in one hand, and perhaps a sparkler or a s'more in the other.

And I will choose to stop...and inhale the sweet mixture of bug spray and suntan lotion on my children's necks when they come in for a hug.

So Summer, I have now decided... I still really do love you.
Now you'll have to excuse me as I attempt to go put my house back together...

Father's Day Weekend

Yes, I love an excuse to celebrate. Especially if it involves pretty card stock paper, a reason to use glitter or ribbons, and fancy glassware. This weekend was not one of those types of celebrations.

Instead, it involved steak, a charcoal BBQ grill, the beach, ESPN, and lots of kid time. All of which was just great with me.

We kicked off Father's Day weekend on Thursday night with a date night. Boy, did we need a date night. With two small children who require expensive babysitting fees, and busy work/family schedules, it's hard to carve out an evening for just the two of us. But when we do, I remember why every marriage conference and counselor we've ever been to says it's VITAL to have date nights.

I love Brian. And I love our lives that we've created together. Our little offspring running around the house every day wanting to be "sandwich hugged" by us when they see us embracing in the kitchen. I love it.

But I also love just being alone one-on-one, away from the house, away from our everyday life, sitting across the table from each other, with nothing but good conversation and a laughter to fill the space between us. We reconnect. We share thoughts and recent stories that we've forgotten to tell the other one.

And on this particular night, we sat outside as the warm breeze offered the perfect environment to enjoy a couple glasses of wine, some amazing food, and the calming sounds of a steel drum band.

It was a lovely evening and a great week to say "thank you" to my hubby who does so much for our family.

Early Saturday morning, we packed up and crossed off another "Father's Day Weekend Must-Do"... go to the beach! The skies were a bit overcast, so the beach wasn't too crowded and it wasn't too hot. Just lots of waves for Payton & Avery to boogie board on, and lots of sea life available for the kids to collect and investigate.

Parker played with this empty dish detergent bottle almost the entire time. Go figure.

Lots of coquinas and sand fleas for the kids to collect. And good drip castle building for Parker.

Sweet Daddy time.

Then on Sunday afternoon, we all gave Brian our Father's Day cards and crafts (one of which was a crown made by Payton).

The boys were so proud to shower him in their handmade love. These are the moments that just melt my heart as a Mom. They wanted to do nothing more than show their Daddy how much he means to them.

After a few afternoon showered passed, we headed to our local pool where they just recently installed a water slide. The boys absolutely love it and will go down it 50 times in a row. And eventually, they convinced good ol Dad to go down it as well!

He's such a good sport!

We finished up the weekend by grilling out steaks and corn and enjoying a great family meal together. I do believe Brian felt very loved.

He's such an incredible father to our two boys. I thank God for giving me a man who is teaching them to respect women, to be fearless and not be afraid to make mistakes, and most importantly, to love God. Happy Father's Day Brian! We love you so much.

Last-Minute Father's Day Ideas {Free Printables}

Okay hubby... if you're reading this post, please hit the "close" button and then delete it. I would hate to ruin your cute Father's Day surprises from the kiddos.

Now that that's out of the way...

I thought I'd share some super easy, super cute Father's Day printables with you in case you're still looking for a last-minute gift for your Man.

Here's one that I printed off for Payton to give to Brian.

I love it because he could use his own words and his own thoughts to express why he loves his Dad so much.

 

You can print it off here.

Another one that I love is this adorable pennant banner.

How fun would it be to hang this the night before and surprise your hubs in the morning?

You can download it here.

If you don't feel like making anything, but have enough kiddos to do this pose, how cute would it be to frame this picture for your husband's office?

And if you'd rather not shell out $6 or more at Hallmark, you can download these awesomely designed cards from TomKat Studios for free!

Here is the link to the cards.

And if you wanted to dress up your Father's Day brunch table, how about this adorable sign you could print off and frame?

Just click here to download the 8x10 image and many other matching Father's Day decorations.

Okay, that should get you well on your way for some fun Father's Day projects.

Hope everyone has fun celebrating their special Men on Father's Day!

Summer Reading

We've started to settle into our new summertime groove around here.

Slow and steady.

Nothing too structured. Nothing too stressful. Just laid back activities that feel like slipping into your favorite sandals and going for a nice stroll around the neighborhood while a warm breeze floats along your shoulders.

We've had plenty of fun playdates, but we've also instituted the "Summer Electronics Rules" which leads to much more reading and writing around this house than is ever done during the school year.

Payton loves to read. He truly does. But if he had the choice between reading and the computer... he'll choose the computer every. single. time.

So, the fact that I've already spent $4 for a book on his Kindle and picked up 4 more reserved books at the library for his 3rd grade reading challenge (more on that later), shows that he's consuming books like they were crunchy, orange Cheetos.

Since Payton pretty much has to read a few times throughout the day, I thought it would be good for Parker to start reading at the same time. Of course, he can't really read, but I can read to him, or he can flip through the pages of his favorite books and enjoy the process of looking at books.

So, now we have "QRT" each day.

Quiet Reading Time consists of at least a few minutes of Parker looking at books on his own, and then me reading a few to him. All the while, Payton is reading his own book, either near us or in his room.

This allows me some quiet time in the house   which is few and far between these days - and it gives both boys a set time to really get used to reading.

Payton developed a love for reading very early on and I am praying Parker does the same.

You may remember this reading rewards chart we used last summer. It worked really well, but this year, I'm planing something a little different.

Next school year, Payton wants to participate in the school's "Battle of the Books" which is basically a reading comprehension contest made up of teams of students. So, along with his report card, we received a list of all the books that will be included in next year's 3rd grade Battle of the Books.

So instead of instituting a reading rewards chart, basically, Payton is just going to read through all of these "Battle Books" and when those are completed he gets a reward. He'll get to choose the reward, and since some of these books are quite lengthy, the reward will be significant. Probably a visit to a theme park.

But for those of you who are looking for other reading rewards systems for the summer, I highly encourage you to check out your local library, where I found two great reading programs - one of which rewards the child with a free Rays baseball ticket if they read 72 hours this summer! Not a bad incentive!

Of course, you can also just Google "Reading Reward Charts" and you'll have a plethora of choices from companies who encourage kids to read (e.g. Chuck E. Cheese has a rewards chart that gives the kids free tokens), to crafty moms who have come up with fun rewards charts like this one from Chicken Babies where you put reward tickets inside of balloons and then let the kids pop them when they achieve certain reading goals.

Point is, there are so many options out there to help encourage your children to read this summer. And trust me, there's nothing more beautiful than the sound of quiet reading during a long summer day.

Here's to more reading and less computers this summer! 

Oh... and what will I be reading this summer? Well, I just finished up "Bloom" by Kelle Hampton, and I am waiting for my library to get in "Carry On Warrior" by Glennon Doyle Melton, "Daring Greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead" by Brene Brown. My mom also gave me "While We Were Watching Downton Abbey" by Wendy Wax. Lots of different types of books for my variety-seeking mind to devour. What will you be reading this summer?

Last Day of School - A Recap

The last day of school was filled with so much fun, partying and friends, I am exhausted just thinking about it. But what a FUN weekend we've had celebrating the kick-off to summer vacation!

We started it all off with a special breakfast Friday morning:

No, I didn't let him eat the candy bar for breakfast. :)

The kids only had school for a half day, so when they came home, we greeted them with an all-out surprise water attack! It was SO much fun to ambush them as they came happily riding home on their bikes.

Payton rides to school every day with our neighbor Avery, so her family and ours hid behind the brick entry wall to our neighborhood with all sorts of water guns, water-soaked sponges and buckets of water.

Here we are waiting to surprise them.

The minute they came around the corner we soaked them!

To be fair, we let them have their own bucket of sponges, etc. and they definitely retaliated!

It was SUCH fun!

The kids then immediately jumped into the DeAngelo's pool - clothes and all! And soon after, many of the neighbors arrived bearing lots of food and good times.

Payton & his buddy, Macklin.

Parker enjoyed the cupcakes!

The party went on well into the evening and we took two very tired kids home and crashed.

Of course the party started back up the next afternoon and the kids swam and played and ate lots of sweet Florida corn on the cob.

By Sunday we were all a little pooped, so a night in was just what we needed. God helped set the scene with dark skies and lots of thunder and lightening. Perfect for watching a movie, making popcorn and setting up a HUGE fort!

A great way to end a wild weekend.

Oh, and I have to share a couple of cute bunny pics before I "sign off."

Our little Mocha is growing like a weed! I bet she's doubled in size since we got her only a few short weeks ago. She eats a LOT and loves to run around the house.

And she is finally starting to play with the boys.

At night she loves to hop around and sniff and nibble on your clothes. Then she'll stand up on your leg, or head - depending on how you're laying - and sniff all over you. It's really cute.

This boy LOVES his bunny.

 

Tomorrow is the first official week day of summer vacation!

We're dog sitting, but other than that, there is not one single thing on the calendar.

I wonder if I'll be pulling my hair out by 5 p.m. or relishing in the slow pace of things... we'll see!

Happy Monday y'all!