Summer Has Begun!

Whoooooooo-hoooooo! School is officially out and we have been on Summer break for exactly 2 weeks! It feels great.... Like, amazing actually. Getting out of school is just as exciting for me as a Mom as it was when I was younger.  Kids just don't realize how much a Mom does for them for school; I know I never realized it! Being a Mom during the school year is EXHAUSTING! But we have 85 days until School starts back up again and we are going to squeeze out every ounce of Summer and soak up as much sun as possible!

Piper had a little graduation ceremony at the park on the last day of school.  Her teachers were SO, SOOOOO amazing this year.  She couldn't have had a better first year. She was so nervous for Pre-K but ended up loving it SO much that she cried on the last day of school because she didn't want it to be over.  I just know Heavenly Father was looking out for her because she needed Mrs. Cotton (and Mrs. Mace- the assistant-) in her life BIG TIME.  Mrs. Cotton absolutely adored Piper and Pi killed her end-of-the-year tests as well!  She is crazy smart!  It was a perfect year!  I cried saying goodbye to Mrs. Cotton!

(I have a picture of her in a cap and gown somewhere, but it's not digital so I couldn't post it)

Our first 2 weeks of Summer were amongst the busiest and now that they are over I feel like we get to start this relaxing business I've been dreaming about. 

As soon as the girls' leaped for joy out the doors of the school building on the last day we drove straight to Louisiana for a trip.  We dropped the kids off on Thursday night and the next day Shawn and I snuck away to NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) for 2 nights while Grammy and Paw Paw babysat. Now, I am known for taking too many pictures in general, but when we were just by ourselves we didn't take many.  We didn't have kids to pose in front of things and we actually just walked around hand-in-hand together with our phones put away (for the most part).  We took a few pictures here and there, but mostly it was just me and him treasuring being ALONE and unplugged and NOT seeing the world from behind a screen.  We cherish those times so, SO much and we really are trying harder to live "in the moment" and not let screens interfere too much.  We hardly ever get to go on dates so when we do we make the most of it.  I love that man!

Anyway, part of what we were really excited to do was eat good seafood- the kind NOLA is famous for.  Thanks to Nana Smidt and my parents, we were able to splurge on some REALLY delicious food (it was SO nice to not feel like we had to be pinching pennies one night!)!  It was SOOO good! We even got seafood stuffed egg rolls, which doesn't sound that great but OH MY GOSH! It was actually one of my favorite things we ate that night!  But, the chargrilled oysters can't be beat. YUM.  They shucked the oysters right there in front of us and picked us out the biggest ones.  They were HUGE!  It was so cool. We also waited in a LONG line at Cafe Du Monde for their famous Beignets. That is something I wish everyone could try at least once in their lives!

When we got back to Grammy and Paw Paws on Sunday we all had a big Memorial Day Crawfish Boil with the family.  You know me and crawfish.... I can't get enough! It's so good, you guys.... SO good.  My world was changed when I married my Southern man.  I have been blessed to experience so many different parts of the United States and I feel pretty lucky that Shawn's roots are in the Deep South/Bible Belt, because that's probably my favorite section of the nation (in terms of culture).  

Anyway, Aunt Christa and Uncle Matthew asked their nieces and nephews to be in their wedding in the cutest way and Christa asked me to be a Bridesmaid with a sweet, sentimental gift as well.  We are SO excited for them to tie the knot (in April of next year) and be a part of it!  We have loved Christa since day one and even though she isn't "officially" our Aunt/Sister, we have labeled her as such because she's such a sweet soul and we feel as though she's been family all along!

The graveyards here fascinate me so much! Each of these structures has dead people inside.  They can't be buried underground, because NOLA is below sea level! If they dig, they hit water.  It's bizarre!  There was a major flash-flood one afternoon that we were there and the water just shoots high out of the man-holes because it has nowhere to drain.  It floods instantly!  It was cool to see it happen! There is no draining there!  So all the man-holes throughout the city were just spraying water all over the streets. 

We took pictures of these horses for Piper because she LOVES horses.  One had flowers in her hair, and the other one had green "hoof-polish" on.... like nail polish, hehe!

 

Christa and I were excited to discover that our wedding rings were nearly identical! We have similar taste... you know, because we also fell in love with brothers ;-)

Honored to be asked to be a Bridesmaid! Love you Christa!

That dog is Maximus, Keke's dog.  They went and swam at Keke's one day and he joined them at Chuckie Cheese too, but we didn't get any pictures of them together.  Now he's back in Seattle and loving playing with the Sea Hawks!

A few days after we got back from Louisiana, the girls had their big annual Dance Recital (they are in the same class this year- tap and ballet).  It was precious.  I mean, just adorable.  The kind of thing where all the Mom's cry and film every second of it and the Dad's are filled with so much pride for their little princesses. Dance recitals are totally my favorite. Piper wants to do dance again next year and I can't wait!  Lucy, however, has chosen cheerleading.  Both are going to be beyond adorable!

Anyway, Grammy and Paw Paw drove over to visit so that they could attend the recital as well.  The girls loved having them here and we had some good times in their short visit (including lots of swim time!).

 

 This picture is actually their tap routine, but during dress rehearsals they only practiced in their ballet shoes.  But both dances were seriously cute!  And, during dress-rehearsals you can stand front and center and get all the pictures and videos you want!

Now that dance is over, the girls have started a month of tennis and that's all I have them signed up for this Summer.  Once Tennis is over we will not have anything else on the agenda.  That's the way I want my Summers to be- schedule free!  We get to stay home all of June and July this year, which isn't the norm for us.  The only other trip we have planned this Summer is to Coeur d'Alene to visit the sweetest lady in the whole entire world, Nana.  Oh, and Pops too- he's pretty amazing.  We can't WAIT to go stay in my childhood home.  Ok, I didn't LIVE there.... not entirely, anyway.  But, I feel like it's my childhood home.  I spent so much time there (and there actually was a period of time where I lived there when we were building a house) that it feels like home to me.  It is so special to me and I can not wait!

P.S.  Lucy had to go get a "bone-age" test after her 7 year old well-visit appointment because she is SO tiny!  She hasn't grown at the normal rate of a 6/7 year old and they just wanted to make sure that her body knew how old it was.  But, everything came back normal.  She is just extremely petite!

 I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer so far!!