holden.installment one

our beach vacation this year was the JAM! i have a ridiculous amount of pictures that could tell the story of our trip but i what i don't have is time or patience to post them. that will come at a later date mainly because we leave for camp TOMORROW. we got home, unpacked, and are now packing again. the boys are staying with marmie and poppie while matthew and i head to lee university for student life camp! 

i did want to post a few pictures from our trip with matthew's side of the family. the weather was beautiful, all the kids had a BLAST, and we got to enjoy each other for an entire week. we never fail to eat delicious food, have good conversation, take a lot of good walks, and play hard. 

we're having fun!

growth

tuck finally had his one year check up this morning. i knew it was going to be a doozy with shots and the fact that he doesn't really like other people "messing with him." so i was really dreading it.


 last time we had a trip to the doctor he screamed his head off from the moment i put him on the scale for them to weigh him through the ENTIRE visit.  this time, however, he giggled and talked the entire time. he flirted with dr. queen and was more than delightful...even with the shot he got today and the finger prick for iron. just a few initial tears. it was all hunky dory until... the nurse put a bandaid on his  finger.  you would have thought it was absolutely the most dreadful thing that could have happened. he ripped two sets of bandaids off and got blood all over the both of us. little stinker. 


we came away with smiles, a paci in the mouth, and a VERY secure bandaid contraption (that he later chewed off) with these stats:


weight: 22 lbs. 2 oz.
height: 29.5 in


both height and weight are in the the 25-50 percentile. pretty stellar i'd say. that boy. he is so into being a boy he can't do anything else. 

 i typically find myself calling him "stinker" or  "stinks." 

his new love is medicine bottles. whether it's walking around with one in each hand or sleeping with one. (i do make sure they have child proof caps) he has also been known to sleep with trains, one in each hand as he drifts off. he's a funny one. 

he has started doing a lot more sign language which i am very thankful for. it was more than helpful for grey and i in our communication at such a frustrating stage. tucker has so much to say and is able to communicate just a little bit of it through sign language. it's a beautiful thing really.

i love that little man. 

my other little man has been growing up in a whole different way and i thought i better write it down before i get lost in time. 


grey has been very interested in reading lately, like trying to read the words he recognizes on the page and spelling any word he sees. i'm jumping at the opportunity and have been extremely surprised at his knowledge. i knew that he knows all of his letters but he also knows all of the sounds of all of the letters. we have been working a little on phonics when he seems interested. he sounded out the word "hot" the other day all by himself.


 i have been sounding out letters and he puts them together to make words. he can write quite a few of the letters as well. i don't want to push it but if he's interested, i'll engage him! i have gotten a few tips from others that are way smarter than myself that hopefully i will be able to implement after our trip to the beach.

we have entered quite a fun time of imagination and more intentional teaching time on my part. i think we are both enjoying it a lot. it amazes me to watch my boys develop. God created such a neat process of growth. physically, mentally, and spiritually!

graham slams and water

i think i have failed to mention that haley moved in with us for the summer a couple of weeks ago. well, she did and it's awesome. grey has an obsession with her, tuck flirts with her, and i love spending time with her. she has been more than a delight to share our home with for many reasons. One of these reasons we enjoyed tonight. She taught us her really involved secret recipe for "GRAHAM SLAMS!"

 It consists of...cool whip smooshed between two graham crackers! ooo it's so yummy and refreshing. it's been a light, nightly treat for all of us! I decided to make a second batch today to have on hand and mine were not nearly as perfectly constructed as hers. Stop by anytime because they will be a staple in our freezer for the summer! 

after our dance party tonight, we enjoyed some on the front porch. 

"hey, i want some of that. you HAVE to share with me." - tuck

"mmm much better"

this is the life.

in other news, we have so many stinking tomatoes and it makes heart jump with joy! i have been planning our huge garden i am going to plant next summer and i cannot wait! it's going to be extravagant and did i mention i can't wait?! this summer is barely a taste of the crop i hope to yield next year. anyhow, i went over to water our vegetables after our tasty treat and the boys sensed water and followed me. 

in a matter of seconds grey ended up with his shirt off and tuck took over the watering of his brother.

grey had a few tricks of his own. "here tuck, let me show you how to use this thing and squirt yourself."

and we had lots of fun.

when it's hot

we have to fill our time with things to do inside. when we aren't enjoying the pool (after this weather i sure do wish we had one in the backyard!) we are...

having lots of pillow fights. and pile ons. you know, like pile on mommy! i have no pictures of that because i'm typically on the bottom of the pile.

giving our thomas's a bath in the kitchen sink (or flower vase), pantsless. 

stuffing our faces.

do puzzles with our pants on our heads. (not me, i promise!) i'm not quite sure why he thought this was ok but i promptly found my camera.

watching sing-a-longs so mommy can actually make dinner. 

and when the sun that provides the scorching heat begins to set, we head outside to get a taste of summer nights. sharing green popsicles on the front porch. notice tuck is signing for more. he didn't get any.

so he resorted to mulch, his most favorite food next to red clay.

grey does our landscaping.

while tuck watches and learns.

hopefully this heat will cease and we can play outside before the sun is setting and maybe i can find some pants to put on my children.

hooray

for a big boy swimming all on his own! (with the help of his puddle jumper life jacket) 

last year

I was moving pictures to our external hard drive and decided to look at the pictures I took last year, June 10. This is what I found.

What a difference a year makes!

Tuck is obviously drastically different but Grey Bear...that little boy. He has lost most of his chub and is turning into such a big boy! I might be mentioning that a lot seeing as I have been overly emotional about it this week. It's a joy to watch them both grow and be in all the little moments as they do so.

today

i ate almost half of a watermelon. all by myself.


i watched grey laugh so hard that i had tears running down my cheeks.


i missed matthew a whole heck of a lot. 


i wished i had more time in the day.


i enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by haley. 


i got really frustrated and then realized that these moments pass too quickly. 


i watched grey fall sound asleep and didn't want to leave his side. 


i cut beautiful flowers from the yard and enjoyed them in the windowsill. 


i was gently reminded that following Jesus comes with a cost that is worth every single bit of it.


i listened as grey and tucker played together and was so thankful that i was there for it.


i tried to organize myself and failed. miserably.


i realized how incredibly thankful i am for my husband. again.


i felt the grace of God that overwhelmed me to the point of tears.


i watched grey dress himself and ride a bike all by himself and realized he is becoming a little boy.


i sang a lot with my children.


i held tucker as he snuggled into my chest and fell asleep.


i savored the moments of today. 

full swing

Summer is in full swing! We have been, will be, and are busy with all sorts of fun things. 

Two birthday celebrations in May for two sweet boys. In remembrance of celebrating Tuck's birthday last weekend... 

just so I don't forget how much he loves cake.

Matthew (and both of our dads at different times) has been busy working on our deck. It is looking awesome and is going to be gargantuan! He is in Ohio for the week with a group of students and adults helping some local churches with various things. His summer always looks a little different than ours but our paths do cross every now and again :)

We planted a few vegetables this summer in some containers and have already enjoyed some zucchini! All of our flowers are in full bloom and look beautiful. I have been cutting them and enjoying them inside. 

We are enjoying summer picnics and yard work until it's dark. 

Greer celebrated her 3rd birthday at the zoo yesterday. The boys and I drove down and enjoyed a great day of celebrating. Grey adores Greer and I don't think Tucker is too far behind. She is so FULL of life and a joy to be around. I am so grateful that Grey and Tucker have loads of cousins within months of their ages. Tucker and Luke are getting acquainted with one another and will be chasing each other soon enough. For now they will practice dressing one another.

We joined the Y for the summer (hopfully year 'round but the summer for now) and I am really enjoying working out. We have taken advantage of the ridiculously awesome pool and water park area. Grey has taken to swimming this summer which if you have been around him and water at all in his lifetime, you will understand this is a BIG deal! Matthew and I are stoked about this adventurous spirit!

 Summer has just begun and we have jumped in full force. We still have lots more fireflies to catch and hopefully Grey will get up the courage to not only chase and clap at them, but let one land on his hand. 

More bubble blowing

hopscotching 

and enjoying the summer 

is on tap for us. 

We have much traveling to accomplish, camps, birthday celebrations, an anniversary trip, a trip to the beach, more swimming, friends, and all the greatness that I enjoy about summer!