Brylie Boo in ATL

When I found out that my friend and her husband were coming to Atlanta for a concert and that they didn't have a babysitter for Brylie, I urged them to drive her down so that she could spend the night at our house. I'm so glad they agreed because Jack had the time of his life. The kids played hard at our house and at the pool every moment they were awake. 

Any girl willing to play with diggers is a friend worth having!

A couple of funnies: Brylie would ride her scooter up the hill, but was afraid (or just too smart) to ride it back down. So every time, she would get to the top and yell, "Jack, would you like to ride my scooter now?" Jack never caught on. He'd just yell, "Yeah," and sprint up the hill. 

We talked Brylie into taking a spin on Jack's bike. 

Funny #2: Brylie had Jack hauling her stuff all over the house for her. I overheard her tell Jack, "You carry my pillow and my blankie down the stairs, Jack. I don't want to fall!" What a southern belle! 

We had an awesome time with Miss Brylie Boo. She is really one of the sweetest little girls I've ever been around, and I'm not just saying that because she told me that I'm the best cook ever. Ha!

Gymnastics

Both of my boys are blessed with an unlimited amount of energy. The kind of energy it would take me three or four Red Bulls to achieve. The kind of energy that leaves me worn out by 10:00 a.m. many days. The kind of energy that makes me look for an outlet for them. So, we shall try gymnastics.

Growing Fins

I rushed John and the kids through dinner tonight to have an hour at the pool before bedtime. Luke is a daredevil who loves jumping into the pool and being tossed around. Jack is more cautious and likes to stay close to the stairs and practice his swimming. One of my favorite things about our move to Atlanta has been the neighborhood pool. Both boys have grown fins this summer. 

"20 Days" in Tennessee

Jack didn't quite reach the 20 days he announced he wanted to stay at Grandpa and Grandma's house, but it was close! A biking accident that necessitated an emergency dental appointment lengthened our stay. The biking accident didn't make Jack happy, but the length of our stay sure did! He and Luke soaked in all that grandma-, grandpa-, aunts-, and uncle-time. 

Jack, always a problem solver, decided quickly after his biking accident that he needed biking gloves so his hands would never get all skinned up like that again. Grandpa had some on his hands within 24 hours. 

I love this sweet photo of Grandma Jane reading to the boys. Unfortunately, in the rush to leave Georgia and make that dental appointment my camera was left behind. I wish I had gotten this one with my real camera. It would have been fantastic. 

We played at our favorite play place, Inside Out. I got to see some of my favorite friends who brought their kids too. 

Aunt Annie visited a lot during her lunch hours. The boys love her to pieces. 

We spent a couple of days over at Aunt Linda's house, visiting her and our dog, Winston. Winston is living in a fantasy land until we buy a house. He barks at cupboards and they spring open and spill out rawhides.

Grandpa and Grandma's neighborhood was a great place for Luke to practice his biking, and the pool was great for Jack to practice his swimming. 

This side by side slide was fun for the boys. Racing down slides is a new favorite pastime. 

Grandma, the boys, and I made it out to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. They were having a treehouse exhibit this time. I think there were eight different treehouses based on children's literature. They were all really neat and created so children could climb on them and play. 

What began as a throw-some-stuff-in-your-suitcase trip to the dentist ended up being a memorable stay for all of us, even if we weren't quite there for 20 days.

Being Monkeys

Pay Off

A month ago Jack would not even put his face in the water, either in the bathtub or in the pool. I've been working with him every time we go to the pool, which is two or three times a week. I persuade him to let Luke use his turtle lifejacket for awhile so we can practice swimming. Patience and pride have paid off. Look at him go! (Thanks for helping me get this video, Aunt Jen!)

Resting

Old Black Fly

We have started attending story hour at our new library. The librarian who runs the program is excellent. Her book choices are fun and engaging. Last week, Jack liked Old Black Fly so much that he wanted to take it home. We looked on the shelf to see if there was another copy, but there wasn't. So, I encouraged Jack to ask the librarian if he could take it home. She handed it to him, and he exclaimed in his loud, booming Jack voice, "Mom, she said I could have my favorite fly book!" The entire children's department laughed at my sweet boy who loves books with all his heart.