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We’re slowly, but surely, checking off some important summertime activities.

This time…sidewalk chalk.

ALL OF THE SUDDEN, Samuel seems like a bigger baby.  After he got out of the hospital we realized that my milk supply was low.  So last week I started supplementing with formula and baby food.  And, boy, does he love it.  Bananas, Applesauce, Green beans, Squash…he loves it all.  And he’s trying to sit up unassisted (unsuccessfully!).  He’s also grabbing for anything (loves my hair!), and loves to chew on his binky then stick it back in his mouth.  I can hand him a toy and he’ll play with it for a long time.  Love this stage!

Caleb was convinced that we were going on vacation today with the way we loaded up the car.  But we only just went to Fort Worth.  It did kind of feel like a vacation, away from the typical work-load of Saturdays.  We’ve decided we enjoy "playing" and are going to do it more often!  Everytime I’m with these guys I realize how much I enjoy being a part of this little unit…this family.  What a blessing! 

This was the Star Wars exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.  We had no idea that it would be quite as popular as it was!  It’s a good thing we got there early.

On our way home we decided to take a detour and visit the Forth Worth Stockyards.  Lots of fun shops down there.  The boys posed with this guy after the horse took a nip at Jacob’s tush!

This little guy was an angel all day!  We were gone for 9 hours and never heard a peep from him.  He would kick and chew and giggle and smile and nap and look around…perfect little guy.

Love this picture.  Such a great dad…looking forward to celebrating him tomorrow.

Alright, that’s all I got.

May the force be with you.

Jacob finished strong after a rough start, and Caleb is our newest soccer star!  Now it’s World Cup mania at our house.

some things I enjoy (don’t always buy, just enjoy).

I LOVE this bag. Simple, but so chic.  (It’s in the JUST enjoy from a far category.)

Found these necklaces.  I’m a sucker for momma-jewelry.  The pearl makes ’em.

Put Samuel in a pair of these tonight.  Boy, are they cute!  I might need another pair.

I enjoy anything made by this company lately…bought a lip conditioner when Samuel was in the hospital and it’s great.  Their baby stuff is especially nice.

My Aunt Lisa sent me this cute website.  What a great idea!

And I’ll be sporting one of these at the beach next month (love that price!).

Ok…that’s it.  If I was Oprah I’d give all of you a free sampling of each, but I’m not, so you’ll have to go buy your own. 🙂

I used to think that the longer you parent, the better you get at it.

WRONG!  The longer I parent, the harder it is.  The longer I parent, the more I realize how much I don’t know.  The longer I parent, the more I question my parenting.  The longer I parent, the more I realize I have no idea what I’m doing!

JACOB is brilliant/talented/gifted.  He is always in his head, worrying, daydreaming, planning, thinking.  He is sensitive…so sensitive.  I will NEVER know if he is really sick, because he might be faking, forcing himself to be sick, or really, truly sick.  He’s THAT kind of kid.  He is good at so many things.  Helping him choose the ones that will be most meaningful for him is our latest challenge.  He is also OBSESSED with fishing right now.  Bass Masters here we come.  He was accepted into the gifted/talented program at school.  I have to tell you I am relieved about that.  Because a) it acknowledges what we already know, and b) it gives him one more ally (teacher) on his side helping him be who he is meant to be, and helping him interpret all of the things running around in that beautiful head of his.

CALEB is witty/charming/fun.  He has a great sense of humor.  He is smart.  He is kind and helpful and very practical.  He’s easy to be around.  But he is struggling to find his "place" in our family.  He has been wanting to make me jewelry with some of his treasures (things he finds all over town).  So Derek helped him make me a necklace the other day.  I praised him up and down for it and then he asked, "Do you love it as much as you love baby?"   My heart sank.  I hope he’ll know that I love HIM as much as I love baby.  We’ve decided to send him to preschool for one more year, even though he could go to Kindergarten.  I know he would do fine.  But I feel like both of us are just not ready.  I hope it’s the right decision…

SAMUEL is cuddly/cute/and so fun to have around.  He’s STILL not sleeping though the night, even with all of the sleep-help books I’ve read!  I’m still up popping the binky in, re-wrapping him, and eventually feeding him every night.  And already I am realizing that he is much more interested in seeing his reflection in everyone/everything else’s eyes, than mine.  When they’re tiny they just look up at you and all they know is how they look in your eyes.  And now, already at 5 months, he’s busy looking for approval, smiles, attention from other people.  Thankfully, though, I still have moments to show him who he is and who I dream for him to be.

I love these boys!

I’m trying to follow words of advice in a new favorite song, and "hold on to every moment that you can".

The boys started soccer camp today.  Both of them…so cute.  Caleb’s first time at a camp.  He walked away giving me a thumbs-up and a big grin.  Went to pick him up and he was still all grins.  15 minutes later a coach is bringing Jacob in…early.  All by himself.  He walks right over to me and throws up…not once, not twice.  But 6 times.  All over me, all over him, all over the floor.  There was another mom nearby who ran to get towels, a janitor, a cold cloth to put on him.  I just stood there trying to comfort him.  I had NO idea what to do.  I was helpless…just standing there hoping someone would come rescue me…and him.  We got it all cleaned up and got everyone in the car…with the other mom’s help.  Now we’re home and taking it easy.  I think he just got overheated.  Poor little guy.  Had a great time…up until that moment.  Hopefully we can get him back in the saddle for tomorrow.

Hoping the rest of the day doesn’t involve any body fluids.

It’s been a loooonnng week.  Each day seems to creep by.  We’re staying plenty busy…have been to the pool twice, met a friend from high school for lunch, having a play date today.  But I spend the day referee-ing which makes it exhausting.

Derek’s at church camps for a couple of days, so I’m on my own, which is also why the days seem LONG.  My mom came by yesterday to check on us, after work.  She ended up staying 3 hours to help me out.  Love that my mom lives close enough to just stop by unannounced.  And love that in the summer we get to see her more often.

I’ve also been shopping (using candy to bribe the boys) for fabrics.  My friend Doris is teaching me how to make a simple quilt.  I’ve always wanted to learn!

ceases to amaze me.  What he lacks in talent (which is only occasional because he seems to be good at most everything), he makes up for in personality!

Case in point:

GOLF CAMP last week.

He was the second to youngest of about 12 campers, ranging in age from 6-15.

He’s good at golf, for a 7-year old.  But can’t really compete with the teenage boys (and rightly so).  But, of course, that frustrated him.  He never won at the games they played.  Never won at the putting competitions.  But, I thought, that’s probably good for him.  He’s always winning at everything.  Maybe it’s good for him to be behind the pack for once.

Then I go to the awards ceremony.  They give out golf balls to all of the kids who had won the contests all week.  He sat back and clapped for them.

Then they announce that every week they give the "hat award" (a Nike golf hat) to the camper who is the most improved.  And the guy goes on to talk about this camper (who I am thinking is one of the teenagers)…the camper who was the friendliest, the best sport, very polite to the instructors, and most improved in distance and his swing…Jacob Smith.

I was so proud!!  There’s nothing like hearing that your kid was "polite" and "friendly"…melts a mom’s heart.  And the look on his face…genuine surprise and delight.

Just when I think he’s going to be "average" at something, he surprises me by being "exceptional" once again.

Love that kid!

Summer never starts until you visit the pool.  It was Samuel’s first time and even with the cold water, he LOVED it.  Notice they all have matching trunks.