Summer Lovin'.

I warned you there were going to be black holes in between blog posts this summer, didn't I? I didn't dream that I wrote that...right?

 

I absolutely love this picture of Mavis. Did she think she was hiding? Did she just not care how she looked or where she collapsed? I can relate, Mavis. Ella was quick to say, "This is NOT very ladylike."

Eeeeeeek! That is me excited about this summer and the glorious weather and all the fun stuff we've all been doing. Eeeeeeeek! That is also me that I'm typing this on 7.8.14 and I don't want to believe it is 7.8.14.

The last three weeks have been confusing in terms of work schedules. My mom is recouping nicely from her knee replacement but until yesterday, has not felt comfortable or strong enough to keep Ella for a full day. Ella has gone to work with me, hung out with me while I work from home, gone to work with her Daddy, hung out with KatieRoz and hung out at Mama Brooke and Piper's house. A big thank you to our friends for helping us limp through this. :)

Noodle-eating pros.

Here she is at work with me. She played like this for almost 3 hours that day. TROOPER.

We were able to carve out a little time for a Sand-tastic event Friday of last week. We met up with Ava, Emmett, and two other families from my neighborhood mom's group. It really was a great (free!) event that was only made better by the ice cream we pounded in an attempt to cool off.

 

Love. This. Picture. We are sweaty, sandy, stinky and happy. Ella may be going through a really big sassy, back-talkin' like-no-other-phase, but she has been such a good partner-in-crime. I always hoped for a child with a good sense of humor...

If there is sun, they are going to find it.

In an ultimate cool mom move, I threw the 'to do' list out the window last Sunday and packed our bags for a local pool. The water was perfect and I'm trying to build upon her joy of swimming before it fades. She still had a hard time getting her face wet, and whined about blowing bubbles. But she looked relaxed during the rest period, that's for sure.

And then we went swimming with Roz a few days later. And she tried on this mask. Praise the Lord it covers her nose - and she's freaked about water getting in her nose and burning. She showed more guts in that one hour of swimming than she has her entire life. Go Ella!

There have been trips to the art museum and hanging out with our neighbor friends.

We also honored Larry and a few others at a reception for their recent contributions to public art in our city. Larry designed an awesome bike rack entitled "Two Strings". I should have a photo of this! There will be soon - promise.

The reception was held at a funky little coffee shop that just so happens to have one of our city's latest and greatest murals.

The most shocking news, I guess, was Ella's request for a haircut. The same girl who has cried and freaked at the thought of our sweet Deb cutting her hair since it was long enough for a first trim. In all honesty, Ella was right. It was way past her waist and getting in the way when she took care of business in the bathroom (if you know what I mean).

Before.

During.

All Smiles!

After!

She had about 6 inches cut off and Deb got more emotional than even I did. I worried that she would look older when all was said and done, but she actually looks younger to me. And let me just tell you how much easier bath time is!

Ella with our Wonder Woman, Deb.

Hanging with Lana.

Ella in NASA training mode.

In other breaking news, our FCC family just got a bit bigger. We all piled in our cars to welcome home Addy Grace at the airport. The Ho Family has been home about 10 days now (see? seriously behind). Big Sister Ava was blown away at the welcoming committee.

 

Tears were a' flowin. Being away from home for three weeks is hard but when you factor in the enormity of THIS three weeks - a foreign land, bringing a new daughter into the fold, jet lag, hot weather - you can imagine the release of seeing familiar faces. The big kids were ecstatic to be included in this homecoming. In all of our houses, it has prompted a great deal of reflecting back on their own homecomings. Ella had to look through the photo book of her welcoming home photos by Nikki. And when she went to bed, I looked through it another dozen times.

Addy was glued to her daddy. But honestly, that little sweet pea found me and my camera and did a wonderful job of staring through me in almost every shot.

Drum Circle Fun!

This photo is absolutely hysterical. Look at all the big kids sizing up Addy. What are they thinking!?

And so they are off as a family of four now, trying to adjust to sleeping and eating and sharing. We were so honored to be a part of their journey before, during and now. Welcome to your new world, Addy Grace.

~H