Bored, Yet?

Yes, I mean, YOU, the reader. As you can see, I am a bit carried away with our new landscape and all this time we're spending together. More walks and scenery. That's it.

Lydia is growing into such a long-legged one. And becoming more and more fearless. She's a blast!

Daddy is way more fun than mama.

The Unedited Version

If you are one of my friends who reads the blog aloud to your child, please stop now and read to yourself. AND bear with it.

Our new neighbors very sweetly came by with a warm-out-of-the-oven blueberry pie, baked with their own blueberries from their own blueberry bushes. A delicious pie. Really, not just saying. We ate the pie, and ate it, but there's only so much pie a family of four (and let's exclude the kids cuz their serving is one adult bite) can eat. But this pie was so good we didn't want it to waste. 

A few days after the pie's arrival, Lydia and I were coming in from playing outside to enjoy a treat together. Lydia said, "I'm having ice cream." and I said, "I'm having PIE!". We went in, I opened the refrigerator and there was no pie. I swore there was at least half a pie left when I checked last night, but... I looked in the sink and there was the pie plate. OK, so, Chandler managed to eat half a pie in one sitting. I was definitely disappointed.

A couple hours later, we're back outside and Lydia is just standing there looking at me and says, "Mama, did daddy eat that whole fuckin' pie?".

Now that's hilarious. 

Our First Guests

Jess, Steve, Sadie and Vincent! Chandler's friend Jesse is actually our very FIRST guest, but we don't have any evidence of that since he was here before we actually moved in helping Chandler tear out and rebuild the bathrooms. SO, we'll go with this crew...

As soon as they arrived, we forced them down to our river to throw rocks. It was too cold to REALLY enjoy it, although Chaunce still took a dip. The kids had fun, the moms had anxiety (ONLY riverside rock-throwing anxiety - otherwise dreaminess) and the fellas soaked in the true meaning of why we're here. 

Garnet just loved this little Vincent. We let him borrow one of Garnet's blankets while he was here and since Garnet won't sleep without it. He didn't even know it existed before. 

Sweet Sadie sitting by the pond and...

This year we are truly pathetic. I am ashamed of the lame-ass pictures I've taken of the, so far, three birthday cake/song/celebrations we've had for her fourth. I vow to keep having cake until I've caught the loveliness of this four-year-old and her age.

We, of course, went for a hike as well. Lydia's an old pro...

Our illustrious guests. Happy, happy and made us SO HAPPY.

I can't remember the last time there was a picture taken of Jess and me...


The thoughtful break.

I don't know, these two are just handsome and hilarious to me.

I look hideous in this picture, but had to include it because the humor in it is more important. And maybe it's just me, but... I think it's a riot that we four adults on a hike are each carrying a child - you can't see Garnet, but I've got him.

Daddy and Steve built Lydia (and Garnet) a sandbox for her birthday. Believe me, it's as much a gift for the parents. 

Steve and Vincent.

Adorable. 

OH, what's this... ANOTHER birthday cake? We had to have one on her ACTUAL birthday as well. I'm not sure if you can tell, but Lydia was bit by a mosquito right in the middle of her forehead a couple days before this. She and Garnet are apparently both allergic, so about a day or two AFTER the bite, it swells and swells and becomes bruised and then travels down with gravity until it finally disappears. Anyway, at this point, her bite had made it to the bridge of her nose and it literally transformed her.

A couple rainy days, but at least we were finally able to wear those super adorable rain outfits! Oh, AND splash in puddles without getting in trouble.

Lydia testing out her new pond net. Hoping to catch some or even one of the trillion frogs or who knows...