june for the bodtchers

(puzzles, pool days, britt&trevor's wedding, my wee rider, post kids club activity, 4d aquarium movie glasses, and scarlett at the ladybug festival)

(releasing our ladybugs, selfies and staying strong with library storytimes, pooltime with rem, matching bikes, off to summer camp with penny, and the cutest face in the world)

(rushmore shirts aka jammies)

(scaring the cat)

(feeding our ducks)

(biking to our pool, but meeting the rain instead)

(showing off our new roads, swinging with lainey, strange sleeping positions, father's day card making, our bridge, scarlett in elsa heels and talking on the phone, and another pool day with rem)

(love everyone in this picture!)

(growing a summer full of tomatoes)

(father's day gifts for grandpas)

(father's day pictures-- especially love the cartoon version of our family by amelia, driving to the pool, dentist appointments with xrays, and a mini water break)

(swimming with brooklyn, both girls laying on me at storytime, the time we almost built our dream house but backed-out because the hoa banned chickens, scarlett's face, the girls loving on each other, and trips to costco)

(scarlett and her soccer moves)

(i love the way scarlett is looking at me. and amelia's face, too)

(pool, smiles, daddy and millie working on frozen legos-- a perfect combo!, rarely does amelia ever take a nap, popsicles, and harper and amelia with their mini princess cupcakes)

(popcorn is the key to making through witching hour)

(i'm not sure what's going on in this picture, but i like it)

(amelia's first game of summer season)

(love her focus face)

(and her handwriting)

(sleeping, loves, and well-child checkups... we love dr. blackburn!)

("hit me with your best shot!")

our love

we love this man more than words. i love that he's our girls first love, and my last and forever. he's so gentle, forgiving, kind, strong, hard-working, and above all, he takes his role as a father and a provider so seriously. i'm so grateful he serves our family without question.

a frozen fourth

amelia has been obsessed with all things frozen, so the theme of her birthday party was a no-brainer. it was so fun seeing her excitement as we prepared the details for her party. i was initially hesitant to feed this elsa/frozen "phase" and just hoped it would pass on. it's stuck-- amelia's been reading frozen books for about a year now, and still wants sparkles in her hair, to be elsa for halloween, anything that has frozen characters on it (i.e. the other day, we had a can of corn with elsa on the label.). anyways, i gave in and stepped into her frozen world for her birthday-- and i'm so glad i did!

the girls had so much fun, and amelia talked about her party for weeks after. she kept telling me her party was her favorite (you know, out of alllll the birthday parties she's been to...). boy, it's hard hosting a party, even if it was just 5 other girls! thank goodness for jeremy's mom, who came to help me. i hope i can always create magic for my babies! love my queen amelia!

xo

june 8th

I told millie she had to hold up a 4 for all her pictures on her 4th birthday. I'm so glad I did, because these pictures are priceless!

(love that scarlett wanted to be in the picture... with her bowl of food...)

 (of course we drove over to the splash pool, one of amelia's favorite activities)

 (prep for amelia's frozen-themed birthday party. the girls helped by laying on my cardboard)

 (favorite part of our day)

 (red robin for dinner, per millie's request. we were a little bummed that they didn't sing to her.)

(amelia with 2 of her great-grandmas)

we tried to fill amelia's birthday with all her favorite things-- and we concluded with a little party at the splash pad with her cousins and grandparents. it made me so happy to see her have so much fun with her cousins. I'm grateful that it was so low-key, that we just had root beer floats and cake and love to share, that I got to enjoy a party that I planned! (one of j's grandmas said to us, "you just do such a great job. you should have another!" and with distractions, I thought she was talking about the party, and I responded something really silly. I swear I'm always having awkward conversations.)

millie girl is kind and sweet, brilliant and silly, thoughtful, mature, quiet at times, a protector and isn't one to be bullied, loves to be the fastest. she reads at a 2nd grade level, writes all her upper and lowercase letters, numbers, family members' names, and takes 1st grade level spelling tests, can count to 200 by herself and adds 1's and 2's fluently, loves to do homework, has my phone number memorized, sings solos in primary, loves making cards for anyone and everyone, always changes into a dress with a belt, tights, and high heels for mommy+millie time, rides a bike without training wheels, always scores multiple goals in her soccer games, got moved up to the 5-7 year old dance and tumbling classes. she loves anything frozen-themed and she tells me her favorite color is pink (like mine), but always picks frozen-blue when she has a choice.

I love this girl more than words can express, I feel so blessed to be her mother. I can't believe it has been four whole years since I fell in love with my homemade best friend.