I've officially made it to May and am basking in the gift of a few weeks off before summer break officially begins for Cruz and Mila. I've been doing a little of everything - clean sweeping closets and getting them season ready, surprising Cruz with lunch at school, meeting friends for morning coffee or lunch, baking treats for after school chats, and finishing up projects that get put on the back burner during the school year. And at the same time, I'm trying to make room for quiet space to sip my coffee, smell the flowers, and laugh at my husband's jokes. Again, things that get put on the back burner during the school year. But mostly, it's all just good. Lots of springtime good to share today!
789. This kid and the ways he's grown his 2nd grade year. He LOVES to learn and happens to be pretty good at it. From his Fantastic Mr. Fox book club with Mr. Kangas, to learning to tell time in a matter of no time, to an impressive end-of-the-year FAST score, I love watching how much he learns from year to year. He loves it and gets into it all - from the little readers he brings home each week to read to us, to the little Pinocchio drawings he creates with his art teacher, to how excited he got last week when I surprised him for lunch, buddy gets into it all and I love having a front row seat to cheer him on.
790. The excitement from Mila girl when I visited her preschool class and got to be part of her fiesta. I read them Dragons Love Tacos, one of our favorites, and listened to them tell me all about their favorite taco toppings and whether they liked spicy salsa or not. They are just the sweetest little bunch of babes and we are all going to miss the connection they have built over the years.
791. Our last life group dinner of the year. Both kids love when our "college girls" come over, but Mila especially does. She just loves being around them and acts like they are all best friends of hers. I love that on the last night of the semester, they spend time writing notes of affirmation to each other. Mila sat beside them and colored on her own notes as they quietly did this, only to be surprised with her own envelope of notes before they left. We read these notes to her and Cruz before bed that night and watching their faces brighten at the kind things shared brought tears to my eyes. When we read the last one, Cruz smiled and said, "I feel like the luckiest kid in the world."
792. A little Santa prep in May! I like treating our deserving teachers to a little pampering during teacher appreciation week and love that it always falls right as the greenhouses are opening for business. We planted little pots of succulents and surprised our wonderful teachers and Grandma Kelly when she came to visit on Mother's Day.
793. Mila got to make an All About Me poster and bring her favorite book (she chose Little Red Riding Hood) to school.
794. The lightness of a May morning. Cruz riding his bike to school with Rush and looking so cute in his sweatshirt and shorts. And that sweet smile he always gives me as he rides away.
795. What felt like the first good weekend of summer. Power washed covered porches and decks, new pillow and rug purchases, and finding just the right-sized ferns for my porch. The kids playing outside literally all day, our cul de sac alive with kids of all heights and bike sizes. Cinco de Mayo gatherings with freshly squeezed margaritas and Jo Jo's delicious guacamole. Congregating around the fire with blankets on our laps and sleepy kids in the crook of arm.
796. Sunday brunch at J's after church, fitting just right in a back booth by the window, Mila exclaiming, "These look GREAT!" when her pancakes arrived, making the college girls beside us laugh.
797. Carefully laid plans for window boxes, pretty pots, cut flowers, and veggie gardens. Multiple trips across town to my favorite greenhouse, followed by many afternoons with the sun on my back and my hands in the dirt.
798. The return of Magnolia Cookbook with halfway to go. Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies for an after school snack, and yummy chicken piccata for a Friday night at home.
799. Our reconfigured deck space - pretty and functional. We've already spent so many nights out here and it's one of my favorite places to be in the summertime. Whether it be reading my book by the fire after the kids go to bed, having a beer after work with Beau, or watching a good rainstorm come in, it's an appreciated add-on space in the warmer months of the year.
800. A perfectly content Monday night. Beau and Cruz snuggled up on the couch to watch the Cubs, so Mila and I retreated downstairs to watch the Bachelorette reunion show. We snuggled up on the couch and I kept stealing glances of her perfect profile, her milky soft skin, and how cute she looked in her flannel Christmas nightgown. Then she throws her arm around my neck, hugs me tight, and tells me I'm beautiful. Completely out of the blue. She finally agrees to go to bed and we go upstairs to find Cruz fast asleep in the crook of Beau's arm. Mila and I take turns kissing him on the forehead. She scrunches her face and smiles as if she just did something so sneaky. Then we carry them to bed and I pinch myself a little, reminded this is all I ever wanted.
801. Speaking of Bachelorette... This is what one of our many (many) conversations are like as we (very rarely) watch together...
Mila: "Mom, who is the first person you found cute before Daddy?"
Me: "Probably Leonardo Dicaprio..." (showing her a picture)
Mila: "Ewww! Don't show me that!"
Me: "Do you think anyone is cute? Did you think Colton from the Bachelor is cute?"
Mila: "NO! I think Cruz is cute!"
802. Greenhouse visits with my girl. Hydrangeas as big as her head!
803. A fun soccer season watching Cruz grow to be a leader on his team. He encourages his teammates, works hard and hustles, and has fun in all of it. And, he figured out he's pretty good at scoring goals!
804. A fun night just us girls while the boys were at soccer. Simple picnics on the deck and a sun that doesn't set until after bedtime.
805. My favorite jam sessions. They played their original song they wrote for me for Christmas and may have stumbled upon part 2. I'd listen to them sing together forever.
806. A Sunday well spent. Church and brunch, long walks in the bluebells, ice cream at Menchies, and living room dance parties while the rain they had been forecasting all day finally came in. The next day during breakfast, Cruz said to me, "Mom, I really liked yesterday. It was a really good day for me." He doesn't express feelings like that much, so when he does, I know it really means something. And I love that his idea of a really good day pretty much lines up with mine. I hope to give him a whole bunch more of those really good days all summer long.
Happy Monday!
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