A little Friday motivation from totes not a morning person

On opposite day...

A message I can stand behind...

Go forth and conquer!

Franklin Tomato Festival

One unsuspecting Saturday morning we went to the farmers market to buy some squash (and doughnuts, of course) and that is how we ended up at the Franklin Tomato Festival.  Great story, I know.  Our time was cut short due to the rain (bad timing on our part) and we never did get that squash, but the kids got their faces painted so it was not a total loss.

Rainbow butterfly

VBS 2016

The girls had a great time at VBS this year.  The pirate theme was right up their alley.  Phillip and I were group leaders for the 5th-6th and 7th-8th graders.  We ended up combining since there was only a couple of kids in the older group.  (I have decided I am not ready to have a middle schooler.)

Lilly showing Wyatt the real gold she got from a real pirate

Ellen made a beautiful necklace in the craft room

What happened to the lazy days of summer?

Everyone is busy.  I get it.  But compared to other families, our life is BOR-ING (just the way I like it).  So the fact that we have been booked solid with activities in the evenings, especially the week before last when we had plans every single night, ranks us right up there with the busiest of them all.  And with VBS starting tomorrow, it's going to be another crazy week.

Thankfully our weekends have not been nearly as hectic as our weekdays, giving us a chance to regroup and recharge.

At Bryce's birthday party last Saturday

Recently viewed:  The One-Hundred Foot Journey, Love & Friendship, The Lobster, The Fundamentals of Caring, Season 1 of Poldark and courtesy of Netfix, Seasons 1 & 2 of Gilmore Girls.  We saw The Secret Life of Pets this afternoon.  I really thought I was going to like this one but it was just okay.

Here's a peek at Ellen's "new room."  In addition to the bedding and bird picture, we did some rearranging of the knick knacks and added a new lamp (she now has two), a candle, and a ribbon board.  I really like the color scheme.  The yellow and turquoise accents really compliment the pink.

Lilly also got new bedding.  (Excuse the wrinkles.  This was right after we took it out of the packaging).  If your first thought was Now that's a lot of butterflies!, you are not alone.  I think it works in her room but it might take some getting used to.

So many butterflies, so little time.

My co-workers know I was not treated kindly (and never celebrated) in my old department so they went all out for my birthday this year.  It was a bit overwhelming but much appreciated.

Speaking of birthdays, Dad celebrated his 65th at Outback Thursday night.  (Thanks for the picture, Mom.)  Dad will be here in a couple of weeks to finish patching the hole in our kitchen ceiling.  We are looking forward to his visit.

Lilly swallowed a dime last week.  I didn't see that coming.

Did you know there are 22 episodes in each of the 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls?  That takes binge-watching to a whole new level.  It's a labor of love.  #whereyouleadiwillfollow

July 2016

July 1st - Fireworks and Ice Cream Social
                Bike Parade at The Children's Academy

July 10th-13th - VBS

July 14th - Healing Hand International - Christmas in July Event

July 23rd - Ocoee Rafting Trip (Phillip)

July 24th-30th - Ellen at Carolina Bible Camp

...

Birthday:  Dad (7th)

Anniversary:  Andrea and Caleb (25th)

...

SACC Field Trips/Special Events:  Museums to Go, Goofballs, Galaxy Lanes, and Swimming at Henry Horton State Park on Thursdays.

Eight and Four Forever!

Fruit Basket Turnover

Alternately titled: Life after Disney :)

The weekend before last was one of our busiest in a long time and it was followed by a very busy week.  It was nice not having a lot of plans this past weekend.  Ellen went to a birthday party on Saturday and I did some shopping (all the Targets) but other than that, we stuck close to home.  We were out and about more on Sunday.

Here are some recent happenings...

Ellen got new glasses a couple of weeks ago

Dad went to visit Grandma in West Virginia

Matt turned 50

We went to VBS at Brentwood Hills

Second night

We went to Blue Coast on our way to VBS on Tuesday evening.  It was family night.  

Sam, the balloon man, made Lilly a mermaid per her request. 

Ellen wanted a surprise.  He made her a popcorn headband to match her SACC shirt :)

The last night of VBS was just as exciting as the first :)

Playing dollies Saturday morning
(Lilly never says dolls.  It's always dollies.)

Father's Day lunch at P.F. Chang's

Followed by Krispy Kreme

And then furniture shopping.  

Not something Phillip had in mind on Father's Day (or any day, really) but it is by far one of my favorite things.  The girls get so into it.  Lilly's enthusiasm and running commentary is priceless.  Ellen is all about the recliners.

...

 Ellen wrote me this note not even 15 minutes into the worship service on Sunday morning.  I guess she was hungry.

...

Recently viewed:  Joy,  Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, The Intern, The Big Short, Everest, Madame Bovary (the 2014 version), Woman in Gold and 7 Chinese Brothers.  Also, the BBC series Wallander.  Phillip watched Project Almanac last week and The Gambler last night.  

...

Ellen's room is getting a mini-makeover.  She is no longer a fan of the pink walls but there's nothing we can do about that (or nothing we are planning to do).  Smaller-scale changes, like new bedding, seemed like a good place to start.  I am still working on the accessories but it's all coming together nicely.

...

Phillip has been watching a lot of baseball.  It's his happy place.  We were supposed go to Atlanta earlier this month when the Cubs would have been in town but it didn't work out.  Next year for sure.

...

We finally got to FaceTime with Andrea and the kids Sunday night (it was Monday morning for them - they are 15 hours ahead of us).  They will be in Australia for 6 weeks out of the summer.  Caleb's company is based there and it worked out for the entire family to join him for an extended stay.  

...

What better place to celebrate 13 years of marriage than Brentwood Skate Center?  It was Family Night, after all :)  This was Lilly's first time to roller skate.  It was rough going at first but she got better as time went on.  Ellen won the dice game and got a free drink.  We had a great time.

Did you know...

Taking a breather

 Winning never tasted so good

...

Lilly is still loving her booster seat.  Bonus: she can buckle herself and willingly does so (she never did/would buckle her car seat so this is a big deal!)  She can now see out of the rear window, yet another perk associated with the booster seat (and one she thoroughly enjoys).  Mommy, we have a billion cars behind us.  (She is usually more specific but that's one I will always remember.)