RIGBY LAKE

Dear Brooklyn,

You are turning into my my little beach bum.

Today we spent five hours out at Rigby Lake with some friends.

Molly was still not feeling great and spent most of the time glued to me, but you were all over the place.

You played in the sand, you floated the lake in your tube with the big kids, you built a river, you swam around with your floaties on.

I think you would go there every day if you could. And you practically live in your swimsuits anyways.

Which is what I did growing up.

You are becoming more and more like me everyday.

Sincerely, Mom

WATERMELON BALL

Dear Kurt,

Watermelon Ball: two teams, one ball. Points are made by getting the ball to the other teams side and placed onto the goal.

Sounds simple. It's not.

Rules: No throwing the ball.

Everything else is free game.

Prepared to be black and blue and sore all over.

It seriously is one of my favorite things to play. 

Sincerely, Lori

SUMMER SUNDAY EVENINGS

Dear Kurt,

I love summer Sunday evenings.

Most of the time we spend them at your parents house, eating dinner, and hanging out.

Today we spent it at your parents property with a bunch of your extended family. 

We had a BBQ and just played and had fun.

It was a fun, relaxed evening. 

Sincerely, Lori

BIKE RIDING

Dear Kurt,

Yesterday I felt like we had gone back in time about six years.

Back to when we would ride around on your motorcycle without a care in the world except how many more minutes and seconds we could get together.

We spent the evening renting a tandem bike and riding it around beautiful parts of town we have never seen before.
 

After a quick dinner, we rode your motorcycle around our favorite neighborhood, talking about the future, dreaming dreams, and making plans.

After a walk through the sand dunes as the sun set behind us, we headed home to snuggle in the backyard with some blankets and Netflix.

It's so nice to be home with you again. I missed you more than the sun is hot. 

I love you. Thank you for an amazing evening.

Sincerely, Lori

RAINFOREST SWIMMING

Dear Molly,

When temperatures in California threatened to reach the 100's, we had to bust out grandma and grandpa's blow up swimming rainforest. 

Too bad hose water temperatures were close to freezing.

After ten minutes of "swimming" your lips were purple and quivering like bowl full of jello.

We were begging the weather to heat up and heat up fast.

We even dumped huge bowls of hot water in the pool. It helped. For about .4 seconds.

So, while Brooklyn and I played you were in and out of the pool. Warming up with grandpa, eating his ice cream, and then climbing back in the pool until you were shivering again. 
 
It was a nice little afternoon. Don't you agree?

Sincerely, Mom 

MIXER LICKING GOOD

Dear Brooklyn,

There hasn't been a lot of baking going on at our house lately. Or for the last 7.5 months.

I think you forgot how awesome licking the mixers could be.

Good thing grandma and grandpa had a bit of a sweet tooth.

You were in heaven and Molly carried hers around for hours.

With that and all the candy grandma keeps around the house, you are going to be on a sugar high for weeks by the time we get home.

Sincerely, Mom

PRETTY CLOSE TO PERFECT

 

Dear Brittney,

It was one of those days.

A day where everything was as close to perfect as it could get. 

One of those days that you imagine watching home movies of, years from now, in slow motion. Like in the movies. With our laughter as the music in the background.

There is just something about getting together with family you haven't seen in a while. Sitting around, talking, catching up, making sandwiches. 

Spending hours in a swimming pool and soaking up some vitamin D.

Watching beautiful little children swing and jump and play and pretend and laugh.

Eating pizza on a back porch as the sun sets and we talk about life and rock your adorable baby. 

 
There was even something about getting home late, throwing screaming children in for a quick bath before coaxing them to sleep for the night. 

Perfect summer bliss.

Sincerely, Lori

GOOD MORNING

Dear Molly,

Cuddles, smiles, pouty lips, bed hair....

You make mornings bearable.

I love you.

Sincerely, Mom