.On enjoying life.

During the season of busy, you either feel overwhelmed or fulfilled.  Right now, it feels like we're thriving and I'm so grateful.  Dylan is adjusting to play school as good as one could hope, the yogurt shoppe is flourishing and Garrett with it, Mila loves days with her Gigi, and so far I have found teaching very rewarding.  Not to say that life is perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but we complain so quickly when things don't go our way, it's important to look around every so often and realize that despite the hard work and long days, we are so very blessed.

Here a few pictures from our Labor Day weekend at Callaway with friends and family (it's been said, but September already??), where it's easy to see, life can be pretty grand.

.We went to the zoo and...

... had a blast!  

With our summer break ending, we decided to take a day trip to the zoo and get a real look at these animals we are always reading about with Dylan (especially in this book).  None of us had ever been to a zoo, so I think G and I had just as great a time!  Although it was sweltering outside, there was a lot of shade and mist fans to keep us four happy between seeing some pretty cool animals and the picnic lunch we shared.

elephants!

their tongues!!

Feeding the giraffes was definitely a high point, especially for G; he was practically giddy.  Dylan's favorite part was the swings at the playground... there's toddler logic for you.  It was a really good day and we were impressed by what we saw.  The only thing Dylan didn't get to see from her book was a camel, so I call the trip a success :)

.Taking turns.

River time has always been a relaxing escape, but with this wild toddler, the only way to get rest is to take supervision turns.  Her impulsive curiosity wants to test all the physical boundaries possible with no thought of the consequences!  In her resilience she can quickly shake these things off, but the frequency of bumps, bruises, and other injuries still breaks my heart. 

And yes, my 38 week self joined Dylan in that inflatable pool to combat the heat, and I plan to spend much of the summer doing the same.  It is refreshing and serene, and isn't that the point of looking forward to this season all year?  Especially in south Alabama where the heat is stifling, although that does not seem to slow down the kids who surround our little spot on the water.  They are full of energy and crazy stories, and go long into the night playing hide-and-seek in the dark and jabbering over each other by the fire, and asking 100 questions, and becoming sticky eating key-lime flavored marshmallows (?!), until G and I look to each other and decide that our sleeping toddler isn't all that exhausting and head on to bed to start catching up on the sleep that will for sure be missed in the coming weeks with her arrival.

P.S. More stories from the river.

.Our dessert party.

 Since we're having a darling little girl just two years younger than her sister, we decided to throw a dessert party en lieu of another baby shower.  Hosting our friends and family at the yogurt shoppe was stress-free and fun as we indulged in cake, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, fresh fruit, candy, and a paint station (which only the most adventurous dared try!).

What a fine way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

P.S. Hello 33 weeks!

P.P.S. Happy birthday brother!!