Enjoying these random things…
* The spam mail I got today from a company called The Unincorporated Life and the fact that I read it twice as the Unicorn-ated Life. Horns unite. And sparkle hoofs.
* Dash walking. I hear flat feet slapping the tile in staccato rhythm all day long. It’s better than Pandora.
* Sriracha sauce. Romaine. Topped with dry albacore tuna. Topped with parmesan. Topped with light caesar dressing. Topped with sriracha–liberal application. Best lunch ever.
* Following Rachel Brathen @yoga_girl on IG. Her affirmations are like a soul juice cleanse…with a side of hot sauce. Yer welcome.
* Discovering my spirit animal. I took a real legit test as in 15 questions I found on the Internet. Dude. I’m a HAWK. I knew it. I Believe I Can Fly is my jam. Here’s the drawback of hawks though: “A brilliant visionary, you sometimes forget the mundane details of life like eating, sleeping or paying bills” which made me laugh hard because truth is funny. That’s why I surround myself with Owls and Cougars and Foxes and Spiders.
* Celebrating our 7-year-old this past weekend. She wanted a pool party with classroom friends, so we spent the entire day Saturday in the water. She’s seven but she still has her infant cheek dimple, and I love that.
Our pool cake was super easy–a regular white cake with buttercream frosting (cooked two cake mixes in three round pans and stacked), topped with a Jello Jigglers pool. I followed Jello Jigglers recipe for blue Jello, let it set in greased glass cake pan overnight, cut pool shape with a butter knife and lifted it out with no problems and laid on cake top. Pool tiles are York peppermint pieces (sold in a bag), life rings are wintergreen Lifesavers with piped red icing and palm trees and lawn chairs came from Michael’s.
* Memorial Day adventures. Mini golf (in which Dash channeled the cutest old man golfer ever) and panning for gems at Congo River Golf.
* Our summer excitement build-up collected in this little video of happy summer things. Thinking about summer, A.A. Milne said it best: “Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called. — A.A. Milne
Song: In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry
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This week I’m over at BabyZone with the coolest beach toys for summer (we love the dinosaur bones digging set and the cupcake maker!)
…and over at eHow with a list of great kid entertainment activities to pack in your travel bag for road and plane trips this summer (the Find It! Game is the bomb, the end).
Short week for us with yesterday’s holiday, so Happy Tuesday, Happy Tomorrow. And if “happy” seems a goal just too far off for your tomorrow right now, take baby steps. Just be nice to yourself.
You are the bomb at cake decorating!!!
Aww, another walking babe pushing that sweet dog around. Love! Your videos are always a dose of happy. Hope you have a lovely last week of May!
Happy Tuesday! Adorable cake. Hooray for almost summer!!!
So many things to love in that video! Dash seems to just get more handsome with each day. And I LOVE the Nella’s darling retro swimsuit! And happiest birthday to Sweet Lainey! I had a swimming party every. single. birthday. That’s what happens when you have a summer birthday, pool in your backyard and want to invite everyone you know. Looks like a great start to summer!! xo
Happy birthday to Lainey! I love the cake. : )
Such a sweet video, they are all getting so big!
I love that Winnie-the-Pooh quote! My favorite part of summer is that day at the end of May when the kids and I sit down with the calender and fill in all the days with things we want to do. Summer reading program days, the public pool(with the twirly slide) schedule, YMCA Soccer Club days, movie in the park days. That anticipation is the best feeling. Also, baby suspenders, I could die from the cute!
Happy Birthday Lainey!!! Cute cake.
Happy Birthday to Lainey Love! Nobody better to celebrate with than the sister and little brother! Happy Almost-Summer! Fun time ahead!
Omg what a cute cake.Love the video.My favorite part of the video is Dash pushing the dog in the radio flyer.So cute.Love Lainey floating in the pool on the donut with legs crossed and sun glasses on super cute.
My Grant was born with DS in November (11-12-13…awesome!). It’s been a journey full of ups and downs. Just know that your blog resonates with my soul more than anything else I’ve found. I read your words and I feel like we could be friends, and I see your pictures and feel such hope in the beauty of your children. Your last line of this post hit me hard for some reason: Just be nice to yourself. Thank you for this–and for sharing your heart with us. It’s more than inspiring. It’s life-giving.
Guess what I did this morning? I vacuumed my minivan. Guess why? Because one of my kids figured out how to open a Find It and dumped every which one of those beads on the floor. I’m not even kidding, and I swear it’s true. I hope it doesn’t happen to you.
The video is just amazing. Really. Amazing.
Happy Birthday to your big 7 year old! Such a lovely Winnie the Pooh quote!
That CAKE!!!! Too much wonderfullness!!! Happy Birthday to your Lainey. We are going to be in Naples, on the beach in July!! This COOOOOLLLLDDD Colorado girl cannot wait to share in your sun!!! Have a HAPPY week with your happy family!!
Heather
Lovely post Kelle! Wishing Lainey a happy birthday,I loved the cake!
The words that soothed my soul most were right at the end
“And if “happy” seems a goal just too far off for your tomorrow right now, take baby steps. Just be nice to yourself.”
Thanks for those,they are muchly needed! Wishing you and yours a fun filled week x
Oh, Kelle!!!
I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed seeing Nella in motion…my stomach flipped! I loved the video. So much.
I could kiss little Dashy’s face off and Lainey is looking like such a big girl these days!
Happy Summer!
Albacore has high levels of mercury so don’t eat it too much…stick with regular chunk light tuna, especially for you and the kids, if you eat your salad a lot 😉
Happy birthday Lainey…sometimes the best parties are the low key ones spent with your favorite people
I have to be a hawk too. Now I’m curious:)
Well I was wrong…I’m a wolf! Say what?!?
Stealth, hunting ability, enhanced senses of smell and hearing, as well as strength and stamina.
“Family comes first” could be a Wolf’s motto. You form deep connections with close friends and family members, and they know you’d do anything to protect them. You’re loyal, devoted, and passionate. Your worst fear is being alone, but be careful not to drown your loved ones in too much emotion.
Interesting… The emotion thing is right on;)
This video killed me! I am a long-time reader but rare commenter and I couldn’t help it! How do you pick one favorite thing? dash’s sleeping curled feet, Nella blowing bubbles, Dash pushing Mocha, the donut inner tube, Lainey’s adorbs swimsuit…. Hooray for summer!
I LOVE your videos!! Thank you for sharing your life even when meanies *TRY!* to put you down sometimes… Love!
Loved the video!! I love the cake you made! I made a cake for Levi’s birthday with a train coming out of a tunnel. Easier than I thought it would be. Here’s a link to his Bday video…
http://secondtimearound-vernyvern.blogspot.com/
AWWWE, such a precious time. I just posted about my daughters senior awards night. It goes so quickly. Enjoy these times and really soak up everything about them. They change so quickly.
Am I watching a different video? No one is smiling or laughing. Where’s the fun?
Wow, that cake takes me back! My favorite cake growing up was one my mom made for my pool party. She used the same mints and made a diving board from a stick of gum. I remember watching her paint mini bathing suits on teddy graham cookies for hours. I’m sure Lainey loved it!
Geez Louise… Your kids are adorable. I mean, I already knew it, but I just loved Nella in this one. And Dash Man. And Lainey. So cute. xo
Dont watch that video without the fun music on.. It’s actually a little spooky, especially at the end!
oh my. that summertime video. LOVE IT SO MUCH!! great editing!
That was a beautiful party, and Lainey looked so happy and excited! I’m sure she’ll remember this later, and all the great moments she’s passing trough 😉
Kelle, I sent you an email last week. Hope you saw it 🙂
xo
I love when you share your videos!
Kelle….
Hey, I read it The Unicorned Life. Three freakin’ times!! ;-D
Wait. What?! Dash is walking?! They grow up way too fast…. 😉
Happy, happy, happy birthday, Lainey!! Here’s to many, many, many more!! ;-D
That cake!! Oh my word!! That cake!! You could be a baker!! 😉
I loved the video!! Bring on Summer!! ;-D
Love you later, Raelyn
That dog of your and it’s ears kill me. Every time. Loved the video..so much happy there.
Love the cake and party. The girls red and white swim suits are darling. Dash looks like a big boy now, so cute. Is Nella left handed or ambidextrous? She used her left hand to draw with chalk but used her right hand to blow bubbles. Either way, very cool. Have a great, fun, relaxing summer : 0)
What a great party! I love her cake!
I just watched your video again…. too cute!! I can’t believe how much the kids have grown. I absolutely love Lainey floating in the pool~ head back, feet crossed, sun glasses on… too cute!!
It’s still a bit cool in Upstate NY (low 70’s), but with summer almost here, I am once again relieved that I live in a region that experiences the seasons. I just couldn’t stand the thought of 90 degree days and soul sucking mugginess 11 months of the year. I’d go out of my mind!
I like the summer, don’t get me wrong. But all through the next 3 months, I’ll be dreaming of those first crisp nights… 😉
OMG Sarah’s comment is sooo mean. It’s so chill of u to let it through though. If anything is true in this world, it’s that kelle hampton takes criticism WELL 🙂 kudos
Hey Kelle, I made that salad for my lunch today, and you’re right – it’s delicious! Thanks for sharing it! I love finding simple little put-together recipes, so I hope you’ll post more quick healthy meal ideas like that in the future.
Thanks!
Love love LOVE that video! Perfect song, too. Lainey’s cake was so awesome, that pool is really cute. Happy 7th Birthday kiddo! Enjoy your summer everyone 🙂
Your summertime video rocks. Also, if I ever get the chance to meet Nella in real life, I will just die. I feel like she and my Clara would be best buds. xoxo
noooooo im a spider! I’m terrified of spiders lol
love this post so much!
Happy Tuesday! Adorable cake. Hooray for almost summer!
Maika Etnik
I love your sweet summer video!
Your girls have grown so much. It’s incredible how time flies…
Enjoy the summer to make unforgetable memories
How cool, I go check out yoga_girl on IG and I see she’s also swedish lol, not at all what I expected! I love all your posts, your parenting and what a magical childhood you are creating for your kids!