If you give a mouse a cookie, he might ask for a glass of milk.
And if you give a girl a blog post about summer, she might just take it to the moon.
Because ever since I proclaimed my excitement for the arrival of popsicle afternoons and star-gazing evenings, I pretty much just want to do it all in one day. Or at least one weekend.
So we did.
This weekend screamed summer. With its vibrant skies and calming sea breeze and palm fronds that danced to the sweet tunes of squeals and laughter that came from our girl.
While I perfect the sangria recipe, I’m not far from mastering the more sought-after recipe for a Really Good Summer Day. It includes, in case you are wondering…
~ Sidewalk Chalk and a cool toddler who uses it to draw a trillion smiley faces in the driveway because she has just discovered how to draw the World’s Best Smiley and she knows it.
Recipe greatly enhanced, of course, if said toddler does a little driveway victory dance for her World’s Best Smileys. The chalkier the toes, the better.
~ Driveway Pistachio Feasts. These often follow Smiley Drawings. And they are a pleasure to watch; the pure essence of summer, they are. The way she squats all Mowgli-like and primitively attacks the shells, digging for the inside meat. And she pops them in her mouth and scours for another, and what’s left is this beautiful heap of empty shells and the smileys on the hot pavement beneath.
~ Pool Days. When it’s scorching hot and nothing sounds better than diving into the cool ripples of a welcoming pool.
Nella was a total pool champ the other day, sleeping soundly in the shade and soakin’ up the rays all baby cool like. Dude, this baby’s a rockstar.
Miss Julie gave her her first taste of Cash & Rocco’s applesauce at the pool and…Baby Likey.
…with a Milk Nightcap.
~ Late night sparklers and fireworks for no reason at all.
~ S’mores. Late. In the driveway when you’re all sweaty and barefoot and thinking about going in to take a shower at the end of the day but then you have the better idea of smashing chocolate and marshmallows between two graham cracker squares and getting further sweaty and sticky. Delicious. Need I say more?
~ Summer Creativity. I haven’t yet decided what fabulous things we will attempt to create this summer but I’m sure a trip to Joanns and a cart full of rafia and spray glue and pretty rosebud paper later, I’ll have it decided. In the meantime, we’re prepping as Lainey designated the entrance of our house as the “Make-Stuff-Place”…evident by the elaborate display of shredded paper, hardened play-doh balls and capless markers that are drying by the second.
~ Afternoon Siestas. Where I decide nap time is not just for blonde little girls and almond-eyed babies and I say things like “Mama will lay with you just for a little bit” fully knowing a little bit means two hours and “lay with you” means heavily snoring.
I laid on the floor today with Nella and the dog just to hang out a little and five minutes later, I had to get up because I was falling asleep.
And perhaps unrelated to summer but completely pertinent information on the lines of sun and happiness and suck-this-marrow-out-of-life…
Gratitude is so ever present in our home right now. So much has changed since Nella came–all these good, amazing changes–and yet, things seem so much the same. In a good way.
In a moment of thankfulness the other night, we said our prayers. This is becoming a funny little favorite for her where she thinks it’s a game to close her eyes (she yells at us when we don’t keep ’em closed–SHUT YO EYES, she says) and fold her hands, and it’s obvious it’s a game because she stifles laughter during her prayers and fights her shy smile. I couldn’t help but grab my camera the other night when, during prayer, I looked down to see she was covered in make-up. And there was something very antithetic about humble little thankful prayers coming from the clownish made-up face of a giggling toddler.
She cleans up good though.
I’m off to bed. To continue my summer celebration with slithering my tired body under cold sheets to snuggle between two girls. My two perfect, ever-satisfying lovelies.
I love the smores and love the chalk! This takes me back to my childhood. Once again, you have fabulous photos! It is a gift.
🙂 Marcie
Beautiful. Looks so fun.
Summer can be like crack…you just can’t get enough! (I think they put crack in the sweet tea at McDonalds but that’s a different post) Love how you are are living it up and soaking in every minute! I took my assignment and did my list. Posted it on my blog.
oh…and who did your blog layout? I love how your pictures are so big. I need a blog make over.
precious!!!! I’m loving those heart-shaped shades 🙂
Yep, beautiful!
Beautiful photos. Your girls are lucky to have you for a mom!
What a sidewalk chalk maven.
Sticky summer nights are the best-
Lovely photos-
I snorted out loud with laughter when I saw the one of Lainey with the makeup on and praying! I love my Jack’s prayers — never fail to crack me up each meal and bed time!
Happy summer! Looking forward to your pictures of the girls 🙂
This is exactly what summer is made for! Summer is suppose to be joyful, crazy, relaxing, hectic, giggling spontaneous fun. It’s so cool to see you guys already enjoying summer activities. I’m still in school right now, so even the hint of summer feels a long ways away, but I get out soon! I can’t wait to do everything on the list I made (thank you for that, you inspired me to right down my spontaneous ideas so I actually get them done!)
Nella is a rockstar! Look at her owning those heart glasses! And oh, lainey & the boys look so refreshed with their dips in the pool. Wish I had that today. It was humid out, but not unbearably so. Just enough that I wished for a nice cool dip in the water.
My friend and I were planning a “90’s day” where we do all these fun things we use to do as kids growing up in the 90’s, and playing with side walk chalk is on that list! It’s so enjoyable to put drawings on the ground. There’s just something that feels like your breaking free of just regular boring old paper & going wild with colors outside. Love laineys blue chalky foot! <3
And something that I think is so beautiful is that Lainey has fun with prayer. I’ve always enjoyed praying. I should do it more than I do, because after I pray i just feel so…lightened. Like I have gotten something off my chest- I always smile after i pray. Prayer should be light and fun and enjoyable. I know some people take it as a serious thing, or only do it when they want things. I love that you’re teaching lainey that being thankful & showing that in prayer is a good thing. Perhaps this only makes sense to me, or it sounds silly, but that’s just something I think it really amazing that you’re teaching her.
Have a good rest of the week enjoying summer things!
glad you had a great weekend! mmmm now i want smores!!!
I love to see you make summer come to life. Today we had SNOW (2 inches at least…)! No, I don’t live in AK, but apparently, I don’t live in FL either… Sigh. My sunshine will come, too! ;D
i love the glasses….she is turning into such a beautiful girl!
I am deeply convinced the authentic prayers of tiny hearts–even uttered from badly cosmetized lips–reach heaven first. Those pure spirits still have heaven’s delivery dust on them. And Nella…she was here before, you know. She has come back to help us who stumble with life’s meaning and mystery, to press the wrinkles from our weathered hearts, to restore the color to our old-tubed screens. I cannot wait to hear her laughter…her tiny voice is just beginning its coos and calls. Summer will bring those sounds, I do believe. Her sister will teach her. She teaches me. I breathed in your post tonight, like sitting at an oxygen bar…and the flavor was Childhood. It was delicious. I am intoxicated with it. The older I am, the reach to littles’ hearts seems closer…like it is the big round dancing circle not yet connected, and at the two ends are the very old and the just beginning…and when they finally snake around, find each other and connect…all is well with the world. G’nite…sprinkle happy dream dust on the girls’ pillows tonight and kiss the moon good night. I love you.
a great tip for sidewalk chalk (just discovered it tonight!!!)… soak the chalk in water over night (and maybe even some sugar) for really BRIGHT, VELVETY, POPPING colors on your sidewalk chalking the following day. 🙂 i’m excited to try it out!
We have been breaking out the sidewalk chalk on the daily. I will post pics next week. 🙂
LOVE the Nella heart shades 🙂
And, we are sidewalk chalk folk here in Atlanta, too.
So much so, that I seem to run over and crush pieces of it (backing out of the garage) on the driveway now and then. Thank God chalk is cheap!
When I read this it just felt relaxed, so natural….your right this is going to be a great summer, great fun is waiting to be had & memories waiting to be made if we just let it happen. You’re off to a great start!
even here in the frozen north … the sprinklers have been out and the driveway has several shades of melted and crumbled chalk.
and happy girls. with the ever so slightest bit of sunny shoulders.
and i smooshed a banana up for finn the other night … and realized that i would have never done that with my first time baby.
hello summer!
Nellas belly is so delicious!!!
We are expecting our second little girly girl at the end of summer. We are gauging the due date based on berry season. We talk about first comes the strawberries, then the raspberries and blackberries, then the cherries and then the blueberries. When the blueberry bush is almost done making berries, THEN our baby will come. It’s going to be a delicious summer! With the most delicious dessert to come at the end, in the form of a little pink bundle. 🙂 Happy sunny days.
Beautiful. Gratitude is such a beautiful thing isn’t it? After thinking I was going to have to go back to work it worked out for me to continue to stay home. Gratitude does not even begin to describe what I feel. Thank you so much for your inspiration.
Beautiful as always…..Kelle, you ROCK!!!!
The sidewalk chalk and pics of Lainey had me playing a film in my head with that sound of the projector going. With the voice of a narrator, mono-toned man voice, talking about a tribe and Lainey was the little native girl doing her tribal drawing/rituals and the gathering of nuts and eating them Mowgli style!
Summer is definitely here in Texas.
Love the Retro nursing pic of you and Nella Bella.
:o)
Oooh s’mores! This pregnant mama would just love some of those. I’m thinking those should def be on the list this Memorial Day cookout!
I just love reading your blog, you give me such great ideas for things to do with my two year old and she just loves sidewalk chalk.
Love your list of great summer things! And after I have this baby can I try your sangria? 😉
Beautiful pics of the sweetest girls kelle…The heat here has been enough to cause me to want to just nap, but for you, I’m not sure why you are soo fatiqued, well othwer then having 2 under 3, a breast fed baby, who probably still wake you in the middle of the night, and that you have been busy of late with this and that >!>!>,,,,,BUT ….Is it possible you are pregnant ???……Cause we woman all know pregancy brings on fatique ?….expecially in the first trimester ? …You do know breats feeding is not a form of birth control right ?….*warm smiles* …I will pray you get a restful sleep this night …Happy summer to you and the girls …And, let me be the first to congratulate you if you are pregnant ?!….*winks*
Deborah, the Canadian Nurse …
Funny you mention the Mowgli squat… we were commenting on our oldest son’s ability to do the very same thing today while we watched him send cascades of pool water over his baby sister’s head.
And I love that your front entryway is the assembly zone for whatever her imagination has concocted lately… our entryway serves the very same purpose!
Hooray for summer! Soak it in!
Um…in Canada, summer isn’t quite here yet, so I am living vicariously through you and your girls…although today (Victoria Day), it was a balmy 19 degrees celsius – so I took my car for a wash!!! Car washes on the driveway with the sprinkler running full blast – another great thing about summer!
Thanks again for some beautiful photos – gawd I admire you!!
Caulk tinted toes…wub!!!
Ahh summer is there anything more delish than knowing your day is full of nothing more than tall cool drinks and hearing your kids laughter!!!!!
Nella is just the cutest rockstar I think I’ve ever seen. Lainey and the squat oh how I wish I still had the agility to do that LOL!!!!
I love the pictures of the kids at the pool and I just have to say that is quite the backyard pool WOW!!!!!
Again, thanks for sharing.
We are chalk lovers as well! And the only time I buy Kool-aid is good ole summertime 🙂
Love all the beautiful pics of your babies 🙂
Kristi
Please don’t take this as an attack because it isn’t meant to be one…
I am just wondering why you allow your just 3yr old daughter to wear makeup and nail polish. Not to mention the nail polish on the baby. I find that really disturbing and while you might not mean it to be sexualising your daughters, it is. Make up is designed to make people look more attractive – lipstick originates from the flush that comes to the lips due to sexual arousal. With all the sexualisation in our culture, I would have thought someone as seemingly sensible as yourself would have realised that allowing children to wear makeup is not a particularly good thing. I also wonder why you take your little girl to have manicures etc, what is going to be left for her to do when she is older if she does it all now? All these things will be done so she will have to move onto something new, and that something new might not be age appropriate. Like I said, I am not attacking you, just wondering why you feel the need to treat your little girl like she is a teenager or an adult.
Hellooo, I am a grandmother to a very special granddaughter .I think the two of them will become great friends. Maddie is 2 weeks older than Nella. And she resides in Michigan. It is so amazing looking at their Angel Eyes. It warms my heart. And I can’t get enough of her. And Poppa is right,there is wisdom and soul and love to share with the world. Please check out our Daughter’s website, she shares much like you do. Blessings to you and your Family. http://www.mcclinticfamily.com
That is so funny you posted about side walk chalk, smores, and fireworks. We live in NC so no outside swimming yet. But i just took pics today of the sidewalk chalk. I haven’t made up my blog post yet, but am getting my pics downloaded and edited. Also, i don’t think you are sexualizing your daughters like one of the posts said. If it disturbs someone, they don’t have to look at it, right? i love your posts. Plus, wasn’t lainey just playing in your makeup, it’s not like you let her actually wear makeup. My daughter is 22 months and i have been wanting to do her toenails, just haven’t got around to it yet. She would probably mess them up. Anyways, my daughter was born with spina bifida, so i have been through a lot of emotions just as you have, except i found out on an ultrasound. Still wasn’t easy. I have been following your blog starting just this month and you have encouraged me to pick up my nikon d3000 my hubby got me for Christmas, so i am really just learning to take good photographs and how to edit them. Definately not a pro. I liked your pics of the popsicles so i tried some angles with chalk like that. I hope you don’t mind, i loved it soo much i wanted to try it. Thought it was cool! I haven’t posted it yet. Oh and all of those are awesome things about summer. WE did sparklers and a few small fireworks the other night and also had smores. That’s why this post was sooo funny, because we enjoyed those same things just the other day! I just started my blog pretty much this month, check it out! I look forward to following your blog.
Have you ever noticed that when someone starts to say something by prefacing it with the phrase, “Please don’t take this as…” that it is often just exactly that?
Kelle, your love for life and your littles is so evident in everything that you do, and what strikes me most is that somehow you don’t let yourself get lost amongst all of that “mommyness.” It reminds me to strive for the same sense of self in addition to my identity as wife and mama. It’s good for everyone.
And Poppa, there is something so genuine about the phrase “authentic prayers from tiny hearts- even uttered from badly-cosmetized lips.” It’s so authentic it’s delightful.
The picture of you nursing Nella-your face looks so much like Lainey’s there! (Or should I say, her face looks so much like yours? You know what I mean.) Beautiful!
Oh my goodness, I love the way you write! The pictures are amazing too. I like the one of Nella and the pup. SO cute. Also, I think what I love most about this post is the fact that you posted a picture of you nursing. Awesome.
I love this post.. It looks like you had a beautiful weekend.. 🙂 xx
Anonymous 9:51 -really? She isn’t wearing makeup, she is playing. There is a difference. And what harm is being done by making memories with your littles by sharing in a harmless manicure. We are not promised tomorrow. Don’t put off things to do later one day! And just because you don’t agree with makeup or nail polish shouldn’t give you the right to question someones else about it.
I’ve only just found you and your family but you truly are gorgeous. I love the way you tell a story and the way you do so with pictures is just divine. And your poppa, he is one in a million. A beautiful, beautiful soul. So blessed you be xx
Wow, another truly beautiful post. You make me so excited for summer, and life in general really! I totally get what Poppa (so beautifully) said about the oxygen bar – this blog almost fills me up with a passion for life, because yours is a passion of the best kind 🙂
I laughed at loud at the adorable Lainey praying with her make up-smeared face – so precious! And you’re so right about Nella being a rock star – she’s so beautiful and looks so wise as well…
Happy Summer <3 xxxxx
You make me wish I could go back to the 1970’s and redo summers with my own kids! We always had fun, but I wasn’t as creative and joyful as you are–and as I could’ve been. Lucky for me there are the grandkids, who were here two days ago playing naked in the little pool in my backyard while the grown ups enjoyed some chinese take-out.
Gosh, Anonymous…I was oblivious about the whole lipstick origin and today, will find it difficult to even look upon a woman wearing it…I am sure I will blush…and perhaps start humming, “I’m in the mood for love.” As a frequent guest in the home, I can assure you that a kool-aid smile is the only makeup the girl wears…and all I see is the smile! But we love the comment anyway–it reminds us how wide and wonderful our world is to appreciate lots of views!
I wish Anon comments would name themselves, cause in reality, i think the comment is an attack when you do not attach your name !…
And in defense of kelle letting her girls apply makeup, it is just that, the girl, namely Lainey who somewhat toys with the makeup, trying the makeup on, so to speak, in fun, in learning that she is a girl, and like Mom when she is old enough will wear it out… Never have I seen Lainey to go out with her family wearing makeup, she did not even wear makeup at her birthday party, and for the nail polish, well my dght also had some on at Nella’s age… I wear toe polish, yet I do not ever wear makeup, it is whatever we chose to teach our children, they are our children, well on loaned to us for x amt or yrs that is, and it is our job to show and teach them their own sexuality, and their sexuality, is just that, her girls are going to grow up to be women, now if I seen kelle insisting her boy’s wear makeup, well I might have trouble with that concept, but do you know what i would never be so rude as to put an anon face and come comment about it here, like a hypocrite anon you are that just did it !
And, we all live different values and different ways in the world, and it’s ok, if you Anon don’t want to expose your dght’s to makeup and nail polish, that’s fine and dandy, your child your choice…
BUT in my mind, it’s NOT ok, to criticize a blogger who does…In fact I would be happy to see Kelle delete your comment, and all comments who are attacking her that do not wear a face, or a name I mean !….
BTW, Kelle, I love love love, when you take pics of your painted toes, and Lainey’s, an especially Nella’s lil colored toes too…*winks*
Love You all ….Deborah, the Canadian Nurse
Thank you for sharing your amazing capture of life! Love the make up wearing, giggling, hand clasped together prayer picture. Just beautiful.
I’ve just been inspired to claim part of the parking lot where we live as our own driveway so that we can chalk it up! It will happen this weekend, maybe sooner! Why not?!
The pool that you guys were at looks awesome! So much fun!
And, I just have to say, Lainey and Nella are just beautiful! Truly adorable and cheek pinchable!
Yay a new post! Love it all! Nella and those sunglasses! Lainey’s prayer pic! After Im done reading I always look at the comments and Poppa “you rock!” big time!!
Sue
Another great post….
I Love how you let Lainey be so free to enjoy life….others wouldnt be so opened minded…side walked dusted feet, pistachio shells on the ground, sneaking make up while praying, an art studio in the entry way!! These are the memories that she and you will have forever!!!
That is what I LOVE about you…YOU EMBRACE REAL LIFE- We all need to let go and savour these moments….
Thank you again!!!
And to Anon- Turn the channel.. we dont want your closed mind here on this blog!!! Littles in Mommys make up is what life is all about!!! Pooey on you!
To Anon 9:51 If seeing a little girl play dress up with mommy’s make up bothers you…please stop reading the blog. There is nothing wrong with this and your tone is very condescending.
Kelle I love seeing the photos and reading your blog as they inspire me to be the best momma I can be for my little. In 5 more days my little will be turning 3 with her very own Candyland party. I only hope my decor is as fabulous as yours! I can’t wait for the next post.
Keep lovin’ those babies and enjoy every second with them…doing anything you guys want…even if it is playing with make up because that’s all it is…playing!
Enjoy the beginnings of summer…
PS Could Poppa be any more understanding?! He’s wonderful…
We love to make sangria…the white kind of course.
I posted the recipe.
You’re photos are getting really good!
xo
Love it, love the giggles through prayers. You know JoAnne’s has something Lainey would probably really like. I’m going to get it for my Halle. It’s back in the art stuff for kids with the boxed art stuff. It’s a fairy garden that you make yourself. I make these all the time, my kitchen is filled with little fairy villages(you can see them in my Facebook pictures, Vonda Smith Weikert) but they have one for kids that comes with a tray for the dirt, a house to paint and seeds to make a wonderful little fairyland and watch it grow. Too cute!
Kelle, I love how you suck the marrow out of life…I’m a little bit older Mom who used to do just that but got bogged down by the worries and woes of life over the last few years. You, Poppa and Brett have just really inspired me back into LIVING deliberatly…thank you.
Now I’m off to help my little girl get ready for school and then later today we are painting nails and applying badly cosmetized makeup…LOVE.IT!!!
Anon,your in a warm place that lets you share your feelings….isn’t that wonderful, its that kind of acceptance that produces love, not sexualization of children…don’t you see that, I hope so..love to you too!
Amazing… amazing pictures and amazing little girls! The beauty in your story just shines through.
don’t you just love pool days? millie sat in the pool until after dark the other night. she gets her face all screwed up concentrating on splashing. fun times!
as usual, great pics. it’s funny, though. i come on here and expect that your life will be completely different from mine because you have a child with ds and i don’t. the jokes on me because it seems like your life is the easy one while all i can do most days is just sit back and try to tame the maelstrom. thank you for bringing normalcy back to the ‘in’ side.
I love the littel shorts that nela is wearing in the end, the onies that are crocheted they are beautiful:) and I love the pictures of lainey praying with her clown makeup on, your girls are adorable. 🙂 Congrats for getting your summer to do list done in one week.
Paint away, Kelle, paint away 🙂
Obviously when you have a blog as popular as yours, there are definitely going to be people who question and judge.
I also believe that when you post words so eloquent and pictures as perfect as yours, people will wrongly assume your life is perfect, and as a result, get angry… because they want their life to be perfect. But I don’t see your life as perfect (no one’s is, for crying out loud), I see you as an optomist – someone who won’t let other’s misery be her company.
Thanks for the daily shot of optimism 🙂
It’s been 90 degrees the last few days here in Chicago, whereas our avg right should be like 69, so I’ve been so in the summer frame of mind too with the popsicles, pools, sprinklers…my girls love it…I can tell they sense the air of carefree-ness that comes with the warmth!
Nella looks so big on the picture where she’s nursing. Look at how long she is!
The picture of Lainey by your entrance…there is a box on the little shelf there. I had that same box, and it was filled with cards and little trinkets from our wedding. I realize when I saw your pic I have no clue where it is, haven’t seen it in like 5 years! I’m going to go look for it now, thanks for jogging my memory lol. Sorry my comments often are so “stream-of-conscious” lol
My husband went out and bought a boxful of fireworks the other day when the weather finally warmed up…because in his words it isn’t really summer if you don’t have fireworks on hand! Love the post!
Yay for summer! Even here in MN it was 94 degrees yesterday!
Beautiful pictures! LOVE the one of Lainey praying – magical. And Nella? Oh my – she is just delish.
Your new post was a perfect way to start my day – thank you!
i am so glad i came across your blog. it makes me smile every time i see it, (which rocks bc things have been rough in the baby making. 15 months.) you give me inspiration for when i have kids. u kind of remind me of my mom, in the fact that she did all of this kind of fun stuff with my sister & i. and we REALLY appreciated it. your daughters have a GREAT mom!!!!
and your pictures are truly amazing. i wish i lived near you so i could get some taken. photography is a huge part of my life and i really love when i can find someone who takes the pictures that i dream of in my head. i wish i had a better quality camera.
thanks for posting! your family is beautiful! and you are extremely talented.
Jeepers! What’s going on with the blog?! To nail polish or not to nail polish…I wish I had started so young. Maybe I would know how to apply it now as a 32 year old mommy! I think our little ones just want to do what we are doing. My boys love ‘helping’ daddy around the house, changing light bulbs, washing the car, etc. Lainey knows she has a pretty cool mama and wants to be just like her. It seems to me that the kids who ‘need’ attention from the opposite sex (when they get older) don’t get the lovin’ at home….and I think we all know, in Lainey’s case, is not going to be a problem. She’s gettin’ plenty of the lovin’!
Keep on lovin’ your girls and lettin’ us in on it 🙂
And I absolutely LOVE the nursing pictures you post. Is there anything more beautiful than a mama feedin’ her babe?! I think not 🙂
,,,the photos are Kodak moments,,,
,,,thank you for sharing lainey & nella with us,,,
Kelle I love your blog! But sweetie you are not enjoying the small things you are enjoying the big things! You have the gift of being able to find the magic in the minutes and when it comes to babies those minutes go by so fast!
I don’t know if you have, Let Me Hold You Longer by Karen Kingsbury in your personal library yet but oh what a beautiful book it is and it reminds me of the way you live your life everyday. Its a great family book your big boys will love it too. You have a beautiful family.
Poppa you rock! Kisses!
Kathleen
LOVE Nella’s eyes and Lainey praying is divine! Got my sangria fix Sunday. C:
The feeling of gratitude for me is one of the highest form of prayer…
“The future enters into us, in order to transform us, long before it happens.” -Rainer Maria Rilke
After all the mentions, I initially thought “Anon 9:51” was a passage in the bible (clearly it’s time to reacquaint myself with the good book)…until I scrolled up further and read all the comments. The application of war paint and nail polish are bonding moments, and last I checked, temporary. It’s not like Lainey and Nella were permanently inked with huge dragon slayer tattoos across their mid-sections. (To those of you adults who have said tattoo, no disrespect intended. Only awe from this end.)
Dear Anon 9:51 – relax, breathe in, breathe out; I’m sending some love your way because I think somewhere in there, you mean well.
And Kelle, these moments you capture are so pure and beautiful – from the chalky toes to the scrunchy, painted prayer face to the breast-feeding your baby – well, it sometimes makes me want a redo back to when my kids were newborns. You’re one of the good eggs.
another amazing post! i think i was meant to find your blog! I just realized that our son, Liam was born on the same day as Nella!
I love summer!
Nella and Lainey are so cute! 😀
ok…anony is getting slightly overused..if you have something to say that can be offensiv..at least back it up with your name. people..sometimes it is best to keep your opinions to yourself..because they are just that..your opinions!!!
i totally and respectfully disagree. what better time to teach our children then when they are little. unless anony lives on another planet our girls will someday encounter using makeup. wow..let’s just leave it at a big old WOW! please do not visit my blog..i did a whole post around my daughter and her friend playing with makeup…PLAYING is the key word.
poppa…i almost wet myself and am still laughing..will think of you everytime i hear “i’m in the mood for love.”!!!!!!!!
kelle..girl…great blog, painted toenails of mommy and littles are killer..nella and the heart sunglasses make me miss girl’s baby years..we love sidewalk chalk and all the great things about summmer!! ♥
Been reading your blog for a while now but this is my first comment… I just wanted to say how great it is to see you post pictures of nursing Nella! And what beautiful pictures too! It’s brilliant to see a women like you – a role model to so many others – not only supporting but celebrating breastfeeding. Now THAT’S rockstar!
I love how naysayers never have the nerve to leave their real name. If you are going to judge at least be big enough to OWN it.
Being a mama is hard enough with out other women judging us for everything we do. Good grief, let’s stand together and support each other. She loves her kids and loves them with all her heart! That should be the important part. All the other stuff is just details.
Now on to the important comment – Nella bean is DELICIOUS! love the nursing poolside pic. Go Nursing Mama!
And Lainers – you are hilarious! praying clown – best pic of the post. lol.
I only recently found your blog. I love it – you write so well and your pictures are amazing!
Your 2 girls are beautiful 🙂
Enjoy the summer
omg! annonymous lighten up! life is short learn how to enjoy it-hardly see long term damage for god sake! certainly not as damaging as being so serious you believe that polishing a childs nails will send the wrong message-we can be all that and more!!
My favorite photo is the chalky feet. It makes me want to grab my camera and shoot all the little details around my life. I really like how this blog helps me look at my own life with an artistic eye and a joy for details. How awesome. Also…I’ve only been reading since February, but Lainey is really growing up! Especially in today’s photos, she looks like a little kid girl, instead of a toddler girl! how cool!
-Melina
Wow, annonymous, what is the point of even leaving a comment like that? If you don’t have anything nice to say…..
Kelle, I love all the girly things you do with your girls. I love my son soooo much and love how all “boy” and rough and tumble he is, but I can’t wait to have little girls one day too!
Summer is the best, I always look forward to this time of year with such anticipation. It’s like this fog of winter and dreary weather just lifts and life seems a little simpler, brighter and happier!
Leah
http://www.lovelifeandmommyhood.blogspot.com
WOWZERS!! Can’t us mommas love and support one another?? No children are harmed in these beautiful postings of Kelle’s, so enjoy the fact that we all have the freedom to raise our children as we see fit! I Love you Kelle and your beautiful way of expressing yourself. I will be planning an afternoon of cold cereal, sidewalk chalk and the sprinkler and am now adding pedicures for my 3 daughters (and my son too if he wants one, so take that Anon 9:51:)
Anywho thanks Kelle for recognizing the beauty in small things and thanks Poppa for helping us all laugh at the naysayers!
Oh my Lord!!! I hardly think that Lainey is putting on lipstick and nail polish to go out and find a sexual partner!!! Little girls like to imitate their mama’s. I have 3 girls and 2 stepdaughters and they ALWAYS have played in my makeup, played dress up, had their toenails done, the works. Two of them are grown and married, and waited until marriage to even HAVE sex (in this day and age that is rare) 2 of them are 16 year old twins who haven’t done HALF of what their friends have done with boys and Halle is 9 and I haven’t found any condoms in her room yet, so I guess the nail polish and lipstick is used differently around here, for PLAY, for PRETEND, not to land a man!
I’m so looking forward to summer, and your blog post makes me long for it even more! I live in Utah and it snowed yesterday! Yeah that’s right snowed! I’m so looking forward to our trip to Orlando in 2 weeks. Your girls are beautiful, and so are you!
what a wonderful life!!! You show us all some much beauty!!! Happy Summer to you!!!
Kelle, good to hear you are all doing well. I wanted to mention something early on that I wish someone would’ve told me. A LOT of kids with Ds have a real sensitivity to heat, and do not sweat effectively or at all. With Ciarra, it is a pinpoint red rash all over her face and body. she has been diagnosed with anhidrosis, meaning she cannot sweat. More and more kids are starting to recognize it, and the earlier the better. Just keep a little eye to it, and if you see anything concerning re nella and heat, holler and I will fill you in on what to do next. With a little luck, she wont be one of those kids, but if she is, there are things you can do to keep her safe and still be outside. Just thought it was worth mentioning. 🙂 enjoy your summer. It is 90 plus in Maine today.
First, I fell in love with Nella’s birth story and now your life. So inspirational to live each day to it’s fullest!
Second here is my Sangria recipe, unfortunatly I eyeball and do it to taste but that’s part of the fun to taste to perfection.
Start with 1 bottle red wine then add to taste:
orange juice
plain seltzer soda
Juicy Juice Berry Juice
And what I think makes it perfect…Peach Schnapps
Ice and lemon/lime and orange slices stirred in. Mmmmmm….
If you ever perfect your recipe, you’ll have to post it!
You should go to the Publix at Tamiami and Vanderbilt (next to Bha!Bha! Persian Bistro) and have your groceries bagged by the sweetest grown-up girl with Downs. I was there today with my son and almost cried thinking of you and your daughter. The Publix bagger was so genuinely happy, kind to my toddler, and conscientious about her work. You have a lot to look forward to as your Nella grows older. She is not limited by that extra chromosome, but rather is enhanced by it; my experience today was that she had an increase of great gentleness and thoughtfulness.
Mary in Ave Maria
Kelle ~ this is my first time visiting your blog. Christian from modobjectathome.blogspot gave me your link. What a beautiful place to be! I enjoyed looking around and read, with tears, your birth story from January. I have triplet boys who have autism, so I know all about be a special mom. 🙂
Come visit if you have a chance. I’m adding you to my blogroll so I can come back again and again. xo
I love how you soak up all the good there is to soak up. And you make me work harder to do the same, for myself and my kids.
Think it everytime I visit you here, which is practically everyday but girl you are AMAZING AND WONDERFULLY INSPIRING and just wanted to tell you that today!!!
Happy thoughts and baby snuggles
Jen 🙂
What a fabulous post! Bring on summer! (Especially here in Michigan – we are so ready).
Can I spend Summer in your world?!
I cant help but notice little Nella’s hair. Just seems like it is growing more and more in each post.
Catching up after spending a wonderful week away visiting my family by the seaside. And I squeezed in a girls’ night out too (uh-huh, I’m still shakin’ it too!) I love, love, love all the posts that you have posted since I last checked in. But, most of all, I love the fact that your blog hasn’t changed since I started reading it. Well, it does have one very cute addition in Nella! And that Lainey? She is a lovely girl – no wonder when you consider who her mum is!
p.s. Random question – is sidewalk chalk different to plain old chalk or is it just the same? We have chalk here but I’ve never seen ‘pavement’ (our word for sidewalk) chalk in the shops?
If I had a summer day like that in May, I’d think, “The pressure’s off now!!” haha… this is our last week of school, and the anticipation is mounting…c’mon Friday!!!
Those tiny pink toes………
well, I’d crawl there
to smooch me some of those!
Ohh..the smores look soo yummy!! Love this post, and of course sparklers for not particular reason! That is soo cool!! 😉
You so nail the moment. Just as I was making my bucket list for the summer, you write an amazing blog about just that. This morning your blog inspired me to think about summer in a new and refreshing way. You know, life doesn’t always go as we plan. And in that knowledge, we are humbled and little do we know, blessed by HIS plan for us. Irregardless of our circumstances – we can move on and live our lives for others. You, Kelle are doing that….. keep sharin the wealth and the love you’ve been given Poppa you have a mansion with a pool in heaven waitin for you! I love you and your love for your littles…
SMMOOOORRRESS! I sense a craving coming on. I might have to go to the store and get the supplies and make them, even though it is pouring rain outside today! It’s never a bad day for Smores, right?? Thanks Kelle! YOu inspired me to make my OWN summer list and we already tackled on thing on it! Thanks!
I love the pool days! Nella in the heart glasses I could just eat her up.
You truly showcase the beauty that is breast feeding- thank you thank you for posting that photo!
Hi kelle. I already commented but sometimes I come back to look at other comments because the people who comment your blog are so kind and interesting, that I love seeing what they say.
I saw the comment from “anonymous” and let me just say, if there is one major downfall of the internet (and there are many) that is one. It gives people power they normally wouldn’t have by hiding behind an ‘anonymous’ name. If i have a problem with someone, I say it to their face, and the same should go on the internet. Unfortunately, some people just don’t do that.
But what i wanted to comment about is…Don’t doubt yourself. Don’t let any comments that throw negativism at you get to you, because from where most of us are standing, you are an excellent mama! You raise your girls to be sweet and kind, and a little makeup on a little girls face is natural. I’ve been letting my little cousin play with my makeup since the day she accidentally got a hold of it. Perhaps she isn’t the best at applying yet, but she has fun anyway!
People take things way too seriously, and sometimes not enough. Letting lainey play with makeup in the safety of her own home is fine, I say. (: Keep doing your littles nails up with cute polish colors, and letting lainey try out your makeup. One day when they’re older, they are going to be killer at putting it all on.
Paint away Kelle Hampton. You love those girls like no other. I have never seen nor read so much love in my life. If you let them mess around with your makeup, that’s just you letting them be creative, and nothing more. Pardon my French, but “you-know-what” the haters. All you represent is pure love.
kelle, love your bog, any! this is my 1st time commenting, but have been following for some time now. you are an amazing mom, and have an amazing family! poppa is a beautiful soul. we should all have someone like him in our lives. wit that said, please don’t feel like you have to defend yourself to someone who would use this comment post to make caustic remarks. some things are better left ignored! lve to you and yours.
wow! should have checked typing before hitting publish!
*sigh* We are int he middle of moving which has not been fun. Thinking about all the things we can do in our new house during the summer helps me to keep going. And though I can’t do those things now, I at least get to live them through you. Keep the summer coming!!!
I love reading your posts! It really makes my day! Lainey and Nella are both very beautiful just like their mama! I love Laineys little hands in her prayer picture. She also did a fine job on her make up! lol! Thank you for inspiring my summer 🙂 Hope you have a great night! You just made mine!
Oh, and Poppa *hugs*! Lots of em!
I love reading your posts! It really makes my day! Lainey and Nella are both very beautiful just like their mama! I love Laineys little hands in her prayer picture. She also did a fine job on her make up! lol! Thank you for inspiring my summer 🙂 Hope you have a great night! You just made mine!
Oh, and Poppa *hugs*! Lots of em!
Just wanted to let you know that sidewalk chalk is our new thing. Thanks for the simple inspiration 🙂
i’m missing my girls! i can’t wait for this weekend! i am pretty sure this is the kick-off weekend to summerl it feels that way.
love you. i want an otter pop…real bad! lol!
xoxox
I am spending my last few rainy weeks up in Oregon before heading home to California and your posts make me soooo excited to bask in the sunshine! And, I so appreciate your photographs of breastfeeding–I think photos like yours will help naturalize and destigmatize what is a lovely and life-giving blessing. Here’s to Summer!
Anonymous at 9:51 – really?1? I mean, are you serious? You really need to get a life – or perhaps take a step back and assess your own…what normal adult would interpret a three year old little girl’s play with makeup as “sexual”???
Awesome 🙂 We have been having summer-like weather here in New England for the past three days and it is glorious! Nella is getting so big!
Kelle-
When my girls were little ones, I used to speak in a heavy accent and pretend to be a woman named “Oolga” (Not Olga but Oooolga) and I came to visit to “do the nails”. We had a special little table, perfect for little ones, a special bowl for soaking “the nails” in very special bubbles, and even a special duckie nail brush for scrubbing those darling little nails! And of course, a basket with a variety of yummy little girl colored polish. Even to this day, the girls will talk about “Ooolga”, and I break into the accent=)
God, I miss those days……..
Susan from Boston
Kelle~ You ROCK and so do your littles… LOVE LOVE the chalk painted feet, love the littles with painted toes and makeup faces… My 3 1/2 year old Loves loves to get her toes and face done up too! Absoultely LOVE the breastfeeding pic, I too am a breastfeeding mom… Keep Rocking on and enjoy Summer! We enjoyed chalking up the drive way last night too…
since i found your blog, i’ve been obsessively reading, admiring your photos and your beautiful life.
in fact, you’ve inspired me (an almost 20 year old) to start a blog yesterday and to pick up my nikon and go on a photography adventure.
thank you for sharing your life and for reminding me of the joy that photography brings.
Kelle~ What do you use for your dream dust? That is so magical, I would love to do it with my 3 1/2 year old and 11 month old Princesses… Thanks, Michele
Chalky feet & s’mores & Nella’s sunglasses… these are a few of my favorite things. Seriously, I am searching for a new word for “inspiration” because I think I type it every comment on every post. Enlightening, uplifting, compelling, motivating, rousing… none of these quite capture it. Inspiration, it is!
Cheers,
Kate
p.s. You have directly inspired me to try to do more with our family blog as well.
kwqr.blogspot.com
Check it out if you have a chance!
sweet post Kelle
If you did a million posts about summer I would savor every one.
Magic.
My first visit here. Gorgeous photos. Lovely sentiments.
Thank you.
love all those pics!
Thank You Kelle!!
I gave up photography with the digital era. I used to love my 35mm Nikon N2000. It rarely left my side and I developed my own pictures. But along came digital and I was not ready to invest in a DSLR so I got a point and shoot and hated the results so much so that I just let my photography fall by the wayside.
I gave birth in January of this year and my doula sent me a link to your blog. I’ve been avidly reading ever since.
You’ve inspired me so much that I am now the proud owner of my first DSLR and it hasn’t left my side since I bought it. I even splurged and in addition to a Tamron 18-200mm lens got a F1.8/50 portrait lens just for kicks.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! You have given me the most treasured gift ever – the gift of documenting my sons life in pictures like I have always longed to do. For that I cannot thank you enough!
I love how beautiful all of your pics are. Thanks for going on cam and breastfeeding I think that is way awesome when so many people are way too weird abput it!
clown prayers?? Awesome! speaking of breastfeeding fun, I was at a library craft time yesterday and this woman with her babe in a snuggli, had the whole boob out in the open as she walked around the crowded room with her toddler. I was thinking, “well, based on how my modesty has decreased with each baby, she must be on baby #4!!! AND, keep the creative inspiration coming!
wonderfully satisfying post, kelle! i have to say, i’m a bit jealous of it, though. i’ve been having a hard time getting my pictures off of my camera, and don’t know what the problem is … if it’s the camera, the cable or the computer! just hope i can figure it out soon … it’s keeping me up at night, literally!! and there are a lot of good pictures on it, too … like a birthday party and a preschool graduation!!!!!!!!
enjoying the small things,
april
Goodness. This post brought me straight back to my childhood: Swimming in the pool at night. Fireflies. Darting from the pool, through the hot, mosquito-y humid air, to the house, where the air conditioner brought on goosebumps. Showering before bed. Snuggling down with damp hair. Good times. Thank you.
The tubby pictures? Prrrrrrrrr-ecious!!
Kelle, you let your life-giving shine! Don’t let someone take that away with any form of comment…you keep rocking on! Live it out, sweet lady!
I love the blue chalky feet!!! I love the squatting and eating the pistachios and I love the smores and the make-uped face!!! 🙂 What a fun summer you are having!!!!
I know you don’t have a lot of time, but where oh where did you find that little Dr. Seuss onesie? I tried to google and got no where.
Nella is always dressed to a T. The little striped onesie… ahhhhhhhh, so adorable.
I know you don’t have a lot of time, but where oh where did you find that little Dr. Seuss onesie? I tried to google and got no where.
Nella is always dressed to a T. The little striped onesie… ahhhhhhhh, so adorable.
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