I found it. A polish to match my summer watermelon.

Essie’s Watermelon. Matches my melon slice so good, I almost bit my finger. Got camoflauged there for a minute.

And I’m not the only one who’s diggin’ it.

Looks good on her too.

And speakin’ of lookin’ good, look who was stylin’ her stuff at the beach last night.

It was the first time I put her in the sand, and as soon as I laid my little kitten’s tummy to that beach, she was all smiles…

I took the kids to Fort Myers Beach for something different and with the hopes of getting some pictures for Brett for Father’s Day but–and I’m going to put this nicely–no one wanted to be there. It was hot and a little out of the way and, although I haven’t gone through everything yet, I’m pretty sure in every picture at least one person’s crying or purposefully not smiling. Lainey did enjoy some brother time though.

And Nella got to feel what it’s like to have her tummy to the sand, so it wasn’t a total wash.

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Finding more summer inspiration out and about this week…

I just love when new seasons come in. I thought it was all about summer–and it is–but I’ll do this all over again come fall. I’ll pine over russets and golds and stalk Pier One for its spiced apple scents. The blog will blow up with seasonal overstimulation then too–like pumpkins and apples and my mom’s pie crust. But, for right now…it’s all summer, Baby. Warm, sunny, colorful summer that promises much more to come.

Love how her little feet were thinkin’ about dippin’ in the mud in the first pic…and by the second pic, she’d decided to go all in, Baby. And smilin’.

This weekend will bring some speical time with my girls…

More enchanting thunder storms and more delicious summer.

…and some lovely ramblings about the man I love on Sunday.
Stay tuned.

And while I’m obsessed with Ingrid Michaelson, let me just say how proud I am of my super talented niece who sang at her school’s talent show a couple weeks ago here. Savannah, you sing just as beautifully as you are, inside and out! xoxo

I’ve been writing a lot lately…going back into those first weeks and digging as deep as I can get. I write late at night. Or early in the morning. And it’s a cathartic experience, one that often has me crying at my computer, taking breaks to relieve my emotions. But it’s so good…to get it out. And, for a moment, it’s like entering back into that person I used to be and reliving all of it. Still trying to figure out a way to leave it at the computer and make sense of it when I’m done but, in the meantime, there are weekends. Beautiful weekends that invite us across pinecone paths for a picnic in the woods and ice cream cones that drip their sticky puddles on the garage floor on a hot Saturday afternoon.

My grandma always, always had vanilla wafer cookies and fig newtons in her cookie jar when we visited her house. And so, I will have them too.

After Brett caught some fresh snapper last week out fishing with his buddy, he put every effort Friday night into preparing a fish fry for the family. His excitement was that of a little boy…studying recipes, taking his special trip to the grocery store for all the fixin’s, and how proud he was to deliver each plate to the kids. And he says things like “Get out of my kitchen” while he’s working. And I think that’s adorable. Dude, you can have it. Beats me havin’ to cook.

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Nella and her boyfriend, Rocco:

He loves her. Even kisses her hand to let her know.

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And Sunday was Brandyn’s birthday, and ain’t nothin’ like candles in your pancakes. So, the little sister saw to it…

And she proudly marched into his room carrying them, shy-smiling and singing, “Happy Buht-day to Bam-bam.”

And festivities followed later in the evening when Grandma & Grandpa and the boys’ mama and her fiance came over and Maria made the most amazing Mexican feast for all. And, once again, I was reminded how much I love a good meal around the table…even if the kids wolf down their food and beg to leave to go play. And even if we make them stay a bit and “enjoy” the boring adult conversation. I so remember what that was like. Rite of passage through childhood, if you ask me. And once you realize someday that you actually are enjoying that conversation, you know you’ve arrived. Kissing childhood goodbye.

I like when we secretly catch Austyn & Brandyn lovin’ on their sisters. It melts me.

And later, when all had left for home, we slipped into the pool again for a swim under the stars, under the colored camp lights…and then whispered our babies to sleep.

Digging back into the past may be a bit cathartic…maybe even uncomfortable at times…but woven together with this beautiful present–with weekends of candles in pancakes and root beers on a blanket in the woods–it tells of a great big beautiful story.

And we each have our own. Our stories. And, no matter what challenges I may be facing for the present moment, I’m always exhilerated at the idea that I make the choices for my story. And I’ve always liked adventurous stories. So, that it will be. An adventure. Where little girls bring happy days and tomorrow is always waiting.