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- As an introduction – I need to say something about this photo!
This is a continuation of the “pool” series! I’ve taken a handful of Abby’s Saturday photos based around the different kiddie pools we’ve had & so of course we had to continue the “trend”! I talk at length about this new pool we got this summer two weeks ago, so if you want a full update on our 10ft. long inflatable pool, go read that here!
If you want to go back & see the “pool” progression, start here:
Three hundred and fifty-nine
Three hundred and ten
Two hundred and fifty-eight
Two hundred and eight
Two hundred and two
One hundred and fifty-three - So, if I’ve learned anything about “being a parent” over the last 7 1/2 years – it’s that life is unpredictable and if you make plans – someone will more-than-likely end up sick. This is especially (painfully) true during the holidays and big once-a-year events.
Take yesterday for example.
We were at my family’s lake-house all week attending the VBS our “summer church” (the church we attend when we’re at the Lake) does every year. (Sidenote: they do VBS completely different than any other I’ve ever attended – it’s family integrated, super fun, includes dinner – the kids LOVE it and beg to go every year).
So, we’ve been at the Lake all week (and it’s been wonderful – more on that in a minute). Friday night is the grand finale where they bring in multiple big inflatable bounce houses, they do face painting, have a dunking tank + more. It’s literally a mini-carnival. We weren’t able to attend last summer and they didn’t have VBS the year before (in 2020 – for obvious reasons). So, we haven’t been there since 2019. Leander was just a little baby, but Braelynn has very strong memories and was absolutely bursting for Friday night.
(This is where the ominous music would play if this was a movie.)
Then, Braelynn woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat.
She kept telling me it was fine – it was just dry – it was feeling better. But I knew something was going on. She wasn’t her usual bubbly, happy, active self. I watched her all morning, hoping and praying she would feel better (and she was putting on a really good show), but ultimately made the decision mid-afternoon that we would not be going to the final night of VBS and we needed to leave the Lake to go home.
She was devastated, to say the least. And I was too. I knew she had been looking forward to this night for a long long time and we were finally within reach. But we both knew it was the best call. So, we packed up our stuff and came home early. And as soon as I called it – her amazing act came crashing down and she curled up into a ball and just cried that she didn’t feel good.
So now, we’ll be spending a “sick weekend” on the couch: watching movies, catching up on laundry, and getting better.
(If you’re wondering, I’m pretty sure she’s just getting a cold – the sore throat is from all that nasty drainage that hits before the full-blown runny nose. That’s my best diagnosis for right now – I truly don’t think it’s anything else.)
BOY am I ready to not be sick anymore!! It’s been the summer-of-sickness of us (that’s what it feels like anyways.) - So, if we rewind back to Thursday, we were having the best week ever at the Lake.
So many times, when we spend extended time at the Lake, we attempt to pack our time there with hiking, going to our favorite spots, seeing new things, visiting the state parks, but this week, with VBS every night, we simply stayed home all day.
And it was wonderful.
We had relaxing, quiet mornings, took long walks, and the kids swam in the Lake for hours every afternoon (even if the weather was a little bit on the dreary/chilly side). It was exactly what the doctor ordered. - But, the best part of the whole thing was we were at the Lake with not only my Mom and sister Ruby, but my sister Ellen and her two girls were there with us as well!
And, as much fun as we had – my FAVORITE part of the entire week was watching Braelynn and Leander form stronger friendships and bonds with their cousins. The kids have been inseparable all week – sure they had their moments of disagreements (“he took my shovel” “she dumped sand on my head” “I had that bucket first”) but for the most part, the four kids became this little band of best friends.
Specifically, Alethea and Braelynn bonded and Leander and Layla bonded. We always thought Leander and Alethea would become best friends since they are barely 9 months apart, but he and Layla (the two second-borns) really forged this lovely little friendship this week that was surprising and delightful (they’re about 15 months apart). She followed him everywhere and he wanted to take her on every adventure he could think of. It was just wonderful. - Speaking of Leander, he told a lady at the store this week (quite adamantly) that he was “10 years old”. He definitely knows how old he is, because people at VBS asked him all week and he would correctly answer “3!”, but for whatever reason, he thought he was 10 at the grocery store.
- Alright, so I guess I’m working backwards this week. The kids and I drove down to the Lake on Monday morning – after spending 4th of July weekend at home.
- We had my sister Emma and Luis over for dinner Sunday night.
Had a restful Sunday afternoon.
Church Sunday morning. - Because on Saturday – was Emma and Luis’s post-elopement wedding celebration brunch!! Wow was that fun! For context: my sister Emma and her fiance (now husband) Luis eloped a few weeks ago, but they still wanted to have a small celebration with their family and friends. So they planned a brunch get-together in my parent’s backyard. It was so nice. I mean, weddings are amazing (I’m obviously a wedding photographer), but this was just so chill, and laid back, and easy-going. We ate a ton of delicious food (prepared and provided by my Mom and Aunt and Luis’s family), my Dad did his traditional “sword ceremony” (if you aren’t familiar, he has presented each of his daughters’ new husbands with swords, charging them to be the prophet, priest, provider, and protector of their family), they cut a cake, played the newlywed game, the kids beat up a piñata, and we took a ton of family photos. It was such a sweet, wonderful celebration (and now it feels a little more real that they’re married!)
- And that’s it. What a week.
- OH – that’s definitely NOT it!! In other HUGE news: Derrick’s Instagram account hit ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND followers this week!! 100k!
If you’re thinking, wait, didn’t he just hit the 50k follower milestone? Yes, he did. 14 days ago he breached 50k followers, and just two weeks later, he DOUBLED that number and hit 100k. WHAT?! Talk about a huge explosion of growth!!
We’ve watched other accounts follow similar trajectories, so we were just kind of waiting for it to happen, but wow has it been incredible to watch!!
I am SO proud of Derrick and all of the hard work he’s put into his roller coaster content! It truly is top-notch, he puts his whole heart and soul into it! This milestone has been years in the making, but “slow growth equals strong roots”! I feel like he’s finally hit his stride to be able to really dig in and produce the content that people are looking for – it’s taken time and consistency and dedication – but he’s done it! Way to go, Derrick!!
[…] see the “pool” progression (and stare in disbelief at how my kids have grown), here they are:Four hundred and elevenThree hundred and fifty-nineThree hundred and tenTwo hundred and fifty-eightTwo hundred and […]