Sweet Summer

Oh, sweet summertime!  How I love thee!

For realz.  I do love me some summer.  I have been working hard trying to keep these two boys of mine busy so far this summer so as not to drive their Momma crazy. :)

Here is what we were up to in June:

We spent some time at The Jolly Roger,

Met cousin Lucas for the first time (and he was pretty cute!),

Played Legos with cousin Hayden,

played in the water to cool off,

dug around in the dirt for some new pets,

And got ourselves a new (to us) swingset for the backyard!

We celebrated Daddy's BIG 3-0!!!

Mommy enjoyed a lovely Riley-Date day while the boys stayed with Nana & Baba!

And we had fun at Cumberland's Symphony on the Lawn with Nana & Baba, too!

We did some lightening bug catchin',

Brushed up on our skateboard skillz,

Did some sliding with Daddy on the new swingset,

(And did a little swingin', too),

And celebrated our favorite Daddies on Father's Day.

One of us learned how to ride our bike SANS TRAINING WHEELS!!!!

We spent lots of afternoons at the pool,

played drums with Charlie from Global Education and checked out the lovely Polynesian dancers,

Did a little shopping here and there,

And spent some more time at The Jolly Roger swimming (and bar dancing).

We had lots of library time: Chan played trains while Liam napped (and Mommy read),

Had fun playing with The Chalos fam

And Liam had a special day out with Nana & Mommy to see Sesame Street Live, front row baby!

Chan got a special night out, too--Monsters University at the drive-in!

Then we had dinner out and a sleepover with the girls after VBS,

Beat the heat at Topz with some frozen yogurt,

And even took a trip to Neverland (with buddy Miles)

to celebrate Etta's & Kab's birthdays.

June was super fun!  Can't wait to see all that July has in store for us!

"Then followed that beautiful season...summer...

filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; 

and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Till next time friends!

Brittany :)

Our Daddies, Our Heroes

Yesterday Justin and I made our usual holiday rounds with the boys as we celebrated our Dads on Fathers Day.  The most important men in our lives who raised us, watched us grow, helped mold us, shape us, and instilled into us a part of who they are.  We have both been so lucky to have had our Daddies with us every step along the way.  They rocked us to sleep as babies, held our hands for our first steps, jogged along beside us as we rode our bikes without training wheels for the first time, helped us with that pesky homework in school, watched in pride as we graduated high school, stood behind us as we said our wedding vows, and now they are very active in the lives of our two boys. 

Here are a few shots from this weekend with our Daddies:

My boys with their Daddy :)

Jus, Papa, & Uncle Mitch (missing Auntie Carly)

Me & my Daddy

My fam: brother Justin, Mom, Andrea, Dad, & little ol' me

The best dads are promoted to grandpas.  These kids love their Baba!

My second Dad

Jus & his Daddy

Three generations of Koehn fellas.  These boys love their Daddy & Papa Rog!

So glad that these boys have such an amazing Daddy who loves them so very much!

"Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, 

adventurers, story-tellers, singers of songs."

~Pam Brown~

Till next time friends!
Brittany :)

Friends are Friends Forever

Let me just start by saying...what in the world is up with this heat wave???!!!  I was really enjoying my mild 80 degree summer days, and then all of a sudden it's hotter than hell's kitchen in here!  109 degrees is no friend of mine!  So, what better way to spend our day than at the pool with some super special friends!

Chan & his best bud Jonathan

Chandler has been waiting all week for Friday to come because he knew on Friday he would get to go swimming with his best friend Jon.  These two have been friends since they were in diapers, and boy are they a whole big bunch of rotten!  Jon's mom and I taught together for the past four years and the boys have grown up together in daycare.  Although this past year they didn't get to spend as much time together since Chan went on to Pre-K, they still kept their "best-budness" in tact!

Sadly, our sweet friends are starting a new adventure next week as they move to a new town...in Georgia!  We will miss them so much, but I am happy for their new beginning and wish them nothing but the very best!  So, we decided to have one last hoorah today with them before they take off.  (We left Liam with Nana...he's not such a fan of the whole being in cold water thing.)  Watching them play today, I got to thinking about the memories of our boys over the past few years.  Here are just a few:

All started here!  EPE TLC 2008, with sweet girl Ellie (who swam with us today, too!)

Celebrating Valentine's Day: Callie, Ellie, Jon, Chan, and sweet Ava, February 2010

Planting Ava's tree, May 2010

Swinging together, May 2010

Shootin' some hoops, May 2010

Going for a ride, May 2010

Making an escape!  May 2010

At the zoo to see Ava's new bench: Miss Misty, Ellie, Jon, & Chan, June 2010

Playing with trains, September 2010

Trick-or-treating at school, October 2010

Discovering things at The Discovery Center for Jon's birthday, February 2011

Watching balloons that they sent to Ava, March 2011

Ava's Run for a Reason, April 2011

Playing at Pump It Up for Chan's bday, September 2011

Cowboys & Indians for buddy Maddox's birthday, November 2011 (a Wendy Hardin shot)

2nd Ava's Run for a Reason, April 2012 (another Wendy Hardin shot)

TLC's end of year celebration, May 2012

Taking a snack break from swimming, June 2012

They've had many escapades together, and our families have become great friends, too!  Cannot believe that it has been four years since I had Jon's big sister in kindergarten!  She lit up each day in our classroom with her beautiful singing...I have a Pandora charm from her on my bracelet of a bird, because she was my little "songbird" that year.  And of course, Laura has been not only a great co-worker, but a wonderful friend!

Jon's sweet sis Kaitlin & Mrs. Koehn, August 2009

Laura & I, GNO, July 2010

I am so glad that we all have so many memories with each other and pray that we will get to make new ones even though there will be many miles separating us.  We wish you the best on your move, sweet friends!  Love you so, so much!

"A friends is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be."

~Douglas Pagels~

Till next week friends!

Brittany :)

P.S.- Happy Birthday, Laura!!!