The Summer Highlight Reel

As promised, our summer in one post or less!

June

The Highlights: Our annual trip to Buckwheat Farms in Apex to pick strawberries.  Chloe still talks about the "funny goats" and the horses she got to pet and feed strawberries.

Taking an impromptu week-long beach week, just Mommy and the kids.  It happened to be the same week as the annual Forrest family beach week with Grandma Kepley, so we had a blast with Jillian and her whole family.  Chloe got to play with Ava, on the beach.  Chloe + Ava = BFF!

Our first trips to the pool with friends. 

Eating LOTS of "ice cream on a cone."  "Choclit on banilla, please.  That's my fav-rit!"

A short, yet special, get together with Nana and Ed at Ann and Dean's house.

Spending an entire week at Mimi and Grandpa's house.  Chloe couldn't wait for us to leave, and constantly asked, "Are you going to New York City now, Mommy?"  or "Go to New York City! See you next week!"  not stopping until we finally left.  The highlights of her week included going to the beach with Grandpa and riding a boogie board, and going to the pool with Mimi and riding a golf-cart.

The Lowlights- Going to the pool the first couple of times.  Chloe would hold so tightly to my arms while wrapping her entire body around mine, that I thought I would drown.

Having to leave Mimi's house to return to this prison we like to call "Home."  She still complains about not getting to live with Mimi forever.

July

The Highlights: An Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration in Apex.  Chloe liked the moon bounce, painting, water run, and playing Lucky Ducky the most.  She also particularly enjoyed her patriotic sno cone.  (I don't know why.  It was rank.)

Fireworks! Chloe loved our escapades to view the fireworks in the Wal-Mart parking lot (2 days in a row. Thank you, Mother Nature.), and enjoyed every second of the show.  She reminisced "Remember America's birthday party, Mommy?" for weeks afterward.

The church picnic on the future site of College Park Baptist Church!

Filling her picnic basket with our lunch nearly every day, and going to a park after my workout.  I would let her pick the park most days, and she would describe her desired locale, "how about the park with the climber in the sand?" or "how 'bout merry-go-round park?" or "let's go to park by water-lake!" or "let's go to the park with the bridge today!"

Watching the new ducklings grow from babies to "little girls" to "big girls" all in a month's time.

The Durham Bulls baseball game.  Patrick’s company has season tickets to the Bulls, and we got to go.  We got to watch the game from the 2nd row, just behind 1st base.  The kids had a blast. Chloe liked Wool E. Bull, the cartoons on the big screen, and the music more than the game. She really got into the YMCAing and clapping and rooting and such.  We were certain we would only stay for a short time, and were completely ok with that, but the kids loved it so much we got to stay until the fireworks!  This time we got to watch them close up! Chloe loved them, and was absolutely giddy while watching them.  She squealed with delight, and smiled so big I thought her face would break.

Going to the pool and JUMPING in with Melanie and the other big girls.  Un-be-lievable.  Truly.

AUGUST

The Highlights- Mama and Daddypa's surprise party.  Chloe loves nothing more than a birthday party.

Going to the Science and History Museums with Carrie, her bro, and her boys.  Tons of fun!  Chloe really liked the butterfly room this time.  She was especially thrilled with all of the big blue ones.  (Cause Blue's my favorite colorrrrrr!)

Tootie and Ally and a trip to Chuck E. Cheese.  Thanks to the constant commercials of the rat and all his promises of fun on PBSkids, Chloe has been begging to go for some time.  Thankfully, it didn't disappoint, and she had an awesome time! It helped (my nerves, especially) that there was only one other little boy there for the entire first hour of our outing.

Playing with Ally.  I was almost sad she doesn't have a big sister.  She just loved having Ally here to play with and talk with for the week.

A Mt. Airy trip complete with Pilot Mountain, Speedy Chef, and Tootie's house.  Chloe LOVED the mountain, and found a perfect rock to bring home and add to her collection.

A day in the old neighborhood.  Lunch at the old pizza place, a drive by the old house, playtime at the old park (which has been completely renovated and is incredible, I might add.  Figures.), and a sprinkled doughnut, hat, and balloon from the old Krispy Kreme.  In Chloe's words, "You're the goodest Mommy of the world, Mommy!  What a fun day! Thank you so much for the fun day, good Mommy! I love you!"

The lowlights- Tantrums, talking back, and intense anxiety when I leave her in the gym or church nursery.  It's tiring, sad, frustrating, and downright bizarre.  She would normally trade me for most anyone at our church in a heartbeat. Hopefully this will soon past.