The Shift.

Well Summer...I wouldn't say you exactly listened to our plea from our last post...the shift has officially started. Buuuut you did hold out for us for Michelle's shower this weekend, and for that I am in your debt! (18 people in our little house would have been a little too cozy so we were really needing to utilize the backyard)

Crystal and I had such a fun time planning and preparing for an afternoon of showering our girl and it was a a pleasure to see it all come together.

These two lovebirds are enjoying their last few months before becoming a Mr. and Mrs and I for one can't wait for their Mexico wedding. Are they not the cutest ever?!

Sunday we awoke to weather that officially felt like fall. A crispness in the air. The shift has begun.

A shift to football Saturday's, to more dresses with tights and less babies in rompers, to slowing down a bit and hunkering down at home. A shift to something new.

This is what I love...the changing of seasons and all the possibility that comes with it.

A fresh start.

New ideas, new plans and new adventures.

Looking especially forward to this shift. Welcome Fall.

Hold on.

Perhaps Wilson Phillips said it best. "Hold on for one more day."
In this instance I'm speaking to you Summer.
Hold on.

We are enjoying you so very much and we aren't quite ready to give you up. August and September have been so very lovely here, and while it seems the rest of the world is welcoming your friend Fall in with open arms...these arms remain folded shut to him. Stores tempt us with their cozy sweaters and boots, Starbucks tempts us with their delicious pumpkiny seasonal flavors, and even some trees are trying to trick us into thinking he's here by the changing of colors and shedding of leaves.

And while I have to admit Fall is my favorite of all seasons, I don't want him.
I want you Summer...for just a little bit longer.

We enjoyed a wonderful summer-filled Labor Day weekend in Walla Walla with my mama. Our days were filled with parade watching...

Go Big Blue (Yes, I joined in the fight song with the gals. From the side of course, I'm not a crazy person. Aaaah, the glory days...)

Hammock laying and book reading...

Catching up with old friends...

And lots of grammie time.

Yes Summer...you have been good to us lately. We have loved playing on the swings...

Playing in the dirt...

Endless games of Peek-a-Boo...

Playing in the water...

Splashing in the water...

Have I mentioned we love the water?

Because we do.
And we love the sandy tooshies it gives little girls.

So please Summer? Hold on for us? Look! We're even asking really, really nicely!

Today.

10 years ago.

Like so many people I remember exactly where I was today, 10 years years.

Senior year of college, coming downstairs from the live-out house lovingly name "The Whiskey" where I lived with 5 girlfriends, ...the television was on and Ailie was on the phone. It was early, but I always took the early morning classes so that part wasn't unusual. It was unusual for anyone else to be up besides Cabe, who faithfully made it to the gym in the mornings, rain or shine. Ailie's boyfriend, now husband, was working in D.C. and called her early to alert her about what was happening.

From that moment on, we were glued to the television. Classes didn't happen that day. Our hands instinctively covered our mouths in shock and horror as we watched the second plane hit. What was happening? Is this for real? I can't believe this is really happening.

From that moment on, we were changed. Our eyes were opened to the cruelty of the world. Our nation grieved and mourned all we had lost. We prayed.

Today, we will remember.

A young man who was 14 when he lost his fall on 911 said today, on these anniversaries we choose to not focus on the loss, but rather celebrate the life. Quite a wise young man.

And so today, I will say a thankful prayer to all those amazing men and women who worked to save so many in the aftermath. I will say a hopeful prayer of peace for those families who are still working through their loss.

I will do the things we so often take for granted and think about how very fortunate we are to have our freedoms. Things like working in the yard, going for a run, getting groceries, rocking my baby to sleep. Simple things really, but big things.

I will shed a tear at the State Farm commercial during the Seahawks game with the children singing "Empire State of Mind" to the firemen.

I will listen to Country music, because I mean, really...no genre really pulls at those patriotic heartstrings like Country music.

Yes, today indeed we will remember. And while it can be daunting and overwhelming to think about all the hurt, and problems, and hatred there are out in that big bad world...there is also a lot of good. And as my sweet dad always reminded me, if we look for the good in the world, we'll find it.

It's there.

Lately Loving...

*Pepsapalooza...hippy-style music festival all for kiddos, complete with music sensation "Casper Baby Pants" (lead singer from The President's of the United States of America)

*The first zucchini from our garden

*The umbrella stroller. As fantastic as the BOB is, this little guy is SO much easier to bee-bop around in.

*Swim time with our special friends, made even better with mini popcicles.

*Bubbles. LOVE our bubbles. She asks for them daily.

*Celebrating daddy's birthday

*The Ergo. We've been doing a lot of baby-wearing lately...while watering the lawn, making cupcakes, vacuuming...

*Morning snuggles with pillows and Max.

*Happy hour with good friends and a good beer.

*Doggies, or Le Chien as Laura would like us to get in the habit of calling them :) Love is an understatement here...she is obsessed with each and every one of them.

*Playing on our new/yardsaled mini rocker.

*Story time with Uncle Paul

*Overdue and impromptu dance party and Rent sing-a-long session.

*Splash, splash, splashing...

*Celebrating my girl and her guy at a lovely shower on Anderson Island.

*Hand holding. She's taken about 5-6 steps on her own a few different times now, but still isn't totally confident she can do it alone all the time. And I'm fine with that. I love holding that sweet little hand. And the one-hand hold is SO much better on the back than the hunched-over double hand hold.

*Summer days of lounging around with me girl. That has to top the list.

Fingerprints.

Hi, my name is Courtney and I'm a neat freak.

Admission is the first step right??
Truth be told, I've known this about myself for a long time. For as long as I can remember really. Honestly. Even as a little girl I can remember liking my My Little Ponies and my Heart Family (tell me you remember the Heart Family?) organized and "set up". And while my mom loved often coming home to the smell of Pledge and a freshly vacuumed home, I think it often drove my dad nuts when he couldn't locate where I put something (even though I'm certain I put it back in it's proper spot. At least most times. Come to think of it, I think I drove Jamie nuts doing this same thing when we lived together...)

Anyhow, I digress. You get the point. I like things clean and orderly. It helps me make sense of things, it helps me feel calmer. I Swiffer at least once a day, and 2+ times a day when it's an eventful day at our house is not uncommon.

I'm telling you all this not so you think I'm a total freak...but so you can grasp the magnitude of these little fingerprints.

They've been there for weeks. While dishes have been washed, laundry put away, floors mopped...I cannot bring myself to clean my front windows and wash away these sweet fingerprints. Every time I look at them I smile. They are like the Welcome sign to our home.
"Come on in! A little girl lives here...and did you know what? She is the light of my life."

She has changed me and will continue to change me. One little fingerprint at a time.

Celebrating Krevin

Last weekend was another one for the books. Another wedding weekend in an absolutely gorgeous location, with a gorgeous bride and groom, and friends galore.

It was magical.

Roche Harbor is just a little bit pretty...

These pictures were taken within the same hour. The changing colors of the sunset were breathtaking.

Every detail was so perfectly Kris and Kevin aka Krevin, and the entire weekend was spent in sweet celebration that these two found each other...two people who couldn't be more perfectly made for one another.

Details including multiple songs and readings from The Beatles, a recessional rap by their friend Beau to Black Eyed Peas "Let's Get it Started" (which I happily got to play a small part in) and wedding programs and menus available through QR code...it was all so very them.

This dress I borrowed from my girl Amy did earn me the nickname Daquiri-Ice for the weekend. Long story...I may or may not have been mistaken for a wedding crasher, and may or may not have actually crashed a wedding.

Us girls...we know how to have a good time.

Us Walla Walla girls...we also know how to have a good time.
There is something pretty special about getting together with and reuniting friendships that go back 20 years. The WW roots run deep.

My special Beekies girl who came all the way from Arizona to celebrate our Kricks. And lucky me, that meant I got 4 days with she and her hubs! It was such a treasure to get to spend time together, and that she got to meet our girl...something feels a little more complete now that she's held Charlotte in her arms. My girl with my girl.

And this girl of mine?! She was a vision. A knockout.

Such a calm, happy, intentional and present bride. It was a joy being part of her day.

Oh heeeeey fellas!

I can't let this post end without mentioning the.best.band.ever-- The Michael Benson Band. Seriously. I have a musical crush on them. They had everyone on the dance floor from the first to the last song. Everything from Katy Perry, Eminem, Journey, The Beatles, Def Leopard...the hits just kept on coming. Like I said, it was a magical weekend.

And though we were sad for the night to come to an end, I will quote my new BFF Michael Benson who told us at the end of the night:
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
-Dr. Suess

Thanks for the smiles Krevin.