Summer time: the beginning

This was all typed before we lost Levi. I am posting it without making changes because I don't want to take away those last moments and days that we had when our hearts were intact. 

One of our many trips to Home Depot for washer machine parts led us to the kid's workshop. 

Anderson has had the same pair of flipflops for 4 years and we finally got him some new ones. 

Nicole came in town and we spent the afternoon/evening at the pool & park. Love the time we get with our cousins. 

I literally carry these everywhere we go. 

Max is so happy when Reese is with us. Also, Levi in his "gobbles."

Cousins. 

Brandon did all of the planning for the fishing and, even though they did not catch anything, Anderson had a great time. 

Lily made her own fishing pole, line, hook, etc. She is so creative and such a problem solver-I love seeing her in action. She is truly going to change the world. 

Anderson's team won their division championship! Anderson had 7 TDs with 5 interceptions, so we were, of course, really proud of him. 

He & Noah attended a football camp at UT!

AAU End of Season party-they were each picked up in a limo by their coach!

We spent SO much time with these boys and their families over the past few months. 

Max & I hung out during Anderson's camp. I do love my time with each kid one on one. 

Bop was at the Y with his balloons, so we had to visit!

Anderson got to meet Coach Pruitt!

We hit up Safety City for a few hours after UT camp. I just love that place. 

Probably my favorite pic from the evening....

Noni & Bop took Anderson to play golf one day when I was at work. They even had some clubs cut down for him so he can have his own. 

Max is still going to preschool a few days a week and he gets to participate in Splash Day!

The boys are attending a Y camp a few days this summer and I just love everything about them being together. On the first day Max told me: "Anderson sat by me at lunch today." It made me so happy to think that, even though ALL THEY DO IS FIGHT AT HOME, they can be brothers when it really matters. This day they went to the zoo and Max lost that camo water bottle in the red panda cage....

One day Mom & I got our toes done! I get a pedicure about once a year and I do love how my toes look for the few weeks after it!

Brusters!

Anderson bought Max this fish cage with his money and I kept stalling on actually buying the fish, but I finally gave in and he picked out, "Soldier."

We took Jack with us to Dollywood one day and had a blast!

Love my pics of this kid that I still get for a few more weeks. 

Noni told us about a fun day at the Y one Saturday and we went & played in foam, jumped in bounce houses, ate hot dogs and melted in the heat. 

Anderson was super grumpy at first but ended up loving this foam area!

MAY....besides Max's birthday, the end of school, sports and THE MOVE

Noni took the boys to ride bikes at the park one day when I was at work. Always grateful for our village of grandmas. 

One night Max requested a pic of us while we were reading before bed. I think it truly captures the exhaustion of a mom at a bedtime based on the roughness of my appearance. 

Noni, Max & I hit up the Vet Fair down the street and Max "adopted" a cat that he named Max Jr. 

Max also won a wreath, which was hilarious and will soon be hanging on our new house. 

We got to celebrate our favorite Jack Brimer at a bowling party!

Who even needs bowling when you have toy guns?

I mean, it was so much fun. 

We also celebrated Marley with a 4 hour swimming party at her house. 

Every year they end up right beside each other during cake time.

Anderson found a basketball goal because the 3 basketball games and 2 football games he had that weekend were not enough. 

Spots either really loves or really hates his life. 

This pic really captures life in general. 

Also, this one. 

We celebrated GG on Mother's Day with brunch and we managed to snag a few pics of all of the blue eyes together!

So grateful for her in our lives!

Brooke invited us out on her dad's boat and the boys had a blast*.

*There was also a lot of fighting, crying, whining and Max managed to somehow pee all over me, so real life followed us, as well. 

Always fun times with the cousin.

My new building has an official name!

Nicole and Mom took this kid to Dollywood on our moving day and I was so grateful and so was he, of course. 

Anderson's basketball team went to Main Event and they ran around like crazy people. 

Curtis painted this AMAZING mural!!! We went to the opening ceremony and I was so proud to tell people that WE KNOW THE ARTIST! Also, look closely and you will see Ferg right there under a feather. That REALLY puts the size into perspective!

Our neighborhood had a pool party to kick off summer and we went & spent 4 hours there, despite how much I have to do at home. There were food trucks, lots of kids and all kinds of energy releasing. 

Max wore his helmet in the weather to fully introduce us to the neighborhood. 

Love them. 

A picture someone put on FB that someone else sent to me.

The next day we went to a pool party for a kid on Max's old tball team who lives in our neighborhood. 

Denise sent me this page from the AE Yearbook. I love that school. Also,  I am not sure what it says about me that my "professional pictures" include: me in 80's clothes, me as the Grinch, me sitting on someone's desk and me fighting a colleague for a frozen shirt at a pep rally. 

Birthday party at McFee!

They found a dead lizard and made Bop create a cross and had a little ceremony for him. 

ALL OF THE RAIN!

Despite freezing rain, we hit up Splash Country with the Watts' girls. We only lasted an hour because it was miserable but we hope to make better use of our passes soon!! 

Noni & Bop took these boys to Duck Donuts because they are spoiled rotten. 

Max talking about nature

Boys talking about random animals living at our house