Slip n' sliding Saturday

humidity + 94 degrees + sleeping baby = the perfect recipe for:

 Kip's got some froggy skills on the slip n' slide.

 and these little boys were on cuteness overload playing together.  Some friendly competition among brothers:

 and grins as big as can be even when big brother lost that slip n' slide race.  They raced down "a millions of times" and so there were multiple wins and losses among both boys, so a smile remained on both their faces which is a nice change of pace from the competition of running races in the backyard lately.

When they held hands and ran down together, moments like these make me so happy.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the reality of 4 kids - like I can't give each of them enough of me.  But when I get to see this, these moments, I know that the individual time they do get from me must be just enough.  They are learning, and they are loving each other, and sometimes brotherly love is all they need on a hot afternoon.  It is such sweetness to sit back and watch their relationship develop.

 Ryker Paul

True conversation that occurred with the next picture:
"Hey Kip, quick walk the tight rope, try to avoid the alligator coming down the slip n' slide"  - Ryk
"What is avoid?" - Kip
"It means she is cranky and stay away from her cause boys rule, girls drool" - Ryk
"MOOOOOOM, (comes fussing to me) the boys say I drool and I be cranky, UGH!" - Jovie

  As I was out slip n' sliding with these little loves, and yes I did show em' my skills as I slid down the orange row, despite Ryk telling me, per the black printed warning on the slip n' slide - "MOM, seriously you can't do it because the rules say that no one under 5 or over 12 years, or over 110lbs should use the slip n' slide."

  I assured him if age and weight happened to break this plastic wonderland that I'd buy a new one.  He said "than slide away mom."  This kid, he is hilarious.

   These summer days, they are slipping away, and just as the summer time, so is our time in our first home.  So we are savoring them, and I am holding back tears thinking that these will be some of our last memories in our first home.