August Wrap Up

Just wanted to mention a couple things in the August wrap up.

This is Lucy waiving goodbye to me as I head off to work. I love that the kids still want to waive goodbye or will run out to the porch as I'm leaving. One day recently Lucy said, "I want to go to work with you." She was dead set on coming to my office with me, it melts my heart. 

With our garden box project we dug out a bunch of grass where we were putting the boxes, but also dug out some other bad grass that we just need to replace. Right now that is just a bunch of dirt. This summer the boys have asked if they can go out and play with the hose. This has basically turned into them outside playing in the mud. I love it so so much. I remember when I was a kid that we had a garden area that often did not have anything growing and we would go out and make mud and dig in the dirt. Almost every time the boys ask to play in the mud I will say yes because I love seeing them work together and dig and play, it is the perfect things for kids to do at their age. We'll need to put in new grass next year, but I like that they had this summer of mud. (You can see where they have built mud piles and made dams and it is so great). Lucy would often go out and join the boys playing in the mud. 

I don't even remember the context about this picture. Lydia was clear sad about something and Shantel was comforting her. Lydia is at a really tricky time emotionally right now. She can go through big swings of highs and lows and being really really happy and bubbly and then she can be totally sad or extremely angry. As a parent, it is a really big challenge to stay emotionally balanced and validate her feelings and help her work through those. Shantel does a really good job of that, she has good perspective and is able to help Lydia without getting frustrated or angry. I am so grateful for Shantel for her ability to be such an emotional support to Lydia and each one of our kids.