Ahhh... Weekends

I don't get it. We don't have kids in school (and don't operate on a Aug-May calendar), but somehow the pace of life always still seems to pick up in the summer. As it is, we've got something on our calendar every weekend in July (and have for a while now), and I'm still trying to figure out if I can squeeze in one more trip to New Orleans sometime in the middle of it all! June has been much of the same busy-ness.
Fortunately, though, we managed to end up with an empty weekend these past two days. I don't know how it happened, really, but I'm so thankful for it. Rob, Sydney & I have enjoyed relaxing and playing together. I love these "mundane" days when we get to spend QUALITY time as a family!

Yesterday morning, Rob went to Kentucky to have breakfast at Cracker Barrel (really, he went to play in a golf tournament that was rained out, so they ate and turned around and came home!), so Syd and I ventured out into the rain in Nashville to meet some friends at the Monkey's Treehouse (an indoor playground). She never ceases to amaze me with her tenacity and courage! She climbed right up the steps to the "big" treehouse to find the tunnel slide- which she went down at least two dozen times! She also checked out every baby in the place who was smaller than her, dominated the small toys in the toddler area, and hammed it up on the stage in the theater corner. I love to see how confident our tiny girl is, especially around other kids- I'm convinced that she has no clue she's such a little thing, walking around in her 6-12 month shoes! Joy, joy, joy watching that girl...

We got home just a few minutes after Rob did and had lunch with him, and had a good 45 minutes to play before naptime. The three of us sat around in the living room, laughing, as Syd showed off her skills that she's learning in gymnastics and practiced jumping off the ottoman as if it was the side of the pool. All that playing was the prelude to a four-hour nap for Sydney (hallelujah!), which was more than enough time for me to run a few errands and catch a nap myself. While Rob and I were both taking care of random things downstairs yesterday evening, we noticed Syd chilling in her miniature recliner, sippy cup of milk in hand, intently watching the US Open- talk about a proud moment for Rob!

We grilled out one of Rob's favorite meals for a special "Daddy's Weekend" dinner, and devoured a quarter of a watermelon for dessert. I kept thinking to myself, "This is what summer is supposed to feel like!"
Syd had fun waking Rob up this morning to give him his Father's Day gifts- she loves climbing on our bed! After church, we met Rob's family for a Father's Day lunch. When she woke up from her nap, or rather- when we got her up after she didn't nap, we went outside and blew bubbles, visited with some neighbors, and watched Syd play in her little pool in the backyard.

It wasn't anything fancy, but these are the days I never want to forget.