Birthday Skirts

We are one week out from the girl's fourth birthday.  Say it isn't so!

Lily has two little friends who have birthdays the same week.  Actually, we moms were all in small group together and the three of us found out we were pregnant on the same day, which happened to be the day that our small group met.  So one of them announced that day, another a week later and I kept my secret b/c in general back then, we didn't tell early.  (Our approach to that did change with our third- we couldn't fathom all wouldn't be fine- and fourth.)  So I remember it nearly killing me to wait to tell them.  Our due dates were July 8, 9, & 10th.  How crazy and bizarre is that?!  A sweet blessing from God.  

So in light of it getting to be near the end of their toddler/preschool years, I thought it would be fun to make them skirts.  They may not think that's fun their whole life so I wanted to get it in while I could.  I made Lily's first, not being sure I could commit to three.  But her's was fun and not too hard so I decided to go for three.  I ended up getting the other girls different fabric b/c I couldn't find Lily's purple dot material when I went back.  After I'd picked out other bird fabric, I finally found the purple, but then I was in love with the new fabric... 

Anyway.  Here are the skirts!

I used this tutorial:  http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-a-simple-skirt.html

I really love her website.  Her style is so clean and pretty.  

I made a bias tape hem on Lily's skirt (we learned how in sewing class)

But I just double hemmed Ruby and Fields' skirts to keep it all within reach of completion.

It'll be fun to see the little girls in their skirts together!! 

And another mom is generously making them matching shirts!! So fun.

Immortal Invisible

I'm loving this song this week...

Love these lines..

Immortal You are not bound by death (thinking of you in Equador, Holly)

Invisible You will not always be

Cause You are coming to reign as our King

And the saints will fall down at Your feet

the evolution of a haircut

You've probably noticed... Who IS that big boy over there?!  

After the rite of passage of a first cut at the kid place to see how it was done, 

I started cutting Peter's hair.

 Which hopefully hasn't been too obvious all these years.

I really enjoy it.  It sorta feels like a crafty outlet for me.  

I've loved his long blonde hair.  There's not much cuter than a little blonde boy with long hair.  Mike had long blonde boy hair.  One of my brothers had cute long blonde boy hair. 

And I thought it was sorta fun to have a long haired boy and a short haired girl.

The last couple years, as its gotten less blonde and thicker, I've had a little itch to just try it short.  But I haven't had the nerve to really do it.  I've tried to cut it a little shorter and more frequently over the last year or so but still, I couldn't make myself really do it.

  Now that we have the BIG 6 and K in sight, I decided to use the clippers for the first time, at least on the bottom part.  I used the #7 guard (the largest guard we have), then scissored the top, and it turned out like this...

Sorta the same.

So as I was talking to Mike about it, he held up the hair on top and told me I needed to cut it more there, with his fingers like half way down!  Well, OK.  So I took him in the back yard a few days later and started cutting.  Now Peter certainly doesn't like getting his hair cut.  So its always a bit of a challenge.  And I was feeling a little more sympathy for him than normal because this was like the fourth time I'd cut his hair in a couple weeks.  Fortunately, Mike had just taught him a new joke the day before.

Knock, knock.  

Who's there?  

Interrupting cow.  

Interrupt... MOOO!

 So we told jokes the whole time with every animal we could think of.  

He also ate a lot of sweet tarts.

He ended up two years older and two inches taller.  

And it seriously took me about three days to stop thinking 'who is this kid in my house?!'.  And I'd have to do a double take every time I looked for him.   For the first week or so, I was sure I'd just let it grow again.

Mike told me that I needed to buzz the bottom shorter to blend it more.  I give Mike a hard time about his opinions on hair b/c I've been cutting his hair for the last six years.  ;)  But he is usually right.

So I took him in the backyard and buzzed him once again with a #3 guard, then blended it with the scissors.  We ended up with this...

I think its finally right.  I do like it.  

He is as handsome as ever.

Still my lover of books.

And Lily wants to grow 'long hair what touches her back'.

summertime joys

We are enjoying these longest days of the year.  I LOVE this time of year.  Its been a cool in the mornings and eves, low humidity, and warm days sorta week.  Our friends sold their house and are letting us keep their slide til they get a new house.  My kids have spent hours on it.  

Catching *Flire Flys*

 Peter was our expert catcher.  Lily liked the idea but not actually doing it.  Big bro to the rescue.

Peter told Lily this week, "Lily, when I'm 6, I"ll still be your big bro."

letting them go

Then a campout on the floor in Peter's room.  Lily was a little afraid of the dark (she has a nightlight in her room).  Peter told her "Don't worry, Lily.  Big bro is here to keep you safe."

70!

My mom is the youngest of four.  I've always *loved* her side of the family.  Everyone was close growing up.  Time together was full of fun cousins, holidays at grandma's, and summer gatherings.  We don't get to see them enough now that everyone is grown and has a family of their own.  And its hard to find a place big enough to accommodate us and the right amount of time that everyone can be there in the busyness of life.  This weekend we almost struck a perfect balance.

The reason for the occasion was my favorite Aunt Bettie's 70th birthday... my mom's sister.  I really love ALL of my aunts.  ;)  We eulogized my grandmother that she had 4 sons and 4 daughters.... and we never were sure who married in and who'd always been there.  My Aunt Bettie has two boys so I always got spoiled by her.  Actually, I am one of only two grandgirls (but lots of grandsons)... another contributor to me being spoiled, of which Mike is always thankful.  ;)

Onto the party.  We gathered at my parents' river house.  But this time we didn't all stay there.  So thankfully, we all had running water the whole time and an occasional dose of peace and quiet (well, except my mom... the party planner and hostess rarely gets to rest).  It was long enough to all have fun but not so long that we got sick of each other.  We all gathered on Friday evening.  And met new little cousins for the first time!

Lily got to hang out with my Uncle Henry.  She adores him.  On the way there, we drove past a boat lot.  Mike told the kids to pick out which boat they'd like and Lily said "I only want a boat if Uncle Henry is on it."  Then after we pulled onto the river house road, Lily said to Peter, "See I have a smiley face.  You know why?  His name starts with an H."  When we couldn't find her, she was usually with Henry.  And as my only other girl cousin said, we adored him too when we were little.  And still do.  So the legacy continues... 

 Dock Beauties...

 Feeling the scales of one of many fish Henry caught... 

 Checking the crab pots, all by herself.

Give me some more of this scene.

A Flythe-Garrison gathering wouldn't be complete without some sailing.

Everyone gathered on the back deck to say something about Aunt Bettie.  My uncle Richard, upper right photo below, is the second born, just 15 mo younger than Bettie, then Henry 2 years and 3 mo after Richard... so my grandmother had 3 children in 3.5 years, with a husband often away in the Army.  My mom surprised her six years later.

Uncle Ray's siblings came from Cape Cod to be there. Ray is one of four boys (!).  His twin brother is on the bottom left.

My mom put together an amazing party.  She is the hostess of the family.
This easy crusty brie was the hit of the appetizers.

 John and Audrey

 Matt and Sonoma

 Megan and Max

 The Birthday Girl.  Has there ever been a younger looking 70 year old?!?  Seriously, Never Ever.

 Maw and Audrey

 Fun with Birthday Balloons

 Part of the Gang.

My cousin, Turner, cooked us a delicious... 

Jeff and Tayloe

Its kinda neat... the little cousins came in waves and each have a buddy or two... Peter & Carson & Loulie, Lily & Max, Audrey & Sonoma, and the babies (thus far) of the bunch, Georgia & Elizabeth. 
We missed you, Molly and Justin, Emily and Will!!  :(

 Jeff was the kid wrangler!  

We fit in some canoeing while we waited for dessert!

 Cake Time!

 Turner couldn't resist a kiss from that face.

 There was a little dance party with Jessica.

Audrey and Peter are our early birds.  They had fun with Mr Potato Head.

Sadly, I was more than annoyed that we had to come back to the city (booo!) early Sunday for something that someone else was willing to do- poor communication (ugh!!)- and then didn't get to go back as I'd also been expecting we would (frustration!!).  Its taken me a while to recover from the disappointment.  I wish I could have spent more time with everyone.  When can we get together again?!  Mark your calendars for Sept 2014 for Richard's 70th!!    But it was so good to see everyone and lots of fun.  Thanks, Mom, for pulling off 95% of the work!!