This. is. summer.

There hasn't been a ton of blog updating this summer.  It could be because we have been going, going, going NON STOP, it could be because we are trying to unpack and settle into our new home on Norway or it could be because I am running after 3 small, curly, wild and adorable children.  Most likely a combo of the 3.  This summer, as per norm, we're spending a lot of time at the beach and back and forth from it.  It's single handily everyone in our family's favorite place on earth.  Even Crosbi loves the sand and the waves rolling up on her piggies more than I could imagine...maybe it's because she knows how to work a polka suit, ha ha!

Here's a brief update photo style check list of our summer bucket list...

Sun, sand and some posed beach pictures are a must!

Plenty of park play dates!

Home DIY projects with lots of head aches and a studly hubby who rendered it all....CHECK! 

Celebrating our favorite holiday in our favorite place.

Grand Beach, 4th of July, new sweet niece Claire.

Crosbi Kisses 

and red, white and blue outfits...done and done!

Sleepy porch style breakfasts with jammied kiddos and golf carts dressed like the Turtles Van...Hello??? YES!!!!!  What else would you expect??

One more lost tooth and one giant hole preventing the ability to eat corn on the cob was checked off our list!  Tooth fairy visit (although almost forgot by a very sleepy fairy) was a success!

A visit from one tiny cousin to another to catch up on all things Lucille is always a "MUST"

#thelucilles

 

This is my cousin (and dear friend Amy's) daughter, Ollie Lucille and both our girls are named for our Grandma Lucille. (As is Amy LU)  They were a hoot and half together and I can't wait to watch them grow!  Spending time with Amy as a mom was such a JOY for me, I've loved getting to spend each new phase of life with her and this one will probably be my favorite!  Now to get her and her hubby to move next door????

On their visit we adventured quite a bit...

to Chicago to visit our cousin Molly and see Ali's new hood...

We also ate swanky brunch and meanderd around the farmers market in Grand Haven!

SIDE note:  This man with this little girl LITERALY kills me.  They are so cute togther.  Don't tell him, but it only makes me love him more!

We headed home and CLOSED on our house, so we officially have an addy!!!  

WOOT WOOT!!! 

(check, check!!!)

and then we packed it back up for the lake and MORE family!  We had a great weekend with my dads whole family in Grand Beach!

Kayaking and looking cool!

After kayaking and looking hot and tired with Coop!

Matching outfits, unwilling participants and family photos...we got that one crossed off!  They may not have loved it, but the moms and Aunties loved all the Richard GREATS in chevron.  Rusty and Norma must have been grinning ear to ear watching "cloud side".  

And last but not least we can check off dressing up and running around and baffling our sister with crazy antics.  We've been busy, but our list is no where complete!

We still need to get one 3 year old potty trained, road trip it to Nebraska, and spend our last full week of summer loving on Griff before he starts ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN.  

Easy Peasy as Griff would say.

I'm going to start praying now. 

ha!

To the Birthday Boy...

Beanie, precious, Beanie BOY...
Happy 3rd birthday to my favorite little red head.  No shock here, but I can't believe how fast we flew through year #2.  It was so much fun and so much work and so much growing and talking and changing and loving and laughing happened.  You are a whole new kid from a year ago, with your own opinions and phases you love to say and that little sneaky grin.  The way you talk absolutely steals the hearts of your dad & I.  You constantly tell us stories about how you and members of our family have been bitten by "nakes" (snakes).  "Holy 'mokes"  "dat is AWESOME!!" "wook at dis" (look at this) and when you cry out in the car "me not like this drive"over and over again are just a few in your wheel house of our "beanie phrase favs".  Your favs include:  your birthday, running outside with no shoes on, anything Griffin likes, super heros, the Hulk, trains, building towers, noodles and cake, snacks, playing at the park, your buddies fenry (Henry) and Charlie, your blankie and boppy, your sister "Craw-beeee Luuuuucille",  digging in the dirt, "nuggling" (snuggling) with your dad & I and dancing your Sawyer dance.  You are unbelievably precious and unbelievably naughty and unbelievably a perfect toddler boy.  Hearing you call me Momma and wrapping my fingers in between your sweet little fingers and swooping you up in my arms after hearing you ask, "will you hold me momma??" (who could say no????) is what I will bottle up and carry with me.  There is nothing sweeter than that.  On the flip side you are very sneaky, you are constantly wondering off and you handle most of your problems with those heavy fits of yours.  Ha ha!  You are not potty trained yet and we have T minus one month to do it before school starts.  I need prayers.  Sweet heart, you have always been my little miracle.  You fill up my heart and push me to my limits.  I see myself in your face and my dad in your hands and hair and the way freckles are sprinkling over your nose is so familiar and oh so adorable.  You keep us busy and drive us crazy and melt our hearts.  We love you kiddo.  Happy birthday and prayerfully to many many more.  Everyday I thank God for you.  We love you little red headed wonder.
Momma

You still aren't a great sleeper, but here you are just pulm tuckerd out after a hard day of play!

AND here are some shots of your "Monsters INC." party at the lake...

This face....

in Sawyer, MI.

at your first Cubs game.  

Early.

If you know me at all, you know that I am not a morning person.  My parents literally had to use every trick in the book to drag me out of bed in the mornings and I was usually still hanging onto the bed posts even if my feet made it to the floor.  They pulled covers off and rang alarms and Suzi in one desperate attempt offered to "cut me melon for breakfast"...what???  I did not get up for melon, should have tried at the very least, cinnamon rolls.  For instant results, cake!

 I feel bad now, I am pretty sure pay back from my crew will not be a delight.  But I just love to be snuggled up in bed, with a book or a magazine or my hubby just watching TV (to which he usually asks, "can't we do this downstairs so I can sit in my chair?? ha ha.)  There's something about being cozied up and just sleeping the morning away that has always appealed to me, lazy as that sounds.  Yet even as I type this I have no idea when the last time I slept past 7 was, or I  got the "recommended 8 hours" to which I always proclaimed before children I "needed" to function.  My littles have changed my life.  I live in a state of "tired" that feels relatively normal and I actually DO function, I am not going to claim perfection but I am just saying that 8 hours thing if for the birds (of birds who have babies, if you don't please keep sleeping).  The last few mornings I woke up between 5 and 6 and something urged me to get up, and I did and fine I was sick and couldn't fall back to sleep but get off my back.  What I have realized is that starting the day with time to myself to get some clean up done, answer emails, pray, enjoy my quiet house, think about the day ahead has been so great.  I love that time early in the morning to snuggle up on my couch and actually enjoy the quiet.  Yet another thing I never thought I would like, wow....I am really growing...or just getting older, and I am going to add wiser for good measure, ha!  It's kind of like when I said I'd never drive a mini van or or own a collection of spanx to go with every outfit.  Early gives me to time to be thankful and time to reflect and time to load the dishwasher hands free and time to drink my coffee with worries it'll be soon be running down my arm in a fiery volcano sort of way and it helps me to anticipate with love the moment I hear "mommy" being called out for the top of the stairs.  It's not something I am going to proclaim that I'll do everyday, I am just saying I can see the value in it.  And I think that what I love about sleeping in is the no schedule, rules or regs kind of feel it has.  The carefree, enjoy life as it comes mentality is written into the fabric of me...and so since sleeping in and eating breakfast at 11 isn't one of the ways I can enjoy that anymore, I think finding other outlets for it seems to make sense...a half hour in the mornings here and there to myself, unscripted helps feed my soul and refreshes me.  And it's not the same as it looked when I was young but it's a choice (little as it may be) to, dare I say, evolve or grow or even mature.  Schedules and timing are an admitted weakness of mine and something I will probably always have to work on, so I am hoping that my kids look to their dad for guidance on that because it is such an important aspect of living in this world.  But as far as what I have to offer, it's the importance of time endlessly spent meandering through whole foods or a garden or target if it makes you happy and having a conversation with someone you love and never glancing down at your phone for the time and reading well into the morning because you can't put it down and holding hands so long you forget where you start and stop...those are things I love.  They are not time efficient but they have their place.  So early every once in a while is going be to a good thing for me.  And on those days, so will a nap, which I promptly wont get.  But hey, I'm growing, right??!!??

Happy Birthday Dear Griffy

Griffin Andrew...

If I could bottle up your cute little 6 year old self right now and save it for rainy days, I would.  I am absolutely smitten with where you are with life right now.  Gone are your toddler days, you are certainly a big boy...which some days breaks my heart, but honestly I adore listening to your views on life and your commentary on the what's happening around you at your age.  You have quite a way with words and are just a hoot.  Dad and I find ourselves in stitches all the time over your use of phrases such as, "I love you just the way you are"..."Fortunately, I didn't do that"...and the ever so common, "but Beanie did" Ha ha!  You are a great helper, quick to tackle a new task or adventure, lover of all things boy and outside, builder of Lego's, ninja loving turtle enthusiast, reader and watcher of Superheros (much to daddy's delight), fan of the Bulls, best buddy of Charlie, wrestler of Beanie, defender to Crosbi & still my snuggle bug (you ask every night)!!  All that to say, I love you and always have "just the way you are"!  

The other day you were playing with some buddies when some of the moms noticed a lull in activity and a pile of boys circled up on the sidewalk.  Upon further inspection we realized you all had destroyed several aunt hills and were hypnotised by the desperate scramblings of these tiny creatures, and OK, you were smashing them too, I can't lie.  To our horror, as we panned out from the aunts on the sidewalk we realized that the sidewalk cracks weren't the only place the aunts were taking refuge, there were a fair amount crawling all over you boys.  Up and down your legs, in and out of your shoes, socks, shorts and shirts...and dare I even say hair.  I shudder to even recall it all because bugs crawling all over me seems like a nightmare, but you guys weren't phased in the least.  Us moms had a healthy mix of disgust and laughter as we shook tiny bugs out of socks and undies.  When I told daddy about it, he said, "Well, they're boys Abbi...what did you expect??" He is right.  And so are you.  You are all boy and all adventure and most importantly WILD AT HEART.  That is where I pray you will stay.  I want you to keep your free spirit, your zest for life, your love for all the good God has for us to experience here on earth.  I will also pray for wisdom...so that you never go sky diving with a second hand parachute.  Ha ha!  It's a big year for you buddy.  You are starting school and we have to send you out into the world.  6 years ago you changed my life.  You gave me one of God's richest and most abundant blessings and although I am nervous and sad to let you go (even in just this little way) I know that I have to give you back over to HIM so that you can change some more lives and so that your life can be changed!  Oh, the best and most beautiful parts of life are just around the corner for you bud!  I love that I get VIP seats.   I am praying for you to experience all the joy and even some sorrow...the full spectrum of life my son.  I wouldn't want you to miss out on even one thing.  Each piece of life that we go through, good or bad, happy or sad, helps shape our hearts and know God better.  We can learn to trust him through our trails and thank him in our joys.  I love you so very much Griffin.  To many many more celebrations of you!

xoxo

Mom

Adorable Eccleston Men

BULLS

Your Pre-K teacher Miss Wendy & you at Granduation

Your first "race" with the big & small Mick and Egly boys, so fun!

Birthday dount, of course!

And, your cake...neon green and perfectly turtles...you loved it and I love you.

Life.

I know I always say life is full and busy and with 3 kids, how could it not right??!!?  But this week, I've felt the business of life just fall on me and I'm tired.  I've fallen asleep a few nights right after I put the kids down.  Poor Ryski is on the couch all alone (although I think he secretly loves it every once in a while so he can watch all the TV he DVRs that I won't watch).  The last month or so has just been a lot.  Life's FULL spectrum has been at work in our life.  Great joy and great sadness and as always, transition.  I used to not really deal very well in times like these where everything is up in the air, but I am learning to take it in stride and get the most out of all the ways God stretches and grows us as we get through the good and the hard.  And feeling thankful for it all.

***as a warning, some of these pics are a little smushed, and I don't know how to fix it, but you get the ides:)

Feeling thankful for real friends.  

Without friends, I am not sure how we would get through the good or the bad.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our life.

For a few days my dear sweet Casey came to visit and experience daily life at our house.  I will be honest, it is hard for me to let go and just be when we have company.  But I am so lucky to have a friend that I can just be myself...and expose my family in front of too, ha ha!  If you don't have a person like this, I would recommend getting yourself one tout suite!  It's such a relief to not have to have "company" sometimes but just family.  She got a real taste of us, so she may not come back, ha ha!  But we love our Aunt Casey.  

Feeling thankful for fresh and sweet beginnings.

In May we added one precious Claire Michele to the Richard family.  Andy & Julie had their 2nd bundle and she is just a doll.  I am so looking forward to all the fun Claire and Crosbi will have as they grow!

We have also been to a few weddings, one being my brother in law Jason's, where welcomed another new member into the family, his wife Amber.  It was a really fun weekend seeing lots of family and friends and celebrating in style the last Eccleston sibling wedding.  Crazy.  I am so happy Jason found a match to share his life with.

 

 

Feeling thankful for milestones.

Griffin graduated this last month from Pre-K.  It was an adorable ceremony complete with graduation music (that'll tug at the ole heart strings).  I just can't believe these days are over.  I am so proud of all he's learned, the way he's grown.  He's ready to head into "BIG boy-hood" but I know we will both treasure these sweet days we have spent together running errands and playing in the afternoons.  He also turned 6, the stinker.  

Ry & I celebrated 8 years.  I can't believe all that has come to pass in that time.  I am so lucky to be married to someone who makes me smile all the time.  We were kids when we choose each other and turned out so so good.

 

Feeling thankful for goodbyes.

Finally May brought some sadness as we said goodbye to my Grandma Norma Elaine Richard.  She was an absolute wonder of a woman.  The last 6 years she has been trapped by Alzheimer's and so when I heard the news that she had passed away, I felt a lot of relief and joy for her.  I pictured her finally taking in a deep breath of freedom and running to Jesus and my grandpa, not bogged down by the cloud of forgetfulness that surrounded her for so long.  It really was with happiness that I said goodbye, knowing she is in a much better place.  She had beautiful and well lived life.  I was able to speak at her service and I will post the talk later.  I am so glad for the chance to say goodbye and talk with friends and family about her and what a lady she was.  I loved seeing all the pictures of her life from birth to present day and wished I could stop and talk with her at each picture and point in her life.  I wonder what she would say at 30, with 3 boys and 1 girl??!!  I saw a lot of me and a lot of my kids coming through in those old pictures and it's just so cool to see your history unfolding like that.  God is so good, and I know this because of the way he walked in my Grandma's life.  

Feeling thankful everyday

And in between life's ups and downs there is everyday.  That is where the real life is lived, 

so we better get to it!