It is almost summer break at our house. I am teaching summer school and it starts tomorrow. I have a very crazy week this week as we have our end of the year banquet for Youth Court and I have a 3 day juvenile justice meeting. But next week, we will settle into an only marginally busy routine. Yay for summer!
Jeff told Mylie that on Friday night that they would have a tent camp out in the backyard. After work they got the tent all set up, the sleeping bags laid out (no air mattress though), and the lantern set up. I figured that Blake and I would give it a shot, I wasn't sure how he would do. After playing for a bit, he did fall asleep and I thought he just might make it ... but only a little bit later he woke up ready to play again. At that point it was kind of a lost cause and we decided that he would have to sleep inside. Jeff asked Mylie who she wanted to sleep in the tent with her and she said Momma. Jeff took Blake in and Mylie and I got all resettled. I was in the middle of a good book, so after Mylie fell asleep (which was pretty quick), I read until I finished my book at about 12:30. 
spring tulips ...
hanging out on the back patio ...
a gathering place for all generations ...
and lots of memories! The kids and I stopped by to tell Grandpa goodbye on our way out of town. It is still funny to be the adult visiting while watching the kids running around playing. It didn't seem that long ago that I was the one running around and playing. Mylie immediately ran to the swingset and found a duck on the canal bank. Blake ran and ran and never ran out of room. It was a great end to our trip.
We spent 20 minutes or so walking around the cemetary. As we were getting ready to leave Mylie ran back to Grandma's grave, I was slower, with Blake in tow. Mylie was sitting next to the flowers, rearranging them once again. She looked up at me with a tear stained face and said, "Momma, I miss Grandma Hammond." My eyes welled up with tears too and I reassured her that I missed her too. Mylie is so sweet and tender hearted and is wise beyond her years. She hugged me and asked, "Mom, will Grandma come back from Heaven and be resurrected?" I assured her that she would and that we would see her again someday. She looked at me with tear stained cheeks and then her sweet little voice said, "Then why is it taking so long?" It was nearly impossible to stop the tears after that.
Though I am always grateful for the knowledge that our families can be together forever, it hits closest to home at moments like this.
On a lighter note, as we were walking through the cemetery Mylie spotted a headstone that said BLAKE. She exclaimed, "Mom, look! When Blake is dead we can put him here." Yikes.
Just a few minutes later, here she is holding her ponytail ... nearly a foot!
She looks so stinking adorable I can hardly stand it!
Just look at her. 
Another view of her today. I think she looks older. Last night we went over to Ben and Holli's and when Darcy saw her she told her that she looked like a first grader. 
She loves it. This morning when she got up she ran in to tell me that her hair was still short, that it hadn't grown long in the night. So adorable. Love this kid!
{Everything is more fun at Grandma and Grandpa's house!} Today I was at Grandpa Hammond's house and he had a sign up that said something to the effect of "Grandpa's house is where cousins become friends." That is definitely the case here. All the grandkids are spending the night here at my parent's tonight. Papa set up this tent in the basement. I went down to tuck them in and then had to grab the camera, such a group of cuties. They told me they were the three musketeers. We'll see if they get any sleep tonight!
Jeff and the kids got me a little handheld video camera for Mother's Day. It is so cute and I have had fun capturing some moments with it. I was so much better when Mylie was a baby at getting video, so I have lots of catching up to do.
I mostly was just trying to get a shot of Blake's sweet manpris, but he continued to entertain us. Silly boy.
Above - Mylie and Jeff doing their little pre-game warm up.
Above - In her league, they have different skill building stations each week. Mylie loves the obstacle course!
"This is how Daddy works it."
"Now if I just keep pointing it at the TV it will come on, right?"
I just think the look on his face in this one is hilarious!
Mylie stuffing her gorilla's "guts."
And then "bathing" them.
Our two newest additions, Monka the Monkey and Bubba the Bear.
We finished it off with dinner at the food court, McDonald's for the kids and Panda for us. It was a fun Saturday afternoon!