Run, Run, pant, pant, Run Some More

We are now home "for good." Whatever that means. The bulk of out traveling has been completed (excluding Jason) and now we will be trying to establish a summer routine. Kind of late, I know, but you just work with what the situation is, you know? Let me catch you up a little bit since my last post.  

We were home for a day and a half before we got the call that Jason's grandfather had passed away. We waited until the next morning before leaving to go back to Tennessee and made the trip in a quick 10 hours or so. We got there late Sunday night and spent the next few days visiting with the family and attending the visitation and the funeral. 

We returned home (extremely spent and exhausted) on Thursday afternoon. Jason dropped us off at the house and I quickly unpacked and then repacked the girls. I ran Elaina and Eily to the doctor; Eily for an infected toe that was causing red streaks up her foot and Elaina for swimmer's ear. (Or in her case, bathtub ear.) Then I dropped the girls off at Mom's house and Jason and I headed for Farmington. We stayed that night with my sister and then woke up bright and early and went to the hospital in Bentonville so that Jason could get permanent tubes put in his ears. 

Then we skedaddled home so that Jason could get some rest and I could get busy cleaning the house because we had company coming in late that night and I hadn't really been home to clean in over a month. I was very doubtful that I could pull off a hefty grocery trip, deep house cleaning, and catching up the laundry- but I did it before any of the company showed up at the house. It helped that it was pretty late by the time anyone arrived.  

The next morning, friends and relatives from my dad's side of the family came together and celebrated my grandfather's 90th birthday. I didn't think to take many photos but I did catch this sweet moment between Elaina and Grandpa. She had just come over to give him a hug and a kiss and wish him a happy birthday. 

Sunday was very low-key, in such a wonderful way, and we rested up and recuperated from all the business. 

This week has been mainly spent at the city pool and the Geek Squad desk at Best Buy. The girls have started swimming lessons and Nora comes home every day a little upset that they won't just let her swim alone because, "Look how big I am now! I'm grown all up!" I keep assuring her that when the time comes, the teacher will let her know and until then she needs to just keep practicing her arm movements and kicks. 

If you have noticed that Claire hasn't been in any of the photos so far, that's because she stayed in Tennessee and then went home to Mississippi with her cousin, Lily. Aunt Abby has been texting me photos all week of all the fun things they have been doing. Lily has a cousin, Charlie, on her mama's side of the family that is Claire's good friend and I know they've been able to play together quite a bit, too.

Claire and Lily making a craft at the Farmer's Market

Claire- sporting her new haircut and enjoying a smore's at Uncle Tommy and Aunt Kara's house

Lily, Claire, Nora Strevel, Charlie Strevel
I love this photo so much

More splash pad fun in Mississippi

This last photo was taken in Tennessee. Abby, Kara, and I brought the kids home early from the visitation. We were going to take them to the backyard and let them burn off some energy but it was raining, so...

Nadia, Elaina, Nora, David, Claire, Eily, Lily