Go, Go, Go

Most days I try to plan one activity outside the house. One outing, one task, one objective for the day to break up the monotony of staying home too long. We’re up, we’re dressed, activity is accomplished and then we’re home.  That’s the gist of most of my days.

Last Tuesday evening my Bible Study group had a MNO (Mom’s Night Out.) It was the first one this summer that I was actually able to make it to. And of course it could not have happened on a more needed night. The boys had been tiring me out all day, Mr. Dunbar got home later than normal, and I was just at the brink of needing some girl time.

It was a cozy group of five us that had coffee and told stories of our summer.

Yum, coffee cake. And, hello, white balance is WAY off. You get the idea though. Telling funny stories. Preggo listening to funny stories.    

Group shot before I rushed home to a crying baby. It was fun while it lasted.

(MNO lasted a little bit more than an hour for this mom.)

The next morning the boys and I met up with some friends and headed off to the beach. My car was loaded up with Hooligans. The other moms asked me if this was okay because I had all of the boys and all the other girls (moms included) ended up in the other car.
“This will be my life for the next 15 years,” I told them, “might as well get used to it now.”

I was armed with Starbucks, which helped.

It was a hazy day at the beach but all of the kids swarmed right up on the shore.

Muddy Buddies were the prized snack of the morning.   

We tried to get a decent picture of Popeye and I. Still didn’t work so well.  

Erin was laughing the whole time.     

And as if a trip to the beach wasn’t enough for one day, we came home showered and then headed to the park. This outing had been on the calendar for over a month.

Here we met up with some of my sorority sisters and their babies and kids. We hardly ever get together any more because we’re all having babies, and chasing careers, and getting side tracked with life- that grown-up life we couldn’t wait to start after graduation. This was such a nice outing of just letting the kids run wild and trying to simultaneously catch up on each others lives. (Monkey was our photographer.)

All three of these girls were in my graduating class and man did we ever have a fun Senior Year together. Hard to believe it was over ten years ago!

     

After this I was just wiped out. Seriously I could have stayed in bed until noon the next day, but you can’t do that when three munchkins are up at the crack of dawn. Besides, Bogie had gymnastics and Popeye had a doctor’s appointment, and we had to check on Grandma’s animals… the list went on. As I was pondering whether it was all worth it or not; my exhaustion, hauling kids from one place to the next, packing clothes and snacks and toys, then unpacking them, only to pack them up again, I thought to myself, YES it was worth it!

I hadn’t seen most of these friends in months, some a few years.

I’m so caught up in my bubble. Mondays; cleaning. Wednesdays; play groups.  Thursdays; gymnastics. All of these things and so much more for my boys. To grow them, to give them skills, to keep them busy and happy, and they are, and I am too. But I like my friends and I’ve missed a lot of them for quite a while. It was not easy to make each of these activities happen, I wanted to just call and say “Sorry, I had XYZ today and now I just can’t make it out.” But I’m so glad that I didn’t. I’m so glad that I was able to reconnect and laugh and reminisce with girls who know me for me. Not for being Monkey’s Mom or Mr. Dunbar’s wife, or any other life label.

Staying home has its pros, being in a bubble also has its positives, but coming out of it and stretching myself (and our schedule) a bit was also really rewarding this past week. Besides we have about 4 weeks left of summer and then it will be back to the grindstone and trying to meet up with friends for coffee and the beach will take a back seat to soccer practice and schlepping boys to and from school.

So do you have any last minute summer get-togethers with friends?

~mrs. dunbar

Happy Friday

Just thought I’d share a few smiles with you because its Friday.

This little Champ really does smile quite often and laugh, oh man does he laugh. That belly gut laugh that makes you smile because its so dang cute and deep coming out of this little body. Our only hang-up is that he despises the camera, but he gave me a few cheeky grins yesterday and I thought I’d share them with you.

In this picture I think he looks like his dad, the long cheek to cheek smile and squinty eyes.

And in this picture I think he looks more like me, open mouthed smile.

And in this picture, well, this is just him.

Gnawing on his thumb.

Smile hidden beneath that chunky arm.

And these, well these are just the cutest little feet ever.

We’ve had such a busy week. Lots of pictures taken, tons of fun had by all, I just haven’t gotten my act together to get them together to post. Soon.

We are off to the dentist today to see Dr. Crystal. Whom we love so much.

Praying for no cavities!

Have a beautiful day. And remember to smile, it just might make someone’s day!

~mrs. dunbar

Busy, Busy, Busy

Wow, time is flying by. I think I say that about once a month.

The Dunbar boys have been keeping me busy this summer season. They’ve been actively becoming swimmers with lessons 4 days a week.   

Monkey attended Sports Camp, our church’s version of VBS. (The only down side; you had to be five to attend. Bogie was NOT happy about this.)

Some of our friends Becca and Mikey were Camp Directors. It’s always such a surreal time when other’s that we know love on our kids. I totally appreciate them and their time invested in kids this summer.

We were down and out for a few days with some sickness, me included. I kept finding all of the boys like this. They love to crawl into the crib when Popeye is in there, it cracks me up.

And that crib has surpassed the money we paid for it six years ago. I’m just wondering why I chose that blonde wood, like I said six years its lasted. And that fish machine, God bless the person who created it. Each of my boys has loved it.

My Popeye is now five months old.

-He continues to stick his toes in his mouth each and every time I try to change his diaper.

-He is definitely right-handed.

-He can roll over from tummy to back from either side.

-He’s really close to sitting up on his own.

-Each and every thing handed to him goes straight into his mouth.

-The camera is still not a favorite, but tolerated now.

-We tried baby cereal, this is what he thought of it. And he thinks pretty much the same thing about the bottle. He still won’t take one at all. Any ideas?

-He went swimming for the first time.

-I wish I could capture his smile. It’s beaming. It really is.

-He is a happy baby that loves to be in my arms. This stronghold is really short lived so I am enjoying each second of it.

And that about sums us up. Now I’m going to hop on over and see what you all have been up to.

~mrs. dunbar