Kickoff to Summer 2018

Family

The whirlwind that was the end of 4th grade has finally settled and in its wake, we now have the beginning of a glorious summer. I told Simon the other day that this feels like the first summer that I’ve actually looked forward to as it seems it will be the easiest yet with both boys.  Archer is living his best life when we’re at the lake, and man, there is nothing more delightful than a 3 year old boy. It’s such a magical age full of squishy toddler snuggles, wonder-filled moments, cute little turns-of-phrase, and plenty of other shenanigans.

I can’t hardly pass by Memorial Day without thinking about 2014 when we moved into Carlton Landing and on Monday evening of that Memorial Day I took a pregnancy test that turned out to be Archer. Gosh are we lucky to have that boy. Both boys fill me up in myriad ways — which isn’t to say that I’m not utterly depleted by the end of the day.

But that’s where summer is restorative. Less of the go-go-go and more lazy afternoons and late evening swimming. I want this summer to be long and languid (although ask me on August 1st if I’m ready to be back in school haha) — but mostly because I’m not 100% certain that I’m ready for Jude to start middle school just yet. Can we hang on to this early childhood delight just a wee bit longer? Can we defer adolescent angst and bigger issues that have bigger consequences?

One of the things that happened almost immediately was that Jude wanted to get his hair colored. For over a year now he’s begged me to dye his hair blonde, and finally I was like OMG OK. YES. Half of Facebook was on board with this, and the other half was not. I have NO DOUBT that my Mom was in heaven shaking her head and trying to message me on HaloBook or whatever social media they’ve got in the hereafter (which surely is not A Thing, right? Is there Heavenly Instagram? Is this where the best filters reside?). Side note:  my own mother was of the Olde Schoole and once famously told me in high school that a woman should not color her hair until her husband gave her permission. UHMM, NOPE. And then I started religiously coloring mine starting junior year and haven’t looked back since.

ANYWAY. A facebook friend said she takes her daughter to the hair school and lets her do whatever with her hair in the summer with the caveat that it must return to normal by school, which is an amazing suggestion. (Side eye to everyone who remarked that hair dye is the gateway drug to nose piercings, drugs, and sex.)  So I booked an appointment for Jude at the hair school by our house for the $30 treatment with the understanding that I will pay for it only once. If he wants to maintain it, then he is going to have to pay for it moving forward.

Internet, in case you didn’t know, getting your hair done at the hair school takes FOR-EV-ERRRRR and is super slow as it is, of course, a place where the stylists are learning how to do everything that we take for granted at our seasoned stylists’ salons. So Jude’s hair took just as long to be foiled as my shoulder-length hair. And then some. It was an exercise in patience and I refused to hand over my phone so he could sit there and play the dadgum Fortnite the whole time. NOPE. YOU WILL SUFFER FOR BEAUTY.

Archer happily buzzed back and forth around the salon, with some conciliatory pats on Jude’s knee. “You’re gonna be ok, Jude,” he’d say softly, as if Jude were undergoing some kind of procedure. And it was seriously one of my all-time favorite moments with Jude. The look on his face as they foiled section by section.  BEAUTY IS PAIN, MY DEAR. BEAUTY IS PAIN.

And the end result? It was actually perfect! They did a great job and it looked extremely natural. Jude was thrilled, I was thrilled, everybody came away happy.

Since then we’ve volleyed between Carlton Landing and OKC. I’ve been swamped with design projects, including wrapping up the first phase of the Residence Club styling and I can’t wait to get it all photographed. It’s been a gratifying project to help out on.   We’re also really close to wrapping up the master bedroom addition. This week, drywall is being installed along with the new HVAC system along with these filters fitted in our AC unit. And just after that we’ll hopefully have floors in.

Meanwhile in the community, our swim beach opened to much fanfare and excitement. It’s been a long process to get approval by the town from the Corps of Engineers and you can see a sliver of it in the photo below. Side note: how awesome is it that someone got that ENORMOUS unicorn float and moored it there on the dock?! YASSSS. We happily frolicked for several hours last weekend.

To be honest, this is my preferred method of enjoying the lake. I’m skeeved out by my bare feet down in the murky lake water. I’d much rather be on a unicorn pool float or in a kayak.  #confessions

The evenings have been spent in beautiful Firefly Park with our friends and all the neighborhood kiddos. Spike Ball is the preferred game and I still can’t figure out all the rules.

  

Summer, don’t hurry us by. Here’s to sunbathing on the dock, snowcones galore, and late nights on the park with friends.

 

with love,
Rachel

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