July Recap: The fair, Camping, Birthday celebrating, and so many activities galore

 This month is FULL like full, full. So stuffed and so busy. I wanted to have a slow summer and it seems like I really wasn't successful at all in doing this. I envisioned so many pictures of our garden and life around our house and we learn once again how to be bored and cultivate our life at our little house. But.. quite the opposite has happened. We were busy this month. We went camping and saw many friends, we hosted a birthday party for Riley, we had a month of tennis camp, our county had their fair, and I really had to work hard to carve in a few days at home. But, all in all, I am incredibly grateful for the life God has blessed us with. So grateful. And, this summer maybe isn't going how I wanted it to go but it's still be so beautiful.

So, let's dive in.

We got some rain! Several inches at one point in fact and the kids got out to jump in puddles:

May we all choose to spend some time playing in the rain.

                                                  

We also had a very good family friend over to visit during this time of rain. We enjoyed seeing her and sharing a meal with her:

                                                 

The big kids also did tennis camp for the first time and loved a month full of learning about tennis:

I learned that going back to school is going to be rough. We are so very out of routine and had a hard time getting out the door and to tennis camp on time. Jayden and I enjoyed our one on one time together while they played. We celebrated the end of tennis camp with a trip to the coffee shop:

                                    

AND lunch with daddy:

                                   

He surprised us and we took the chance to spend some time with him.

It was fair this month and we soaked it up as much as we always do. We got our faces painted, free balloon animals, played mini golf, watched the 4-h dog show, and had an evening at the carnival:

We also put several entries in the fair as open class (maybe next year we will be back to entering as 4-hers again).

But the kids brought home money that they promptly used for that weeks garage sales!

After the fair we were so worn out, we spent a ton of time relaxing:

                                      

One morning that we were home, we made bath bombs and slime (both kits from which were purchased by Payton at the garage sales mentioned above with fair money).

It was fun, it was messy, it was stressful but the kids came out with good, fun memories! And we cleaned most of it up easily enough.

Speaking of garage sales, here is my big project purchases I have made:

                                                         

I bought 4 chairs and cushions for $5 and a table for $25. I repainted the table and then we plan to put a new top on it and add a bench. Hoping for at least 8 for seating in the end!

This month we also went to our friend's annual bbq and it was so fun. I only got a few pictures, one of Payton getting her hair caught in the trampoline (we got it out okay) and Payton playing with one of her really good friend in the rain (because it dumped on us at this bbq). 

We all had fun, got really soaked, and ate some good food. So many memories made that night. 

My husband went away for work for a week and we all did okay without him for the week (we are glad he's back though). Payton would nightly look at pictures with him and talk about how much she missed him. She also had a countdown to his return. It was the sweetest thing to watch:

You better believe we welcomed him home with balloons, cheers, and a handmade sign the kids made for him.

Back around the house we have been all over our place simultaneously relaxing and then getting things done. Here we had a cookie and tea party!

We also finally got peaches on our peach tree for the first time ever and it was sooo exciting for our family:

We kept working the garden, like harvesting all the potatoes:

And we swam a ton. Almost every day:

We took one (and maybe the only one for the summer) camping trip to the lake:

It was a lot of fun and a good time for us. We would like to get out again as soon as possible but will see what we can swing. 

We also celebrated the 4th of July at our house, just the 5 of us. We did pull the camper around on our property for the day as well and it was fun to go in and out and "pretend camp" all day!

We also went and played frisbee golf:

We went to another bbq this month and on the ride home (it was sooo late) the kids were just getting a bit wild:

Wild hair, she don't care.

It had been another fun summer night with only a single photo to remember our time with friends:

This summer, each kid has had one night a week they make a meal (with help from me). They have to plan it and help make the entire meal and put plates together. We forget sometimes but for the most part, it has worked out really well. Here is Jayden with his pigs in a blanket:

He was super proud of himself for this meal. And for dessert for most of Payton's meals, we have had ice cream:

                                      

The boys both try to make a homemade dessert. In fact, Riley just made dairy-free and nut free scotcharoos this week for dessert and they turned out fantastic! Below is Jayden making cookies for his dessert one week:

                                                       

One afternoon I came around the corner to find these 2 reading together:

This used to happen all the time but is so rare now I had to take a moment to pause and soak up the scene. I really do hope and pray for my children to find friendship with each other in life. 

Riley has also been seen playing well with Jayden a ton this summer:

Riley and I also snuck out for some one on one time when he was the only one to go with me for an appointment he had. So, we did one of our favorite things and turned the trip into a date!

We got a cookie from scooters! But the real appointment was allergy testing for Riley. We found out he doesn't have food allergies we were suspecting but lots of environmental allergies.

It was good to just have answers.

I just love any time I can get with him!

And Riley also lost a took this month and got a visit from the tooth fairy!

My mom came to visit this month! It was so fun to have her around for a longer period of time. I missed her the second she left and I wish she would come back soon!

We took the kids to the public pool:

Riley also had his birthday party with family and friends! It was so fun! We got out water balloons and had cake and played and played and played.

It's been so good getting to know his friends from school!

One little side story about trying to make the birthday party happen. We picked up our cake in a town about 30 minutes from home. On the way home, the van started shaking. It was noticeably weird. We ended up pulled over on a random dirt road and decided to wait and be saved by my husband. Riley was the only one with me and he was a total trooper.

                                                

We had grabbed groceries on this trip so he had applesauce and hot popsicles to eat (which he did). And we had also stopped by the library for take home crafts so he used his time to break into those and start crafting. All in all, we laugh about it now. And yes, the van has been fixed and drives well again. Pray it stays that way.

On the home repair side, we took on a little diy project. We painted our kitchen countertop (from dingy yellow to bright white). It wasn't a perfect job but I thinks it's just good enough for us:

The only picture I found on my phone this month of stuff I made is our subway bread. Always a hit!

We got out a bit with our bikes again this month. In fact, we did several big bike rides, including one by our city's park and all over town (over an hour biking). It has been so fun spending time pretending to live in town:

And last, a picture of my kitchen. On cleaning day. In all it's glory:

Cleaning day is a good time for me to pause at the end and soak up this house and how happy it makes me. This really is such a beautiful life. And I am so grateful to God for all our blessings and even our hardships.