July at Our House

 I'm writing this as September is on the cusp of arriving. I don't know why I procrastinated this post so much. I tell myself I was just busy with a baby and living life. This is true and I just didn't want to start this post. Summer. One of the most beautiful seasons for me as we are free from school and our schedules are so loose. Yet, it was another jam packed month of so much of everything. I blinked and school started back up again and I found myself in a new season, one of just me and a baby while 3 kids went to school. It's been such a transition for me but more on that next month, which I will need to start writing on as soon as tomorrow! 

Here it is, the highs of our summer 2023. I am so thankful to God for this sweet little life I am able to carve.

We kicked off the month of July with the 4th and all the celebrations that come with it. This is about the one time the kids stay up late and they aren't afraid to remind us about that! They love this time together and plan out the entire day for us complete with smores and fireworks, meals on the campfire, and moving the camper onto the property to pretend camp and have single round eliminations at the game of spoons. 

We also celebrated our first son's birthday this month! He turned 8 and it was so great to spend the day celebrating him and all the great things he brings to our life. He is so easy going and sweet and kind. He wanted to invite one other family and the grandparents to play laser tag at the arcade place and this arrangement just totally sums up who he is. He likes things simple and easy and doesn't want us to make a huge fuss over him. Of course, we do keep the attention on him for the day and make it as BIG as we can!

So, we took a small group with us to play laser tag!

And played some arcade games!

Happy Birthday, sweet boy. I love you more than you could ever know! You are exactly what this family needed and we are so thankful for your kind heart always willing to go along with whatever we are doing. An early riser like your mama, don't even let anyone change you. You were meant for big things! Love, Mom

Out side of this holiday and birthday, we were back to the daily summer life grind.  

We took this little one grocery shopping and she passed right out. 

Monte and Jayden made cookies together for all of us!

Monte also helped Payton make heart shaped pizza for dinner (her night to cook) for all of us. 

The kids finished up the summer reading program and got their prizes!

We grew corn!

My parents came to visit and always bring fun projects and crafts with them, courtesy of grandma. We love this time with family so much!

We took the kids swimming. This was a first time for Avery. She had a blast and then passed right out while the kids finished up their time. 

This month is also our county's fair and we went most of the 3 days it was here and had a BLAST. It also always a bittersweet reminder to me that there are only a few weeks left of summer. 

One night right after the fair I made a charcuterie board for a snack as we needed to fill kids up but also had just been so busy. We sat and talked over this for a long time, it was such a good moment for us:

The one time this summer that Payton let me fix her hair, I had to document it:

She's growing fast and she doesn't let me touch her hair often any more. She likes doing her own thing.

Jayden made a fruit salad (recipe from a garage sale cookbook he found and has been looking at constantly) for his meal one night. It was delicious and a real treat for us.

                                         

We took the kids to the children's museum, one of their favorite places. They took a pause from their play to make sure they introduced Avery to the baby area. She lasted a whole 5 minutes there but enjoyed her time.

And we couldn't leave out just a bunch of random pictures about our littlest little, who hit 3 months this month!:

                                                         

We got outside and painted some window sun catchers!

We are also outside harvesting the garden most mornings! In the picture above we picked potatoes and carrots!

A huge rarity for me, but I got to take the kids to the movie theater! Dad volunteered to stay home with Avery and we went to our local theater. We saw Elemental and enjoyed our time together!

I got this sweet picture of my kids:

How did I get so lucky? God truly blessed me.

We got outside for several picnics this month, a favorite of our kids!

At the end of the month, we went to my hometown for my grandmother's funeral. It was sad to say goodbye to grandma but I had so much fun enjoying my hometown with my kids and seeing extended family. We go far too long now between seeing each other and rarely are we all in the same place at the same time. We took the kids swimming and hiking and to see the falls during the quiet times between seeing family.

Another wild month! And I can already say August was just as busy!