July was a great month.
July needs to be about 15 days longer.
The Kelvs were here, 4th of July, Yellow House, The Island...all the big name summer items.
But these in-between, summer rhythm activities are just as wonderful to me.
This seems so long ago, but we started the month with a barbecue at Bertheson. I thought that would be a good place since it's so shady, but it was actually a cold day and I was wearing my puffy coat.
You should have seen how fast the dads were spinning kids and missionaries on this thing. I don't think it's healthy for the human body.
I wake up to Andrew in my bed 100% of the mornings.
I took this picture back when I thought my garden was going wild, but you should see it now - it's doubled in size. Especially my pumpkin patch.
The summer of hair.
Once, twice, sometimes three times a week, we are at the beach.
This is the summer of swim. It keeps all the kids happy all the time.
As soon as we got home from Yellow House, we started a week of cub camp. Every day from 3:00-8:30 we would be scouting...and I hate to be negative about it because it was really well done and people worked so hard to make it happen...but I was so happy when the week was over.
It's just not my idea of fun for that many hours in the hot sun with boys that are pretty big turds and helping them do fine motor things they are just not developmentally good at yet (like taping up a rocket or connecting wires or blowing up balloons with a straw or hitting nails with hammers).
The week after cub camp I was skipping around in happiness,
tossing summer freedom up in the air, watching it fall down around me.
BB guns and archery were the biggest hit. I wish we could just
do that all week.
The last day was a color fun run. It was fun because it was over.
One night I got home from cub camp and Andrew had a big glob of slime on top of his hair like a yarmulke. It was about 9pm when I got out the clippers and gave him a summer buzz.
Dentist.
We got to babysit Juno for a day.
Padden! My favorite in-between activity.
Evan had his audience at full attention.
This dock jumping was way back when he was still wearing a life jacket.
Man, July was ages ago. He's such a good swimmer now.
We found a new beach on Lake Whatcom. It's beautiful and salt free.
Cheek pinching in the hammock.
Chalk outlines.
Trail run at Oyster Dome.
We tried out a Horse Trail around Padden that I think is great because it's new and different, but the kids want to stick with the old trail. That really bums me out.
They even found this double decker couch on the Horse Trail.
I thought that would keep them coming back for more.
Piper's birthday party at Semiahmoo.
Andrew's "grinch costume". Gross.
As my kids get older, they no longer like doing some of my favorite summer activities - like berry picking.
It's interesting how summers evolve. Last summer was all about the bikes; this summer is all about the swim.
Anyway, to convince them to come with me to pick blueberries, I said we could have the Dicksons come along.
They only helped pick berries for a few minutes before they ran off and found other things to explore.
Andrew stuck with me. He's good at berries still.
Luckily there was this swing set in the shade with a seat for every last child. That kept them super happy while I sweated in the raspberry rows, picking the last of the season.
We made a crumble with our dissolving raspberries. Andrew designed the top with a smiley face.
More beach.
Andrew takes pictures of us at church sometimes.
Jim got a new calling - ward financial clerk. It's a fun one.
We always end the Padden nights with dinner at a restaurant.
There was some sad things going on in the world this summer too. It feels inaccurate to gloss over all that stuff, but I don't even know how to address it.
It's there, and it's yucky, and I hate it.
I guess because it doesn't impact me personally and directly, it's easy to close my eyes and ears and pretend it's not out there.
