Summer Adventures in July

 

And just like that, summer came to a close. I'll be honest and say that I tried really hard to get into summer this year but with Covid, I just wasn't really feeling it. Between having to postpone our season passes to the waterpark and not having my kids enrolled in swimming lessons, I was missing the fun filled summer routine. After our annual trip to Bear Lake, I got home ready for fall and school to begin and it was only 4th of July weekend. Yikes! haha But then as I've looked back on the pictures I took during the month of July, I can see moments of that summer magic and how I soaked it in when I embraced this summer for what it was. My first saving grace, the river. A place we didn't have to wear masks with water for my kids to play in and an endless supply of rocks and sticks to collect. 

My beach babe! She LOVED Sita's paddle board. My mom had a friend visit for a week and we took her down for some fun at the river one morning. 

Liam found a random piece of fishing line and constructed himself a fishing pole with a stick. It was adorable watching him persevere all day trying to catch a minnow. 

My mom in her happy place ...

One of my favorite things about summer, Lyla's bleach blonde hair!

The river has the perfect hiking trails through the woods next to it. We spent a lot of weekend days exploring them. Lyla would make it as far as her little legs would carry her and then beg for a shoulder ride.

We also spent a lot of time at a neighborhood playground. One day, Lyla brought along her "sheepy" to swing with her and we made up a song together to sing as they rode on the swing together. 

We celebrated our twin nephews turning one! For me, it felt like the fastest year ever. I'm sure for their mom, not so much. haha They have gotten so big though and it was fun seeing them take some of their first steps around their birthday! 

It made me so nostalgic seeing Liam's first birthday banner at a Where the Wild Things Are birthday party again. 

This cutie and her many entertaining facial expressions!

It has been a big blessing for our family having Nic work from home. Liam misses building legos with Nic while he is in his office but one day he made his dad out of legos, found a box in the recycling, wrapped it up all by himself with leftover Batman wrapping paper and electrical tape, and wrote a tag on the top to give the present to him at lunch time. Is that not the cutest thing ever?!

Having dinner with "Aunt Janel" and trying on Sita's shoes!

Summer days spent with some of my favorite people!