Summer Time

June and July were truly full of fun in the sun. 😎

Fourth of July

Zac, Whitney and the cousins spent the day with us for the 4th of July! We hung out at our house for the afternoon, the guys BBQ'ed dinner, they took the kids canoeing on our lake, and we all met up with Brooke and her fam at the Woodlake 4th of July concert / fireworks party! It was a perfect, classic 4th. :) 

Baby's first 4th of July! 

Almost all the kids on a free cruise around the lake (just missing 2 cousins!)

Lyd had a lot of activities this summer!: Ballet, mini swim team, reading classes, a week-long, half-day summer camp, and started piano lessons with Amberlie!

Looking through their piano books after a lesson!

She's also started doing a morning routine and it's been great for all of us. Before she can play/we go out, she gets dressed, makes her bed, makes herself breakfast (usually Raisin Bran!), reads on her own, does 20ish minutes of math problems on her math app, piano practice (with me), and then if we don't have somewhere to go right away she'll play outside for a little bit. Wish we'd started this earlier!

Father's Day

Father's Day was pretty good around here! Lydia sang in Sacrament mtg with all the other Primary kids and Matt got to BBQ burgers and veggies for dinner. Love you Matt!!

Reading the book Elise gave to Daddy for Father's Day

Matt continued working from home, which is a great change from his old 40-min commute! We love having him around. ❤️

Matt helped lead a young mens overnight camping trip with 3 other dads and about 20 youth in western Va. They had a great time even though it was humid and buggy!

Lydia and Luke got their long-awaited bunk bed! Matt set it up in an afternoon and now L&L love being room mates. I love that they get to be together in the same room, and also that the guest room is freed up and clean and tidy again. :) Best reading spot and it feels like we gained an extra room in the house. Win-win. 

And a photo dump of more pics from our summer!

Our turn to help clean the church one Saturday

Soren was at Vikki and Einor's for the first 10 days of summer, 
which the kids of course LOVED 😍Lots of outside time playing

Patriotic outfits for the Sunday before 4th of July :)

Donuts at the lake!

Shopping with all 3 is a lot haha 😅but getting treats helps!

Elise LOOVED the safari ride at the zoo!
She giggled and grinned the whole time 🥹

Back to school shopping in July? Yep!

Splash pad with friends!! We went a bunch of times and were always glad we went. :) 

Baby's first splash pad!! She was so excited 😍

When you're so happy you turn into a puppy 🐶😄

Little Miss does like to eat :) 

We love her arms-out reach when she wants to be picked up :) 

Random matching Christmas jammies in July

Stroller walk around the lake

Matt built a Holzmiete log pile

Right now it feels like we're still in the middle of summer, but we actually only have a few days of 'regular' summer left! We leave for England in a few days, and when we get back, we'll have less than a week before Lydia starts 1st grade! Then Luke will start preschool the next week. 🥹

So we're in travel-prep mode! The kids and I read some Brit Lit to get ready: Paddington Goes to the Castle, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe audiobook, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit, The Secret Garden (kids' picture book version) and Katie in London. Plus hair cuts all around (Lydia's children's cut cost $5 and included a free shampoo, ha! It cost less than a large gatorade, as Sarah pointed out haha). Lauralee did Luke's cut!

And a couple pictures of my little sidekick this summer. 🥰 When Lydia was at her various activities and Luke was out on an adventure with Dad (or just doing yard work with him), Elise was always with me. :) Wouldn't have it any other way!