Summer Lovin'

I promised I would be back and here I am. Got 2 more jumbled up, random summer posts to carry on with. I swear to you this has been the fastest moving summer of my whole life. It seriously flew by. Usually by end of August I start to get super hungry for fall, the cooler weather, the soups and stews, the layered clothing, but this year that is not the case. I do not want to say goodbye to summer. Just the easy breezy of it all. The leisurely mornings, my kids all home together, popsicle sticks all over my yard, the flip flops by my back door, sitting out on our patio each night and listening to the laughter of my boys. My flowers, my yard, all of it. Even the extreme heat we have had this year. I have loved it all. Hard to say goodbye.

Ahh, July. Ain't nothing like the month of red, white and blue. One of my favorite things about July is the random fireworks you hear going off on any given night. Between Independence Day and Pioneer Day they bring enough individual fireworks of their own, but then you add in Clinton Days, and Syracuse Days, and Roy Days...all the little town carnivals and celebrations. Then all the neighbors and individual fireworks. The sky is seriously lit up the entire month of July. And I love it. I even pulled my kids out of their beds a few nights, and gathered on the porch to watch the festivities. Kids in jammies and bare feet, the sound of sprinklers throughout the neigborhood, the way the air smells, hot and a little smokey and the sky being lit up. Nothing better.

Carson having reached the big 8 years old, now gets to begin his scouting journey. Cute little cub scout. Had his first all day scout camp back in July. He was gone from 6:45 in the morning til 4:30 that afternoon. I was so nervous. He is the youngest of course, but because I held him back in school, all the boys in his primary class are all a grade above him. I always kinda felt like he got left out a little bit, not on purpose, just kinda happened that way. So I was a nervous wreck with him gone all day. But I forget to trust my boy, things like that don't phase him. He just goes in smiling and being his usually sunny little self and things turn out just fine. He had a great time.

Headed up to Bear Lake for seriuosly an overnighter in mid July. It was my Gran's big extended family reunion, they all go up and camp near the north end of the lake, Paris Idaho to be exact for 3 days. My mom and Dean were heading up the whole time and taking little Gran with them. I had to work that weekend, but she thought it would be fun to take Carson with. At the last minute, Thiago and I decided to join them from Saturday-Sunday. I got off work at about 1:30 on Saturday and we left straight after that. I was debating whether it was worth the drive, but in the end was so glad we went. Had such a great time and provides some fabulous memories for my boys.

The minute we got there, we jumped right on my mom and Dean's 4-wheelers and took some beautiful rides with the boys. I used to roll my eyes when my mom and grandmas and aunts would go on and on about nature. I used to find our Sunday drives so ridiculously boring. I must be getting old, cause I can't get enough of all that now. It just fascinates me. So much beauty in this world. Seriously gets to me.

I love these little faces, and I love their happy little smiles. My heart melts everytime I see them happy and just loving life. Feel so grateful that they are so blessed. Every kid deserves a beautiful childhood. Do my best to provide that for them.

Gathered with the rest of the extended family that night for a big family potluck. Where I stuffed my face with homemade cobbler. I seriously skipped right past the food and went straight for the Dutch Oven berry cobbler. Got my fill of that, then went back for the rest. Haha.

And of course S'mores. In all honesty, I ain't no camper. I enjoy it for the day, but come evening time, I want my house. I want my shower, my clean clothes, my hair that doesn't smell like campfire, my bed with my clean sheets, and my freshly bathed kids that smell like Loreal's cool coconut. One night is plenty for me. Enough to get the experience of it all, but get me home the next day. Haha.

Normally everyone packs up after breakfast and heads out, but because we got there so late in the day the night before my mom and Dean wanted to make sure we got our fun out of it. So we stayed later on and took some more big rides. Dean and Thiago even took the boys up to the ice caves, which they loved. We didn't end up leaving the campsite until about 4, and then stopped in Bear Lake for some dinner and a famous raspberry shake. Can't go to Bear Lake and not get a raspberry shake. They are known for them.

Forgot to mention that right before we left for Island Park, Thiago's little cousin Renan came from Brazil. His older brother visited back in 2010 right before Drake was born, but this was me and the boys first time meeting Renan. He stayed for about 8 weeks, just headed back home a few days ago. It was great having him here. Me and Thiago were able to take him quite a few places with us. Up to Bear Lake, to Lagoon, Cherry Hill, Park City, as well as movies and dinner. It was fun. Sweet boy. Even though I couldn't talk to him. This girl know no Portugese, and he doens't know English. So we just smiled at each other. Occasionally I would try and say something by making gestures and talking really loud, I am on one of those people that thinks if I say it louder they might understand me. I'm an idiot. Of course he would just stare blankly and Thiago would translate.

Kids got a real kick out of the airport, for those of you that don't know our little fam is headed to Disneyland. 5 weeks from tomorrow, but whose counting?? Anywho, Thiago and I joked we could just bring the kids to the airport and tell them its Disneyland. That is how much they loved it. Weirdos.

Met up with my sweet High School friends a few times. Stacey was in town from Texas and we took the oppurtunity to do dinner a couple times and then meet up with the kids for lunch and playing another day. So good to see them.

Lots of birthdays in the summer...my sweet mom in law was July 21. We had a little dinner and cake and icecream over at our house for her.

On Pioneer Day we thought it would be fun to go to Cherry Hill. We usually go once a summer so we thought this would be a good time. Made the best little cookies to take for our lunch the next day. Orange Creamsicle. They were so yummy.

I get the biggest kick out of this picture. Everytime Drake would go down this little slide his little arms would come right up, cracked me up. It was like he was on a roller coaster or something. Funny lil' boy.

Baby Boston just chillin' with his dad.

It really is a fun little water resort. They have a crazy tube ride that we spent most of our time on, got some hilarious pictures of Thiago and the boys but they were on my phone. Also they have 2 big water slides, a Pirates Cove area, and a lazy river. Where Lincoln's foot took a huge gash, poor kid. Had to visit first aid area and everything. He was dangling it out of my tube and a group of kids shoved past us and his foot got jammed between the tube and one of the drains along the side. Boy did he cry. And couldn't wear normal shoes for like 2 weeks. Flipflops at church people. It was embarassing for his mother.

It was a great night, we ended it with KFC back at our house and sparklers and Pop Its for the kids.

Ash's birthday came next. Fun family dinner at my moms. Love this sista of mine.

And then brings us through July....August up next!