Inner Monologue: August Miscellaneous 2018

This year the end of summer has felt extra dramatic and sad. Our summer break has been so fantastic - the best I can ever remember - and I just didn't want it to end. We had to say goodbye to late summer nights and kids running wild, and were forced to try to get back onto a reasonable schedule. The funny thing is that the kids don't seem to be as sad about the end of summer as I have been - I guess whether it is summer or winter, their life is still pretty carefree. As with every month, we had a lot of big events, and plenty of small but great moments of every day life.

On one of my Saturday bike rides, I took a new road and came around the corner to find these longhorns just hanging out in the neighborhood. They were so fascinating to me that I had to stop to get a few shots. The steers kept looking away but after a few mooing sounds, I got my shot.

At the beginning of the summer we started an incentive program to help the kids stay motivated to do homework and keep up on the skills they had learned over the past school year. They each picked out a new pet and then worked on a checklist of homework and chores to earn their prize. It worked like a charm - the kids earned a few new friends, and I loved that they kept up with a little learning.

Ruby was so excited to be invited to her friend Taylor's birthday party.

Tooth #3

Feeding the ducks is always a good time.

This hat was a summertime favorite!

Ruby loved the fancy ponytails that grandma did.

Cutest little farmgirls,
Ruby loves spending time helping Juniper with the chickens.

We got some official photos from the wedding,
What beautiful memories!

Grandpa and grandma gave the kids a new swing which they love.

Sunday afternoons used to be for napping, but lately the kids think they are just too big to go to sleep. We have compromised and told them that they at least need to rest. Now, after church they come home, have lunch, and then gather up all their pets, pillows, and blankets and camp out in our bed watching Bible stories. It isn't quite a nap, but it lets all of us relax for a little bit. Did you notice the teddy bears in this picture. Katelynn brought them to the kids as a thank you gift for being in her wedding. The t-shirt on the bears has the kids' individual names and a thank you from Katelynn and Dylan. The kids adore the bears and have had the best time packing them around, changing their clothes, and basically making the bears part of the crew.

I absolutely love watching these cousins together and hope they continue to have adventures together for the rest of their lives. I've started labeling most of my photos like this as "Sunday Shenanigans".

Ruby took advantage of the carnival celebration at the gym.

She loved showing off her face paint to all of the Whitesides. We all met up for dinner and Cherry Hill water slides, but unfortunately only ended up with this one picture. I guess it was because we were all too busy having fun in the water.

Hope and her friends had a spa afternoon and pampered the little girls with make up and manicures. Ruby came home so excited - she loved being part of the big girls' fun. And of course, she had to show off her beautiful nails to everyone she saw.

Oh this poor girl just needs a doggy of her own. She tries to approach nearly every dog we see and begs me to ask the owners if she can pet the dog. Ruby often says she is going to be a pet doctor and I think it's a very real possibility. For now, she will have to settle for the dog at Old Navy.

The boys wanted a picture of their "matching" plain outfits.

What a lucky girl Ruby is to be so loved.

Ruby and I went to orientation for "click click", or Upstart. Ever since Luke did preschool on the computer two years ago, she has been really excited for her turn. She loved all of it, the testing, the badges, and of course, she loves the silly songs and games that make it so fun to learn.

Fall soccer season has started and we are all having the best time - the kid love playing, and Tim and I are working hard at becoming the best soccer parents. Both Luke and Ruby are on teams with several friends which makes it fun and they both have great coaches. Ruby's coach Miss Tara is really working hard with the kids on skills and I have been impressed at how much they have already improved. Luke has an official coach, but Tim has filled in and coached most of the games which Luke loves. I'm already feeling sad that their season is only about 5 weeks long.