August is that time where I feel like I am still loving every second of summer, but the fall routine is starting to creep in and I do everything in my power to keep my "fun mom" hat on AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!
Cheer kicked off for Millie in August with 3 days of camp!
When the MIDDLE little loses tooth #9 before the BIG little...it's not often Millie gets to be first at anything...or even last, so it was fun for her to get this little win!
More cheer...plus "take your Ford to work day"....
And he was a PURE angel....most of the day!
Last day of camp performances. It's so fun to see how much Millie has grown over the past 3 seasons.
That's a wrap camp...but not before we hit up Menchie's with the squad and Jillian came too!
Saying goodbye is never easy...but when you know that the Lord gave you a GG who was there for so much of life on earth and is now resting peacefully, it makes it a bit easier. We got to celebrate GG's amazing life in August and it was truly a celebration!
Griffin and Millicent recited PSALM 23 for the service.
All the cousins leading the congregation in the Lord's Prayer. You could feel GG with us all.
GG's family :) Kids, Grands and Great-Grands!
Sunday morning reflections and pup time...
That "last" trip to the WOODS before it's Boys with Boys and Girls with Girl week!
Griffin and Rich headed out in mid-August for an EPIC week at the lake to bond, do boy things, fish, work on the property and just hang together! What a fabulous time as father and son and a great foundation for many years to come!
So....the girls made the most of our week at home too...and kicked off the week with a trip to the pool!
The girls played "flower shop" with the flowers from GG's memorial and did a fantastic job! It must run in the jeans!
Morning couch cuddles...and smiles for daddy! Looks like evening hang session too (one where LJ couldn't hang).
Special treat for Bubba...the girls really missed him.
Hi Mom...are you trying to work or can we play?
Working...fishing...hanging...reading...and dealing with the smoke!
And Millie had a fun team bonding night for cheer...16 girls from so many schools this year makes for a fun adventure!
Girls had a lot of walks while the boys were gone and LOTS of cheer!
We even fit in a trip to Tipsy Cow...shhhh, don't tell the boys!
More walks...more cheer....more FORD-O!
And we may have had a few slumber parties too....
We even had a take "Millie, Leighton and Ford" to work day!
Complete with a trip to the Woods for an A plus day!
Final adventures included watching Jillian in a basketball tourney...
and an end of summer family BBQ for my work!
And THEN ALL WAS RIGHT....the boys were home and we had post church brunch in Woodinville! We sure all had fun the week apart...but we are SO much better together!
Home in time for a smokey family fun night at the church attached to our kiddos school...
And then it was dinner date time with my littlest!
Always the face paint...ALWAYS!!!
When the office hasn't been cleaned out...and school is about the start...we tackled it and woo hoo!
This little wanted to try something new...so we tested out a ballet sampler class!
Safe to say SHE LOVED IT and is all signed up for fall!
These kids are tub-a-holics!!!
Dropping off teacher gifts...then taking a fav teacher out to lunch!
Wild summer nights!
Treats....pup cups for the WIN!
Beautiful flowers for a fun party we hosted!
When the dog is starting to figure things out...kind of!
Party Time!!!!
When one of your fav reaches a HUGE goal...you celebrate!
Morning coffee time moved out back...thanks to the new furniture and heaters.
It's JAMBOREE TIME!!!!!
Way to go Bothell Junior Cheer...it's so fun to watch and brings back many memories for me.
Post Jamboree Church...so grateful that we were able to head to church after lunch...FILL MY CUP LORD!
And wrapping up a Sunday with a walk...many many many miles covered this summer and so many done the last week!
Summer is about tubing in the morning and breaking all the rules with bathing :)
And the lower braces have arrived...and they are a game changer with pain. He is better now, but it was NOT fun (for any of us)!
HCA Staff and the Board got to take in a M's game to wrap up summer too...so fun to serve beside these 2 ladies!
More appointments...this time the eye doctor. Trying to fit it all in before school started...
Quick stop at the back to school BBQ and Millie has a new friend joining her at HCA this year....
then it was OFF TO THE LAKE...to wrap up summer 2023 in STYLE!!!!
Whopper, Whopper...it's the song of summer, so we hit up BK for a final time this year!!!
And we arrived and had STAIRS...woo hoo!
Lots of gravel...and mild weather, so it was a working and hanging kind of day!
A banana eating....
A dog walking....
A book reading...
An iPad hanging...
Mile walking....TYPE OF DAY!
Last boating day of Summer....and it was a blast (but aren't they all)!
Kids in the water...
Kids plus dog in the water FOR THE WIN!!!
The dog has become accustomed to the boat and for that I am so grateful!!! He's a great 3rd mate...
Lounging on the beach...soaking up all that summer has left to offer!
My lap of love...
Last dinner of summer at the Grill...until they reopen in summer 2024! Galaxy burger and nachos for the win!
Walks with my BAE!!!
Special Treats at Love Birds...our fav spot for all the goodies!
WE HIT OUR 150 mile goal the last night at the lake...with ONE whole day to spare!
And that seems like it was GOODBYE to our FIRST summer at the FOREVER cabin! So many amazing memories and so many more to come this fall, winter, spring and beyond....forever and ever AMEN!!!
Back on the road with a car full of road warriors ready for a new school year and many new beginnings this fall...SUMMER 2023, you were good to us. Real GOOD!!!
Goodbye summer 2023…it’s been a wild ride!
It seems like we just unloaded the backpacks and made plans for ALL the adventures. Honestly, I’m never ready for a season to end because the moments we spend in each are priceless (and I’m a MOM-ent collector)….but I know that time doesn’t stand still and currently it feels like fast forward.
I pray that we continue to have summers that the kids choose to hang with us the most but also spread their wings.
I
pray for more early mornings on the lake, more late afternoons at the coffee shop, more evening walks and talks (and yes, we rocked our 150 miles goal this summer with a mile to spare).
I pray that these 3 will wake up tomorrow more ready for a new school
year that will most likely knock the socks off each of them in the best way possible.
Ahhh, but for tonight, I say thank you for the many blessings and wonderful memories summer 2023….the ups and the downs
and the circles all around. You were truly one for the record books…but aren’t they all!
