Swim Meets and Summer Days

The week after vacation is always full of laundry and errands and getting back on top of life. These boys are good helpers though, and summer is really fun with them.

On Monday Michael hosted a book club about Anxious Generation. On Tuesday we had so much fun seeing FIREFLIES together. We didn't know you could see those here but we learned the right spots through a city-led walk and it was really magical with the boys. On Wednesday we woke up early for Bike to Work day, which the boys always love. Then Thursday we met a lot of our friends for an outdoor library concert by the Okee Dokee Brothers and it was such a happy night. My friend Jamie took Westin and Bennett to an all day Trekkers program and they really loved it. We went to the pool that night and ate dinner outside. Saturday was our boys one and only swim meet this summer and I was so proud of them! They both worked really hard.

This is a sweet stage for summertime. 

The true scene of summer.
Between camping weekends and fun trips and walks and playing with friends,
most of summer looks just like this :)

Michael is ready for book club! 
Sourdough rye bread and Peach sensation.
They talked about Anxious Generation.

Why do I still love all the neighborhood bunnies so much.

Playgroup at Twin Silos.
The kids love looking for crawdads in the stream.

The Blackstone is a game changer.
Bring on the teenage years.

We went on a firefly catching night!
We didn't know you could find them here but we took a little volunteer-led walk and learned the right spots to find them. It was so magical!

Bike to Work Day! 
We always love the free food and happy people before we ride to swim team.

Westin's first lawnmowing!

Met up with the Schmidts at the church to eat pizza and play basketball.
Plans always help get us through the long parts of the days!

Dropped our Kia off for maintenance and walked home,
with a little Dunkin' stop on the way.

I'll never get over this.

I felt like a mother duck walking home from the car dealership.
They're so cute.

Basement naps during construction time!

He's the coziest thing to find when I wake him up to go get our brothers.

Swim Meet!

Our piano room has turned into a bathroom reno storage room.
Hopefully for not too long!

North Carolina 2025

We had the best week in North Carolina!

We just loved visiting the Findlays. They were so sweet to host us that week and make those days so fun for us. We spent a few nights at the lake in their camper, loved boating days and floating in the (warm!) lake, and made it to the coast for a couple days so the boys could play at the beach. 

We were so glad Grandma and Grandpa came down for the week as well. This week will be a highlight of summer for sure! We loved playing games in the camper, meals outside, playing by the Findlay's pond, having fun with cousins, lots of basketball, farmer's market trips (first peaches!), a date night to a funny play (Blithe Spirit), a breakfast date with Allison and Adam, Atlantic Beach, touring Fort Macon, Thai food and Dairy Queen by the beach, soaking up cute little Piper puppy, visiting new ducks, and just having fun being together all week. This trip felt just like what summer should be!

It was so fun to visit the Findlays with new little Piper puppy running around.
The boys all loved her so much.

The backyard pond was maybe their favorite part!
Lots of toad watching.

North Carolina lakes are so warm and lovely.
I didn't even know water could be like that :) 
I'm so used to cold lakes! 

Walking along the shore by a swimming snake... yikes!

Party night in the camper.

The boys sure loved Mario Kart mornings

Boating days are the best days.

Grandma in her element -- floating in a beautiful lake with some Red Vines.

Diana's friend hatched baby ducks while we were there,
so we were able to visit them when they were really new. So sweet!

Atlantic beach. 
So many sand crabs!

These cute cousins had so much fun together.

We were so happy Grandma and Grandpa came at the same time.
We had so much fun with them!

First delicious peaches of summer!
Michael carried home a bag on the plane like a lap child 
so that he could make Peach Sensation for book club on Monday.

Allison and Adam!
This breakfast date was such a treat, we love them.

Cutie plane guys.
Flying is SO MUCH EASIER than it used to be.

Bathroom reno supplies turned dinosaur land.

Oh Pacers, what heartbreak!
That game 7 injury, man.