Jeru Ties & Summer Nights

Summer is flying.

We spent the first part of the week just catching up on life, then Tuesday my Jerusalem roommate and her family came for a quick visit before they went to a family reunion in Estes Park. We just love Allison so much! I'm so grateful she was my roommate that summer. I just love talking to her and I admire her so much, and she's so fun to be around. Plus now she comes with Adam & three sweet kids so it was just a happy couple days. Our kids are pretty close in ages and they had a blast together. I wish we had more time with them and I wish North Carolina wasn't so far away!

We made some solid basement progress this week because the cabinets we've been waiting on came in, which meant that they moved forward with installing those, tying loose ends up, and carpet! The boys are loving running around down there now. We have a follow-up inspection coming up this week and then we are DONE! We had our first meeting about the basement in January, and first work day in March, so it's happy to see this come together and finish up. 

Westin did a swim meet Saturday and we are so proud of him for pushing himself to do something new. It honestly takes a lot of emotional energy and management on my end and this has been a totally unanticipated hurdle this summer. I didn't expect it to be as hard as it was at first but I also didn't expect it to turn around this much. To see him making such progress with his attitude and managing his nerves and pushing himself is just really great. Westin is great.

We went out to dinner Saturday and ate by the water in Windsor and the boys were really fun. I get glimpses all the time of life getting a little easier and it makes me happy while pulling at my heart strings, because Asher needs to stay this age for a while longer, please. Sunday was a chaotic morning but teaching about the Resurrection was really joyful. I loved studying the gospels harmoniously the last few months and slowing down Holy Week to weeks of study. 

I can't believe it's July. School starts next month. That sentence! Slow down summer.

My laundry and workout buddies.

Asher is so into sugar. And eats nothing good for him. Fourth kid probs.

We had so much fun taking the Ottleys downtown to the splash pad. 

Michael loves taking his basketball out for strolls.
But really it's just Asher loving pushing his stroller more than riding it lately.
It's more fun to picture Michael taking his basketball for a ride though.

I just love this girl! I'm so grateful she was my roommate in Jerusalem. We live much too far away from each other now, but I'm glad we could cross paths this week.

Adam! He fits in just fine with our Jeru trio. Full approval.

And our kids had so much fun together. Still just wild to me that I feel like the same person that lived these fun college times with my fun college friends but now when we get together there's like dozens of children around.

Basement cabinets came! We had to wait about 6 weeks for these while everything else has been paused, so it's happy to see these here and get things moving again. This is the day before carpet install!

Basement bathroom coming together!

The backyard bunnies are at peak cuteness right now.
We're particularly attached to a tiny baby bunny living in the trees by the side of our house,
and we've been giving her some of the squirrel treats we bought long ago for our baby squirrel friend.
I want to be Snow White. But no critters have helped me clean yet.

Carpet! This was a game changer, the boys are having so much fun playing down here even with no furniture yet. I've got too much decision fatigue, nothing has been ordered.

Westin did so great at his swim meet this week -- trying a new stroke (butterfly), handling his nerves again, cheering for his friends, doing his best. Swim has been a total journey this summer and I'm proud of him for pushing himself.

We went out to dinner Saturday night and ate outside and it was just one of those really happy, pleasant restaurant experiences. Heaven knows they aren't all like that ;) but this was a fun summer night.

This cute face! He's hiding his bee-bo, which is what he calls his belly button, and then showing it to Michael and laughing, laughing, laughing. I want to bottle him up forever.

Baby bunny!

Our Sunday stroll