SUMMER 2013- JULY

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

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School for my kiddos is about to start!
Tomorrow is the BIG DAY.

They are obviously not thrilled about giving up their summer,
late nights, summer activities and most importantly having NO HOMEWORK.
But I've been building it up, talking about reconnecting with friends, making new ones
and the best part....WEARING NEW CLOTHES!
I think it softens the "blow" lol don't you think?

We've been getting everything together,
clothes, backpacks, lunch boxes, school supplies and food for their lunches.

I get spoiled every time I don't have to pack lunches
but now it's that time again.
 I think I dread that more than homework time most days hahaha.
Snacks, lunch items, waters, fruits/veggies, ice packs, oh my!

This is our LAST day of summer.
:(

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Hoping to catch up with an old friend today and then take the kids out for an activity of their choice.
Each year, the last day of summer we celebrate in some way,
well, even on the last day of school.
Especially because most summer's we don't get everything on our summer list done.

It's my way of accepting the inevitable by going out with a big bang, sort of :)





Here's part 2 of 3 summer posts!

here

Missed part 1?

JULY 4TH

Happy 4th of July!

We got together with family and friends in my hometown

and enjoyed a fairly cooking-free event.

With the heat WHO wants to cook/BBQ?  I guess the hardcore host.

Instead we opted for a huge spread of veggies, dips, chips, pasta salad

and all the fixings for awesome subs.

We served buffet style and relaxed around the table, eating, laughing and

trying to figure out what the heck a certain type of huge, long haired, lion-type of dog

 was called.

I'm not sure we came to a conclusion hahaha.

Since we didn't actually throw our son a birthday party, it was sort of replaced with the huge trip to Legoland we had taken, my mom decided to include his birthday in the day's festivities.

We eventually went outside and used up all the fireworks we had purchased

at our church's fireworks booth.

Let me tell you, it's run entirely by church volunteers

and typically during the scorching heat, July's are famous for that.

We all have a great time, hang out, catch up and do our best to make sales!

Yep, I did my "time" too, 

but with kiddos tagging along, I made sure to take early shifts everyday.

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JULY 7-9

Eureka, ca 

2nd trip of the summer-

 unscheduled visit, audit time for hubby.

We definitely planned on a trip to Eureka/Arcata with hubby 

but not until mid July.

This one was last minute and hubby said we could tag along.

I should have said no, lol I was ALREADY burned out.

7.8.13

This time we decided to explore more of Patrick's Point State Park

and came upon Wedding Rock !

Gorgeous is an understatement.

After exploring for a good while, headed back into Eureka,

took the kids to the jump-houses at the mall, there's a large storefront dedicated for just that 

and let them run wild for an hour.

They love it! I get to read magazines and hubby gets to shoot hoops.

Then dinner after they're exhausted, followed by Disney movies/shows in bed

and bedtime.

The morning had a long drive in store for us.

sigh.....

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JULY 18-20

Eureka, ca 

3rd trip of the summer-hopefully last :/

M.S. our bigfoot child and last discipleship student for a while,

maybe ever, turned the big 20 on the 15th.

So we were bringing her along like last year's birthday trip to Eureka.

7.19.13

Although it was a great day showing her what we'd discovered with my sis 2 trips ago

and Wedding Rock from our last trip, I couldn't help but think of this....

I sat for a bit staring at the ocean, remembering the events of 7.19.12

Saying goodbye to our family pet and best fur friend, was one of the most difficult things.

I just missed her and kind of wished I had thought to bring "her", box of ashes,

with us, like I had the year before.

So, instead of having her there with me,

 I thought I'd photograph the spot where I remembered her.

She was a great friend :)

We went back to the jump-houses at the mall,

hubby shot hoops and M.S. did the big sis thing and ran around with the kids.

I know it was "torture" for her, not really

she's a big kid at heart.

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JULY 22

Hubby's 40th Birthday!

He's not into big celebrations, attention or anything that would honor him

hahaha.

He sucks the fun out of it.

So I wasn't sure he'd be up for a birthday activity.

He wasn't sure he'd be able to get the day off.

Ultimately he did and my surprise was still on.

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Hubby is a HUGE fan of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang.

I was racking my brain initially on what to do for hubby's birthday

because as I said before, there's some ages you GOTTA DO BIG.

And 40 is huge!

He thinks differently about himself, other's no problem.

I know it was the Lord because I happen to be reading a magazine and at the end where the advertisements are, I saw a small Charles M. Schulz Museum ad.

I was like, "where have you been all my life?!"

I had NEVER heard or seen anything about this place, E V E R.

And if I hadn't, neither had hubby,

He's not the planner I am.

So that's how this location was picked!

And it was only a few hours away.

Hubby had no clue up until we drove near the location.

Then he was all smiles :)

We started our day there with lunch at The Warm Puppy cafe and sat next to 

Mr. Schulz's reserved table.

The cafe is part of the ice skating rink Mr. Schulz built many years ago.

Some cool art displays

There was lots of history on Mr. Schulz and how all the characters came to be.

There was a classroom for testing out your drawing skills

and a cool garden with other things to look at.

We saw a suburban with the Charlie Brown gang on it.

Stopped in at the Large 2 story gift shop for hubby's gift of choice

-a t-shirt that says "I work for peanuts"-

which also housed more history on the Mr. Schulz, his drawings and contributions to the area.

I questioned hubby on his experience and he said he loved it!

I'd say it was a success.

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JULY 30-AUGUST 2

This was the kid's first official church camp.

Our church was hosting it and decided due to circumstances to keep it local.

I was relieved as they'd never been without us or other family before,

for any amount of time.

And most likely would have tagged along or not sent them.

They had a blast!

One day included a pool party, activities day

and another this lake trip.

I got to tag along as a driver and chaperone

Our women's pastor was heading up the whole event with lots of great helpers.

They made smores  inside the sanctuary with little burners lol

I was told it was an absolute highlight for the kids, who NEVER get to play with fire.

So it was a repeat a few nights.

They had a boys side and a girls side with huge tents set up,

so all the kids could "camp out".

And I was told, that most kids were up till 12am or later!

It explains why my kiddos were so tired the day they came home hahaha.

They napped for 4 hours and maybe longer had I let them.

They got God time, fun time and friend time.

I'm satisfied with that.