Thursday was Dave’s last day of work (not forever, just until the end of July), so we’ve spent the weekend letting this lovely reality sink in. There are good things and bad things about being a teacher (and about being married to a teacher), but June and July are definitely two of the good things.
We did some long overdue yard work, weeding the fire pit area and along the front of the house and adding some new gravel to the fire pit circle (up next: remulching the front of the house).
No before picture of the fire pit. But it was weedy. We only weed it once a year, and it stays pretty clear after that. New pea gravel does not match old pea gravel. Because variety is the spice of life. Also maybe they didn’t have the same color at Lowe’s. I don’t know. Dave picked it out while I was looking for tomato plants. Relatedly, my tomato seedlings that I was trying to grow did not make it. RIP tomato seedlings.
Weedy garden bed with overgrown hedges:
Progress! Most of the weeds gone, and the hedges trimmed.
Ari was excited about helping. As you can see.
We built a counter/table for the swing set. I was going to do a whole tutorial about it, but it turned out a little less, umm….professional than we had hoped, so I’ll just stick a picture of it here instead. It will work just as well as if building it had gone more smoothly, though. I envision many sessions of playing restaurant/store/ice cream shop/etc. in its future.
We made a couple of trips to my mom’s house for swimming:
I briefly considered not including this picture where Dave looks insane, but then I sort of had to.
And Milo turned ELEVEN (!) We took out another mortgage on the house hit up the grandparents for help getting him a Lego Mindstorms set, and we’ve barely seen him since:
Ari will be thirteen on Wednesday, so we’re doing a small get together with fire pit fun for the two of them tonight. Milo’s official party won’t be until September….a Harry Potter party (because, you know….ELEVEN). And Ari didn’t want a big party, so we’re going on a quick overnight trip later in the week instead.
We’ve got lots of big summer plans: some travel, some staying home, some house projects, some fun stuff, some attempts at getting Abe to sleep a little better. I’m trying to take a few days to just enjoy it first, though, since, if past summers are any indication, it will be over much faster than I expect (and, amazingly, my house STILL won’t be all finished!)
Such a good review! That expression on Ari’s face is priceless (and one that I saw around here a couple weeks ago when a certain 12 year old had to weed the front garden). And a very happy B-day to Milo! He will have so much fun with that Mindstorm!
Thanks, Angela! Milo and Gus have been doing an informal robotics class at a friend’s house for a couple of years, so we knew at least that he’d definitely enjoy the Mindstorms before we spent the money on them!
Is Ari standing on a step in the pool or did he just grow three feet? (just like B). I swear at this age whenever they get up from the couch they have grown an inch or three.
Love Abe in the striped get-up.
Great fire pit! We had ours lit yesterday. It’s does smell up the neighborhood a bit. I hope we don’t get any complaints. Have you had any complaints?
He was standing a step above the others, I think….he’s tall but not THAT tall (yet) ;). No complaints from neighbors, but ours is kind of off in a corner of our big lot….it’s a good distance from any other houses.
lots of fun going on! ari totally loves yardwork, i can see, so send him my way. i need some help weeding.
He’ll love that 😉
LOL, nice jumping pictures.
Looks like so much fun
Ok, let’s talk about Abe’s swimming suit. I need you to save that for me in the off change I ever have a boy child. DYING.
Happy birthday to your other darling children!
Also, you kill me. “variety is the spice of life” “ELEVEN”.
But Abe’s swimming suit.
Isn’t it fabulous? It was a hand me down from a friend for Ari when he was a baby; it’s one of the few things that made the cut when I got rid of most of the baby clothes after Gus :).
So glad you posted that picture of Dave! Ha…that was awesome! And a happy birthday to your boys! They are getting so big!!!!! And Abe’s suit…where oh where did you get that??? Here is to wonderful summer adventures! The pit rocks! Nicole xo
Thanks, Nicole! Abe’s swim suit was actually a hand me down from a friend when ARI was a baby! I think the brand is Absorba, but it dates to at least 2000, so I’m guessing they don’t make it anymore….I’ll have to save it for grandkids 😉
I also vote for the picture of Ari as best of this post. We get lots of that on the rare occasion when we make the kids help out. (Rare because we’re lazy, lazy parents and it’s just easier to do it ourselves.) I hope the rest of your summer is as lovely as these photos. 🙂
Yeah, we’re still waiting for the point where it becomes easier to have kids help out than to just do it ourselves :). We have them pretty well trained with emptying the dishwasher, at least!
Yeah summer and family time!! More importantly weeding the garden! 🙂 Happy birthday Milo!
Summer is the best ever! And I LOVVVVE that red and white striped suit!
I love it, too! I want to take him to the 30’s to swim when he wears it 😉