I cannot believe this summer is almost over. I'm so sad. Period.
We have been busy, but low key busy. As much as I love travel and adventure, staying put sure slows the summer down, although it still goes by in a blink. Not sure how slow and fast is possible, but it's a thing.
We got passes to go to Skyzone for the summer, trampolines galore, ninja obstacles, balance beams, zipline, HUGE drop slide, wall climbing, ramp climbing that Clara CONQUERED, and much more...
Everett is definitely the most flexible one there!
We take Julia, Tyler and their neighbor girls Alexis and Noel when we go.
I've spent a LOT of time going through our things this summer, organizing and getting rid of...we come across some gems while we're at it.
Time to play with all the toys and games we have...
Time for beach trips, short and long.
Time for local fun stops, like Celebration station. Clara and Everett earn local admissions for grades and good behavior and sometimes they sneak by and we miss the due date. I have a drawer full of free adventures and treats so we are chipping away at those. Rita's Italian Ice, roller skating, celebration station, water parks, mini golf...
Clara's old set up in her bedroom. About to be sold, ready for an upgrade.
It looks like we will keep this piece in the bunk bed room.
Ivy June's bday party. Everett loves everyone's doggies and they love him.
Clara's summer space has been the bunkbed room since we've sold her bed. It took a few weeks to get the floors torn up and carpet laid. She has enjoyed her time in here for sure. Sleeping top bunk and bottom bunk being forts for her and Julia/Everett.
I loved the purple color, and she did too, but daddy wasn't a fan. She did want pink too, so a very pale pink it is! It's beautiful. I love that the colors are very similar to her bedroom when she was a baby, and the crystal chandelier will stay and match well. She has a "fancy kitty cat theme" - I'm living vicariously through her. I think her room is going to be adorable.
Andre and I are taping and the kids are playing in the middle of the room.
July 3rd. We celebrate you here too, Grammy! Madeira Beach, where the kids go to school, is right on the water. They set off the fireworks there and everyone packs in the surrounding parking lots. We got a great spot at Publix. Ran in and got some snacks and drinks. It was great.
This girl loves her kitty. He tolerates A LOT of snuggles.
4th of July rituals: lunch at old Gators, now Caddies, find the closest spot on the beach to the works, dig a big "fort of July" hole in the sand for pictures and our personal fireworks set off location, play in the water/drink/eat/be merry, get in trouble by the cops for having fireworks that are "too big?" not really sure. We always get let off and this year the cop was an old buddy of Andre's and Steven's from high school. Drag 2 billion things back to the car in the dark wondering why....why....go home for a late night swim. crash.
The fort of july
Trips to the library keeps books fresh and kids reading.
Clara opened a bank account! She came prepared with activities for her and Everett.
Pool dates with friends!
Diving practice. Everett is a fish. He barely comes up for water. I don't "need" to watch him in the pool anymore, it's so nice. Of course we always watch close and I have 3 layers of protection from the pool. The regular door lock, a bolt at the top and an alarm that goes off when the water is disturbed. Andre is teaching the kids different strokes and showing Everett how to dive. Everett lives at the bottom of the pool and LOVES diving down to retrieve toys. We went to ENT and his left ear tube still has a perferation from his tubes. Usually she closes them by now because they cause infections and problems. He has zero issues, even diving down deep, so we are cleared from ENT unless we have issues. Fingers crossed!
Summer bday parties.
Running into friends!
Date night!
Lisa's house for a BBQ. Clara was doing this with Nunu 8 years ago, and it's still going strong. The Nunu hammock.
Splash pads
It's so dry this summer!!!!!!!! I really wish we had our daily storms!
Merrissa took this of her cuties and says it sums up their personalities. It does. It's so funny. They are so cute.
Arcade
Her debit card came!
Ariel Arts
Indoor playgrounds when it's HOT HOT HOT
Everett loves "Bob" the punching guy at Lisa's. He asks to see him daily.
Lisa's view, never gets old.
She wanted me to do makeup. We've never done this. I figured by 9 it was fine. I cannot deal though, my baby looks way too grown up!
Carpet comes tomorrow. The kids floors are torn up, all ready to go. Sleepover for these two!
Skyzone
Everett did a typical hearing test for the first time. We think he passed. I don't have concerns. If I do we will go back to all children's for the specialists to check. He has had about 20 of those and he is over it, not pushing it. We need to do his 6 month blood tests to check his thyroid and white blood count levels. I hate this, they often come back too low. I skipped the last one. The hematologist said we would know if there was an issue but his pediatrician wants to have records. I see both sides. I hate having to poke him and worry us for no reason. But what if there's a reason is always in the back of my head. Ugh.
Carpet is in. We did remnants in their rooms to save money and because we didn't like one color for both.
The buddy boy
Sven
Everett's carpet
The bed came in a billion pieces with the worst directions and more than half of the number sticker labels missing. Good thing I married this guy!
