Insta-Summer So Far

Hello, everyone!

I hope you're all having a wonderful summer so far!  Ours has been really nice.  We've been staying at our summer place full time and having a blast.  I l.o.v.e. small town living.  We're in the middle of a heat wave right now though, so we came home for a few days to enjoy the indoor surroundings here.  Which also means this is my first time on my computer in WEEKS.  (and you know what?  I didn't really miss it!)

~

Here's a peek at what we've been up to...

kitchen sink bath taking

 summer home decorating

 beach loving

 paddle board testing

 puzzle-doing

 stencil-turned-vinyl-decal installing

(I'll share details on this one later!)

 4th of July celebrating

 back yard bubble blowing

 mural loving

 farmer's market enjoying

 all around town scooting

 cherry donut eating

 new beach exploring

 ~

I'll check back in again, but probably not anytime in the next few weeks.  Michigan summer is just too short to spend too much time on the computer!

~

Enjoy and stay cool!

10 Years

This past weekend, Eric and I were blessed to celebrate our 10 YEAR wedding anniversary!  Ignoring the fact that we looked like babies at our wedding, and that I can hardly believe it's already been 10 years, I am so grateful for Eric and this life that we have together.

Eric arranged for my parents to take our kids for a few days so we could have some time to celebrate.  (see, reason #142 why he's a keeper!)  We stayed at our summer place and enjoyed doing all the things around town that we don't normally get to do with kids in tow.  And yes, that even including taking a nap one afternoon, rebellious, I know.

first thing when we dropped the kids off, we went and had pedicures.  

Yes, Eric had his first pedicure (and he liked it!)

Then it was off to dinner to cheers to our alone time

 lots of scooter riding + making sure we were at the beach to catch the sunset

afternoon front porch-sitting

happy hour at home with our favorite wine saved from our Napa vacation last Fall

dinner out

one more evening at the beach

~
it was so nice to have some time to reconnect,
I can't wait until we can do it again!

More Insta-Lately

SUMMER has (finally) officially arrived!
Here's what the start of it has looked like for us...

Memorial Day parade watching

house painting

vintage loving

sleepover hosting

scooting

 matching outfit wearing

 two wheel riding

 never stops talking

 new shoe wearing

 peonies enjoying

 trike riding

tea sipping

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Enjoy this new week, everyone!

Fresh Start Sunday

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

~

1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

 

Insta-Lately

Sorry for the crickets around here lately...it's like the end of the school year + the start of summer vacation hit and there's just been too many fun things distracting me lately!

Here's a peek... 

 

my beautiful ballerina

Graduating from preschool calls for a new, bigger bike!

Zoom, zoom!

 trucks are working at the end of our street, and this boy squawks "truck"

while pointing out the door or window about a million times a day.

(he always has to get low to watch them too, it's hilarious!)

I found this handsome little guy at Target, he told me he 

wanted to come and live in our garden.

How could I resist??

Chicago-bound!

Surprising the kids with a trip to the Shedd Aquarium!

 seeing Claire gently guiding Zachary around the aquarium,

and hearing him say "whoa" to every fish he saw, the best!

 Every time I paint Claire's nails, she asks us to pretend that she's grown up.

This particular time she was just home from college, but preparing to leave for California.

Sigh.  #worstgameever

On Claire's first day of summer vacation, I told her we were going to have a contest to see who could sleep in the latest.  As a result, she's been pretend-sleeping in every morning until 8!  It's awesome!

this guy on the other hand, did not get the pretend sleep in memo. 

But I don't mind the quiet time with him in the morning one bit.

Good morning from Grand Haven!

 prepping our new chalkboard!

 a peek into the kid's bathroom.

bit by bit the house is coming together.

 

downtown living in the summertime is where it's at.

to the beach!

 

 and a peek into the kitchen which is officially D.O.N.E!

 dipping his toes in the water,

it was freeeeezing!

 ~

Enjoy your week, everyone!