Holy smokes, July was HUGE! There was so much fun happening that your mind might explode.
Or at least your eye might go crossed from all the pictures.
The very beginning of July, Sheridan and I set off for an adventure in New Jersey!
We ditched Tyler with all those kiddos and didn't look back.
Tyler packed their days with fun. They hiked up to Bridal Veil Falls.
Hiked is a really generous description. They more strolled up there. Because there was a stroller involved and all.
Tyler got to have an airsoft pellet removed from Micah's ear (non-stop fun, I am telling you what!).
They attended the smoking hot Independence Day Parade
where they saw AWESOME Penguins of Madagascar balloons up close and personal.
Of course, there was swimming!
And lots of board and card games (this one is Kingdomino, one of our faves).
He met up with his sister and her boys at the Colonial Days celebration.
Tyler shuttled the kiddos up to Thanksgiving Point for a day of fun at the Curiosity Museum.
They swam some more.
And there were plenty of Otter Pops for everyone!
Meanwhile, Sheridan and I took an overnight flight (I'm too old for that!) and landed safely in Philadelphia. We hit up the beach by lunchtime, because the beach is my happy place, even on an hour of sleep!
We then hit Sheridan's favorite place, the Boardwalk! She loves the merry-go-round and found this dashing mount.
There was lots of cousin time, hooray!
And even us grown ups had fun at the boardwalk!
Then the beach....
and more beach...
and more beach!
Grammy took us to see a production of Schoolhouse Rocks, which ended up being SUPER cool.
We may have hit up the beach a few more times...
because beach + family = happiness.
We celebrated Pop's birthday...
Happy birthday, Pop!
And we said goodbye to the Hydes. It is so fun to spend time with family without all my littles there, because I actually get to know some of their not-so-littles a lot more easily. And Sheridan actually got to know some of her cousins better, which is always a win!
We love you, Hydes!
We went for a Sunday walk on the other boardwalk (the kind without rides and lots of gorgeous views),
took silly selfies with a Vigue cousin and some Brough cousins,
and spent a little more time on the rides at the boardwalk.
Grammy and Pop spoiled us by taking us (and a few cousins) to a cute pub.
where Sheridan got to feel mature and order from the adult menu.
She really built her friendship with her cousin Lily--they put on dance numbers and shows and played games and generally became friends. Since we live so far from each other, I celebrate every chance my kids have to build deep relationships with cousins.
On the day of our departure, we hit up the Franklin Institute with Grammy and Pop and Jackson.
Sheridan figured she'd best get some flying practice in, should the pilot need a little assistance flying.(full disclosure: Sheridan probably wouldn't even think it was funny for me to joke like this, lest anyone take me seriously. She would be far too pragmatic to think like that).
It was a hot day in the city, but at least we could cool off a little! It was so fun to see kids and families cooling off in this huge fountain.
And then we were home again, home again, jiggity jig. Thankfully, we did not have a red-eye flight. And it was so good to all be together again!
While we were gone, Tyler did help the kids up their selfie game
as Micah will happily demonstrate for you if you leave your camera lying carelessly around. Or, he'll factory reset your phone for you. All these services he'll do for free, folks!
Tyler also helped Eliza up her gardening skillz
and her double-drill skillz.
She trained to become the official family butter-taster. I'm sad to say I've had to let her go from this position, as she was licking all of our family's butter on the sly.
After we got back. Tyler and I were able to work in a work-date up at the Sundance Summer Theater.
Don't we look all care-free and weird?
We saw Mamma Mia! and it was quite fun. I love being able to see plays!
Sheridan had her first Girl's Camp experience. It had some very rocky moments. Someone wrote her very mean notes and left her feeling so low.
The girls rallied around her and left her feeling so loved. It's amazing how something that was really, really traumatic and hard helped all the girls pull together and turn things around. Sheridan is resilient and fierce, and she overcame. And I am still so grateful for the girls who lifted her up when she was down, and for all the leaders that gave the girls a chance to step up.
It ended up being a great experience. But it sure hurt my mama heart to hear about it. That experience really brought back far too many of my experiences as a teen being bullied or picked on or outcast. She said she's looking forward to camp next year, so fingers crossed.
Tyler and I ran our first "race" with Provo's Temple to Temple run on Pioneer Day. Pioneer Day is Utah's holiday for when the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley and Brigham Young declared, "This is the place!" To celebrate in Provo, we run from the Provo Temple to the Provo City Center Temple on a 5k route. It was a really good learning experience about nutrition and pacing and how you should keep exercising when you go to New Jersey or your body just laughs at you when you try to run.
But we did it! We ran all the way and I felt like death.
Ah, July.
In other fun stuff, Cole because a game fiend, especially if that game was Uno or Jenga or Go Fish!
He made sure we had special time together every day to play. And I can't say I minded at all. I really enjoyed it and it brought home how diligent we have to be to have one-on-one time with our middle kiddos, as it's so easy to have them feel lost in the shuffle.
Also, here is one of Henry's talents. He can read a book (legit, full-on reading) AND play the piano at the same time (legit, real songs). It is amazing and unreal.
And one of Eliza's best talents? Hugging. If she deigns to hug you (rather than just accepting your hug) you are in for a treat. Because this girl does a mean hug.
We love July! While we don't really love the oppressive heat, we soak up all the fun. Hope your July was good to you!
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