I'm really not the mom that counts down the days until summer is over and kids can go back to school and get out of your hair. I cherish every day of summer. Though it can be challenging some times not having the structure and routine that school brings, it is also so nice having a break where we can just take each day as it comes and enjoy it for what it is and decide what to do or not do depending upon our moods and wants and desires. So the last couple weeks of summer we spent doing as much as we could and loving every minute of it! I still can't stand it that school starts back up in August now days....ugh!

 I say it all the time, but we are seriously Sooooo lucky to have such great kids right next door. We love Joseph and Aubrey to pieces!

 We didn't let summer slip away without having a special day with our dear friend Jim. I really can't say what a special place Jim holds in our hearts for all that he did for Papa. We love him and are so grateful for him!

We spent a fun day with Jim at the wild animal park. It was a gorgeous day and we got to see a lot of awesome things. There was a small presentation on one of the stages and Makenna was picked to go up and help carry part of the Chinese Dragon. She was so excited and nervous at the same time. I love her stance here in the pic on the right....totally shows how nervous she was. But she got up there and I was proud!

 I think we all feel very lucky to have each other. And I know without a doubt that Papa was hanging out close that day too!

 Nobody can say we didn't get our share of swimming in! These kids are fish, I swear! But I will take it! Conner is a maniac, as we all know. He will stand right at the edge of the pool and just fall straight back into the water. And he thinks he is hilarious for it! I also think he likes scaring his mom and watching her flinch!

 Oh Makenna, what would I do without you!

 The summer before each kid starts kindergarten Grammy takes them on a special date to the circus. It was Kellens turn to go and he was so, so, so excited! I just love watching the kids light up and feel so loved when they get to have their own special time. 

 Grammy and her cute boys! As silly as it seems, I swear the closer you live the less often you remember to take pictures together.

 While Kellen was away playing with Grammy, mom took the other goons out for sandwiches and a fun evening at the park. Naturally, this date included funny face pictures over dinner. And this was the very first time that I went to take a picture of Carys and she said "Cheese" and really gave me a big cheese smile! I don't know why I remember that, but I do!

 This girl is nocturnal. No really, I think she could be. So she is at her prime all summer long when she has the luxury of staying up a bit late and sleeping in in the morning. Love that face!

 Sunday night treat at Grammys.

This boy has such a style of his own that I just totally eat up! I think he is just so cute. I love his attitude. I love the way he dresses. I love how he wears his hat backwards and how he can pull of anything and make it look good! Such a heartbreaker! 

We got the kids signed up for free bowling at the local bowling alley. It was so fun to go down a few times this summer and bowl a few games. We even got to drag ding down there with us a few times. 

As happy as we were for her, it was a sad day for us here when our beloved babysitter and friend Abby got married. We love to see her happy and we had a great time dancing it up at her wedding reception! But man, we are sure going to miss her!

It isn't a San Diego summer without a full day exhausting yourself at the beach!

These kids are just getting so big! All three of the big kids love to take turns boogie boarding now. Though they still need assistance and don't go out to far, it is so fun watching them learn this kind of fun. Poor little Conner is still too light to weigh down the boogie board. Any wave of substance just throws the whole thing over with him in tow. Poor boy. But he didn't stop trying and loved every little wave he caught. Kellen is getting pretty good and Makenna is old enough to hold her own and even tries to go out farther than I am comfortable with. It is both fun and scary watching them get older and take on new adventures.

Makenna showed little Carys what sand crabs are and after that she was content to play in the sand, did holes, watch the sand crabs and occasionally run away from the waves. She is just too cute for words. 

The kids and I dug a Huge hole together. And then they played in it for hours. It was such a perfect little kiddie pool for Carys. I remember when I was a kid my favorite things to do at the beach were to make drip castles and then to go and roll in the hot dry sand right after getting out of the cold water. And the neat thing is that even when you are 30 years old, those instincts from your childhood come right back. And I find myself doing those same things, but instead I am surrounded by my kids and family, rolling in the hot sand with them. Life couldn't be sweeter!

Me and my love!