July was summer in full swing! Lots going on. Let's start with my first thrill! We started out the month with raspberries! I was so excited to get some fruit off of our new berry bushes this year. I wasn't sure that would happen. We have had nothing but raspberry failure for years so that was quite exciting!
Fourth of July
We had such a fun 4th of July! We had originally planned to be in Utah and spend it with the kids there but then Tyler's mom had her big birthday celebration in Coeur d' Alene and it didn't make sense to go down a week after the kids were just here plus we were also planning to be there for Erin's baby shower over the 24th of July. Our friends, Jennifer and Nathan, invited us to spend the holiday with them and we had so much fun! They just bought a little lake place on Lake Pend Oreille and hosted a gathering for some of their friends.
We had a blast boating, swimming, playing games, BBQing, and all the things!
Their lake front is stunning!
We had a great time out on their big pontoon boat on the water. You forget how giant Lake Pend Oreille actually is! It's huge and cold! But we loved every minute!
Their dog Darryl wanted my s'more so bad! He is the cutest basset hound!
Garfield Bay put on a fantastically huge fireworks show! We had great views from the dock.
We had a terrific Fourth of July celebration!
Meanwhile Kameron, Erin, Ailey, Luke, and Tate all spent the 4th together in Utah. They went to the Provo parade, BBQed at Ailey and Luke's, and then went to the fireworks that night.
Tate was very interested in the parade!
My friend Jennifer and I were quite invested in all of the grandkids 4th of July outfits. LOL. She kept asking me..."Have they sent pictures yet?!" and then "Have they sent any more pictures?!" There is something so cute about little kids in their 4th of July finery.
Reilly, Hunter, and the kids spent the 4th with Hunter's family. His aunt and uncle were in town from Texas. They were decked out in red, white, and blue too. Such cuties!
All three babies loved the fireworks this year. None of them were scared.
The next day was 4th of July Sunday and the red, white, and blue continued except for Bryn who had to work at the pool bright and early. LOL. It was also the church's worldwide fast for religious freedom.
The weather was so nice that week that Tyler took a day off work so that we could go boating. Bryn had to work so it was just the two of us. Boating dates are so fun!
One day Reilly came over with the kids and hung out. The kids played with the splash pad and water table all day. Even the twins LOVE playing in the water. Grandkids are so fun!!
Another day my friend Shannon and I went over to *help* our friend Steph wallpaper her powder bathroom. Well let's just say that after many hours of hysterical laughter, lots of snacks, and great conversation...a professional was hired. We tried! Wallpaper is tricky. LOL.
FYI-- her bathroom looks great and the professional was only $200 bucks. Totally worth it!
I've stayed busy all month working on furniture for my booth. Lots of painting. Sales have been much better this month. June and January are always my worst two months of the year. I've also continued to watch the twins on Thursday mornings. I love it!
They are growing so fast and becoming so much more independent.
Reilly got the horse that we gave Karson out of storage and they are holding onto it and walking behind it. Karter was walking all by himself by the end of the month!! I'm sure Kynlee won't be too far behind!!
Both have gotten several teeth. Karter has one front tooth coming in but not the other one yet. I cannot wait for him to be in his full Nanny McPhee glory! Ha ha! The twins are 10 months old now and are just the most adorable twins you could imagine. I can't believe that we are coming up quickly on their first birthday!
Grandkids bring such joy! Our entire family stops whatever they are doing when the grandkids come or facetime. When the the Brock kids are here, Ailey and Tate will often facetime us, and it is so fun to see the babies delight in seeing each other. It is the best!
Karson is doing so well with his therapy! He is saying many new words and even short two word sentences. You can tell that his frustration level is going down by being able to communicate a bit more. When the twins were riding on *his* old horse he kept saying "Mad!" "Mad!" "Mad!" Ha ha. He is such a love bug though and I am so grateful that he loves hugs and kisses from Lovey and is so affectionate with everyone. Fries are his favorite food! Reilly also took him on a special mother/son date to Bryn's pool and he had a great time! Bryn loved having him there too. Karson had more lab work done and all of it looked great! I am so glad.
Our little Tater Tot is 4 months old now and the chubbiest little chunk you ever did see. He has sass and personality for miles. He wants to talk so badly and coos nonstop and with such determination. When we facetime with him he takes over the conversation because he has so much to say and he is so serious about it too. So funny!
Tate's daddy is starting him early being a super sports fan!
But he has a lot of his mommy in him! Look at that little devious face! Pure Ailey! Ha ha!
Ailey and Luke are doing well. Ailey is the best little mommy and is having fun being home with Tate. He is eating some solid foods now and loves his saucer and playing with toys. Luke transferred from online at BYU to UVU. Now he and Kameron are both going there. He is still working for Kirk but is excited about really getting going on school. He is still wanting to be a pilot.
Kameron and Erin are working their butts off with work and school. Erin is so busy with her photography. She is doing so many weddings and just killing it. She is so talented! Kam continues to slog out this last tough semester before the baby comes and then he will just have one easy semester and then he graduates. Erin in in her third trimester. She and the baby are doing great! Kam and Erin went to a family wedding on Tyler's side of the family and got to see all kinds of family and cousins. I love that living in Utah allows them to do things like that.
Bryn has barely been home this entire month. Between working at the pool and the gymnastics studio and hanging out with her guy before he leaves on his mission next month and her many friends; Tyler and I are starting to get a real taste of life as empty nesters. Wild. One more year before she is out the door and living her best college life. I think the biggest change that has already kicked in is my complete lack of interest in cooking. It's bad. Tyler doesn't want to cook either. You don't know how many nights this month we have eaten cold cereal for dinner. LOL. Bryn will come home late and want to know what was for dinner (in case she wants it) and when we say that we ate cold cereal or potato salad or one night we just ate rolls it really annoys her. But hey she wasn't here to eat dinner anyway! We've also taken to Sunday drives after church. Bryn usually has to leave directly from church to work at the pool so it is just me and Tyler and the open road! I feel like my grandparents! My Grandma and Grandpa McKinnon took a long Sunday drive every Sunday after church and then would stop for dinner at a cafe. I guess Grandma didn't want to cook dinner either!
Utah Trip
We made a quick trip to Utah over the 24th of July weekend. We came down for Erin's baby shower and while we were in town she kindly took Bryn's senior pictures. We've been so lucky to see all of the Utah kids and grandbaby so much this year!
Tate was even more of a fan of the Spanish Fork 24th of July parade!
Our first attempt at Bryn's photo shoot had to be cut short. Bryn wanted mountains and water in her pictures and Erin found a great location at Deer Creek. Unfortunately a storm kicked in. The sky got pretty gray and foreboding.
I think it made for some great moody shots. But then the wind kicked into high gear and lightening too. Bummer. After heading down Provo Canyon (gorgeous as always) we had a fun late dinner with Kam and Erin and caught up with them. Erin had family in town too for her shower and for her brother's graduation from college so we tried not to keep them too long but boy we love them! We ran a few errands and then watched fireworks (so many shows across the valley) and basically got to enjoy what felt like a second 4th of July!
The next day was Erin's baby shower. It was so cute! Erin looked absolutely darling!
A friend of Erin's mom hosted the shower at her house. The strawberry theme was super cute! It was fun to see Erin's mom again and her grandmas and other family members. She had some cute friends there too.
I literally couldn't ask for a better daughter-in-law! I love her dearly! She is going to be the best mom!
I love spending time with my girls! We really missed Reilly who wasn't able to come.
The shower was so fun! This little girl is going to be the best dressed girl around. She got so many cute things! I especially loved that they had everyone bring a favorite book. Start the book love young! We ate good food, had a fabulous dirty soda bar, and played some funny games. One was about what the dad would say. Getting into the mind of Kameron was quite hilarious! Bryn and I tied for the win. They had great prizes and the whole day was very special. I was so happy to be there and a part of it all.
And I got to hang out with this little guy the whole time too. Despite what his face looks like...ha ha...he had a great time at the shower! While all the girls (and Tate) were at the shower...Tyler, Kameron, and Luke all went to the movies and saw The Odyssey. Then they helped Erin load up all her gifts. After the shower Luke, Tate, and Ailey all came back to our hotel with us so that we could change clothes.
Tate relaxing in his casual clothes! He is delicious!
Unfortunately while we were at the hotel...Ailey had a freak accident. She was in the bathroom and changing her clothes. Somehow she lost her balance and twisted her knee and ended up dislocating it. She was shouting for Luke and then called me in there too. Not going to lie...the sight gave me pause. Her knee cap was on the outside of her leg. While we were googling what to do and how to get her to the car; her knee cap slid back into place. Shivers. We got her to the bed, elevated her leg, and applied ice. While Ailey rested, Tyler, Bryn, and I went to a store that Bryn really wanted to get some back-to-school clothes from called Brandy Melville. She found some cute things. Then we went back to the hotel and checked on Ailey. Her knee was feeling a bit better and she could walk. Luke got her a knee brace because she was bound and determined not to miss out on anything while we were in town. While Bryn got ready for her 2nd attempt at senior pictures...Ailey, Luke, Tyler, Tate, and I got ice cream at Brooker's up at the Traverse Mountain location. So good!
After ice cream we picked up Bryn and all of us headed back up the canyon to Deer Creek where we met Erin and Kameron. This time the weather was glorious! The perfect golden hour. Sparkles on the water. It was hot...like 103 degrees hot...but sunny! Bryn's pictures are going to be so cute! We had to get our feet in that water ASAP!
We played in the water...even Tate...while Erin worked her magic and Kameron was her able assistant. Tate was a fan of the water! Deer Creek was much warmer than the lakes up here.
Erin did such a great job!
We are so grateful for her and her many talents that she shares so generously with us.
The cute soon-to-be parents!!
These two make me laugh!
It was a pretty night in a place that I haven't spent much time at in decades.
After Bryn's photo shoot we were all starving and wanted to grab some dinner in Heber. On the way, Tyler, Bryn, and I drove around Midway. It's been so long since we were there. Midway has always been so cute and now it is cute and hipster. Lots of fun restaurants, shops, etc. We saw where the Ballerina Farm Store was located and Beljar and The Dainty Pear...all places that I have wanted to go. Next time. But it was fun to see where they are located. We wanted to show Bryn The Homestead that was such a fun getaway place for Tyler and I when we lived in Utah. It is under major construction and so much of it is now painted blue. What?! But Bryn still thought it looked cool with the crater and everything. We told her how we've gone snorkeling in the crater. LOL. It was fun!
Then we were off to Heber for dinner. Heber is barely recognizable these days. We wanted burgers and shakes from the Dairy Keen. It was packed. The little train was still there from my childhood. We all packed in and devoured our food. It had been a very long day!
I never stop appreciating how much it cools down at night in Utah. (Not so here.) It is so refreshing! It was a super short trip and after our late dinner it was time to say goodbye which I hate. I love these people!
Tyler, Bryn, Beverly, and I were back on the road the next morning. No Tru Religion breakfast stop for us this time. We had things that we needed to be at early the next day. The Utah kids went without us. LOL. Traditions are traditions! We had a pretty decent trip back. It seemed to go quicker than normal which was really nice. We stopped for a bit in Idaho Falls and got some food. We ate it at the Idaho Falls Temple grounds. It is also a primo bathroom stop if the Visitor's Center is open. We took Bev on a quick walk and then it was back in the car. We didn't stop for anything but gas the rest of the trip. It was good that we had stocked up on some provisions at the Traverse Mountain Harmons. Their cheeseball got us through the rest of our trip! Ha ha! Then it was back home and back to real life. Our traveling is done for the summer which I am equal parts happy and sad about. I am hoping for some lazy lake days but August isn't cooperating so far.
Ailey got her knee checked out and it turned out that she not only dislocated her knee but somehow managed to chip a piece of bone off her knee cap too. She will be in a knee brace for 8-12 weeks and will need PT. Poor kid!
But she still got herself to a Post Malone concert a few days later! Priorities. Ha ha!
Bryn went to a concert with friends this month too. She saw Sam Barber. She had a great time until she fainted from the heat and she thinks from locking her knees. I guess that was quite the drama. Thankfully she was caught by her friends, several of whom are lifeguards, who knew what to do and got her some help ASAP from the medics there in the form of some ice packs and Gatorade. She was pretty dehydrated. She had been working all day at the pool and not really eating or drinking much and then went to an outdoor concert downtown that was hot and packed with people. Thankfully she was okay and felt good enough to get back up and enjoy the rest of the show. Good grief.
Wearing a jean jacket in 98 degree weather probably didn't help either. But she looked cute! LOL.
My business has been on the total upswing this month which is SO NICE! I've sold several big furniture pieces and have been busy working on new projects to take into Midtown Market. I've found all kinds of fun things for my booth this month. That is always exciting!
We got to have a fun day babysitting all three Spokane grandkids. Hunter's brother is getting married in October and he and Reilly are in the wedding party. Reilly had a big girls day with all the bridesmaids, mothers, and grandmas. They all went to watch Kendall's fiancée, Chelle, try on wedding dresses and then went out to eat, and to do some other wedding preparations so we got the kids all to ourselves and loved every minute!
We kept them all fed and entertained! No small feat.
This girl looks just like her mama especially sitting in the high chair that my mom painted for Reilly.
Karter got the Bumbo! Both are good little eaters!
We really need to buy another high chair, another Bumbo, and another pack-and-play so that we have two of everything. Because just as the twins grow out of stuff...Tate and Kam and Erin's little girl will need it. Another set of two babies!
Then it was outside for a little snooze. The twins love an outside nap! They are like little Scandinavian babies. After naps...the rest of the day was filled with bubbles, toys, the sandbox, water table, and the splash pad. They kept us hopping! The babies love playing with the play food and dishes.
Tyler and his little look alike. Karter looks so much like him. What little hair that he has looks like it is going to be red and he got the Johnson blue eyes just like Tyler's dad, Lori, and Tyler all have. None of our kids got them or the red hair so it is super fun to see one of the grandkids inherit those traits. I love it!
Photo bomb selfies found on my phone!! Ha ha!
Aunt Brynnie got in on the fun when she got home from work and boy were those kids happy to see her! Hunter came over when he got off work and hung out with us too until Reilly was done. It was a fun and wild day!
The end of the July was pretty stressful and hard for Bryn. Her on-again and off-again bf, Connor, is heading out on his mission. His farewell was actually while we were in Utah which was super unfortunate and she wasn't able to attend. There have been a lot of tears this month. He is still in town doing Home MTC for a bit longer. Then to add to all of that...this poor kid had two rounds of extensive dental work. Accutane is rough on teeth. And...we went back in to get her breast lump checked out...It has to be done every 6 months for two years...and found out that it has grown significantly over the 6 months and that she had developed another one on the other side. She needs to have both biopsied. They aren't worried about cancer per se as both still look like benign fibroadenomas. But by biopsying both lumps they can know that for sure and Bryn won't have to keep coming in every six months to get them checked; which will be challenging when she is away at college. Breast biopsies are no joke and I hate that she is going to have to go through that but hopefully after they are done she can put all of this behind her. They can do both biopsies at the same time and she is scheduled to have that done at the end of August.
Sandwiched in between everything else this month...Tyler and I have tried to be on or near the water whenever possible. Whether that is boating or picnics by the lake or Sunday drives to the lake or wading in the lake. I just need to be close to water as much as humanly possible. We've also seen some old friends when the daughter of our friends returned from her mission and that was fun! We've tried a new Thai restaurant (delicious) and made more runs for Korean corn dogs (so good!) We found a great new local growers market and Tyler was thrilled to find a new source for super sour sourdough bread. Bryn and I did a girls shopping day at the mall, which I love, and is getting fewer and far between as daughters grow up and leave home. The world was interested in World Cup Soccer and I was interested ZERO. But I did watch the new Little House on the Prairie and found it enjoyable.
We kept up with our monthly temple date...check! And that's a wrap for July!
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