An end of summer round up...

July and August were rough months for me. 

Unfortunately, I gave up on blogging and other fun hobbies for a bit, I guess I just went into survival mode. 

I did continue to take pictures occasionally and I just recently, finally, uploaded them from my camera. It's nice to be able to look back at some of the highlights of the summer...

 Little Blue Pool 

We got a little plastic blue pool which provided much entertainment on warm days. 

The Renaissance Festival

I made this trip against my doctor and physical therapist's orders (too much walking for my back and legs at that point). 

Typically, I'm a very strict rule follower...but we've gone to the Renaissance Festival every year since Max was born and I didn't want to break the tradition. 

We went early before it was too hot and didn't stay long, but we made it. 

The tradition lives on, huzzah!

Plotting our journey

Sharing their first root beer float.

It's always a good day when you see Gandalf. 

Eli eats a pickle part I. 

part II

part III :) 

this hat now lives in our play room

Goodbye until next year!

Trips to the neighborhood pool

As part of my physical therapy, I did a lot of walking in the swimming pool, it was the one place I didn't have a limp! 

We are grateful to have such fun pool just a couple minutes from our house.

Of course, it's extra fun when friends come along...and they even did my physical therapy with me, that's love. 

Fourth of July

Good old Fourth of July.

Max had fun doing sparklers out on the porch (Eli was not a fan this year) and they went with Daddy to see the local fireworks display. 

I was feeling extra bad that day, we found out I had a kidney infection a couple of days later in the ER. 

Sigh. 

July was a rough month.

Chris and Jenny arrived that night for a visit, it was a much needed boost in morale around here (sadly no pictures though). 

the brothers

Max's 4th Birthday

Max had a little "Max's favorite things" themed birthday party, I guess you could say. 

He wanted pizza, popsicles, and watermelon to eat, our slip + slide and sparklers for entertainment, he's pretty easy to please. 

Yep, I just put a big 4 over the 3 from last year :)

this firework left a nice black spot in our grass! 

We were iffy on having a party, but I'm so glad we were able to celebrate our biggest boy!

My friend Natalie helped me take these pictures of the party, so grateful for her. 

First Day of School

Max started pre-K and Eli started preschool in August. 

Eli would beg to go to school every time we dropped Max off last year, so he was excited to be a big boy who goes to school too! 

He has the same (amazing) teachers Max had last year, so he was already familiar with them, which went a long way when I dropped him off that first day. 

He had no tears and I only cried a little. 

Max also got an awesome teacher and has some friends in his class from last year, he's been loving pre-K. 

School brought more structure and routine to our week, Max goes for a few hours a day three times a week, and Eli goes two. 

We knew we'd be welcoming a baby girl soon, so it was nice to get the boys settled in at school before she came.