Summer Part 2: World Cup, 33rd, Fourth of July, Swimming, SML, + Hiking

We start back with the list…the beautiful list my smart girl created in June, the very day that school ended.

Her plan for "play das" was a little harder to fulfill.  After a school year full of nothing but routine and structure, I CRAVE the free wheeling summer days.  I don't like to plan or agree to anything.  It's a specific quirk of mine, but we did end up meeting up with friends several times.

We all gathered at the fountains to watch more of the World Cup where the USA ended up breaking our hearts, though we cheered loud and hard for them.


World Cup champs or not, we're USA fans forever.


Our sweet friends invited us to their pool for a play date a few times and the kids wore out the slide.

She forgot my birthday on that list, but it came anyway.  I was so sick on the day that I actually started my 33rd year early at Urgent Care getting an antibiotic and some other meds.  My poor husband did his best to rescue me by taking me shopping later and even made my favorite cake. What could be better than another year with the people I love most in the world?  Perhaps just lots of sleep this year, which TG willingly gave me while I recuperated.


Our area has too many fireworks shows to have on the actual 4th so they all get spread out before hand.  Unfortunately I was too sick to see them this year so I missed "loching rorkit" but TG took the kids with our friends so they got to see plenty of launching rockets on July 2nd.

On the actual fourth I met up with my friends for a belated birthday lunch.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed lunch outside and ate the yummy cupcakes my sweet cake making friend brought for me.  They were lemon cake and cream cheese frosting which just made my heart pitter patter.


While I was out to lunch, TG flew kites with the minis. I love this pic he took of them.


Later that evening we did sparklers and some small fireworks in our driveway.  She's got us all under her spell.


I fail to see what could be cuter than these two patriotic babes.  USA!


The library was definitely not on her list, but this summer they launched a fun reading program that we enjoyed participating in.  We visited the library several times to finish activities and read books that were part of the summer challenge.  I loved this picture of my boys, both in their Swoosh shirts, reading a book about sharks.  Cam loves all non fiction books.
 

The next trip we took was on her list. In the middle of July we headed west to the "lak" with our friends. The place we rented this year was idyllic. Perfect water to swim in, gorgeous views of the mountain and plenty of fun to have with our friends. The weather didn't cooperate as well this year, but we still had an amazing time.


Oh, hey, SUMMERTIME!


We all had a bunch of floats and spent most of our time relaxing in the emerald green waters by the dock of our house.


The woman who lived next door to our rental was kind enough to share her small beach with us. She invited us to play there and on her wooden pirate ship which was the kids dream. Riley managed to scoop up a few minnows one day in the shallows. #naturealive!


The weather was not the best at the lake this year, so we ventured out for the first time to nearby Lynchburg and the AWESOME kids museum. It was the perfect rainy day activity. Afterward we wandered up to the charm filled Main Street and had a delicious lunch that included authentic fried green tomatoes for me.

Summertime TG and Summertime Me are the best versions of ourselves.  Tan, well rested, and carefree (as parents of two can be).


On our last day there we rented a boat before we headed home.  It was the perfect way to say goodbye to the lake until next year.

We went tubing for a while before everyone was hungry.


So we swung into our favorite emerald cove for lunch, swimming, and play.


Then took one last cruise around the lake before heading into the marina.  Cam's expression is exactly how I felt about the whole thing.
 

Coming back from the lake is always kind of a let down, but there was more summer fun to be had!
Twinnie showed me how she makes homemade donuts while we were at the lake so those became a summertime staple.  These could not be easier and I love the donut holes.
 

This isn't what she had in mind when she put "bik" on her list, but TG thought it was time to seriously upgrade her to a big girl two wheeling bike.  I love the streamers.

"hiking" is one of our favorite summer time activities, so the first cooler day we had in July we ventured out to a nearby trail.
 

Riley brought her "field journal" and eagerly if not quite accurately drew everything she saw. It was precious. Everyone stopped to admire an impressive spider web.

We happened upon a large tree that had fallen and extended out over the Potomac. TG ventured almost all the way out over the water, and the minis wanted to join him - but I insisted they stop much closer to land.


Of course the log was perfect for jumping off of so they did that and hollered a bunch and most likely scared off any wildlife we had a chance of seeing that day.

We ventured up the high trail for a better view of the river and while we were up there we think we spotted an eagle on the other bank which excited Riley to no end.

Before we headed back toward the car I convinced the kids to stop for one second for a photo with their Mom.  Cam was not so thrilled, but Riley put on her best pose and I just don't look exhausted for once which I think needs to be documented here in case my kids ever come back looking for their history.  I'm sure most of what they will remember is me loving them fiercely, but exhausted.  There were times I was not - here's proof.


With less than a month of summer to go we got "skooder" done in a big way.  Our neighborhood hosted a summer fest and they had a scooter race for all the kids.  It was pretty funny to watch.  Riley tried hard, but got second in her heat.  Camden wanted nothing to do with the race until he discovered that everyone who participated got a candy treat.  Then there was nothing to hold him back - not even having to go without shoes, in Riley's Barbie helmet on her pink scooter.

Riley's race, a valiant effort.

Cam's race, an effort to finish.

So that leaves only one thing on her summer list left to be completed.  Part 3, the highlight of our summer 2014, that trumps all this fun I've just documented in Part 1 and Part 2..."hooyiy" for our tenth anniversary.  Aloha friends!