So here it is. My final blog post before I become a mama of 3!!!!
We've had a fun summer. I'm sad to see the end of the season approach. But the journey ahead is going to be so sweet... So I can't sulk for long!
This year we invested in a classic style hard plastic pool.
We had been doing the inflatable ones in years past, but those never made it longer than single season.
Just floating his worries away.
A couple touching scenes from the school carnival this year.
$20 got us 25 tickets to spend on games, pizza, and snow cones!
And the real show stopper of July.
Sage's 5th birthday!!
Sage and I discussed a couple different themes. Then I assembled design ideas for the best. He was given the choice of beach, dinosaur, pirate, or mad scientist.
The winner was....
PIRATE!
Saturday, July 29th was party day!
All together we had 11 kids in attendance.
We did a treasure hunt in the backyard.
These bags were filled with gold coins and giant gems.
We served a taco bar.
And here's all the little pirates!
Lunch time!
The highlight of the party was the pinata.
If you know Sage, you know that he LOVES candy.
We filled this thing with an assortment of goodies (like a couple pounds worth of nerds, bubble gum, sweet tarts, and laffy taffy) then lined the kids up in order of size.
Each kid got several rounds of swings. But the cardboard ship wouldn't go down. So Matt had to step in to finish it off.
And finally, the cake!
Sage is such a jokester.
He opted for the "wet method" when blowing out his candles.
Let the sugar rush begin!
Later in the day Sage began the present opening.
We had a couple different phases to get through.
When you've got grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles who all love you...the present opening can take awhile.
A couple of the gifts Sage received from us are pictured below.
I loved spin art when I was a kid. Now Sage has his own kit!
His very own geode to break open.
He designed the "safety outfit" himself.
With August upon us, we checked our summer bucket-list, and decided there was no time like the present to go to the zoo!
I would like to give my mother a shout-out for this incredible double stroller she gifted us a couple years back. This was such a blessing for our zoo adventure! Older kids can sit bench-style or stand on the back. The front is a traditional stroller seat. Both boys used this heavily and it allowed us to cover more of the zoo.
A cool discovery upon arriving in Denver was the zoo's special dinosaur exhibit. Animatronic dinosaurs were hidden in all sorts of places. They moved, and growled, and even spit water!
Our first stop was an interactive live animal show.
We got up close and personal with birds, warthogs, porcupines, and some other fun creatures.
Then it was off to see the really big guys.
We had an incredible time on the carousal.
And Matt took the boys on a train ride.
Look at those satisfied faces!
No trip to the zoo is complete without snacks!!
The true sign of a successful day.
Asleep with a lollipop in your mouth.
Going to the zoo was quite the subject of discussion in the days following. I think the boys had a very good time.
Sage even built his own zoo out of blocks.
In mid-August, we wrapped up our 2nd season of baseball.
Boy what a difference a year makes, huh?
I CANNOT believe how much he has grown!
Number 10. That's our boy!
The garden has been giving us lots of tasty produce.
Not tomatos yet....
But the cucumbers, zucchini, beans, and onions have just exploded!
These dragon tongue beans work just like your classic green bean.
We have no shortage of these. They grow so fast!
When you apply heat, they lose their fun purple streaks. So strange!
Garden cucumber used in Sheryl's incredible couscous salad recipe.
And it's not just veggies we've been pulling from the garden.
Matt's dahlia arrangements are now a staple in the kitchen.
Every week a new arrangement to enjoy (or two, or three!)
So many flowers!
A couple sweet random moments from around the house.
A fun after school photo.
The new house pet - Sparkles.
And his tankmates, the shrimp quartet.
There are 5 of these little guys swimming around. Plus a snail. Matt designed quite the ecosystem.
And that's it. So ends a chapter.
Nothing left to do but patiently (or impatiently) wait for the baby clock to ding.
Tick tock.....
