I cannot believe how fast this summer has gone! Why I am so shocked, I don't know. I feel this way every year come end of July.
Last year, this was the time that we were in full gear vacation prep. This year, we are quickly moving into highschool mode.
Knowing there's not a beach vacation just around the corner has been a little sad. However, we knew last year that our trip to Gulf Shores would be the first and last for a long time. I'm so glad we seized the opportunity to travel when we could. The next few years will bring on other opportunites; ones that will keep us closer to home.
I did manage to take a couple days off work to do some around town type stuff with the kids. We did our annual trip to Grant's Farm with my sisters Bev and Laura. It was fun and I always love ending the day with in the beer garden.
The next day, which just so happened to be my birthday, we headed down to Rolla for a day at the newly opened Fugitive Beach.
I got to try out my new beach chair and umbrella and did some things I hadn't done in at least 20 years....or ever quite possibly. The beach was nice. Alex loved to jump from the cliffs. Eva really enjoyed "King of the Raft". Layla swam and splashed and played on the beach. Grace and I tried the waterslide and really just enjoyed our day together. Although there was no ocean, it was a little bit reminiscent our beach days in Gulf Shores. That slower paced let the wind carry your worries away type of day. The only thing I didn't enjoy so much was the 2 hour drive home. We grabbed some pizzas on the way back, changed out of our suits and crashed on the couch for the rest of the evening.
On Saturday, I took the kids for professional pictures. It has been almost 3 years since the last time I updated our picture frames. It was way past time to get these done. The cost was not pretty, but the pictures sure are. We became mall rats after the photo shoot with frappacinos from Starbucks, free samples from the food court and sandwiches from Chick-fil-A.
Since we were all dressed up from the pictures, we decided on Mass in the evening followed by dinner at our favorite Mexican place, Chimi's. I ordered a Margarita and the one they served me was bigger than my head! We chowed down and talked; really just enjoying ourselves as a family. After dinner, we went over to a concert in a park. However, we just weren't feeling it there, so we headed home and called it an early night.
We spent Sunday chilling and grilling. We took naps, watched movies and cleaned the house. The we fried up and grilled zuchinni and a drunken chicken. It was delicious and laid backed. I just didn't want to return to real life the next day.
Now we are gearing up for highschool. Grace had Volleyball camp this week in which she really became to solidify with Incarnate and her life moving forward. Alex and Eva spent a week participating in Vacation Bible School. They have grown so much spiritually with the Christian influence.
We continue full speed ahead in the coming weeks. They are with their dad this weekend, so I plan to take some down time for myself and get organized for the week ahead.
Summer may be winding down, but we are just beginning to move forward in the glorious life the Lord has blessed us with!
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