Making a Life: Summer Memories

This was just one more crazy wonderful summer for the books.

I LOVE having kids around for summer days.

Sure, there are the times I would do anything to have someone take them for a day or two (or three) so I could get some sanity back, but crazy really can be pretty wonderful.

So this is what summer 2017 looked like with a 4, almost 3, and almost 2 year old....

Mid June we went on vacation with my family to the gulf.

We rented a big house on the ocean together.

It was about an hour's drive from New Orleans so we planned on spending a day there.

We were really looking forward to seeing it.

Adam and I had heard some warnings about going with a young family from other young families but we only saw the G rated side of the town.

We simply wondered around the french quarter, looking at whatever caught our attention.

We enjoyed some beignets and after walking and getting SO hot I had the best iced cafe au lait of my life!

The girls really loved seeing the jazz musicians who played up and down the streets.

I loved the architecture and styling.

Of course there was a ton of time on the beach.
It was just a short little walk away so we were able to go every day.

The girls have been so into playing in rainstorms this summer.

Every time one pops up, they ask to go outside.

I think it's the umbrellas.

Adam and I celebrated our 8th anniversary in June by going to the beautiful wedding of two friends.

I loved getting a chance to get a little fancy together.
And goofy. Always goofy.

Happy 8 years, man.

You're my favorite.

Also is it just me or does this guy just get better and better with every passing year?

Seriously.

Enter more water.
My kids and I are water loving human beings.
We swam at least once a week some where.
Anywhere.
This is a favorite swimming spot.

This pool is at Shakamak State Park.

It has a zero entry length and a kid pool.

Ideal for our usual party of 4.

Plus I get to lay like a beached jellyfish soaking up the sun while I can.

At the start of the summer, we learned that our son had several small cataracts in each eye.
His first surgery was in July on his left eye.
There was a bit of a complication when it became infected.
Our doctor was really concerned that it could be a specific type of infection that would be very aggressive and would leave him blind.
So she was very aggressive with antibiotics, extra checkups, and delayed surgery on the right eye.
It all healed up well and we just completed surgery on the right eye last week.

So far all is well and we are expecting to get him fitted for glasses when we go in for a checkup this week.

We've been able to go for a few short hikes at another favorite state park, Turkey Run

The girls are starting to be drawn off trail to climb on fallen limbs and big rocks.

That's pretty fun.

I'm looking forward to longer walks and trickier paths with them.

The fourth of July was spent with Adam's family in his parents hometown.
We got to see the teeny little parade.

Cousin time.

We all wish it could happen more often.

Taking group photos like this with big kids who used to be tiny and little kids who used to only be wishes- it's enough to get all the moms misty eyed.

We celebrated our July baby who turned 3!
Fun fact: Kenna cried each and every time she was sung to, even if it was just Adam and I.
Even when her South Carolina cousins sent her a happy birthday video.....oy vey.
She's not very fond of such concentrated attention.

Towards the end of July it got to be so hot, nearly in the 100's.

We walked to the park thinking nothing of it.

By the time we got there though, the kids were too miserably hot too play.

After several minutes of me telling them to buzz off and play and them stubbornly refusing (with good reason) I remembered a little creek at the side of the park.