August

 August used to be my favorite month of the year. When I was a kid that is when we would go on vacation to either North Carolina or out to Utah to visit family. It was also girls camp and my birthday and of course it is summer so no school. In more recent years Lily was born in August and it was such a joy to become a mother and to celebrate her each year. 

However, now August is when school starts. It is when I have to think about school supplies and fall baseball schedules. Josh is super busy at work and has been very stressed so that also means we don't travel in August. He has basically been working non stop for the past three weeks and we have hardly had a chance to talk. Curtis wants to do cross country and try outs are a week before school starts. Baseball also starts next week during our last week of summer. I need to figure out my piano schedule. Lily wants us to drop her off with some friends for a fancy dinner out on her birthday. Our vacation is just about over and the dread of school is looming. 

These first two weeks of August have been quite busy. We drove home from Rochester on Friday, making a pit stop at my sister's house. My nephew and his wife and daughter were in town so we said hi to them, the kids went swimming for a few hours and then we drove home in some crazy traffic. We had a nice weekend watching the Olympics. I was tired from all the driving I did so while we had talked about going to a Blue Crabs game Saturday night, we decided to stay home and just chill with my parents. Then on Monday Lily started a dance intensive from 9-3 and then she had drivers Ed from 5:30-8:30 every day. It was a lot of driving around. I had been dreading these two weeks since March when I signed her up for both. It was quiet otherwise since we couldn't really go anywhere or do anything but I did enjoy the time with my parents and watching the Olympics. We also did puzzles and went out for dinner a few times.

 

Wednesday was Michelle's birthday and this was the only week we were both  in town all summer so I had made plans weeks ago to celebrate with her. We ended up going out for ice cream Tuesday night to kick off the celebration with Sarah, then I surprised Michelle on her birthday morning with a massage. Josh had given me a gift card for Christmas to a spa but I was nervous about going alone so I figured her birthday was the perfect excuse to go. Michelle got a massage and I got a facial and it was fabulous! Then we went to lunch to say goodbye to Nicole Valle (actually I only went because it was Michelle's birthday and I wanted to hang with her and she was going) and then we walked around the wharf a bit before I had to go get Lily. Michelle is such a good listener and friend and I always have fun when I am with her. She's been my rock the past two years and I love her for it. 

We went to the pool to swim with the Coxes Thursday morning and that was fun. Then Saturday Lily and Curtis were off on a temple trip to Richmond. I was glad Lily got to go and that they both had a good experience. We were supposed to go to the Blue Crabs that night with the Wiests (to use our tickets from the game that got rained out in May when our kids were supposed to play the National Anthem)  but there was a freak accident Friday night where a bounce house got loose and blew onto the field and two kids got seriously hurt so they postponed the game. So sad for those families! I was honestly a bit relieved though; I was pretty tired and fine to chill and watch more Olympics with my family. 

 

This past week was more of the same except this time Lily and Emma both did the dance intensive from 9-3 and then I had signed the boys up for basketball camp from 12:30-3:30. It is super annoying that the age range was from 9-14 and Curtis was by far the tallest and oldest and no accommodation was made for his age or experience. He was on a team with 9-year-olds and playing against other short and inexperienced kids. He felt so awkward and didn't do anything other than pass the ball around. He said he really didn't want to go back after Monday and I was thinking about pushing it but then he brought up the bike trip. He had really wanted to go but I had said no because of basketball camp. So, I talked to Darren when we got back and he said Curtis was welcome to come, which was super nice. So with one day of prep and an expensive trip to Dick's we sent him off Wednesday morning with some young men and leaders to bike 170 ish miles on the C and O canal towpath. I was pretty worried about him and a bit anxious while he was gone, especially Thursday night when it was pouring rain and there were multiple tornado warnings, but he was safe and got home last night having had a good experience. The food was good, he didn't have any bike problems, he had fun with Evan and Spencer, he loved the rope swing into the river and was the first to finish the trail. Unfortunately right now he is sick; he couldn't get out of bed and his stomach hurt so he has been resting all day. 

 

 

 

But, Brandon had a great time at basketball camp and the girls enjoyed their intensive and Lily got a 100 percent on her drivers ed test and it is all done. I feel great relief today. Lily spoke in sacrament meeting and Emma spoke in primary and they both gave wonderful talks. I was really proud of them and their preparation. Lily also went to a stake youth activity last night. None of her friends were there so she said it wasn't amazing. She is on a stake youth lead committee so she had to be there early to set up and then our ward was in charge of cleaning up. She was gone from 2-9; welcome to leadership! I missed her though and I am glad to support her in her assignments but am already a bit sad at how little time I get to spend with her as she grows up. This week is much more low-key so we should be able to have some good girl time. 

My parents left Thursday evening and we had a good visit. My mom came with me in all of my comings and goings and I appreciated her company. We played some games, went out to lunch one afternoon and watched a lot of the Olympics. My parents are so complimentary of how we do scripture study and how great our kids are and what a sweetheart Josh is and how organized I am and my dad even told me I am a good, aware driver, which is all so kind and builds me up. Sometimes I can descend into feelings of no one loves me but then I always have to come back to my parents; they love me so much and they tell me all of the time. I'm so grateful for them and the time we got to spend together, especially since Josh was working so much. Mom made her famous cinnamon rolls twice, once for the stake council meeting that was at our building their first Sunday here and then again Thursday before she left. I am going to help her make a cookbook of her recipes for all the grand kids when she comes in January so we took a picture; these were so perfect!