Life Lately

Last week began the second week of summer break.  Two Mondays ago my sister started a new running challenge over on MapMyRun.  Being that the kids are now home with me all day for summer break and that I can no longer go for mid-morning runs alone we decided to lace up our running shoes (put on our biking flip flops 😉 ) and get to work!

Henry did his stretches.  Eliza buckled her helmet.  I turned on my Greatest Showman running playlist…and we were off…!

At one point Eliza decided she wasn’t going to wear her sweater anymore so I got stuck running while holding a sweater – fun, fun. 😉 Seriously, I could’ve bet money that was going to happen.  Ha!

After we finished our run, we headed over to the park for a bit and then walked/rode over to the sledding hill so that we could get in some good hill rolling in before lunch…

On Tuesday we enjoyed an impromptu boat ride/tube ride/swim!

I practiced french braiding on Eliza.  As you can see, I’m not showing you the back of her head.  It wasn’t good guys, it wasn’t good.  I have A LOT of practicing to do…A LOT!

On Wednesday the neighbor boys came over to hang out and play some video games.  Their mom gave all the kids gum and it was cracking me up watching them chew and try to blow bubbles…

Jon’s 38th birthday also happened to be on Wednesday!

The kids and I didn’t really get him anything this year – aside from spending about $20.00 on greeting cards that played music, a couple of cat themed cards and one from the cat, himself.  LOL!  BUT – we did decide to go pick him up a slice of carrot cake AND we bought 38 candles…however I DID have to buy four packages of candle to which I giggled about, but then was immediately humbled by the fact that I’m 35 and I’m in the last year only three packages of candles are needed…and that my birthday has already passed… Anywhoo, I digress.  Gah!

We added some candles and I must say THIS right here was pretty darn funny…

The kids and I decorated the house, the bathroom and the car with balloons and streamers from Eliza’s Little Mermaid party.  We also did a balloon drop for him in the basement!  LOL!  Jon loved it and, of course, the kids did, too!

We took him to eat at our local root beer stand!  So fun!

We came back home, lit the candles and sang, Happy Birthday…

I love these people!

The next day we headed to the gym.  Henry decided he was going to be my coach for the running challenge and informed me that I had to run 5 miles.

I did it.  It hurt.  Coach was happy.  My legs were not.

I made this yummy salad for dinner and you guys – it was/is sooooo good!!!  I’ll have to share my recipe on here sometime…

We went for another tube ride and swim in the lake…

…and on Friday we went Strawberry picking!!!!

There’s just something so sweet (pun intended 😉 ) about picking strawberries.

Later on Friday we went out to dinner with some sweet friends and the next day we attended a pool party for some friends from Eliza’s preschool class.

You guys – Look at Eliza’s hair!  It’s so long!

Also in this picture – Henry jumping off the diving board into the deep end and swimming off to the side for the FIRST time – without a life jacket!!!  At first he jumped in, came back up and swam the length of the pool.  He was so proud!  We told him to just jump in and swim to the side so that he wouldn’t exhaust himself.  We were thinking that he was more confident to finally take the leap into the deep end because he was one of the older kids at the party and there was only one boy older than him.  He wasn’t under any pressure and he just wanted to have fun…

The after party back at home looked a lot like this…  LOL!!!!

Jon and I also did some landscaping in front and around our new concrete.  To say I wan’t pleased to help out in the landscaping department was an understatement.  I despised having to do this.  To be fair we’ve already landscaped this space twice before and let me tell you that I DO NOT have a green thumb.  I try.  I really try, but most plants end up dying.

HOWEVER, back on Jon’s birthday this was what he wanted – to get the landscape in, so I obliged and came up with a game plan in my head.

We put down weed mat, dug holes, planted our plants and filled it in with mulch – all in about two hours and I can assure you I complained the entire time.  I was NOT a happy camper…not at all, especially considering it was a katrillion degrees outside.

We did it though.  We were covered in dirt, sweaty and tired – but it was done…

Now to add one more plant over there in the front right corner, keep the grass growing and eventually add a little more decor and we should be good to go!  Phew.

All in all, the second week of summer break was a good one!  We’ve been getting things accomplished and staying busy, that’s for sure!

I’ll keep all ya’ll posted on which plants live…  Hahaha!

Thanks for stopping by.

Marie 🙂

I’m linking up over at Welcome Wednesday!