Pretty summer miscellany

The guest of honor and me at her baby shower.

Her four (!) beautiful girls.

This momma was in desperate need of a baby shower, as she bought three onesies and was ready to call it good.  No car seat, no diapers, no crib… A rally of momma friends came to the rescue.  But regardless of her preggo-brain that makes her forget that babies need to occasionally be transported in cars, she absolutely has her head on straight.  It is no small wisdom to trust the Lord to bring a baby into a loving family armed with little more than His word and mama’s milk with which to nourish it.

All due respect to Christmas and back-to-school, but June is absolutely the best time of the year. 

Little boys with watermelon stains and a big grin at a picnic; what is more quintessentially summer?

School’s out, summer vacation stretches before us, it’s finally warm enough for me to be comfortable, we can play in water and drink iced tea, and generally responsibility is replaced by sunshine.

Early hometown fireworks.

And this summer!  Masks are off and we’re reveling in our newly rediscovered freedom.  Despite the mom-guilt that comes with fielding the kids’ incessant pleas to finally go here and do that and swim in all the bodies of water, without losing my chance to savor doing blessed Nothing, June is the crown of the year.

If it were up to them, we’d go from Grandma’s house to vacation to the pool to the pond to the ice cream stand to their friend’s house without our feet ever touching the ground.  

As it is, they must suffer through only occasional pool days with friends, frequent late movie nights, hours and hours of free play, regular swim team, and a small or large vacation every other week.  

Family/maternity pics I did for a friend.  I think they came out pretty all right!

It helps when you’re naturally gorgeous.

God help us to suffer well.

Birthday beach week

Being determined to pack light for our road trip to the beach this year, we celebrated Jeddy’s birthday as a family before we left so we didn’t have to worry about gifts getting smooshed.

Also Ada got Jeddy a cactus, which would not travel well in a car packed with passengers.

Sixteen years old.  I remember when this guy was born.

As he delights to point out, not only can he vote in the next presidential election, but there are people who are in college now whom he will be in college with.

The road trip was highly successful, ie, no vomiting or fainting in public places, as we have been known to do.

Getting suited up for our pirate cruise:

Pre-boarding training, wherein we learn how to talk like a pirate:

Arrrrrr

Captain Caleb and Pirate Wyatt sail the salty seas.

Cutest. Pirate. Ever.

Taunted by Stinky Pete, who stole our treasure!

Get him!

Nature preserve walk

Jason custom designed, 3-D printed, and hand-painted a whole village of houses for Caleb to bring to the beach.

Searching for sand creatures