A few summer days

This huge moth hung out on our front porch for 2 days. She was pretty!

Ellie came over on Thursday and we went to the pool. D belly flopped like 6 times so I could get our boomerang right. 😂

The missionaries had transfers and Sister Hansen and Sister Vance got transferred so they came over to say goodbye. 

These girls are so great, we just love having them in our home. 

It was great for Frankie to work with them and Iris, and Delaney loved having them for home evening whenever she taught. Sister missionaries are awesome!

We had picked Emma up and then the little Gravelle’s came over and we went back to the pool. 

Matt made fun popcorn for our friend movie night that night. The Gravelle’s stayed till 11:30, so it was a long but good friend day. 

On Friday we finally got down to business on D’s vanity. 

We’d procrastinated all week, but on Friday we got it mostly done. Matt used paint stripper to get all the extra coats off, then D and I sanded and painted. 

The big girls came home from camp that afternoon, tired and happy. We immediately dropped Frankie off at Camryn’s house for her birthday party, and I spent the next several hours rubbing Adi’s back and hearing all about her week. 

That evening we left Adi home alone and Matt, D, and I went to the River Concert. I told Matt he had to wear red, white, and blue so he grabbed this hankerchief. He’s such a nerd! 😂

The river concert was so busy, but we found a little patch of grass and squeezed in with Utzinger’s, Darrows, and Tripp’s. I ❤️  river concerts. 

Saturday was a quiet day. Matt and I shopped and I made some desserts in preparation for fast Sunday. Chelsea texted and invited us to Into the Woods that night. She had an extra ticket, and I was able to get tickets for the rest of us. The first part was great, the second part not as great, but it’s always fun to see our friends. Matt is such a good primary activity leader, all his boys love him!

I miss serving with these two! We hardly ever see each other anymore!

On Sunday we went to Darrows to break our fast. Alecia  made Cafe Rio salad and we brought Texas sheet cake and strawberry shortcake and we all played games and it was a lovely evening. 

We all played Happy Salmon several times and it’s a new favorite for sure. 

The boys beat Alecia and I at Codenames, but then we beat them at Sequence so we ended the evening in a peaceful tie. 

And just look who made the Honor Roll! Little miss Frances Ray. Praying this will mean good things for 8th grade. 

Monday was our beach day. But first we met at a new bakery called Flour for donuts. 

That place was bumping and the donuts were fine. I’m so cheap that I think I sometimes don’t enjoy expensive things unless they’re really amazing, and I didn’t think these donuts were. 

But we supported a small business and donuts are always in fashion. 

Alexis had a rough weekend, so we picked her up a few gifts to take her mind off things and made her cards and stopped by for hugs on our way to the beach. We love the Martines’. 

There were so many jellyfish! We thought we’d be good since it hadn’t been hot and it had been rainy, but no. 

The kids boated and played in a harbor away from us where they swore there weren’t any jellies, even though several of them got stung. I think most of the kids got stung actually , including Ezra, who pointed at his sting, rubbed it a little, and then was fine. He’s a tough guy. 

We did some jellyfish hunting. We’d pick them up with a shovel and fling them over the back fence. It was tricky at first, but then super satisfying. Then we found this monster. Frankie attempted the hunting, but he was so big that he managed to sting her. Then I tried but he was so big that he grossed me out. So Curtis saved the day. That thing was monstrous!

We stayed from 11 till after 5 and it was great, aside from the jellies. And it’s finally hot! Like, really hot. We had the coolest spring ever though, so I’m not complaining. 

We had the sisters for dinner that night and since it was so late we all worked together to make our fiesta ranch chicken. Then they gave the perfect spiritual thought, exactly what one of our struggling girlsies needed to hear, and I’m so grateful for inspiration and missionaries that follow promptings.