Scenes From A Well-Lived Summer
I take an absurd number of photos in the summer (and actually, going through them just now, I realized I have FAR too many random screenshots of things as well). Most of them never make it anywhere, but looking back through them this week, I realized they tell the story of our summer better than I probably could. Sharing our summer, one in which we enjoyed, ate well, explored, relaxed and ate far more ice cream than we have in the past. And I don’t regret it for a second. Here is our love letter to summer in the form of a photo dump. 😉
We kicked off summer with a 5th grade graduation and an immediate trip to the store to get an Apple watch. While we’re holding off on the phone as long as we can (we aim to be as tech-free as possible with him), a watch made this new middle schooler pretty darn happy. (Apologies, I’m just not at the point where I want to put his face out on the internet for all the world to see. I know some bloggers are totally comfortable sharing their children’s faces but I’m just not there yet… Maybe when he’s a little older!)
This is our friend, Tuttles. He is an ancient snapper that lives in the woods behind our house during the winter (we think) and migrates every June across our lawn, across the road and into the woods across the street that also has a little pond. I don’t know how we seem to catch his migration every year from his “snowbird” spot to his “summer” spot – but I love that we get to see his cranky little self making his annual trek.
We took our son to his very first concert to see The Strokes! We have a fabulous outdoor theatre about 5 miles from us, and hopefully this is the beginning of a ton of fun seeing live music.
In late June, we traveled to Rochester, NY for a family graduation party and hit up The Strong National Museum of Play. If you are ever in or around the Rochester area, this museum is a MUST! Even as an adult, my inner child had a blast.
On our way back from Rochester, NY, we stopped at Niagara Falls. We were with my son, two nephews and my the kids grandparents and while I was wanting to do a straight shot to get home, I am so glad we stopped and checked this off our bucket list. The kids at the falls with their grandparents will be something that remains as a happy memory for me, forever.
I happened upon this pretty little lady one afternoon in my zinnia garden.
We are big fans of outdoor movie nights at our house and this was the first one of the season! Comfy with blankets, tons of candy and popcorn, and some strings lights for ambiance, we watched Hail Mary.
Happy 250th anniversary to our country!! While I may not have been feeling very patriotic this year, after coming off the heels of a trip to Williamsburg a couple of months ago where we experienced and learned so much about the birth of our country, it felt nice to celebrate all the men and women over the last 300 years who have made it possible to live in a country where we are granted life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The first haul from my garden. Pro Tip: when you are planting Hungarian peppers, make sure they don’t say “hot”. I thought I planted mild peppers and when I bit into one… whew! It took me a minute to recover.
Every year, our town has an annual garden walk where you can tour about 6 residences and their gardens. It’s usually blazing hot in Mid July but always worth it to see beauties like this.
One of my favorite things to do during the summer… sit out on the dock with a good book on a sunny day.
We are tried-and-true fans of our local Farmers Market. We are lucky enough to live within biking distance and have our favorite vendors (like the Lemonade Stand) that we visit each week.
Our local country fair usually happens in mid-July and being on pavement in the blazing sun is always a treat! But… the kids love it, and who can resist an elephant ear?
My adorably sweet niece turned 17 in July and had the cutest Mama Mia themed birthday party. She had a strict “no boys allowed” rule and I LOVED that I got to be there for it. My sister-in-law did such a cute job with the decor and crafts. They made charm bracelets, picture frames and flower crowns. So, so cute.
So happy to welcome a new nephew into our family! Hank, a one-year-old rescue Golden Retriever, has stolen my heart. He is spunky, loving, and (iykyk) has that wild baby Golden energy. If he would round up every duck on the lake, he would. Welcome, Hank!!
We take an annual family vacation to northern Michigan every summer and here are two small snippets from our time there. The kids jumping off the pier is something I’ll frame and cherish forever, as it feels like such a classic summer moment.
Every year we participate in our local library’s summer reading program as we are avid readers. When we got back from up north, we attended the finale party. Sadly, we did not win the reading competition. But….there is always next year!
Fishing was a big form of entertainment this summer. Not a whole lot was caught, but fun was had.
Fresh Michigan fruit. Nothing more needs to be said (except that we’re missing a pint of Traverse City cherries).
And last, but not least, two closing photos. Some late summer flowers and the pretty view from my walk after getting my son on the bus for his first day of 6th grade. Summer… you were so good to us. We look forward to what you bring in 2027. And now on a cozy fall full of luxe looking fall home decor upgrades, suggestions for cozy nights in and some Halloween decor that won’t break the bank.
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