Summer time...and the livin' is easy.

4 months?!?! Has it really been that long?!?!

Well, considering summer is officially over and the school year has begun (at least in our neck of the woods), this will be a quick recap. 

Let's start with this crazy mama adorable toddler.
Omiword, don't even know where to start with our lil' firecracker...she makes us laugh and makes us crazy, all at the same time. A mess with a capital -M-! She's turning four in 2 weeks and is starting VPK this month...and yes, I'm sure to be a total blubbery mess on the day she starts school. I won't think about that today though....

 It's rare for any of the kids to get "one-on-one" time with any of our family, so when it does happen, it's special! This summer, Dennis took Lil's on her first fishing adventure...the fish must've heard her coming from a mile away because they didn't catch any! But, boy did she have fun! :-)

 

 Swim team was a success and both kids are already saying they can't wait for next season. We were most proud of the award Shep received: The Coaches Award. We've honestly never seen him work so hard...this summer he dug deep and was very invested which made it that much more fun to watch!

And another awesome summer of basketball with the Tiger Sharks - they had an undefeated season! Whoop-whoop! No pics from the season... fail. 

 Another "first" this year....Florida Bible Camp!! This was a very big deal in our family...Chad grew up attending this camp, so in a way we felt like we were carrying on a tradition. But more than that, it was just a huuuuge deal to send our kiddo away for a full week without us. Thankfully one of his best friends, Jackson, wanted to participate in the week too, so Shep had a buddy. I signed up to be a cook for the first half, which I think gave both the little guys some peace of mind and certainly made it easier on Jenn and I. :-)

Rauly-girl travelled to stay with Gigi for a week (Shep went last summer so this summer it was her turn)...they went to Louisiana and Arkansas, and between all the places we traveled through, she wound up seeing 5 different states in the course of 7 days. Very cool. :-) She also lost 2 teeth...should make for some adorable fall pics! 

Chad and I were both road warriors...he due to our business (summer is "crunch time" and he's typically gone each week, all summer long), and me due to traveling to Alabama twice.

 4th of July was celebrated with friends in Cocoa Beach - we wound up staying two days and looking back, I realized this was our only "family vaca" this summer. Thankful to have spent it with the Euler family and in such a beautiful place! They rented a beach house right on the ocean and let me tell ya', if you ever want to experience fireworks done right, go to Cape Canaveral! The displays were gorgeous...we were surrounded by beauty in every direction. It was a truly memorable 4th!

 In a moment of insanity After several days of talking and thinking, we decided to bring these two cuties home with us. Let me introduce: Ringo (yellow) and Shadow (black). Truly, they have been the sweetest most tender additions! They seem to adore the kids and actually seek them out throughout the house...no they are not your typical skittish/snobbish cats that hide when company comes along, which is GOOD because that would not work for our family. 

 Another "first" (there seems to be a theme of firsts in this post) - a Jags game! Ok...so the highlight was a night with friends (as you can see below, Chad was underwhelmed by the score)...but the game was fun and glad we got to experience it with Jeff and Jennifer!

 Overall, it was a summer filled with sports, fun and friends! And I can.not. believe. it's. over.

 Sweet baby Mary Graston - Rauly's (and my) new lil' love! Isn't she beautiful??

 Lils with her besties, Aubs and Caroline...yes, Publix deli rocks - they basically fed those three girls an entire meal of meat and cheese...Aubs would just bat her baby blues and they'd offer all the kids more. Fabulous....and Shan, I've decided I'd like to bring Aubrey with me every time I grocery shop. She's got mad skillz. ;-)

 Sleepover with Grant!

 Beach with Melis, KK and B!

Day of back-to-school shopping...(sigh)...next post will be about Orientation and 1st Day of School....can't believe I now have a 4th, 2nd grader and VPK'er!