I heart summer #9

family
These are my people. I love them even on days I am not sure I like them. Summer is a great time for our family with stolen moments and lake weekends and trips and late nights. I would rather be with these three boys than anyone else. My people.

i heart summer #8

Family Photos

 For the past three years we have had our family photos taken in the summer on vacation. Summer is a more relaxed time for my work and being out of town is so fun and new and seems like the perfect time for our family. Before this year we have worked with a photographer in Colorado and were crazy about her. This year we were not going to make it to Colorado so I found a photographer in the Lake Tahoe area. Today he shared some of our photos on his blog so head on over and take a look and give a little comment love.

Josh Hejl with Minaret Photography

i heart summer #7

Sand...I love it...enough said

i heart summer #6

Legos
If you know my husband you know that long before he was a Father of boys he was a Lego fanatic in his own right. I often times think the Lord gave us boys so Pete would have a reason to continue his love for all things Lego. And our boys do not disappoint. They have an equal infatuation and together many hours are spent building, sorting and playing. While Legos are not only a summer toy they do provide endless fun on a summer day at home.

i heart summer #5

 hot springs

Our summer started a little early and pretty rocky. A week before school got out Wilson got strep throat and then he got strep pneumonia. It was a very long 8 days and crazy way to start the summer, but thankfully he had a good recovery and has had a healthy rest of the summer.

One of the highlight in his sickness was spending a few days in Hot Springs healing. My parents have a home in Hot Springs and it is one of our favorite places to be. There is a different pace to like at the lake and I appreciate that so much. I grew up at this lake and it is a happy place to me and something I am so happy for our boys to have as part of their summer.

i heart summer #4

pedicures

As a southern girl I know that summer time means time for regular pedicures. I would love for this to be a regular thing even when it is not summer, but when summer comes there is no question. This summer I had lots of fun getting and giving pedicures. Starting the summer I had the chance to have my three sweet nieces here and we did pedicures on the back porch, one of my favorite summer memories. Another favorite memory is how badly Campbell and Simon wanted to be a part of this pedicure time. We let them soak their feet and get special lotion, but passed on the paint.

I am currently wearing aqua toenail polish, my fav. How about you?

I heart summer #3

NERTZ

The year Peter and I got married we learned a card game called Nertz. Simply put it is group speed solitaire and it is highly addictive. We play with decks of playing cards, but apparently there is also a special Nertz deck.  Pete and I played Nertz nonstop with our young married friends 12 years ago and learned to love and hate each other more while playing, if you know my husband you understand this because he is highly competitive and way too good at games. Nertz was a favorite while we lived in Fayetteville and somehow lost its place after having babies and moving back to LR. It made a rare appearance during visits with these friends or family gathering, that is until this summer. Nertz has come back into our lives like an old friend and I have to say I really missed it, even though it might cause tension in my marriage...I think we'll be ok. It has been a highlight of my summer as we sit around a table with people I love and yell at Peter as he beats us all, seriously he has not been beat all summer...there is always Fall.

i heart summer #2

smoothies

when it's hot outside our favorite afternoon treat is smoothie. we have a blendtec blender that is used for smoothies most frequently. the boys and i often enjoy a smoothie with or for breakfast or as an after pool snack. i love to serve it in a mason jar with the drinkers choice of straw.

fruit smoothie

1 cup yogurt (i use stoneyfield farm nonfat vanilla)

1/3 cup juice (i use orange)

1 banana

2 cups frozen fruit (i buy bags of fruit at Sams or freeze fresh fruit that we aren't going to get to)

4-5 ice cubes

This makes 4 cup size servings

i heart summer #1

 the swimming pool

As we approach the end of summer and are pretty much stuck inside because of the 100+ temps I am thinking about the summer and the things I have loved about this summer, and really just love about summer in general.

We are very lucky to have a neighborhood pool we love as well as my parents pool only one hour away. I really don't know how you would make it through a southern summer without the pool. It is the best way to beat the heat. I also love how something about the water makes us all feel young again. We jump and splash and feel so carefree...it is really a happy place.

More summer days than not I spend some portion of the day with my feet kicked up in front of a pool, laying in the sun for as long as i can stand it (5 minutes at this point) and then enjoying the sweet relief of summer in the pool.

May...Instagram recap

May Highlights...art after dark. great friends. family time. Mother's day. DJ's b-day. Vegas. ladies I love. Hot Springs. baby shower. school is out! Dylan's b-day.

April...Instagram recap

April Highlights...visit from McGoodens. Shower for a #woo's new daughter in law. Easter. MDO group photos. Newborn pics. Wilson's birthday. Guitar. Fun with friends. Dance party. Pete's birthday. Prom. Prom memories. W2 party.