Heavy Heart

I've been trying to come up with something to write about but I just have a very heavy heart today.  I miss my home (in IL) and a friend just found out her dad has cancer and it is aggressive and just not good.  They will know more next week but for today it doesn't look good.  She just lost her mom a year ago and I'm just incredibly sad for her.  I think things like this make me homesick.  I can't go give my family hugs and be thankful we aren't going through this because they are too far away.  It has been a year and a half since we were back in Illinois and it makes me sad.  The kids talk about going all the time and try to remember different things about going but they are little and especially Grace has a hard time remembering.

On a happy note, we went to a bounce house place today and the kids got to burn off some energy.  Then we got to have a couple of our best friends over to play.  I love that we have a couple families that also have a boy and a girl and all the kids get along.  Today Joey and Isabelle came over and I love that they feel at home here and are excited to come over and play with my kiddos.  My kids thought they were still on vacation so when I told them Joey and Isabelle were coming over they were jumping and yelling.  Love that they have these friends.

David started his job at the new office and is getting adjusted.  It took him 18 minutes to get to work! Crazy!!!  It used to take him an hour or more to get there and sometimes longer to get back.  Thankful he isn't driving in the pass anymore and going that long distance.  Soccer practice started a few weeks ago and pictures are this weekend and the first game is next weekend.  I can't believe how fast this summer went by.  We have had so much fun, I'm sad to see my kiddos go back to school.  They start on August 12th.

It's funny how I had all these ideas in my head of how our summer would go.  I would plan days out, go somewhere fun once a week, have a schedule so we didn't sit around too much, blah blah blah.  Didn't happen.  We just did whatever we wanted.  The kids probably played too many video games and I probably played too much candy crush!!  We read books, went to the library, swam, played with friends, and just enjoyed being out of school and together (most days).  I started working out and running.  I never thought I would start running.  I still don't love it but I'm getting better and I love when I'm done!!!  Especially when I can go a mile and not quit.  The furthest I've gone so far is 2.5 and I may have been able to keep going if I really tried.  I'm not super fast but getting better.

Wish I had a picture to leave you with.  Nothing new but this is my favorite picture from this month......

I'm back!!!!! with a LOT of pictures

Computer is fixed and almost all of my files were saved!  A few pictures here and there didn't copy but I'm sure I'll never miss them!  So here is some of our summer in pictures.

 Swim lessons (first session) Grace level 2, Andrew level 3

 Andrew working on diving

 Grace swimming across pool

 Daddy's birthday

 They passed!

 Huntington Beach

 Father's Day at Chili's

 Silverwood Lake with Papa Wayne

 Skipping rocks and giving Papa a high five!

 Minecraft with friends

 dressing up for the movies

 dance recital

 summer reading program at the library

 swimming with friends

 bbq with new friends and neighbors

 Andrew's birthday

 learning how to rollerblade in a swim suit

 lots of lego building

 4th of July

 painting (like Rapunzel)

 movie day at home with mommy (watched Dolphin Tale) 89 cent icees from the gas station and popcorn

 another session of swim lessons and the both passed

 dance competition

 dinosaur exhibit on the way home from competition

 bowling day with lots of friends (about 20 actually)

 reading books at barnes and noble

This is a little of what we've done this summer.  We've had such a great time with friends and family.  I've started running with a friend and getting ready for my first 5k in September and trying to work out and improve my diet.  The kids have been playing and reading and enjoying their time off from school.  This is probably one of the best summers we've had in a long time.  Only a few more weeks until school starts.  Andrew started soccer practice a couple weeks ago and Grace starts her new dance season the first week in August.  She has added tap and ballet to her tumbling that she already takes.  We will have 4 practices a week between the 2 kids and Saturday games start the 2nd Saturday in August.  Life is about to get really busy so I am trying to take in the last couple week with nothing on the calendar!

Still waiting.....

Still waiting for my new computer to get fixed. Last night we had fun with good friends. We had a BBQ and played a new to us card game. It was a lot of fun and only one fight and it was between my own kids! Thankful for good friends! Heading to a birthday party today at the skating rink and the kids get to use their new roller blades. They are so excited!! Hopefully I can get my computer back this week and get some pictures on here. We are waiting for the recovery disk to get here so my friend can attempt to fix it. I'm kind of lost without my computer and pictures. Of course I'm really hoping I don't have to buy a new computer. Well, I'm off to get ready for our day!