Camping at See Canyon

I've been talking to my dad for weeks about taking the kids camping and this past weekend we finally were able to do it! Just in time too, since we're in California this week with my in-laws, and then school starts.

So glad we squeezed a camping trip in this summer because we had such a great time. The kids were in heaven with all the rocks, sticks, and bugs to play with. We were also right next to a creek which was cool and refreshing.

It's been a year since I camped and I forgot how dirty everything gets, and no plumbing!! But it was worth it for a day or two. :) My favorite part was the beauty of our AZ forests and the smell and pine and fresh air. Especially right after a rain! 

Andrew joined us Friday afternoon since he had work. We went a s little hiked with us Saturday morning to see the source of the creek. Such a beautiful hike, and very doable for kids (only a mile or two long).  See Canyon has definitely become a new favorite campsite of ours!

favorites

It's been a busy Saturday and I didn't spend as much time with the kids.  I had a rehearsal and performance for one of Rob Gardener's choir and orchestra music and narration program in honor of Pioneer Day tomorrow.  We also perform tomorrow night.  I miss orchestra so this has been a good experience, even though it's not to the performance level I have done in the past.

I thought it would be fun to share some recent favorites of mine!  I discovered podcasts in the fall and started listening to them while running.  Now I also listen to them while running errands, folding laundry, etc..

My top 3 Podcasts:

1. Happier with Gretchen Rubin: She shares this podcast with her sister Elizabeth Craft and they are quite funny to listen to.  Gretchen is an author that delights in habit making.
2. The Lively Show: by Jess Lively.  Lots of interviews about growing a business and life with intention.  She's also been touring Europe lately and sharing those adventures.
3. Stuff You Missed in History: Hosted by Tracy and Holly these women are hilarious!  This is a place where you go to learn all sorts of random facts about people, places, events, etc... from all over the world throughout all of history.

My top 3 Blogs:

1. Style by Emily Henderson:  Emily is so talented in design and styling, has a great sense of humor, and is a mother of two living in CA.  Some of my favorite recent posts of hers are 84 Amazing Sofas Under $1000, Budget Friendly Ready-made Curtain Roundup, and The Best Wallpaper Roundup (Ever).  Such a good resource plus she has some dreamy design videos.
2. Love Taza:  I've been following Naomi and her adventures with her family since right after her first baby was born when they were living in Washington DC.  Now they have two more kids and live in NY.  They travel all over, but mostly I like her posts because they make me smile.
3. Little Green Notebook: Jenny Komenda is a designer that lives here in Arizona!  She doesn't post as often but she has a mature taste in design that I want more of in my life!  She also is the queen of DIY and makes it look so easy.  There are many projects she's posted that I want to tackle in my own home.

Ok those are a few of my current favorites.  Thanks for indulging me!

Ups and downs

I've been pretty busy the last couple days that I didn't make time to post here. I could have made time but i was doing things that were more important or things that I just wanted to do more, like watching Netflix and listening to podcasts. Life. I find the longer you put something off the harder it is to do it.

This is me not putting blogging off. A part of me wanted to wait another day and post a super exciting post but it's been pretty normal summer life over here. Ups and downs like usual. The ups today were taking the girls to the IDEA Musem and potting some pretty flowers and having an  extra productive day! :) The downs were Elliot throwing up and asking for a blessing, and the kids fighting about dumb things and me getting frustrated about dumb things.:) Well, tomorrow is another day! 

Grandma and grandpa's

If anything, I've learned the last several weeks of blogging almost daily is how unglamorous my life is.;) I also use my phone camera for everything. I used to be good about bringing out my DSLR camera out more often but my standards have slipped. :) Priorities! Well, today I'm sharing a normal afternoon at my parents. We watched Into the Woods. We listen to the soundtrack in the car all the time and the kids love it. Rupert has been more interested in Legos recently. It was a good afternoon.

time flies

The days are long but the years are short. This about sums up our life this summer. There are so many things I wanted to do with the kids and we only have two weeks left to get it all done! In two weeks Andrew's family fly out to LA where we will spend some time with them. Then they come back to AZ and before we know it, school starts! Here's to a fun-packed two weeks!

Elliot's party

Today was not a great day for a party. It's the middle of July and it's hot!! Elliot really wanted to play basketball at his birthday party so we really only had two options: book a church building and hope the kids don't play on the stage the whole time, or go to a park and risk heat exhaust. We went with option 2 and brought lots of water.:)

We picked a park with a shaded playground area and it worked out! My nephew Dean won the limbo game and even Rupert had a good time with the basketball. Mostly the kids played on the playground.

Later I took Avery on a date. McDonald's smoothies are actually pretty good! Andrew and I like to take turns taking the kids out on dates each month.

For our date tonight Andrew and I went to Joyride Tacos for the first time. My salad was amazing! There was arugula, red cabbage, avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoe, sunflower seeds, quinoa, bulgar, and a light dressing. This photo doesn't do it justice! Andrew's burrito was also very filling and appetizing. Next time we'll get tacos though since they're kinda the restaurant's specialty (hence the name).:)

Trevor and Spotsy

These toads are getting a lot of attention! I don't think Elliot and Avery appreciate that the frogs are nocturnal. They just want to hold them and play with them, and we took them swimming and wore them out! I was surprised that all 20 crickets I bought yesterday are gone! We are all learning together so it's been fun. I did warn the kids hat if it costs too much to feed the roads we might have to let the go. Either that or we need to go on regular bug hunts. :)