At my house, we live for summer. It is what gets us through the rest of the year. The days are long, the sun is shining, the lake is warmish and life is pretty carefree. This summer, we had some bumps in our road. Big bumps. But at the same time, we loved every second of this beautiful summer. And we were busy. Crazy busy. And we were happy!
It's been 3 months since my last post. Partly because I was busy. Partly because I didn't know if I could get past all of the crazy things going on in life. But this summer will go down as one of the best. Truly. Despite all of the hard things that life has dealt us, there has been a lot of happy. So much happy.
So here we go. My 100 happiest things of summer:
100. The last day of first grade and the start of summer
99. I finally got rid of my old computer...by giving it to Ben to take apart.
98. Emily smiled at me!!
97. I got a project funded on Donorschoose.org. Teachers buy a lot of things for their classrooms. This website helps teachers get the things they need for teaching the future. If you want to make someone's day, go make a donation. Even a small one can make a big difference. PSA over.
96. Ice cream summer! We. Ate. So. Much. Ice cream.
95. Friends. We have the best friends. So much fun. So much help. Hilarious. Awesome kids. Seriously, the best.
94. Baseball game!
93. My girls. We have been friends for 16 years. Being with them makes my heart happy.
92. My friends' kids. I love that our kids know each other. I love that our kids get to play together. I just love when we are all together.
91. Sunshine.
90. Sleeping in.
89. This smile
88. Sparklers!
87. Jammies!!
86. Girl talk
85. The annual play date with my high school friends
84. These girls. Friends since middle and high school!
83. This toothless grin
82. Naps. I love naps.
81. These four, together again.
80. My nephew.
79. Cousins!!
78. My other nephew
77. Have I mentioned the sun?
76. My family. I love them always. They have done more for me this summer than I can ever thank them for.
75. This boy. He loves his mama. Hope that never ever changes.
74. 5 of my grandpa's great grandchildren in the row boat he built many many years ago.
73. My cousin. I don't have a sister, but I do have a cousin. She lives far away but when she is here, all is right with the world.
72. Buddies
71. Rock Club (and Book Club, and every other club these two came up with)
70. This guy
69. And his pretty sister
68. Boating with some of my favorite kids all summer. Going faster! And letting everyone take a turn behind the wheel.
67. Abby skied! All by herself!
66. The lake. Seriously my happy place. Everything about it is so perfect.
65. Books. I read this summer! Books I picked out! That weren't about teaching!
64. Auntie Katie. Everyone should have an Auntie Katie.
63. Doing what we want, when we want. School and sports really get in the way of that.
62. Making s'mores. Inside. When it was 85 degrees. Darn burn ban!
61. Floating.
60. Movies in the park
59. A fun day with my friend from waaaaaaay back and our kids
58. Colorful tank tops and pretty smiles!
57. Beach creatures!
56. Beach buddies!
55. Little boys who play in sand
54. And little girls who aren't afraid to get dirty
53. Eye rolling. It doesn't make me all that happy when it is happening but this picture makes me smile #7goingon17
52. The news that this little boy is going to be a big brother (and make me an auntie again!!)
51. Annual family triathlon
50. Kids who are awesome swimmers
49. And bike riders
48. And runners
47. Aunties that are willing to hold a hand
46. Does my heart proud that he just kept running, even though he was tired
45. Winners!
44. Lying on the dock and napping, I mean, uh, reading
43. Jumping off the dock
42. Belly flops
41. Snuggles with Grandpa
40. My daredevil knee boarding
39. and belly boarding
38. These three spending the last days of summer together before they all head off to second grade. Wait, second grade??!?!!
37. Last summer, Ben had a fall on the knee board that really scared him and he vowed to never try again. Alas, some promises were meant to be broken...
36. My other nephew
35. Again, I say the sun! Could this summer have been any nicer??
34. Meetin' the new teachers
33. More jumping. More Auntie Katie
32. My Mom.
31. I LOVE that my kids slept out in the playroom every night this summer. Tonight, I snuggled them into their own beds for the first time since the last day of school.
30. Listening as Abby read to Ben each night after I put them to bed may be what I will miss most about this summer.
29. Sunsets at the lake
28. New babies! (I know...we have issues)
27. This view. The lake, the boards, the dock...so many of my faves in one pic!
26. The fruit plate made with love by my sweet girl
25. Half birthday parties, because you only turn seven and a half once!
24. Friends who were willing to cry with me at all hours and make sure I was laughing before we hung up. You know who you are.
23. Snuggles from my kids in the morning.
22. Snuggles from my kids at night.
21. Snuggles from my kids whenever they are willing to give them to me.
20. Twins. And how twinny they can be at times.
19. When I tell you my life is a circus, well, it is...
18. Taking my kids to the PLU track, where I spent many many hours during college brought back lots of happy memories
17. Our 6th Annual Family Swim across the lake. My kids have been doing this swim since they were two!
16. A much needed weekend at Seabrook (that place is so cute! go there!) with my girls.
15. Listening to my kids read.
14. Okay, last one. I promise. But you guys, I love the sun!
13. Cousin sleepovers
12. A three day trip to Yakima to spend time with friends we don't see near enough
11. Quite possibly the cutest flashback ever
10. Swimming pools. Lakes. Beaches. Just, water. I love being in the water.
9. These 3
8. Subway. We've kept that place in business this summer! If it's good enough for Jared it is good enough for us! Back to school means back to eating real food at home!
7. School supplies. I love them. I love the pens and the crayons and the notebooks and the binders. I love them. They make me happy.
6. I paid off my student loans!
5. Jokes. The kids got a book of 1001 jokes. They aren't that funny unless you are 7 (or grandpa) but it is funny to listen to the laughter that comes from all of it.
4. Impromptu dinners and play dates with friends.
3. Adventures! Our summer was full of them!
2. Every single day I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be the mama to these two. They are sweet and witty and smart and funny and brave and more grown up by the day. I love them so very much.
1. I am so glad that. despite everything, this summer is one that will go down in the books as fun and happy.
I did it! I found 100 things that made me happy this summer! I love summer for so many reasons. Tomorrow morning, real life returns and summer comes to a screeching halt. But as my friend reminded me, it is merely a 9 month pause until we get to start all over again. So thank you, summer, for all you do for us. Until we meet again.
