July was the height of summer happiness at our house this year - the one FULL month of summer with no school, no college, nothing but fun all around. Of course, fun and a whole lot of work! But first the fun, in the kitchen-
at Adventureland-
(those are my babies!)
and kicking off the month with our favorite patriotic tradition - Yankee Doodle Pops!
This was easily the hottest year we've experienced so far.
The kids spent the entire evening in the shade.
And the circle of friends kept growing! I love this tradition because we almost always invite different friends to join us, and it's such an easy ask. Just come hang out and enjoy the music and fireworks!
Grace and her sister Emma joined us toward the end of the evening and we realized we were overextended by seatbelts by 3. That resulted in driving Jane home, then driving back to pick everyone up and carefully get these cute girls home.
We had visitors in July! We loved having Uncle Bubba, Auntie Jen, and Cousin Juniper here for one night only on their way to Vermont. They brought animals and Grandpa Mark with them too!
They liked our yard just as much as we hoped they would!
Another super hot day, and not a fish to be found in the lake.
Laney was thrilled to meet her puppy cousins.
Emma was delighted to meet this little leopard gecko.
She looks chill, but she was pretty nervous about Uncle Bubba's warning that he would drop his tail if she spooked him!
We did find a few other little friends in the yard.
Emma took this picture!
Me and my little brother!
There is nothing quite so magical as catching fireflies with someone who never has before.
We all wanted them to stay longer!
Adam's keyboard has been the best Christmas present that we've all enjoyed all year long.
He and I went to a jazz band jam one summer night.
Just a good and lazy drive to somewhere.
One major part of our July was Emma's three week nannying job. She gave her all to these sweet kids and came home every day with so much gratitude and appreciation for what it takes to be a patient, loving, deliberate parent. And now she knows just how devastating it can be when a sandwich is cut in the wrong way or how annoying it is when kids don't just share! Noah and I helped Emma take the kids on an outing each week, first to the nearby lake to catch fish and throw a wrinkly apple into the water over and over again and to climb the same magical tree my kids used to climb when they were little. 
The kids were genuinely afraid of the dinosaurs that were moving and growling, and Emma was delighted with my ability to navigate them past by putting down the stroller shades and making silly jokes while zipping them to safety.
These babies love Emma so much.
Look at that hand hold of trust!
And the third week we went to one of our favorite summer spots - Union Park! My babies are just a little bit big for the rocket slide these days.
And the up and down of the carousel can be a bit too much - the bench for the win!
The next week we went to the zoo!
Emma and Leah in a nutshell.
Just hanging out on the couch.
Ahh, the point 5's.
For Noah, some summer days meant entertaining himself or hanging out with the parents. Look at this big tree and this big boy!
Sweet lonely youngest child, happy to be whittling wood.
Puppy Laney, freshly shorn!
Leah worked and worked all July long. She came home looking like a dust cloud most days.
Noah learned stage combat in July!
Very convincing.
Unfortunately, this led to a real punch in the face by Adam - at Adam's birthday party in front of friends no less. Poor Noah was sporting this look for weeks.
Noah and I went on an epic bike ride in July, and we needed all the encouragement from the family to keep going in the heat and humidity!
We also did a little geocaching with the father.
The boys found the geocaches, the poison ivy found me.
Of course, we had to visit Noah's favorite downtown spot this summer - the skate park!
He makes it look so easy!
And one summer night, we just felt like being silly. It's easier to be silly in summertime!
And that was only the first half of our July!
