Connection Time!

It's that time of the month to take some time and catch up, sit down, drink a cup of coffee, and connect.  We've been so busy this summer and yet in so many ways, our summer has been so quiet.  I am savoring this time to slow down with the boys during the day.  There hasn't been as much rushing around in the monring and on most days, we just stay home.  It's really quite wonderful!  I've even ordered a lot of our snacky foods from Amazon pantry, I haven't done a ton of grocery shopping.  We've played games, built lego creations, made art, read books, and went on adventures.

Pretty much everything that I had on my summer project list hasn't been touched.  There just hasn't been time!  And I am okay with that.  Spending time with the boys has been wonderful.  As these kids get older, they are going to need less from me and right now, if they need me to play a game of Clue or Uno with them, I am going to jump right in.  The time they are kids is flying by and so I have just been savoring.

We only have two weeks left of summer.  Super sad face over here.  We've got several more Summer Pinterest Challenges planned (we are just having too much fun doing them!), so be on the lookout for those!  Also, have you done anything inspired by Pinterest?  I would love to hear about it.  Post a picture on my facebook page or on instagram and use the #ootrbsummerpinchallenge so we can encourage each other in this little community over here.

So. . . July has been amazing! We had a wonderful time with family swimming and doing fireworks.  This year, we bought a ton of glow sticks for the kids and they were a big hit!  I love our time with family and watching my sons play with their cousins.  Then, it was time to get ready for our vacation.  Jon took two weeks off and we headed out to Chicago for our biggest adventure yet!  The kids walked and walked and we saw soooo many things.  It was really wonderful!  I will probably do a blog post about Chicago and Kids because it is a great place for a family vacation!

I've also been meeting up with some sweet friends and studying Romans with She Reads Truth.  We just finished it and I am so sad that it will be ending.  We are celebrating this week with an Italian Feast.   I can't wait!

We even managed to get to the library for their science morning!  The boys had such a great time learning about matter and making flubber, blubbles, and making balloons explode! 

Now, time for our little exercise. Each month, I post the same starter questions and I go through the list and answer each ones.  Then, you, pick a few (or all) and head to the bottom of the post and comment on the blog with yours or head to Facebook or Instagram and comment there.  Here we go:

Outside my window. . . the sun is shining.  A lot.  It's really hot and we are hiding inside.

I am thinking that I should get started on planning Ethan's birthday.  We finally picked a theme and it is going to be EPIC!

From the kitchen not much is happening.  It's just too hot to cook, I'm out of chocolate chips, and ants.  We have ants hanging out in our kitchen sink.  I've cleaned and sprayed and cleaned and they keep finding new spots.  They will go away eventually.  Anyways, I am not even cooking dinner tonight!  Yay for take out!

I am wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt.  I actually got dressed earlier to take the kids to swim lessons, but I mopped the floor and cleaned up ants to we are totally comfortable over here!

I am creating absolutely nothing right now.  Maybe that will change this weekend.  We will see. 

I am going on back to school dates with each of my boys this weekend.  It's our anual tradition where they I get some one on one time with each kiddo before school starts.  We raid Target and stock up on school supplies and go eat at a restaurant of their choice.  They are so excited!

I am reading The Turquoise Table by Kristin Schell and it is sooo good!  If you are looking for tangible ways to build community in your neighborhood, this is a great idea! 

I am hoping to find a new blow drying brush.  Mine broke this morning and it's only like 2 months old.  I loved the sweet thing and it was wonderful.  Now I don't know what to do because I need one to last more than a couple of months.   Recommendations anyone?  I don't like the ones that have the big thick bristle with a ball at the end.  Super sad face over here.

I am hearing not much today.  The air conditioner is going because it's hot.  Bleh.  My brain is telling me that there is hope though. . . school starts soon which means it's almost pumpkin spice latte time! 

Around the House we are cleaning and playing and honestly, it's been really hard to find a good balance this summer because there is constantly something being taken out or being built. 

One of my favorite things has been sleeping in.  Man. . . I am really going to miss summer!  How many days until Thanksgiving break? 

A few plans for the week I have sweet dates with both of my boys this weekend.  We have a few more Pinterest challenge pins to take on before summer is over, so there's that.  And, I think that I am going to Binge watch the last season of NCIS. 

What I am listening to honestly, we've been playing the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack and Moana soundtrack non stop.  Really, that's our summer.  Confession: not really tired of it yet.  I'm okay with that.  Oh, and we've been on a Descendents 2 kick. . . so the kids have created their own soundtrack to that (I haven't told them the soundtrack actually exists. . . ha ha). 

  Now, it's your turn!  Grab your coffee and let's connect! You don't have to do them all! I can't wait to hear from you! You can even private message me if you don't want to make it public. 

Outside my window
I am thinking
From the kitchen
I am wearing
I am creating
I am going
I am reading
I am hoping
I am hearing
Around the House
One of my favorite things
A few plans for the week
What I am listening to

Have a great weekend!