Jake took the girls and one of his sisters out west to the Orange Spectacular this evening, complete with a tractor pull. Shecklet #4 even found a chainsaw 😆 (Yes, I know my tractor emoji is John Deere-colored. I apologize to the Allis-Chalmers devotees.)
It’s the middle of summer and we are just getting out for our first ride on the single track trails. It was a beautiful morning. We went to the park with friends and got several miles in before the rain came through. Great way to start a Saturday!
This girl is full of energy and fun every day. This collage captures just a snapshot of what I’m referring to.
The boys were tasked with cleaning the rocks in the garden where we planted the new popsicle tree. It was heavy, dirty work but the final result looks beautiful!
This baby was placed in my Walmart cart, so I took that as a hint that it was supposed to find it’s way to our home. I don’t often surprise Jake, but this time I did. I’m not sure he imagined I would actually purchase it for him. Surprise!
Three of the kids helped assemble it.
Then it had to be out to use! (The kids figured out the air fryer pretty quickly.)
We also celebrated Grandpa Dave’s and Aunt Bri’s birthdays.
After a multi-year hunt, I finally found a replacement for the mini popsicle tree we used to have in the front garden. My initial thought was that it was going to be too large, but it ended up being the perfect size. The guys ended up planting it for me. I love it!
The Mavericks had an exciting season this spring, culminating in a third place finish at the state tournament. Shecklet #1 has played family frisbee with a lot of the kids on his team, but this was the first time he had played at the high school level of intensity. His teams’ games were so fun to watch!
Larissa and Shecklet #1 planned a Hawaiian-themed birthday celebration for the two of them at Grandma & Grandpa’s house. Jake even grilled pineapple – it was delicious!
We continue to return to “normal” after two years of abnormal. I was able to chaperone a school field trip to the zoo with Shecklet #4’s class. The group of girls I followed around had a mix of “run and see everything” and “read every single sign at every exhibit” kids. I didn’t have a problem getting my steps in today.
Two years since we said goodbye. It feels like yesterday and forever ago all at the same time. A friend posted this quote from St. Oscar Romero on social media and felt it was a accurate description for what I often feel when I shed tears about not having Astrid physically present with us.
We visited the cemetery tonight after dinner and brought flowers and mini cupcakes to celebrate our sweet little saint. Happy Birth Day, Astrid! We love and miss you so much!
