Summer Fun

I have not been very good about posting stuff this summer.  And it has finally gotten nice outside!  We have tried to take advantage of it as much as possible.  So here is one ridiculously long post about the fun stuff we've been up to.

 Went to our cabin at Crescent Lake and enjoyed the really hot weather.  I burned and peeled! And I even put on SPF 50.  I think that is honestly a first.  That's how hot it was.

 Which is a good thing because the water could not have been warmer than 55 degrees.  

 Still, it is gorgeous.  You can see clear down to the bottom forever and even though it's a little chilly, it felt so good.

 Went to the Splash park with friends.  Briz loves Jaron and loves giving him hugs and kisses.  She's quite forward.

 Basked in the sun, tried to improve her tan with Piper.

Has been loving her friends a little too much!

 Enjoyed her "strawberry shortcake" slurpy on 7/11 (Everything is strawberry shortcake flavor these days).

 Went fishing with Dad.  She loves it, however, her attention span is about 2 minutes long when it comes to fishing.  Nick and I have tried a few different places and have yet to catch anything, but I will!  

 Spending time with Aunt Sisi.  Briz loves Sisi.  She used to hate her, but it's all changed now.  When she was here, Briz would follow her around and anytime she left the room would yell, "Sisi, where are you going?!?"  She will now wear something if Sisi likes it.

 Briz went surfing with her Dad behind the Nelson's boat.  She was very scared, but we've been working a lot this summer on her conquering some of her fears (other huge fears she has right now are snakes and bugs).

 

Tubing!  I think she's crying here and Julia and I are laughing.  But she did like it most of the time.

 I totaled our Honda Civic.  Yes, the beloved green machine is gone.  It's sad, but Nick keeps telling people I crashed it on purpose, because I got this beaut in return.  We got a Honda Pilot and I could not love it more.  It seriously makes me happy.  Didn't know a car could do that. 

 Buzzed Dad's head and went to the beach (not in the same day).

Went to Farmers Market in downtown Portland.  Briz used her "own money" to buy a butterfly ring. It was pretty ugly, and I realized it was my first experience of allowing her to make stupid financial purchases.  It's a good lesson for me to start learning now because I know it will be a life long battle for me.  What can I say? I'm very uptight and controlling when it comes to money.  But I'm workin' on it.

 Got sand all over her booty at the beach.  Just like her little behind.  That's all.

 We have flown kites a few times.  One of Briz' favorite things.  

 Walked around downtown Portland without pants and shoes (only Briz did this, but I have thought about it for myself).

 Have played LOTS and LOTS of candyland.  Oh geeze, I hate this game now.

 Lots of daily battles, lots of arguing, whining, crying, and power struggles :)  This little girl exhausts me!  I continue to prescribe to Love and Logic Style of Parenting for the most part.  But somehow she has learned how to manipulate and negotiate around choices and consequences.  Sometimes I wish she were more stupid.

 Have played dress up a lot and read lots of Tinkerbell books.  

We have swam a bit.  Never as much as I would like.  But Briz has started swimming without her water wings from time to time.  Getting her to be daring in the water still generally involves me bribing her with food or money.

 Getting excited for this and Nick has been working his ass off trying to prepare for this (I also had the chance to move to London for three months but I can't talk about it right now without falling into a deep depression).

In the meantime, I have been working for this man, trying to do my part to get him elected  (Please note that the last two pictures capture about 96.4 % of what we have spent our summer doing).

Other things not captured in pictures:

- I got a stress fracture in my left foot.  I have been wearing a boot around (although  not as much as I'm supposed to because I HATE it).  I get to start going for walks this weekend!  Woohoo!

- Trying to enjoy all the time we can together as a little family, cherishing all of our fun, chaotic, busy, boring, and hard moments.