This Boy

Evan just continues to crack me up and amaze me at the same time. This summer he has really become so much more grown up and still hilarious. He made it his mission to replicate the videos he's seen where people were able to snap a popsicle tube in half, and he finally figured it out this week:

He is also a beast. See that big empty yard:

There used to be a trampoline there, but he helped me take it all about! He really is a tank, and it made the job so much easier. I did the research on how to do it and got the net down, but he did all the breaking down of the base. We tag-teamed all the springs and the haul away. One more step in the backyard redesign down!
 

Summer Storms

We are in afternoon storm season in North Carolina. It seems like every afternoon or evening we get a good thunderstorm. Yesterday was my late night on campus, and I got to watch this beauty roll in:

I love my job, and this office is a definite perk. That view is just unmatched, and I love watching the world--storms, students, and the occasional flock of birds.
 

Much Needed Rest

This weekend we intentionally did very, very little. We have all been insanely busy, Brad is still recovering, and it's so hot. We did have two highlights, the first of which was Saturday breakfast:

Imagine a potato skin combined with a twice baked potato and a dippy egg. It was perfection.

And Sunday I got the Wordle on the first try:

The rest of the weekend was resting, binge watching, and just enough housekeeping to get us afloat. It was just what we needed.
 

Goof Balls

Jet and Tora individually bring us a lot of joy, but together they are absolute hilarity. This is how they napped yetserday:

Evan was worried about poor Jet getting squished, so he moved Tora to the chair, which meant Jet moved, too:

I'm so glad they are such good friends and keep us laughing.
 

The Start of the Season

The 2022-23 Dance Season is officially underway, and I'm so excited to have these team pictures to commemorate the beginning. This is the whole team post-coronation:

And this is the high school team:

Two new members joined the original four, and I'm so proud of the way they have already bonded! We hosted them while they got ready for this photo shoot. I actually sat on the couch and had a good cry listening to them laugh. It's hard to believe we only have two years left. I always wanted to be the house that hosted gaggles of kids, and I will miss all of them when Issa launches!
 

Monarch Family Weekend

The 2022-23 Dance Season is officially underway! Coronation Camp ended with a series of family activities this week. Saturday, our day began with a family hike up Occaneechee Mountain. This is Issa's buddy group this year:

Evan struck a ninja pose as part of the photo scavenger hunt:

Issa got the points for hug a tree:

Look at those boys:

Issa really is so strong. She carried her buddy for half the hike:

Sunday we had the official coronation ceremony and family talent show! Brad got to wear Issa's antennae for a while: 

We did a Ninja Dance routine that won us the Best Executed Award! We are very proud!

 

A Moment

We came back from vacation to pure craziness! Issa in her team dance camp all week, and I'm in the depth of registering all of the incoming freshmen. We are running around like crazy people. All that crazy makes me even more grateful for little moments of pause:

 This little butterfly found my petunias this morning, and the few moments of watching him were just what I needed.

Beach Vibes

We got home yesterday from a glorious week at Kure Beach. I didn't take many pictures, but we had a fabulous house with two ocean-viewing decks less than two blocks to the ocean. I loved the lower deck; it seems to get more breeze and was the perfect reading spot:

We also had a little den that was perfect for Lego building:

And puzzling:

We played Apples to Apples:

And just generally enjoyed a much-needed quiet week. Brad was only able to join us for the first weekend because work is so crazy, but we took him with us to the aquarium in spirit:

Evan also recreated the frog statue picture for us:

We did manage to do the traditional photo shoots! Issa started with her contemporary costume:

Shannon does an amazing job capturing those dance photos! We tried to take Flat Bradley to the beach, but you can't see him in the sun:

This year we added some cool silhouette pictures, too:

Evan decided he wanted to do some ninja photos this year!

And I'm loving these sibling pictures:

We went for shell walks a few mornings:

And this was out first beach trip with our tent! It was a game changer:

Every day but Thursday (rip tides) the three of us spent a good chunk of time in the ocean:

I went in with them a lot, but it is also really lovely to have big kids who can plan while I sit and enjoy:

Nana came down to cheer from the shore:

The second photo shoot Evan got in his black belt:

And Issa did ballet:

Look at those pointe shoes:

Friday was our last full day, and we made the most of the ocean one more time:

And Evan finally finished his Lego car:

We also got in a few more hands of Spoons and the longest game of Crazy Eights in the history of the world:

A week on the shore was just what I needed, but it's good to be home and back with Brad.