The Good and the Not So Good

So mid-August has been delightful temperatures in the mid-70s with wonderful breezes. Great for my daily workout schedule outdoors, great for family walks, great for finding sticks with which to hit grass with and discover large rocks you just HAVE to have, ha. Great for picnics, and bike rides (Thanks, Auntie Krista and Uncle Jesse!!), and porch-sitting, and playing in the park.

Of course, as I mentioned before, our summer has been chock full of many other things as well! Wonderful evenings with our life group from church (11 kids under the age of 9? Thank goodness for babysitters!!) several times are always full of food and good conversation. We took a Saturday to go visit the Maryland Science Center on the Baltimore Harbor (thanks, mom!), and Levi really enjoyed everything from learning how pulleys work to Legos to a water play table to a dramatic movie about penguin life to playing with bubbles outside. Theo mostly enjoyed some squishy blocks and watching everyone, and also napping during the movie :) Levi and Tim have been to the local children's amusement park several times - Dutch Wonderland, and had a blast each time on "the trains, mommy!" among other rides designed for the tiny ones.We spent a weekend in D.C. visiting an epic friend and hitting up the National Building Museum, the zoo, riding the metro, and walking around a local market and the capital. We also trekked up to New Hampshire and spent some time with Tim's family -- peach picking, sitting out on their lovely deck, roasting marshmallows, picking tasty vegetables, and playing in the sprinkler.

That's the good news. The bad news is that our lives have encountered an unexpected twist. Tim was laid off on Friday. It came without any warning, and of course, after things we can't take back, like the significant money we've spent on home improvements this summer. Please keep us in your prayers, since he'll be home wrangling the kids while also trying to put in the time/phone calls/meetings to network and find a new job. And if you're local, feel free to contact us with any connections or ideas you might have! (Tim mainly focuses on finance and operations improvement)

Get ready for the pictures, because there are MANY :)

This lasted for less than 3 minutes...

Marshmallow roasting with Papa

The Capitol building in D.C. The
palm trees are an odd addition.

Levi, hat designer. 

Make-your-own doughnut in NH with cousin
Micah!

Baking monster cookies with the monsters!

Superman ice cream?? Yes, please!

Theo enjoys one of his birthday gifts. Levi...sulks. 

Scooooore! (I mean...strike?)

Mostly eating the frosting off his alligator cupcake. Yum :)

Levi "teaching" his older and wiser neighbor buddy, Kai,
the many fascinating things about Lightning McQueen

Levi insisted on holding his own umbrella in D.C.
I didn't mind a bit ;)

First ride on the metro, or as Levi calls it "the monorail."
After overcoming his initial hesitation, he and Tim spent
an evening riding back and forth on the trains.

Family selfie! ...Minus Theo

Pickin' up pretty ladies on the street in D.C.

Theo flying an airplane!

Above the elephant's area at the National
Zoo. Someone was trying to crawl away. 

Boy shot near the sea lions. 

On our way to pick some delicious peaches. Matt and I
did, in fact, call each other to coordinate in advance. 

Mommy loves getting kisses almost as much as
 she loves giving them :)

Theo also had fun?

All four monsters riding down the hill!

Theo and his most favorite thing.

Tractor riding! Levi steered all the way back up the hill
and parked it by himself. 

Tomato picking with Nannan.