July Catch-Up | Part Two

The day before my birthday was one of our weekly park play dates. Jake was so funny on the swing - completely intrigued with his shadow going back and forth, just hanging there like that for probably ten minutes or so. :)

After the park, we stopped by Cold Stone Creamery to get my buy one get one free birthday ice cream treat (split four ways). Yummy!

The day of my birthday I had bunch of canned tuna orders to fill but I ran out of tuna! My mother-in-law was gracious to meet me half-way so that I didn't have to drive all the way to Westport to get more tuna and my mom was gracious to let the boys take their naps at her house so that they didn't have to make the ride. On our way back, Abby talked me into stopping at a lake park near the highway in Elma that we had always seen from the road but. We could only stay for a few minutes since I was pressed for time to get the tuna orders filled and in the mail, but it made for a very nice and unexpected memory for my otherwise very mundane birthday. :)

The day after my birthday, the kids and I, along with my brother and his son, went to the drive-in movie theater in Shelton to celebrate our birthdays (my brother's is the day before mine). It was my first time to a drive-in, and while we had a nice time, I doubt I'll be back again as it didn't seem worth the trouble to me - I'll stick to Netflix from the comfort of my own couch. :)

Waiting for the movie to begin.

On the last day of July, we had another play date, but instead of meeting at a park, we met at the Thurston County Fair on one-buck Wednesday! Two other mommas from church and their kiddos joined us and we got mistaken for a day care a couple of times. :o)

We ended up staying a LOT later than our friends...all the way until 6pm! Eight hours at the fair - oh yeah. :) Can you tell that we like fairs? So much to do and see! Animals, tractor pulls, exhibits, one-dollar rides (and free ones since a stranger gave us about 25 ride tickets!), model train sets, etc. My mom came to the fair later with my niece and nephew so we joined up with them for awhile. It was so much fun!

The kids showing off their entries: potatoes, carrots, onions, yellow zucchini, peas, tomatoes, lavender, a leek head, and self-designed vegetable "critters." Both Abby and Ben got a special youth award this year (you can see the top part of Ben's big blue ribbon behind him).

It was a great close to a great July!