Summer has ended and here we are. It flew by in a flurry of searching for swimsuits, laughter, tantrums, lost shoes, visiting the library, visiting friends, road trip after road trip, bananagrams, cousins, watermelon and mosquito bites.
John headed back to work. My daycare days resumed. School supplies have been organized, paperwork filled out and even the weather seems to have cooled. Breezes blow and there is no denying that fall is coming.
At first I was cranky about the end of our Extravagant Summer. It seemed to just go by so fast, I felt we careened into fall and I just wasn’t ready for it to be over. But then I counted all the gifts of the summer and they were too many to number…fall will bring as many good things. This much I know.
God has begun so much in me this summer, He has worked out so much in me this summer and I can’t wait to sort it out and share it with you.
But for now…here’s our Extravagant Summer in photos. In lots and lots of photos.
Leaving the Sound and the little kids went in the car with Nonnie, but I still had one “baby” to push in the stroller!
We had fun at the art museum on their free day!
Claire, Sam and Luke at Ezra’s birthday party!
At Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head
OBX baby!
Vacation with 24 was nothing but fun!
The kids love going out on the golf course at Nana and Papa’s!
We did it! We climbed all those stairs!
Our 16 Kids at the Manteo aquarium on our July
OBX vacation
Cousins and friends at Aunt Amy’s!
Beloved Julia turned 21! John made this for her!
Nora officially outgrew her preemie bed!
Our Aubrey graduated from high school
We got to celebrate Polly’s 85th birthday with her!
Our ducklings have grown so fast!
Our only two boys!
We got our ducklings as eggs and they incubated at Pappy’s for 28 days!
Claire at the Island Farm
We loved spending time with family in the mountains in June
My dad does so much for us and he is an amazing grandfather. Here he is on his birthday with his nine grandkids!
Claire, ready to go home!
These three in the mountains. I love them.
Julia and her friends on the 4th!
Chase dancing with his little sister in the OBX
Sometimes you’re too tired for the beach
Love these big smiles!
Hated to say good bye (for now) to my dear friend Tracy.
Nora found out that she loves the swing at Pappy’s
Lila is in love with the ducklings.
Claire has always been fascinated with this egg at Polly’s house. I love that she will have so many special memories of her great grandmother.
We made owl masks at the Va Living Museum
My day was made when Leah and Bethany Tombley stopped by to see me. I love these girls.
Chase and Lila doctored a turtle at the Manteo Aquarium
Philip and Ezra have the same birthday! It’s Ezra’s first here.
I can only imagine what Lila and Addy Lin are discussing
Sisters!
Nora learned to sit up at nine months old!
Two big pieces of my heart.
I am deathly afraid of heights…but I did it! Here I am with Julia and Miranda
Aubrey spent the summer becoming awesome at the ukelele. Here, she and Lila are singing together
Gunkie read the kids a story
Duck Donuts…no explanation needed
Celebrating our Tracy before she got on a plane for Texas. Lots of tears at the airport…
Claire and Lila are having a dinner party.
You know, one of the things I love about summer is that I have John with me all the time.
We took a jillion trips to Busch Gardens and this is the one and only time I wore a skirt. Very difficult to get in and out of kid rides in a skirt!
I mean, is there a cuter smile?
John didn’t have too much school over the summer but here he is doing grad school work at the beginning of the summer.
These two cuties wanted to drive the tractor!
My five girls in front of the ocean.
Our cousin Caleb is one of my favorite people.
Loved spending time with Marilee in the mountains!
Happy 1st birthday, Nephew!
Claire and Daddy!
Sharpie Tie Dye with #4 and #5!
I love a Tombley sighting! Here I am with Micah.
Chase did a lot of this over the summer!
That looks says it all!
See…there she is with that ukelele again!
Manteo aquarium
Sometimes I can’t catch my breath when I think about where Nora and I have come from.
This girl looks so much like her daddy!
Chase is an amazing brother to his little sisters. Claire loves him like crazy.
Nora on the beach.
Ducklings
Playing with Lizzie
Sci Works Museum in Winston Salem
If Chase is around, Claire is too!
Nora at the Island Farm
Nora was not for sure if she liked swimming or not