JULY RECAP!

How is it AUGUST already?!
Eventually I'll be back at weekly or bi-weekly updates, but I'm trying to give myself grace and remember that it's just the season I'm in.
Prepare for photo overload - it's been a FULL MONTH!

Reptile Man will always be a favorite of the library programs. Marli didn't take much interest...there were STAIRS to be climbed!


I wonder if her genes will serve her in basketball someday?!


She's becoming QUITE the daredevil... She can climb on top of all the couches (and fearlessly falls backwards), and the tables! 

NEW FOODS THIS MONTH:

LOVED sloppy joe's
(so did JACK! He hopped up on the table when everyone was gone and ate the leftovers waiting for Evan! Ha!)


Practicing loading her spoon herself...calls for lots of "wipe baths"


Definite alfredo pasta fan...


Tried apricots for the first time and - no surprise - she loves em!


Spoonfuls of PB and chocolate chips!


And, of course, LOTS of berries - blackberries, raspberries, blueberries!


Riley bought these fun straw builder things and built a fort to surprise Marli with in the morning! OH we're going to MISS HER!



Ward Fourth of July breakfast!



I can't BELIEVE how fast she's learning lately

LOTS of boating this month. Marli LOVES the water.




"Reading" the boat warning stickers
("ooooo eeeeeee oooooooo eeeeee")


She assumes there's watermelon every time we're on the boat now -
she asks for it immediately after getting on! ("Melo-mela")



Beach day w/ Moore family for Grandpa's birthday!
Got to see Aunt Becky and Aunt Debbie and their kids, too!

NOT a sand fan!


But a DEFINITE chocolate cake fan!


Now we cover our shoe shelf with a blanket when we're gone...


Went to get Salt and Straw to get ice cream to share with Tama and Mark...we had to pay up on a LONG TIME Rook bet. We made sure to sample some, too, since we were already there...


So surreal to watch Marli play with toys that I REMEMBER playing with growing up...

One more project before he's off! Built some gates for Grammy's porch so that Marli and Jack can roam freely...
Does it make sense NOW why I have several Pinterest boards of projects saved especially for Evan?? AMAZING builder!

Fun with soap "paints"

LOVE the library for so many reasons...their kid section is one of them!

Oh, ya know...keeping Charley "in his place..." (yes, he's under the rug)

Our tomato garden is EXPLODING!! Anyone have a good salsa recipe??

Got to see Nan and Pop! They made sure to come by to see Evan before he headed out to school.

Broke out the badminton stuff... 
any other sisters have memories of hitting slugs and strawberries with these rackets? hehehe

Got to see Polly and Ammon and "Oligah!" Marli LOVES them all!

Both Jack and Marli like "eyyyee" (ice) on hot days!

Got to see Brad and Kaci and their kiddos one last time before Evan headed out. They treated us to all kinds of yummy treats. Even got to tour their GORGEOUS new house.

Went bowling with Polly and Ammon and Polly SMOKED us all! Didn't see THAT coming....
I call I rematch, Polly. I think it was luck. ;)

She's learned what to do when we ask her to smile...I LOVE her shining goofy personality!

GORGEOUS flowers from Portland State's incredible Saturday market

Got to share Evan's FAVORITE EVER wing place with Polly, Ammon, and Charley
(Fire on the Mountain in Portland)


LOVES his dogs...


So lucky to get lots of Polly loves this past month!

I definitely had NO PART in this game... it was an intense couple of hours.


Oh the things Charley goes through with when his brothers in law are around...

LOVE THIS.


Blackberry picking in the back fields with Grammy


One last family BBQ at Mark and Tama's before Wes and Evan headed out.
Mark made his HEAVENLY gorgonzola burgers. Such a fun evening with family!


And, just like that...he's gone.
So, so proud to be married to this man. Miss him lots.
Oregon map shirt from Nan and Pop and IT FITS and HE LOVES IT.
(I love it, too, but it'll be another couple weeks before I can swipe it as a nightgown...haha!)


He's so good and succumbed to my wishes of sending me a few pics of their journey.
This is apparently the best BBQ in Kansas!


One of the best...


They MADE IT! So, so grateful to Wesley for helping get Evan out there. Evan said he'd do the road trip again, just in a car next time - he thought it was neat to see so much of the U.S.


FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PIC!!
On his first day of school pic for his second year, he'll have TWO KIDS in his arms! GAH!

Meanwhile, back on the west coast...Storytime is a LOT busier with the toddler ages than the 0-12 months!


Any way we can convince you guys to transfer dental schools to NC? Marli asks about "Ama" (Ammon) and "Papa" (Polly) and "Oligah" almost everyday


Got out with 4 minutes to spare in our first family escape room!
Fairly confident we would NOT have escaped without Polly, Ammon, and Riley.
They were the only ones who had done one before, and they helped us clueless folks a TON
(Not to mention I was a bit preoccupied with a hungry toddler...)


Cheesecake factory sweet potato fries will always have our hearts.


Would it ACTUALLY be summer without blueberry picking?!
We're still working on the concept of putting our pickings in the bucket and not directly into our mouths...


Robin Hood Festival parade!


She became very committed and serious about her candy gathering. We had to keep a close eye on her because she'd TAKE OFF, right arm swinging! 


LOVAH Grandpa


Marli's been preferring thick chapter books to children's books , lately.
She'll lay on her tummy and use her pointer finger to outline the words and "read" aloud, "oooooh eeeeeee, ooooooh eeeeee!"


Target has therapeutic powers, so we visit there often. Especially when we have long days of missing Evan. We usually don't even buy anything. Hah!


Boy, oh boy. CAN YOU SPELL SASS??! See how she TURNS MY HEAD away from her?!

Crazy trampoline hair! Marli knows how to sign that she wants to bounce on the trampoline, and it's a  daily request that happens quite frequently!


OH how we love you, Ri-Ri!!
Remind me why Portland State, again?!!
Pretty sure Campbell has an education program, too... ;)

Marli learns quite a bit from Jack...


Reading like Charley...


Lots of "bub" sightings in Grammy's backyard in the mornings!


Marli was VERY concerned the other morning about the "duuuuuwteeeeee" pigs in the It's Not Easy Being a Bunny book. She repeated "duuuuuwteeee" (dirty) and "uh oh!" for over 10 minutes. Next thing I know...that's where some dirty things go, I guess...haha!


Still getting used to Grammy's highchair...ha!



Little Bunny Foo Foo


Such a good uncle


She was giggling like crazy all by herself in the other room.
When I went to find her, she was wearing Charley's shoe and thought it was HILARIOUS!


WHAT A MONTH! 
Lots more to come in August...we're planning on braving the trip out east and crossing our fingers that my health continues to be as great as it's been. 
It's been a true modern day miracle
If anyone has travel tips with a toddler, my mom and I will TAKE THEM! (She gets to come, too!)
Also...SO EXCITED to find out the gender next week! Any guesses?? Lemme know!