The rest of July... Almost

Here's everything else from the end of the beach trip through today. (Tomorrow I leave for camp and Rob will finish out July's fun with the kids.) So it's the longest post of the entire summer! (But the time felt so short.)

We had a cousin over while Rob's sister ran cub scout day camp on Friday. (July 10th) There were indoor tents and outdoor tents that day!

We did an outdoor movie (it worked great but the next one is going to wait about 10° cooler!) And we followed that up with a backyard camp out.

The next morning (after I crashed on the couch for an hour*) I went to a hike/walk with the young women to prepare for girls camp.
*my air mattress had a leak and by the morning I was mostly laying on the ground (still inside the tent). I'm not sure I could endure really roughing it!

 (taken through the tent mesh looking in while they slept)

The next two weeks have been a little calmer, sort of.

(July 13 - July 19)
Monday I drive out to the temple with the three youngest to take some individual pictures of the twins in their baptism dresses (all the pictures after their baptism were both girls together).

My parents were there with other friends from church, so we got to say hello (and get all the stuff left at their house from the previous week).

We finally tried out "musical water" (which took way longer to figure out than expected, especially using two slightly different Mason jars styles). That really ate into piano lesson time for the day, but we let it count for part of our lessons.

Tuesday was library day -what fun -a magic show. With a snake!

Wednesday, we had a pool party at my aunt's house (usual swim day, but with a cookout). Alee's favorite part was playing "motorboat" with my aunt and her grandchildren (Alee's 2nd cousins)

The first pair of girls got their turn to go visit Memérè and grandpa for 2 days. (Alee reported today that Kaitlyn got a little homesick at night. Ironic, because Alee is the one who refuses to leave my side and would only go with a sibling.)

While they were gone, I got some "have to" things done, had some new friends over to eat, and Carolyn got a sleepover.

We finished the week with archery when they got home Saturday.

Last week was "time for mom" week. (July 20 - July 26)
I have sewing projects and requests for sewing projects, and I want to do them all, but personal time has been minimal since school got out.  (Definitely not long enough to do a project.) So I took time this week to get started on that list. I had one thing not quite finished by Sunday, so I left it for Monday. (The rest of the list will have to wait until after girls camp... And Florida.) Here's some pictures:

It's a towel robe (for camp - after my showers...or in general a swimsuit coverup)

First the curtains

Then the duvet cover (which was finished yesterday)

While I was busy working last Monday, Carolyn came in and asked for my scraps and by the time family home evening arrived, she had a little creation to show us all!
(I was quite surprised as she looked up how to make what she wanted and then made it without my help. She used my machine while I was cooking supper because it's faster.)

We still did the library - zoo presentation (good, because I couldn't fit the zoo in recently).

All the girls finished their summer reading (the other two finished last week but I didn't get pictures).

Wednesday swimming was cancelled (also good because the next pair of girls got to leave earlier for their turn at Memérè and grandpa's). We met Memérè at Chinese Wednesday for the pass off. They had fun and returned in time for Family game day on Friday...

While they were gone, Seth got a sleepover and friends time and I just kept sewing. (Kaitlyn and Alee played on their own.)

Friday we had family game day and played games all afternoon when they came back. Rob's sister joined us and provided cookies (or maybe Memérè did before she left town? Regardless - there were cookies and games!)

And I added 2 new ones to my wish list for Christmas that Bethany shared with us.

Saturday after we cleaned the church, we spent time with friends, then I used rest time to work on a project (the one left to finish Monday) and then more friends in the evening.
I'm glad they were scheduled visits. I forget to make time for friends if it's not scheduled on the calendar.

Monday (July 27) and Tuesday (July 28) were basically get all my "have to" things done and get ready for camp (with the exception of the great library activity we make time for every year).

I'll update what Rob did with the kids... Or maybe I'll have him do it?... Before we go out of town in August for one last hurrah.