Family and Friends and a lot of Beaches...

It's August in Cleveland which means wonderful weather and a sense of urgency.  We are doing our best to wring out every last drop of summertime fun... and doing a pretty good job at it, I think!

Here's how we're finishing summer this year...

Step 1:  Go to the beach! Bonus points for going 2 days in a row.

(This time, Mentor Headlands! Beautiful rocks, huge waves.  Jack made up a new game to play called "dead fish" and I got so much water up my nose trying to play catch in the surf and we had so much fun.  Ivy was still at horse camp so it was just me and my boys...)

Step 2:  Pool Parties! 
Celebrating the end of the season with the Tigersharks and the synchro kids.  Pizza, dessert buffet, so many floaties in the pool, and lots of dragging coaches into the water...

Step 3:  Take a random road trip because family is important.

Randy and his family went on a road trip to Kentucky and planned a stop in Columbus at COSI.  And when your family is going to be just 2 hours away at an awesome museum, you just take the day and go.  (It didn't hurt that we also stopped at IKEA for a new dishwasher, new countertops, and alllll the other things...)

Ivy did NOT like the muppet exhibit.  She found them creepy.

Step 4:  ANOTHER pool party!  (Never skip a pool party...)
Friends from church invited the whole congregation to their pool and we had just a lovely time.  We had the honor of being the very last guests to leave as we had to drag our kids out of this pool...  They played with Pastor Roger for quite a long time and then Jack befriended this little guy and tossed a ball with him, with the utmost patience, for a good twenty minutes.  I am always surprised by his sweetness with little kids who aren't his sister...

Step 5:  Sunset drinks with friends.  Bonus points if you are celebrating your friend's new job.

Step 7:  More beaching!  And some more after that...

Double bonus points for a return trip to Mentor Headlands with TWO groups of friends.

Oh my gosh I just love these kids so much.

And the next day-- once more with feeling!  Rocky River beach with Gram and Pip...

Step 8:  real quick get some new glasses and shoes and clothes for the kids, before running away on one last vacation...