Summer week 5

Summer is half way over!  We had a fun week.  We checked off some items on our summer fun list which is helpful. We are doing pretty well checking things off and making sure we have lots of quiet relaxing time at home.  It was a hot week here but the upcoming week looks a little better and we will need to check some of our outdoor things like hikes off.

We ended last week with a fun quick visit from the Blank's.  Mark grew up with Justin in Turlock and Hannah and I got to join in the fun at BYUI.  We love getting to hang out with them, they are so easy to be around.  Jared and Lydia loved being with their  fun kids and were so sad when they left. They recently relocated to Ohio which is only 6.5 hours away! We hope to visit them there and maybe even meet up somewhere in West Virginia.

Spencers' and Blank's. 

Hannah, Sienna, Justin, Maren and Porter. 

We made made a trip to the temple, squeezed some fresh lemonade and celebrated National Ice Cream Day, a very important day for Mark.

 

In his element. 

We spent an afternoon at the lake with friends and Jared had his last swim meet. When I ask him if he wants to do swim team next year he said he wants to which makes me happy. I'm so glad it was a positive experience for him. It's a huge time commitment and after we got over the initial confusion it was an overall positive experience.  He worked hard and improved so much.  Lydia seems pretty onboard with the idea of doing swim team next year too. There are a few members from our ward on the team and we enjoyed getting to visit with them and get to know them.

Lydia was a super trooper going to all of Jared's LONG swim meets in the hot weather.  

Thursday was a much looked forward to day.  Not only did we attend our first UVA races of the year but we had our anticipated Donut day. Up the road from us on Thursdays mornings there is a family that sales donuts from a food truck.  We had been meaning to go for awhile but it hadn't worked out (they are only there Thursdays mornings) so we made sure to add it to the summer fun list.  And why stop with just one donut place?  We ended up going to three different stores.  By the third one Jared and Lydia were done, they did not want any more donuts, it was just too much sweetness which was sort of surprising but also not. It was a lot of donuts in a short time.  We went to the Donut Kitchen, Duck Donuts and Carpe Donuts. Jared Lydia and I chose Duck Donuts as our favorite and Mark actually liked the Donut Kitchen (Food truck) ones the most.  I am sure we will go again on a Thursday morning before school.  None of us would recommend the Carpe' donuts to anyone.  They were fine but not a repeat visit.

The races were fun as always.  I was hesitant to go as it was a really hot sticky day (97 for a high and around 95 when the races took place) but we went.  Mark, Jared and Lydia all participated.  Jared and Lydia ran the 100 and 200 and Mark and Jared ran the mile.  They love playing on the fields and getting their ribbons.  I am sure we will go this week too.  While the boys were running their mile Lydia was dancing/karate practicing/exercising in the field. She has possibly seen me do way too many workout videos, and was showing me all her skills her form is probably better than mine.

Saturday was another summer fun list day.  We headed out to Crozet to Chiles Orchard to pick peaches with friends.  Mark looks forward to peach season all year and stocks up with as many peaches as he can find room for.  He actually went Monday with Jared and Lydia to check to see if the peaches were ready.  That trip he picked 10 pounds, a decent amount. Saturday we went back and picked 26 pounds!!!  So 36 pounds total.  Mark has been busy slicing up and freezing peaches.  Tonight we enjoyed fresh peaches and ice cream.  It was great.  While at the orchard we asked a girl, who was probably in her young twenties to take our picture and I swear she took no more than 25 pictures of us.  We didn't even move, she was quick! All of our peaches were approved by Mark.  Jared and Lydia like going to pick peaches, especially when peach and vanilla ice cream is involved after but I do wonder if Jared and Lydia will look back on peach picking as a positive thing or maybe not as much?  I think as long as there is ice cream it will be okay. After peaches we headed over to lunch at Crozet Pizza. It was also on the summer fun list.  It was recommended a lot here so we finally got there.  It was actually really good. I don't know that we would specifically try to go again but we are happy we went.  Jared and Lydia had fun goofing off with friends, doing silly things like eating red pepper flakes and spoonfuls of salt and eating pizza.  They are kind of pizza snobs and typically only want to eat my pizza so I was glad they liked it.

Mark's reward for picking all those peaches. Jared, Lydia and mine's for watching him pick them.

  We did pick some too. 

Summer. 

Peaches and Pizza were fun, it was again quite hot out but we survived.  When we got home Jared and Lydia asked to go to the lake but I was not feeling it and Mark had gone to help a friend lay new wood floors in their new house.  We compromised and broke out the water hose.  It was a simple thing that they loved.  While they were playing, they were being so kind and telling me again and again that I was the bestest mom in the world and that I was so fun.  That made it way more fun for me.  I love that even simple things like me spraying them with the hose and making fresh lemonade can make them so happy.  I do appreciate summer for that.

The week ended with a girls night out to celebrate a friend who is having a baby soon. We ate yummy Mexican food, laughed and offered support. Such lovely people here in Charlottesville. I'm so glad we are here.  This week marked 3 years in Charlottesville, 3 wonderful years.