Beach bag tip

For those of you that don't enjoy the beach (raises hand), but have kids that do. And you dislike all the work it takes to get to the beach and clean up from the beach afterwards. I have a small tip that has kept me sane this summer before and after beach trips. 

1. Wash everything right away. 

2. Pack it all (suits, towels, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, water shoes - everything!) back in the same bag. Stick in closet and forget about it until the next trip to beach or pool. 

Done! Your towels and swim suits are all ready for the next trip. You just pull them out and put them on the kids and off you go to the beach. Okay, you have to pack a few more things like food, but it makes it so much easier. 

Hi!

Wow. It has been crazy around here.

First there was my brother's wedding:

(All the family - the wedding was at my sister's gorgeous house!)

Then there was a week of vbs and multiple family members visiting. 

(Uncle Barry reads the boys a devotional)

Things started to settle down to a bit more normal for a few days. Jared took the boys to a baseball game. 

Then Jared decided to have an infected appendix on August 10th. 

(The boys stayed with my parents at said it was a happy day). 

He had a week off work to recover. We tried to stay quiet and go on trips to give him time to rest. It was painful. The boys and I got some nice beach and pool time (if you like that sort of stuff - ha). 

(He walked around with a pillow to protect himself from the boys)

Around the week mark, we went to the county fair. Saw some chickens. Missed our chickens.  

Watched the solar eclipse and did some science things. 

Our friend the moth came out. 

We made a motorcycle helmet or two. 

And were generally crazy...

It has been some long weeks, but God has brought us through and continues to uphold us. We are so grateful for friends and family that love us and encourage us to press on.  

Also, we've been busy spending time with people. Unfortunately our good friends are  moving this week. That makes three sets of good friends in less than a year. :( I helped pack yesterday and we'll be helping some more on Saturday. Busy. Busy. Busy. 

Hopefully, I'll be back to regular blogging soon and some fun house projects. But then again, I have an appendix surgery to pay for now and so the fun (aka ones that cost money) projects have all gotten bumped back another 6-12 months. 

I'm cleaning my house today. Not a little cleaning, but a good deep cleaning. I don't think I have touched my bathrooms since Jared had his surgery. So gross. And I've had a new dresser set up in the boys room for over a month, but haven't put clothes into it. So that is on the agenda too.