Our Fun-Filled 4th of July Celebration

The 4th of July has been one of my favorite holidays for years. It never used to be that way, but my husband and his family converted me! Now I love it, and we are passing on all of our favorite 4th of July traditions to our kids!

This year, the 4th of July was almost perfect. We spent the day with family and friends, from start to finish. We kicked it off with the town parade, spent the afternoon and evening at a pool party/picnic with friends, watched fireworks with friends and family, then headed back to a friend's house to continue the fun! 

The only thing missing was Dylan. Having older teenagers is tough, but we eventually learned to compromise. Some holidays and events are non-negotiable, but we do understand that some things are more fun with friends. He just wanted to go to the parade and the fireworks with his best friends. We missed him, but talked to him at the end of the day! But other than that little downer, we had a great day!

The Last Days of July

I can't believe July is over, and the first day of school is just weeks away! The pandemic might have put an end to all our usual fun Summer activities, but time isn't slowing down one bit. After 4 months of social distancing, we managed to cram some fun into the end of July!

During the last ten days of July, we spent a lot of time outdoors, celebrated a birthday, reinstated family hikes, and jumped back into a busy cheer schedule. With the exception of wearing a mask in public, life started to feel a bit more normal. It is such a welcome feeling!

July was a fun month! (It was definitely more exciting than the previous three months combined!) I shared the first half here, and here's how we spent the remainder of the month...

July Happenings

July is halfway over. We are still social distancing, and we have officially surpassed the point of boredom. This too shall pass...that seems to be my motto these days! 

July is feeling a bit more normal in some ways. We went to a graduation party...without the littles. We celebrated the 4th of July with a few close friends who are at the same level of social distancing as we are...AKA working from home and not going anywhere. And we're spending our afternoons and evenings in the pool...even though it's a 2 foot inflatable pool in our backyard!

I'm sure the rest of the month will pass by quickly. We're going to reinstate our weekly family hikes, Grant's birthday is on Friday, cheerleading is supposed to start at the end of the month, we're going to try to plan a beach vacation for September, and we have big decisions to make about school. I just wish this was a typical July full of fun outings and excitement over upcoming birthdays, reunions, and family vacations. But really, there's nothing typical about this July...

The Most Boring June Recap Ever! (But the pictures are cute!)

Happy July! Can you even believe it's July? It feels like June went by in the flash, but it also feels like we're on the millionth day of Summer Break. (Who can relate?) 

The month of June is typically exciting for us! It's full of end of school year activities, the last day of school, dance recitals, the first day of Summer Break, going to the pool, going to playgrounds and the library, and weekend parties with friends. This year, June was nothing like we expected!

Sure, we had a last day of school...at home. We had a first day of Summer Break that didn't feel any different from the three previous months. A car almost hit our house, so there's that. We celebrated Father's Day. AND...that's about it! June 2020 was most definitely our most boring June ever, but I'm committing to a recap!

Social Distancing Through Summer with a Bajillion Kids

2020 has been quite a year! It was looking so good for the first 2 1/2 months, then it all went downhill from there. Just when things started looking up, the uncertainty hit again! After 3 full months of social distancing, we're now facing a very monotonous Summer of continued social distancing.

We have been very lucky where we live, because we haven't had many cases. In a sense, I feel like our community is sheltered, and doesn't understand the impact this virus is having around the rest of the country. Our state acted quickly with mandatory social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines, and I believe it helped protect us. A few weeks ago, we moved to the "green phase" with fewer restrictions, and now cases are rising again all over the country. Coincidence? I think not!

My family never really stopped practicing social distancing, but we were starting to cautiously spend time with some family and friends who are living similar social distancing lifestyles. Now, neighboring counties are starting to reinstate some restrictions, and I have a feeling we're next. The little hope I had for a "normal" Summer with our kids is rapidly disappearing!

Our Five Ring Circus Takes On The Water Steps

On Friday, we headed back into Pittsburgh for another afternoon of fun! We originally planned to visit the Carnegie Museum or Carnegie Science Center, but it was such a beautiful day, that we wanted to spend it outdoors. Grant has never been able to join us at The Water Steps at the North Shore Riverfront Park, so we decided that would be a great family outing for the day!

The Water Steps look like a beautiful piece of natural art, but it's actually a popular spot in the Summer. It's like a huge, interactive fountain! This multi-tier wading spot is a combination of waterfalls cascading over the rocks, and shallow wading pools on each level. Kids can cool down by wading through the water, and even adults and dogs, who are walking or biking along the Riverfront trail, take advantage of this fun, free spot!

I always tell people that the Water Steps are a hidden gem in Pittsburgh. My kids can easily spend hours playing on them, and they are always so excited when I tell them we will be spending the day there. This time, we were so excited to have Grant with us on our mini Pittsburgh staycation!

Summer Survival Necessities for Moms

Summer is in full swing, and moms are officially in survival mode! I love having my kids home for the Summer, but there are definitely days that are very long. We are having fun and making memories, but my plate is very full right now. Some days are a win, some days I'm treading water, and some days I can barely stay afloat!

Surviving each day with minimal stress is always my goal! Every single outing takes a lot of preparation, and my house has to be stocked with snacks for those rainy days when we're trapped inside. With five busy kids, there are a lot of bumps and bruises along the way, and some headaches (for me) at the end of the day!

CVS sent me a box full of their favorite products for Summer. Even though I was instructed to treat myself, I did end up sharing with my husband and kids! We found a few new favorites along the way!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! It has been a long time since I shared a few of my favorite things. Life got in the way of blogging - having a baby and adjusting to having five kids will do that. BUT...I figured it was time to get back into posting my favorites regularly!

Life lately has been very busy. Our Summer Break just started, but it doesn't feel much like a break at all. We're in the midst of dance recital week, and it's all we can think about right now! Next week should be a bit more calm!

I discovered so many new favorites over the past few weeks. Some are for me, some are for my kids. I'm taking advantage of the quiet time in my house (AKA the middle of the night), to list my favorites for all of you!

Summer with The Chaos Crew

We returned to our ridiculously busy schedule this past week. I went back to leaving the house every single day - often multiple times - but we packed a lot of fun into the past seven days! Life in the Summer is always entertaining and full of chaos!

As we approach the end of July, Summer just seems to be speeding up. I can't believe it's going to be August next week. August is full of birthdays, reunions, parties, our family vacation, and the first day of school. It's going to be fun, but I know it's going to fly by as quickly as June and July did. What I wouldn't give to press the pause button!

Here's what life is like with the Chaos Crew (AKA 4 kids who keep me on my toes)...

Summer Friday Favorites

I received several of the items below free for review. I only share the things I love the most!

Happy Friday! Summer life is in full swing, and we are loving the hot summer days. Even though some days are almost unbearably hot, it's my favorite time of year. Summer life is the best life!

A few fun things made my love list this week! Some were sent to me for review, and I quickly fell in love, and others were fun finds while I was shopping. Here are six of my current Summer Favorites:

Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer

I can't believe Summer Break is halfway over! Why does it have to go by so quickly?!? We just had the laziest week ever, and it was amazing. Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer are truly the best!

I'm so glad we opted to have an unscheduled Summer this year. We've never had one of those kind of Summers, and it's awesome to be able to do what we want when we want, and not have to leave the house every single day. I know it's going to come to an end way too soon, so we are savoring every moment, and enjoying all the gifts Summer has to offer!

Friday Mom Life Favorites

Happy Friday! We are a week into Summer Break, and it isn't nearly as relaxing as I thought it would be. I'm taking a much needed break from the chaos, and sharing a few of my current favorite mom life things!

Down For Summer Adventures with Zip & Zoe + 75 Things To Do This Summer

This post is sponsored by Babymel Bags, but photos and opinions are 100% my own.

It's officially Summer Break, and my kids are gearing up for all the adventures that are ahead of us! While it's true that we're going to have an unscheduled summer, we will still have many adventures together as a family. The next 2 1/2 months will be filled with the things we WANT to do, not the things we HAVE to do!

School's Out For The Summer!

It's official! School's out for the Summer! We made it through a busy school year with four kids in four different schools, and all of their sports and activities. The reward is the 2 1/2 months of Summer Break ahead of us!

Our Unscheduled Summer

The end of the school year is just days away for most school districts in the Pittsburgh area. Any parent who has a child in school knows from experience that the last month of the school year is pure chaos. When you multiply that chaos by four kids, life gets crazy! After months of having something scheduled every single day, I officially declared we will be having an unscheduled summer!

Head over to Pittsburgh Moms Blog to read my full post...

A Bittersweet Ode To Summer: Thoughts on Motherhood & Seasons of Life

We are currently enjoying the last week of hot weather in Pennsylvania. Summer flew by far too quickly, and I still can't believe we are already several weeks into a new school year. The next time we feel temperatures like these ones, two of my kids will be one year older and the school year will be almost over. That seems too far away yet too soon at the same time!

The passing of a season sometimes serves as a cruel reminder of just how fast time goes by. And the older I get, the more sentimental I become. I wish I could just hold onto these moments with my kids, just as they are now! But seasons will continue to pass by rapidly, my kids will continue to grow far too quickly, and all I will have left are memories of what once was.

The point of having kids is to raise them, help them develop into GOOD human beings, and send them off into the world on their own.  As their mom, I'm selfish. I want them to be my babies forever!

I think the reason I take so many pictures is so I can remember all these simple, everyday moments with my kids that make life so special and worth living! Some may argue that it's better to LIVE in the moment instead of document it, but I disagree. I fully believe it's possible to have the best of both worlds.

When you live in the moment, you experience it and make memories. But one day those memories will fade, and all the little details will disappear. THAT'S why I document those everyday moments through pictures.

I want to remember how the sunlight hits Liam's pale eyelashes and turns them to gold. I want to remember how Lily's thumb goes into her mouth the moment she gets sleepy. I want to remember Lexie's beautiful profile as she reads a book. I want to remember the way Dylan twirls his hair - or mine - when he gets worried or sleepy...just like he did when he was a baby. Those moments are worth living AND documenting!

Although this Summer went far too quickly for my liking, it was full of so many moments that I want to remember! I will hold onto those moments forever, and these pictures will serve as a reminder of just how wonderful life really is!

We celebrated and fell in love with a new family member who seemed impossibly tiny and oh so perfect!

We connected with cousins.

We showed people how to be brave (and how to give mom a heart attack)!

We spent hours splashing in the tub.

{Nuby Bath Links - Available on Amazon}

Instead of wishing the rain away, we enjoyed it!

We flipped through hundreds of books and flashed the cutest smiles ever!

We celebrated the fact that baby wearing is still possible!

{Lillebaby CarryOn Toddler Carrier}

We jumped for joy!

We viewed the world from different angles. (Stop, Drop and #DownwardDude!)

We enjoyed simple Summer pleasures.

{Shirt from Trendy Bubs}

We made creative fashion choices.

We spent the Summer learning and exploring...and lost one fingertip in the process!

We spread joy one smile at a time.

We healed and proved that fingertips really DO grow back!

We jumped in pools fully clothed!

We spent hours in the backyard.

We did our own stunts!

We danced like nobody was watching.

We celebrated the first big Summer birthday!

We enjoyed spending time together.

We laughed a lot!

We took family walks.

My kids got candid!

An unusual visitor crawled across Lexie's foot, which scarred her for life.

We cooled off at the spray park with friends.

We logged in many hours on Papa and Nina's deck.

And we played at home.

We went swimming as often as possible.

We eagerly celebrated a 6th Birthday! (Birthday Interview and Recap to come!)

We bonded with extended family, had fun and got messy at our annual family reunion.

We explored our town.

We spent a week at our favorite place: Virginia Beach! (Yep...stillllll recapping.)

We celebrated the most special little boy's 4 trips around the sun!

We ended our Summer Break with a pool party to watch the eclipse!

And just like that, Summer Break came to an abrupt end when my kids headed back to school. It was a great Summer, and I sure am missing my days spent with my little tribe!