david’s birthday party

With our family this time. We held it on his actual birthday and thankfully the weather decided to cooperate. Not sure everyone would have had as much fun as a bunch of boys! Even though it was just family we are still talking over twenty people. David decided he wanted pizza delivered which made things so much easier on Matt. We could actually swim and relax and just hang. Well, it got a little heated once the water guns came out but what can you do when the Funcles and Poppop are involved?

So we swam, we ate good foods, David opened presents (thank you thank you everyone for showering him with so many goodies) and then we sang and had cake! Ice cream cake, per David’s request, homemade by Matt. Such a fun day surrounded by family! My kind of day!

a swim party during a tropical storm

David would have invited every single boy in his entire grade to his friend party if I would have allowed it. But instead I capped him. It had to be done. Ten friends. A total of eleven boys. All in the pool. I was stressed. Then I wake up the morning of to a tropical storm coming our way. David would have been so disappointed if I rescheduled it.... I texted a few of the moms like hey what do you think and everyone agreed boys don’t care about a little rain and in fact it’s more fun that way! We had some ideas for backup plans if need be but nope, the boys had a blast in the rain! 

It was a chaotic three hours of counting heads in between snacks and more snacks. Whilst Matt and Janelle and I hid under umbrellas. They are such a good bunch it wasn’t as bad as I imagined... and I mean no injuries so that’s huge! I think they just all really missed each other and were so happy to be together. It was so cute. Or wait, whatever you call it at this age. 

we live here now...

And we will stay that way until the cold weather chases us out of our heated pool. I stand by that.

I joked around several times the first few weeks that the pool was open that I needed a Sign-Up Genius. People could sign up for their slots and bring whatever drinks and come and use the pool. We just had quite the long list of family and friends that we wanted to have over and swim! And we are getting there! Working our way through... So if I haven't gotten to you do not fret! I am trying my best! In between pool swims and family and friend hangs there has been a Baron Bookmobile and ice cream truck night... a few more Fourth celebrations.... swimmer's ear for Letty and baseball season for David. Life continues on, despite everything else. At least now, we have ourselves a pool.

who david is at eight.

fourth of july during covid

Lots of our traditions were missed this year... the parade in Lititz being a huge one. But we still tried our very best! Matt got me some more fresh flowers which I just really love having! My sister and her family and my parents came over for a day of swimming in the very hottest of July weather. We brought out the festive swim suits and the festive drinks and the bomb pops and had ourselves a bit of a barbeque. All the foods! It got a little touch-and-go as we waited for fireworks time... the kids went into the basement to watch Sandlot.. the adults had some coffee in hopes to stay awake... we even watched Fourth fireworks from the Magic Kingdom on youtube. We tried, is what I am saying. We had a few sparklers to go through and that was as one can expect. Fire and children is always a bit nerve wracking. 

And then we walked across the street and up to the baseball diamond to watch some fireworks. And what a show! For an hour and a half they were going off right over our heads... not to mention the two professional displays we could witness from up there and the countless others going off all over the county. Such a view! It really was the very best way to end such a strange Fourth of July!

we put on our redneck hat for the day

I did this once before, just at a different location and we had such a blast! This time I even brought the Dominator and Matt with us! My friend Toniel loves to do all the things and she knows all the things that are to be done. So she found this tubing spot and brought the tubes and a bunch of friends and after I asked her about a hundred questions off we went! I mean, there was a floating cooler. In a tube. It was quite the deal. 

The kids were a little cautious at first... I mean I get it I don't like wet sneakers either but once they got settled in with their friends (and with us, as in Dom's case) they loved it! They got off their tubes too at some point and even swam and splashed around a bit. 

And I had a Coors Light. 

the “finished” pool

I say finished with quotations because we still have so much we want to do out here! Matt is currently building a play set that was started after I took these photos... and we want to make a little patio under the birch for our fire pit and Adirondack chairs... Matt needs to stain the exposed foundation again, yes I see you Mrs. Williams! We did it once but then the concrete guys kinda got stuff on it again but it’s on the list! As I am typing this we moved all our stuff off the patio so it could be sealed and all that so we are just a litany of projects around here. But! We! Have! A! Pool! And we love it and are in it daily! The weather has been super hot and sunny and while I could use some rain over night I mean I shouldn’t complain!!

So here it is. Our favorite place to be right now...

a pool progression...

This is going to be a post and a half.... To say the least. But I thought I'd share some photos of what the whole in-ground pool process was like from the very start to the very (almost) end.... I'll share the final product of course but for now here is the backyard transformation! 

This has not been a project for the faint of heart! It was  messy and long and full of fits and starts and long waits in between any activity... but now that it is all said and done I know it was worth every single step along the way. Our backyard was a mess of dirt and mulch since last fall and then with Covid pushing back our install it was even more frustrating.... But all that to say it is done! And we are so in love with it. I can't wait to post all the photos of what it looks like now!

some stills from when life started to feel more normal...

Things started to look up. They are still up, up here anyways. We were able to get out and see people... go to restaurants... we stocked up on masks for the kids... Letty plays field hockey with her friends and David plays baseball on the field next door the same night.... drinks with friends while the girls play on a slip and slide...The. Bulls. I went to swim at my brother's because our pool wasn't done... there were fireworks in our development... then we went to swim at my brother-in-law's because, you guessed it, our pool wasn't done. There were outdoor fitness classes available through our gym and I was there for it! I returned all the kid's school stuff.... More Bulls! And then we swam at a friend's house because.... our pool wasn't  done!

cherries and pineview!

Oh me and my traditions. I love to pick fruit in the summer. All the fruit. So when the cherries opened up I made it my business to get there as soon as I could! With my mom and niece Lena of course! We had ourselves a picnic lunch at Pineview Dairy followed by ice cream before the picking... usually we do the opposite but it was just how the cherry fell this time. The cows were so tiny and cute and one had a thing for Nonna's shorts which gave us all a giggle.