Friday we meet again! I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July holiday and a great week! The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays of the year and I am sad that it is already over this summer! This week as usual I am linking up for Friday Favorites with Erika, Narci and Andrea.
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4th of July Fun
We have some very strong 4th of July traditions, so the holiday is really one of our favorites! This year was SO hot and as a result, I didn’t take a lot of pictures (of us melting!).
First, we start the day with a parade and some candy catching. Seriously the amount of candy the kids catch rivals their Halloween buckets! Ugh!
We will wave for candy:)
We spent the rest of the day with family which included rides on an old tractor, photo booth fun and more CANDY from a pinata!
Every holiday I have a little tug at my heart thinking about how that holiday will be the following year with the kids older. It is bittersweet to think of them growing up! No one ever warns you about this part of parenting..
Hot Days
Well the theme for the week was HOT! We spent most of our days at the pool or beach. It’s hard to complain when we had such a never ending winter, right?!
I think we had ice cream just about every day! There is not much else to do when it is this hot but be in water or eat ice cream:)
Even our dog got his own pup cone one afternoon.
I mentioned the other day on Facebook and Instagram that I had unintentionally taken about a week off from social media. Something I read the other day really gave me pause that Life’s best moments are not social media worthy. I barely took pictures this week and I realized that it was because I was enjoying the moments. I wish I could bottle up our family time because pictures don’t do those precious times justice. Can you relate?
Summer is going by too quickly and I find myself already giving thought to back to school. I’m going to do my best to soak up the next two months!!
Favorite New Pool Toy
Speaking of pool time, I purchased a new pool toy for the kids this week and I wanted to mention it! I honestly thought the toy might be a bit on the younger side for my kids but I was wrong! This toy has been the best $15 I’ve spent because the kids have gotten hours of play from it!
The toy can be used as a matching game or a hide and seek type thing but of course my kids found their own ways to play with it! I have to say it was the hit of the pool for other kids that were at the pool. Isn’t that always the case–everyone else’s toys look more fun?!
Athleta Sales
I mentioned earlier in the week on Instagram that my favorite Athleta pants are on major sale (which is rare!). The entire Athleta Trekkie line is on sale. Plus as of today (7/7/17), you can get an extra 20% off sale items. The pants are cuter in person…once you put them on you won’t want to take off. So comfy and lightweight!
I just might have to get this adorable Trekkie skirt. It would be perfect for all summer activities.
Skirt available here
Book Recommendations
Did you catch my post on Tuesday that I wrote with my daughter?! We shared some of our favorite book recommendations that both tween and moms would enjoy. My daughter is the biggest bookworm of the family, so I always trust her book suggestions.
I have finally got back to reading a (not tween) book this week. I’m halfway into The Sound of Gravel (super on sale on Amazon right now!) and it is so good! It is a very intense memoir about a woman who left a polygomist colony. I will probably have the book finished by the time this post goes live. When I get into a book, I tend to finish it very fast!
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That about wraps up my week! I hope you have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday for our July Clear the Clutter Challenge!
You are so right about holidays + kids getting older. It truly is bittersweet! Makes me enjoy and soak them in that much more! Love the thought about social media… I feel pressure to capture the moments but in the end, that’s not what matters:)
My middle son often has a stack of book likes that as we walk out of the library or book store! A great passion to have. We have been super hot this week too and actually skipped the parades and fireworks in favor of water and air conditioning.
Such an All-American 4th of July – LOVE it!! LOVE Athleta too and like I said before those pants look perfect on you- have a great summer weekend Jaclyn 🙂
Very curious about those pants. They seem similar to the Loft ones I post about all the time on my blog but need something like them in black. Do they run true to size?
Have a Good weekend
Patty
Goodbetterbestfood.blogspot.com
Yes true to size for me. The pants have an elastic waist band so they are actually pretty roomy.
Love the pup cone!! I sometimes get a “puppy whip” at Starbucks for my fur babes. Summer sure is flying by!I love the quote about life’s best moments aren’t social media worthy. SO true! Have a beautiful weekend!
Thank you so much for The Sound of Gravel…it has been on my summer read list and I just ordered it. I am also in the same boat as you about holidays. I love them but they also make me think about how much will change and how my kids will be older the next time we celebrate. Happy Friday Mama!
Thanks Jenna! Please let me know what you think about the book!! Have a wonderful weekend.