June showed up - pandemic and all - with so much uncertainty for our summer ahead. Would the pool open? Would 7v7 football happen? What about all the sports camps and golf we normally participate in? Or how about the little trip to the lake resort that we booked in March? Despite all of that, we welcomed a little more freedom to gather with family, to enjoy the warming weather and to get this family of ours outside into the fresh air as much as possible.
|| Kaitlyn discovered the two bottles of nail polish Santa stuffed in her stocking on her first Christmas and asked Mommy to give her pink nails. It was so sweet, and she looked so cute.
|| The Falls pool did eventually open but not nearly as early as we're used to. We resorted to blow-up pools and slides in our own yard to get us through the first few weeks of heat.
Kaitlyn has the Justis genes in her. Hand to the forehead just like Poppop!
|| We had fun looking for frogs and toads in our own backyard. Kaitlyn developed a love for small critters and bugs, and she affectionately referred to every insect as a bumble bee. :)
|| We purchased an even bigger blow up pool and set it up on our back patio. However, we learned over time that it was really only a leisure pool for my feet - as Kaitlyn did not appreciate the cold hose water. ;) Thank goodness The Falls opened up by the end of the month!
|| We welcomed the return of family gatherings and celebrations - and celebrated birthdays and Father's Day at local parks and shelters.
|| Several s'mores nights in the backyard - just us and with family. The boys are getting pretty good at helping to build a good fire with wood and sticks from our very own little woods.
|| The day my camera went bad. I had been noticing for a while that images were becoming increasingly blurry and the focus was struggling. After this park trip, I sent it into my favorite camera repair shop - and didn't receive it back again until August due to some backordered parts! Thank goodness I have a backup, but I missed my trusty favorite photo companion for most of the summer.
|| We love our downtown, and it just keeps getting better. Crews worked all spring and summer to develop a plaza area by the river, and in the middle of its construction one weekend, we picnicked there with donuts from the shop just beside the green lawn.
|| We had been missing sports terribly and were grateful when Jaden was asked to join a team for a 3v3 basketball league. Unfortunately our experience was ended after just two weeks due to Covid exposure, but it felt nice to do something somewhat normal again for a change.
|| This cutie. She wears summer well, and her personality seemed to blossom in this season just like the flowers around her.
