Lazy Summer Days

The kids and I have been enjoying these last few weeks of summer before preschool and Bible study start again.  This past Sunday some sweet friends from law school came over after church and we had lunch and went swimming together.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a single picture!  Last week the kids and I went with some other friends to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at an afternoon movie for kids.  It was a really cute movie and we had so much fun!

Other than that, we've been hanging out at home.  Here's a collection of some random pictures.

Almost everyday I put Arden down for nap, she reads and talks for awhile, then I go in to rock her to sleep (or she would stay awake forever).  It is such a sweet time, and I really look forward to cuddling and rocking her.  She looks so big in her crib these days - we're going to move her to a big girl bed just as soon as I can pick one out.  It seems impossible that she'll be three in November.

 Huston helped me bake some cookies last weekend.  He was such a good helper and really loved turning on and off the mixer.  He picked up this dough hook that was sitting on the counter and said, "Look, Mommy!  It looks like a mystery!"  I like how he connected question mark to mystery.  :)

Last week we found out that Clarke's sister, Emily, and her husband are having a baby boy!  We're so excited to have a new nephew and can't wait to meet little Austin Brooks.

Huston and Arden have been having the best time with our couch lately.  They pretend it's their car, they build forts and houses with it, and Arden is always tucked behind the cushions reading books.  It's so fun to listen to their creative dramatic play.  They say the funniest things - if only I could remember and record it all...

Our friends, Josh and Heidi, were visiting from Chicago this summer and just had to go back.  The kids ran around like crazy playing together (Huston is super sweaty in this picture) and I was only able to take a picture of all of them when we put a movie on (which is why they're all staring straight ahead).

So thankful for summer days and good friends.