August Phone Pictures

Once August began, I decided it was time to start getting serious about school preparation.  (Who knew we'd have a few extra weeks of summer?!)  We started by taking shoe inventory.  :)  I think it's safe to say that I have the most shoes in the house...and I'm not even much of a shoe person.

 The kids wanted to go through their memory boxes and look at past school items and there was a lot of oohs and aahhs and "Oh, I remember this!"  

 They were singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to me with this cute card from Grandpa.

 In our first round of this-is-our-last-family-fun-day-before-school, we went to see the Lego Batman movie.  Even though you get a lovely view of my knee, I had to include this one to show how cute Jared is.  He loves to snuggle up and wanted to hang on to both Alan's and my arms.

 I got it into my head that we should rearrange some furniture.  It involved taking lots of books off bookcases.  Sometimes I wonder what I would do without this half wall to use as a counter.

 The big entertainment center that the previous owners left is huge and so heavy, so Alan took it apart as much as possible.  Jared reveled in the chaos.  ;)

 They were actually both really good helpers.

 Ethan came in and asked for a hug while I was getting ready.  Then he picked my phone up from the counter and took this picture of us.  This is also good proof why I will never get Lasik.  I've had glasses for forever and think I just don't even look like me without my glasses.  Still, I'm always up for a hug or a picture!  :)

 While school supply shopping, we came across these hilarious items that the boys tried on.  Unfortunately, they both declared that they smelled horribly inside.  ;)

 Some days you have to take pictures to prove that they do play nicely with each other.  This particular one was taken on a day that had lots of arguing.  We've had a lot of together time this summer!

 Alan had a business trip and Jared was worried that I wouldn't sleep well alone so he told me I could borrow Chase.  :)

 Jared lost one of his top front teeth.  :)

 I hung a few things in the living room...and have been loving it!  (The rest of my family is just super frustrated that I moved the clock...it was above the mantel for five years and habits are hard to change.)

 A neighbor kindly came and helped Alan get this into our room (with only centimeters to spare).  We now have a TV in our room...which was super awesome for the time Alan was out of town...that way I could fall asleep in bed instead of on the couch...which I inevitably do when he's gone.

 Let's talk home decor for a minute.  I love HGTV, Pinterest, looking through magazines, etc., but I am never going to have a magazine-worthy house.  I get sentimental about things and want them in my house even if they don't complete the room.  (The flower in the vase on the mantel is a velvet one that Ethan bought in his class store in second grade so he could give it to me.  He didn't have enough Pride Bucks to pay for it, but apparently made a comment like "I wish I could buy this for my mom" and the teacher gave it to him at a discounted rate.)  ;)  Also, I have just enough practicality to say that what we have works...when it doesn't work, then we'll make a change.  (I will admit, however, that if I was given carte blanche to pick out whatever I wanted, I would absolutely love it!)  I just feel the need to comment on the fact that it seems like we're expected to have perfectly decorated homes these days and I find that unrealistic, so I'm sharing a picture of my very imperfect home to make it more common so that it feels okay.  :)

When it's too hot, sometimes you have to Just Dance to get some energy out.  :)

 Then, Jared lost the other top front tooth.  :)

 Alan bought and installed this cool plug with USB ports!  :)  Maybe one day we'll figure out a nicer way to hide cords, but for now, I'm loving the plug.

 The boys had been wanting to go to the park.  It was so blazing hot, that I told them we could go if we went first thing in the morning.  Consequently, we were at the park by 7:30.  :)

 (And it was still hot enough that they didn't want to touch the slides too much...or maybe that was because of the dew.)  :)

 Then we went and bought our new school shirts.  I bought one too because I love having a T-shirt to wear when I volunteer at the school.  :)

 I laid out all my puzzles to try and pare down a bit.  It was getting out of control...but I love them all so much!  It was fun to be able to share some though.  

 I decided that one day I might want to look back nostalgically on the days that my floors are covered with Legos and cards, so I took these pictures.  :)

 Alan tried to sneak a picture for me.  We moved "Movies with Mom" into the bedroom to try out the new TV location.  :)  This is a tradition that I love because it's the way that I introduce them to all of my old favorites that they would never choose on their own.  :)  This time we watched "The Happiest Millionaire."  

 One weekend when Alan needed to get a little extra work in, the boys didn't want him to go, so instead, they went with him.  I love that he got down on the floor with them.  He's a great dad! 

We tried to enjoy the eclipse, but didn't have glasses.  The cereal box thing didn't work well.  I liked the crescent shaped light.

 Mostly we just saw clouds.

 On a very boring day, after a tip from a friend, I took the boys to the dollar store and let them each pick out a gift for me.  :)

 Then, because they were so cute and sweet, I picked out a gift for each of them.  Ethan chose a gift for Jared using his money as well.  :)

 We met Grandma and Grandpa for lunch one day when they came in to go to the temple.  We failed to get a picture with them, but enjoyed the Black Walnut Cafe all the same.

 Since we were next door to Nothing Bundt Cakes, we had to stop for a treat.  I took this picture thinking that it would be the last time I hid in my room eating a treat...then summer got extended...and extended...and it wasn't the last time.  Hopefully you're not appalled that sometimes I have to hide from my children!

After all, how can someone this cute ever be infuriating?! :)