Weeks in Review: July Flies By

Growing up on Cape Cod, we always said that summer was over once July 4th came and went.

Depressing? Yes.  Accurate? Also yes.

  It just feels like a blink of an eye to go from July 4th to school starting back up, and yet I want to make the most of these days!  

My coworker and frequent customer to the Cottage dropped off a bowl of patriotic candy salad to keep the workers energized over the long, hot holiday weekend.  Considering what some fresh produce is doing to people lately, maybe candy salad is the way to go ;)

The World Cup has been on all.the.time in our house, which makes Declan very happy.  I discovered my love for Erling Haaland just before England pushed Norway out of the series, hmmph!

My brother hosted a July 4th BBQ at his house, and then we drove back home to watch the fireworks from our family room windows...so much better than standing out on the hot and crowded beaches.  Lucy decided that she wanted to lay right next to my side of the bed when the fireworks were going off.  This is the most high-maintenance as she gets.  What a good lowkey girl.  Yes she is!

A Kindergarten teacher from town dropped off a book her students had made about ice cream flavors they invented.  We rewarded them with a sweet treat for their adorable efforts.

Cousins Maine Lobster had reached out to us about setting up a food truck outside the Cottage, which should have been a HUGE hit but it was a terribly rainy day.  Oh well, I still got a delicious lobster roll with lemon butter in exchange for some ice cream!  Their loaded tots were great too.

Phil and I took the youngest three kids up to New Hampshire for a few days because the timeshare week we have at Lake Winnipesaukee didn't rent this year.  We pay the maintenance fees, so we figured that we better use it at least for a bit.  We all love Lake Life (and the pool at the condo).  

There's a really steep hill with a Cumbie's at the top, and the family tradition is that you have to run up the hill to get a slushie:

Earned 'em!

A nearby town has a Sculpture Walk each summer, so we found all 32 sculptures, as Declan checked them off and Brendan used the map to find them:

We went to the bookstore (Xander's choice, Declan's choice and Brendan's choice) and to the candy shop.  Guys, I can not get over the price of books and candy!  $22 for a book and $30/pound for chocolates!

The condo has a kitchen, so we only ate out once...at a Mexican restaurant with really good chicken fingers!

We had to go to FunSpot which is like a casino for kids, and time off Purgatory for their parents:

Loving our hilly morning walks with a lake view:

Grilled burgers by the pool

JP went to a lake house in Michigan with friends for a few days.  I'm so glad his college group tries to take an annual vacation together, even though their lives are taking them in different directions:

Andrew was the Best Man in Smiles + Collette's wedding in Wisconsin, and is now preparing to fly to another friend's wedding in Columbus.  I can't believe he's at the age where his friends are getting married (says his mom who married his 21 year dad at age 23 - ha!).

Maggie had a dream come true when she scored tickets to see Noah Kahan at Fenway:

And that's what's been happening in our part of the world.  Hope you all are enjoying your summer while you can :)